How can I avoide Attacks of oppertunity while casting in melee?

[Silverhawk112]

Are there any feats or class abilities that allow me to not incur an attack of opportunity while casting in melee range? Thank you for the input. <3

[el minster]

Do you mean without a skill check?

[Silverhawk112]

Yes, I should have clarified that.

[NotASpiderSwarm]

The Concentration skill lets you cast defensively to avoid AoOs. Generally the skill check should be reachable, but not easy. There's ways to optimize this.
Depending on if it's a class skill, Tumble will allow you to escape AoO range.
Defensive abilities like Displacement, Greater Mirror Image, or swift-action teleportation can keep the AoO from hitting you.
Similarly, Fly/Overland Flight/Phantom Steed to stay well out of range of any melee attackers.
Wear leather armor, a black hooded cloak, carry about 17 knives, and look suspicious. No one will want to get within Sneak Attack range of you.

I would generally recommend mixing and matching these depending on your exact situation and needs. Don't rely on just one, but you don't need them all.

For more detail: What's your class, what's your level, and why are you getting AoO'd instead of the lackey(sorry, "fighter") that most wizards keep around as a sword-absorbsion device?

[Silverhawk112]

This character is a level 6 cleric

[NotASpiderSwarm]

Cleric means heavy armor and far fewer of the utility spells that solve this issue. With you not wanting to rely on the Concentration skill(why?), a common option is the beatstick Cleric route: Carry a big weapon, boost your AC, and rely on most enemies either not wanting to get close to you or not being able to hit you if they do. If they do get close, hit them repeatedly rather than casting a spell.

[Vizzerdrix]

The humble 5 foot step is your friend here.

[One Step Two]

If you don't mind investing two feats, Shielded Casting from Races of Stone, as long as you have a light shield, heavy shield, or tower shield ready, you do not provoke attacks of opportunity for casting spells in combat.

It requires Combat Casting and +5 Ranks in Concentration as prerequisites.

[RSGA]

On the other hand, if you absolutely must avoid as many potential AOOs as possible, there's Races of Stone's Shielded Casting. While you have a light, heavy, or tower shield and are using it, you don't take AOOs for casting while threatened. It's not a huge investment as you should have all the stuff needed by the time the second feat comes around for non-humans, but it does mostly obsolete the prerequisite.

Still, you get the Combat Casting's effect in a grapple, so it's not entirely obsoleted.

[Kelb_Panthera]

A level 6 cleric with con 12+ and combat casting literally -can't- fail the DC 15 check to cast defensively if he has maximum ranks in concentration.

I don't understand why you're worried about this unless your GM is inordinately fond of NPCs with the mage slayer feat.

[Biggus]

A level 6 cleric with con 12+ and combat casting literally -can't- fail the DC 15 check to cast defensively if he has maximum ranks in concentration.

I don't understand why you're worried about this unless your GM is inordinately fond of NPCs with the mage slayer feat.

Huh? The DC was 15 + spell level last I heard...

@OP: Not exactly what you asked for, but consider getting an Anklet of Translocation (MIC p.71). It's cheap and allows you to teleport 10ft as a swift action twice a day.

[Kelb_Panthera]

Huh? The DC was 15 + spell level last I heard...

So it was. I don't often play casters and was going from memory. Still, +14 at level 6 is enough that failing the check should be as rare as needing to make it in the first place.

[Maat Mons]

The Steady Concentration feat let's you take 10 on Concentration checks, even ... in situations where you need to make Concentration checks.

[tyckspoon]

If you're trying to avoid having to spend skill points in Concentration, I'm not aware of anything that will let you avoid causing AoO for casting (although I won't guarantee it doesn't exist, there's a lot of D&D 3.5 material and I won't pretend my memory is exhaustive.) Most of the related tricks have Concentration ranks as a prerequisite. If you're ok with casting defensively and you just want to make sure you can't fail the check, that's pretty easy - it doesn't have high target numbers. The best choices I can recall have mostly already been mentioned in this thread. Steady Concentration (Feat, Races of Stone) allows you to take 10 on your Concentration checks, which means you need nothing more than that feat and keeping your Concentration skill maxed to pass all your Casting Defensive checks. You could also just acquire an item with a +Concentration bonus; +skill items are one of the most straightforward 'custom' items, they're consistently priced at the DMG formula of bonus value * bonus value * 100. If your DM requires a specific printed item, the Magic Item Compendium has the Tunic of Steady Spellcasting (+5 bonus for 2500) which should also easily bump your Concentration bonus into the 'never fail defensive casting' area.

[Thurbane]

Pretty sure a Quickened spell doesn't provoke AoO, but it's not really a practical solution for most uses.

[MaxiDuRaritry]

Pretty sure a Quickened spell doesn't provoke AoO, but it's not really a practical solution for most uses.Spells cast as swift actions don't, either.


Swift Actions
A swift action consumes a very small amount of time, but represents a larger expenditure of effort and energy than a free action. You can perform one swift action per turn without affecting your ability to perform other actions. In that regard, a swift action is like a free action. However, you can perform only a single swift action per turn, regardless of what other actions you take. You can take a swift action any time you would normally be allowed to take a free action. Swift actions usually involve spellcasting or the activation of magic items; many characters (especially those who don't cast spells) never have an opportunity to take a swift action.

Casting a quickened spell is a swift action. In addition, casting any spell with a casting time of 1 swift action is a swift action.

Casting a spell with a casting time of 1 swift action does not provoke attacks of opportunity.


The dweomerkeeper PrC has the Supernatural Spell ability, and (Su) effects don't provoke.

Likewise, if you have innate spellcasting in the form of Spell-Like Abilities (as a few races/monsters do, or psionic manifesters with the Magic mantle), the Supernatural Transformation feat turns them into (Su) effects.

[el minster]

Pretty sure a Quickened spell doesn't provoke AoO, but it's not really a practical solution for most uses.

swift actions can't provoke.

[Troacctid]

Elusive Dance (Dragon Magazine #333) allows you to ignore all attacks of opportunity from one opponent each round. Melodic Casting (Complete Mage) allows you to use Perform instead any time you would use Concentration during the casting of a spell or spell-like ability. The armband of elusive action (Magic Item Compendium) lets you ignore an attack of opportunity once per day at the cost of 800 gp.

[MicHag]

The Steady Concentration feat let's you take 10 on Concentration checks, even ... in situations where you need to make Concentration checks.

This is the right answer if you already have (prerequisite) 8 ranks in concentration.
You have 18+con in concentration, which should be enough for now, even if you have CON 10.

[Psyren]

The humble 5 foot step is your friend here.

This, just watch out for difficult terrain. The best way to succeed at a roll is not to have to roll at all.

[Doctor Despair]

Elusive Dance (Dragon Magazine #333) allows you to ignore all attacks of opportunity from one opponent each round... The armband of elusive action (Magic Item Compendium) lets you ignore an attack of opportunity once per day at the cost of 800 gp.


This, just watch out for difficult terrain. The best way to succeed at a roll is not to have to roll at all.

Hence why the above two seem so valuable. Both completely avoid the two patented anti-caster AOO feats.

You gain a +1 Bonus on Will saves. Spellcasters you threaten cannot cast defensively (they automatically fail their Concentrattion checks if the attempt to do so), but are aware that they cannot cast defensively while being threatened by you.

You may make an attack of opportunity against an opponent you threaten who dismisses a spell, directs or redirects an active spell, casts a quickened or swift spell, or attempts to turn or rebuke undead. If your attack is successful, your opponent must make a Concentration check (DC 10 + damage dealt) or lose the action that provoked the attack of opportunity.