How similar to normal attacks are attacks made with a telekinetic violent thrust?

Question

The 5th-level Sor/Wiz spell telekinesis [trans] (PH 292) allows the caster to

move objects or creatures by concentrating on them.… [T]he spell can… exert a single short, violent thrust [allowing] the spell energy [to] be spent in a single round. [The caster] can hurl one object or creature per caster level (maximum 15) that are within [the spell's long] range and all within 10 feet of each other toward any target within 10 feet per level of all the objects. [The caster] can hurl up to a total weight of 25 pounds per caster level (maximum 375 pounds at 15th level).

[The caster] must succeed on attack rolls (one per creature or object thrown) to hit the target with the items, using [its] base attack bonus + [its] Intelligence modifier (if a wizard) or Charisma modifier (if a sorcerer). Weapons cause standard damage (with no Strength bonus; note that arrows or bolts deal damage as daggers of their size when used in this manner).

The creature using telekinesis is an overseer (Lords of Madness 139-40), a treelike, tentacled, unimaginatively named beholderkin which has telekinesis as a supernatural ability as a level 14 caster via one of its thirteen eye rays. ("An overseer can move objects or creatures [n.b. plural] that weigh up to 350 pounds, as though with a telekinesis spell," so there's no issue with it tossing around multiple objects simultaneously even though it's using an eye ray.).

^{It's related to beholders. I kid you not.}

Anyway, below are the questions.

1. Does a creature employing the violent thrust version of the spell telekinesis suffer the normal effects associated with making an attack? (For example, an overseer is Large—does it suffer a −1 penalty on its violent thrust attack rolls because of its size? Were the violent thrust hurling masterwork weapons, would the overseer gain a +1 enhancement bonus on its attack rolls?)
2. Does a creature employing the violent thrust version of the spell telekinesis suffer the normal effects associated with making a ranged attack? (For example, does the overseer provoke attacks of opportunity for making a violent thrust ranged attack? Does the overseer suffer a −4 penalty to its violent thrust attack when it makes such an attack against a foe engaged in melee?)
3. Does a creature employing the violent thrust version of the spell telekinesis suffer a −4 nonproficiency penalty with objects (or creatures) it violently thrusts if it isn't proficient with those objects (or creatures)?

The plan is to have the overseer take a few minutes to create a big pile of Large greatswords or halberds nearby with its major creation eye ray (again, not kidding—the weapons'll last 14 hours) and, when it's time to fight, violently thrust the weapons in batches of 14 at the PCs. (Admittedly, considering the overseer's other eye rays—like dominate person, polar ray, and temporal stasis—, this seems sort of desperate and is sort of dumb, but, hey, monsters! What are you gonna do? Am I right?)

Given this aberration's lack of weapon proficiencies and it needing its feats for better things, I want to confirm that violently thrusting weapons at foes is superior to simply using the combat maneuver version of telekinesis to disarm or trip the PCs.

Answer 1

Most of modifiers affecting a regular attack would affect violent thrust.

Violent thrust

You must succeed on attack rolls (one per creature or object thrown) to hit the target with the items, using your base attack bonus + your Intelligence modifier (if a wizard) or Charisma modifier (if a sorcerer).

Attack roll

An attack roll represents your attempt to strike your opponent on your turn in a round. When you make an attack roll, you roll a d20 and add your attack bonus. (Other modifiers may also apply to this roll.) If your result equals or beats the target’s Armor Class, you hit and deal damage.

The spell states that you use your BAB and Int or Cha modifier, however it doesn't state to use only them.

Feats and features that apply directly to ranged attacks should also affect violent thrust, since you perform an attack roll.

There is nothing stating, that violent thrust itself would provoke an attack of opportunity. It doesn't even take any additional action. It is simply one of alternative uses of the spell.

Still regular casting a spell does provoke AoO.

The last question is arguable.

It is possible to throw a weapon that isn’t designed to be thrown (that is, a melee weapon that doesn’t have a numeric entry in the Range Increment column on Table: Weapons), but a character who does so takes a -4 penalty on the attack roll.

This covers subject of weapons or items not typically used for throwing, since you rather thrust them violently rather than just throw.

Weapon proficiency is a tougher subject.

A character who uses a weapon with which he or she is not proficient takes a -4 penalty on attack rolls.

You should state what is the understanding of "use", if it means "fighting with the weapon" or "doing anything with the weapon". If first option would be chosen, the you wouldn't have to deal with the penalty. For the second option it would be applied.

PS

Have you considered to give your monster a few classes of Master of The Unseen Hand? It is great for combat use of telekinesis.

Answer 2

First, I'll answer the questions:

1. Does a creature employing the violent thrust version of the spell telekinesis suffer the normal effects associated with making an attack? (For example, an overseer is Large—does it suffer a −1 penalty on its violent thrust attack rolls because of its size? Were the violent thrust hurling masterwork weapons, would the overseer gain a +1 enhancement bonus on its attack rolls?)

The attacks, when made using the spell, are simply BAB + [casting stat], with the weapons chosen. The caster is not wielding the weapon, the spell is. The caster is simply directing the spell. Weapon quality (and qualities, if any) will influence the attacks and damage of the weapons used.

If your beholderkin were to acquire an enchanted weapon to throw, its enhancement bonus to attack and damage, plus any of its special abilities, would all affect the attack and damage.

Looking at the Master of the Unseen Hand (Complete Warrior 60), and extrapolating from its Telekinetic Wielder ability, I'd rule, as DM, that the weapons used are immaterial, except for their damage potential, seeing as how the MotUH can't apply weapon-specific feats to the attacks made with his ability. Further, I'd treat them as partially improvised; they's have a crit range of 20, and a multiplier of ×2 only.

2. Does a creature employing the violent thrust version of the spell telekinesis suffer the normal effects associated with making a ranged attack? (For example, does the overseer provoke attacks of opportunity for making a violent thrust ranged attack? Does the overseer suffer a −4 penalty to its violent thrust attack when it makes such an attack against a foe engaged in melee?)

Although the attacks are ranged attacks, the action is being performed by the spell, not the caster. The act of casting the spell might provoke attacks of opportunity (though not in your beholderkin's case, as its eye-rays are Supernatural abilities), but the spell, and the weapons themselves, can't provoke AoO's.

Firing into melee will incur the -4 penalty, since the spell says (emphasis mine):

...per creature or object thrown

Additionally, firing into a grapple would have the same chance to hit any participant in the grapple, randomly chosen as normal. Prone targets would have incur a -4 attack penalty as well.

3. Does a creature employing the violent thrust version of the spell telekinesis suffer a −4 nonproficiency penalty with objects (or creatures) it violently thrusts if it isn't proficient with those objects (or creatures)?

No, since it's not mentioned in the spell, and again extrapolating from the MotUH shows that some authors and editors read the rules this way as well.

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Now for something completely different a minor Frame Challenge

It's true that the telekinesis spell can target up to [caster level] objects, but the overseer uses the spell via a single ray attack per round, which by definition has a single target. Your beholderkin would be limited to a single object as a target each round. For maximum damage, (14d6) the beholderkin should be keeping one or two 350 lb. hard, dense objects nearby to throw at its foes. Too bad colossal weapon damage is relatively paltry, since weapon size is immaterial to the ability, the beholderkin could throw a colossal hammer at its foes, but a 350 lb boulder would deal more damage.