I'm sure that this is specific to the Circlet of Blasting, since I don't think it comes up anywhere else, but the +5 attack bonus for Scorching Ray is being applied to an Intelligence attack instead of the Charisma attack it should be, being that the item doesn't specify the ability score that gets used. Because feats and race features clearly identify the ability score that gets used, and the Circlet of Blasting doesn't, it stands to reason that the RAW is that it should be based on as determined by the class, in this case a bard (https://ddb.ac/characters/6172850/CJrJp5). Not only does this affect the ability score (+4 vs +2 base), but it determines whether the proficiency bonus is applied, or at the very least that's the assumption that the system determines. It's a little fuzzy in the PHB, because the spellcasting section is likely addressing spellcasters specifically, and I don't know how RAI lands on that one, bur being that my bard is proficient in magic the proficiency bonus should be applied. In either case, the way that the Circlet of Blasting stands, it's a difference between a +7 and a +12, which is obviously a really considerable amount. Don't get me wrong, I can do the math with ease, but I'm not the only one playing this game. Even the cast of Critical Role had a hard time doing on-the-fly calculations for spell save DCs and attack bonuses, so it would be unfair to ask the more unfamiliar players to get how to apply everything, and as I mentioned before that +5 is pretty significant.
Good to know. It wasn't clear how it arrived at that math, or at least not to me, so it was clearly a coincidence that both equations had the same answer, and I incorrectly assumed one of them. At least it'll be less involved for me to do the math, since it's a much more simple +5. I would assume that's a problem that still needs to be fixed at some point, but being that it's a minor inconvenience that currently applies to very few magic items (if not just this one), I'll assume that it'll be on the back burner for now.
Actually, now that I think about it, not to be a shirt-head, but my misreading the item in conjunction with the character sheet does highlight a potentially much larger flaw in the system, which does probably need to be addressed at some point in the near future. Again, it'll be super easy for me to track that it's +5 total, and not +5 bonus, but not everyone will, and I could see where that would create enough confusion to be worth dealing with.
Considering it's been 6 years since this thread, is there now any way to apply a flat spell attack bonus to a magic item or scroll? The only thing I found was a way to add a +X bonus on top of the spellcasting bonus of the character.
I'm sure that this is specific to the Circlet of Blasting, since I don't think it comes up anywhere else, but the +5 attack bonus for Scorching Ray is being applied to an Intelligence attack instead of the Charisma attack it should be, being that the item doesn't specify the ability score that gets used. Because feats and race features clearly identify the ability score that gets used, and the Circlet of Blasting doesn't, it stands to reason that the RAW is that it should be based on as determined by the class, in this case a bard (https://ddb.ac/characters/6172850/CJrJp5). Not only does this affect the ability score (+4 vs +2 base), but it determines whether the proficiency bonus is applied, or at the very least that's the assumption that the system determines. It's a little fuzzy in the PHB, because the spellcasting section is likely addressing spellcasters specifically, and I don't know how RAI lands on that one, bur being that my bard is proficient in magic the proficiency bonus should be applied. In either case, the way that the Circlet of Blasting stands, it's a difference between a +7 and a +12, which is obviously a really considerable amount. Don't get me wrong, I can do the math with ease, but I'm not the only one playing this game. Even the cast of Critical Role had a hard time doing on-the-fly calculations for spell save DCs and attack bonuses, so it would be unfair to ask the more unfamiliar players to get how to apply everything, and as I mentioned before that +5 is pretty significant.
Actually, the item is considering the +4 for the CHA modifier and the proficiency bonus. So, total of +7. But, RAW, it should be only +5.
The magic item stystem doesn't have a field to apply the +5 bonus to only that spell.
Good to know. It wasn't clear how it arrived at that math, or at least not to me, so it was clearly a coincidence that both equations had the same answer, and I incorrectly assumed one of them. At least it'll be less involved for me to do the math, since it's a much more simple +5. I would assume that's a problem that still needs to be fixed at some point, but being that it's a minor inconvenience that currently applies to very few magic items (if not just this one), I'll assume that it'll be on the back burner for now.
Actually, now that I think about it, not to be a shirt-head, but my misreading the item in conjunction with the character sheet does highlight a potentially much larger flaw in the system, which does probably need to be addressed at some point in the near future. Again, it'll be super easy for me to track that it's +5 total, and not +5 bonus, but not everyone will, and I could see where that would create enough confusion to be worth dealing with.
Considering it's been 6 years since this thread, is there now any way to apply a flat spell attack bonus to a magic item or scroll? The only thing I found was a way to add a +X bonus on top of the spellcasting bonus of the character.