Does a Spectral Hand provoke AOOs ?

[Mosaique]

Like the title says - Does an attacking spectral hand (2nd Level Necromany Spell) provoke Attacks of Opportunity from moving through threatened areas?
As the spectral hand returns after delivering a touch spell - does this provoke another AOO?
My feeling says it should. But it would make the spell a bad choice, as soon as enemies have magical weapons.
I couldn't find any discussions about this detail. What are your opinions?

[Kelb_Panthera]

In the absence of any text to the contrary, I don't see why it wouldn't provoke. It is, for all intents and purposes, behaving as a mindless creature controlled by the caster with a few extra limitations.

You could, reasonably, apply magic item and spell effects to the spectral hand to improve its defensive capabilities if you're particularly concerned about it being destroyed. I wouldn't be overmuch concerned though. Even when the enemy has a magic weapon, they still have to contend with the hand's 50% mischance and a fairly solid AC until upper mid levels.

[Mosaique]

Thanks Kelb for your response.
As we are playing pathfinder, there is no 50% miss chance - the damage dealt is reduced by 50% - which is not a problem as the hand can have 4 HP max.
But of course it has a fairly high AC.

[TheIronGolem]

Even so, it's worthwhile. You're only risking 1d4 HP and the loss of further uses of the hand. You're almost guaranteed to get at least one use of it, because it won't provoke when moving up to attack the enemy unless they have reach (provided you avoid other enemies on the way there).

Come to think of it, if Spectral Hand provokes then you can actually use that to your advantage by soaking up an enemy AoO at a maximum cost of 4 HP.

[Mosaique]

Hi Iron Golem, thanks for your help.
The spell has its pros and cons - and I am clear of those now.
I think I'd still prefer using a reach metamagic rod.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Hi Iron Golem, thanks for your help.
The spell has its pros and cons - and I am clear of those now.
I think I'd still prefer using a reach metamagic rod.

That's probably a better option if you can afford it. Spectral hand has a one level advantage over the lesser rod but the rod is pretty much outright better.

[Deophaun]

You're almost guaranteed to get at least one use of it, because it won't provoke when moving up to attack the enemy unless they have reach (provided you avoid other enemies on the way there).
Depends on how much the DM hates you. It is a hand, after all. So, likely something Tiny, and Tiny has a Reach of 0. It might have to enter the target's space, which means it provokes before delivering the spell.

[Mosaique]

Wow - you're absolutely right!
In Pathfinder the spectral hand gets a +8 AC bonus from size. That means it is fine size (two categories smaller than tiny - and tiny already has a natural reach of 0`).
So we have AoOs all around :-) Thanks for this additional detail!

[Firest Kathon]

While the RAW support this standpoint, I am pretty sure that it is not the intended effect. After all, you give up a second-level slot just to cast low-level (<= 4) touch spells at range. If it came up in my game, I would at most allow AoO for the movement, but not the attack itself.

[Mosaique]

I have the same problem if I let my tiny familiar deliver a touch attack - so why should the spectral hand be "immune" to this?
Yes, that would make this spell vulnerable and very situational - but that is the case for lots of spells.
And it has its pros - to cast a touch spell at medium range is still something. With Metamagic Reach you only get short range. And you need a rod or the metamagic feat and higher spell slots.
If the opponent you're casting on is a wizard, witch, sorcerer or other "normal" caster, he normally won't even be armed - so he doesn't get AoOs at all.

[Deophaun]

I have the same problem if I let my tiny familiar deliver a touch attack - so why should the spectral hand be "immune" to this?I think it is fair to say that there is no intent for it to behave that way, as that's a tiny little vulnerability that I would like to imagine would have been called out in the spell's description if the designers knew that's how it worked. As I said, though: DM is entirely within his right to do that. I just haven't played with any that do. But, it's something to keep in your back pocket if it's somehow abused (such as using it with bestow curse to coerce outsiders called via planar binding to just roll over for whatever you demand).

[Hunter Noventa]

The spell also says the hand attacks from your direction. It doesn't say it can't, for example, take advantage of being incorporeal to attack through the ground, poking the target's foot to deliver the spell.

[KillingAScarab]

The spell also says the hand attacks from your direction. It doesn't say it can't, for example, take advantage of being incorporeal to attack through the ground, poking the target's foot to deliver the spell.You would need to be attacking a target a floor above yourself in order for that to be a plausible interpretation. Incorporeal creatures have limits regarding movement through solid objects. Page 64 of Rules Compendium has "Such a creature can enter or pass through solid objects, but it must remain adjacent to the object's exterior, which means it can't pass directly through an object whose space is larger than its own." A spectral hand isn't a creature, but I imagine it could be ruled to follow a similar restriction. At the very least, I doubt you could get away with making a target flat-footed for a melee touch attack. I think you would have a better chance using an arcane archer's phase arrow ability on an arrow with the spell storing quality... if that's even allowed on ammunition.