Touch Attacks and Casting Defensively

[andhaira]

Folks, for the life of me I cannot figure out, even after lots of searching the SRD and googling if Touch attack spells in Pathfinder provoke Attacks of Opp. if they are cast in melee range of your targetted enemy?

For the sake of simplicity lets assume the spell in question is Disrupt Undead. Macros the Black is facing a Zombie who is clawing at him. Macros's turn comes up and he casts Disrupt Undead, a Ranged Touch Attack spell. Since he is within melee range, but the spell if ranged TOUCH attack, would he incur an Ao0 from the Zombie?

[Barstro]

According to the chart on this page (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/gamemastering/combat#Table-Actions-in-Combat), casting a spell provokes.

Oh, and there's this.

Touch Attacks: Touching an opponent with a touch spell is considered to be an armed attack and therefore does not provoke attacks of opportunity. The act of casting a spell, however, does provoke an attack of opportunity. Touch attacks come in two types: melee touch attacks and ranged touch attacks. You can score critical hits with either type of attack as long as the spell deals damage. Your opponent's AC against a touch attack does not include any armor bonus, shield bonus, or natural armor bonus. His size modifier, Dexterity modifier, and deflection bonus (if any) all apply normally.

Not in the same section, of course (why make things easy), but on the same page.

EDIT; just noticed your "ranged" part of this.

Ranged Touch Spells in Combat: Some spells allow you to make a ranged touch attack as part of the casting of the spell. These attacks are made as part of the spell and do not require a separate action. Ranged touch attacks provoke an attack of opportunity, even if the spell that causes the attacks was cast defensively. Unless otherwise noted, ranged touch attacks cannot be held until a later turn (see FAQ below for more information.)

EDIT 2:
I think you are misunderstanding "Touch". "Touch" does not refer to physical contact of the caster's hands on the enemy, it refers to the ability to ignore most armor. Ie, the spell just needs to hit the target, not find a way past the platemail. AKA; "Touch AC".

[Necromancy]

Any standard action spell provokes unless it's description says otherwise

[TheIronGolem]

Any standard action spell provokes unless it's description says otherwise

Well, he did specify defensive casting. But in any case, the OP's example will still provoke, not because it's a spell but because it's a ranged attack made while in a threatened square.

[andhaira]

So if the spell was Chill Touch it would still provoke, even though it is a touch spell?

[TheIronGolem]

Chill Touch would provoke from casting the spell, unless you cast it defensively or are benefiting from some ability/effect that specifically lets you cast without provoking. That is true of any spell.

But the touch attack provided by that spell is a melee touch attack, not a ranged one. So once the spell has been cast, using its touch attack would not provoke.

To recap: Casting provokes. Ranged attacks provoke. Using a melee touch attack as part of a spell doesn't provoke, even though casting the spell that gave you the attack does.

[EvilAvocado]

Keep in Mind that touch attacks only expire after being used.

So you could cast the spell and 5 rounds later smack your enemy.

That will help you get around casting in melee.

[DarkSonic1337]

Also note that the free touch attack you can make to deliver the spell is good for the whole round, not just the time of casting. So you can cast your touch spell, then move into range to deliver it, all without provoking an attack of opportunity.