So someone please correct me if I am wrong or maybe help give me some clarification...My understanding is that in order to cast a spell in combat you DO NOT have to roll a d20 to determine hit or miss UNLESS the spell says otherwise???
I am interested in how you came to that conclusion. The only thing I can infer is that you perhaps applied a mechanic from one type of spell to another.
Attack/offesnive spells require a d20, as to all attacks, to be rolled to see if you successfully hit the target versus their Armor Class. Otherwise there is a DC save involved.
Other spells like Cure Wounds or Shield are different, and don't use that mechanic because you're not attacking.
Yes, you are correct, though that is an odd way of wording it, and I'm also interested in what made you consider it in that way.
All spells will tell you in their spell description how to cast them. "Make a ranged/melee spell attack roll" or "target must succeed against your spell save DC" for MOST damaging (or, as you put it, "combat") spells.
"Combat spells" should be differentiated against "spells used in combat". Technically, as far as I can tell, the rules don't categorize spells as "combat" or "non-combat" or whatever. Technically speaking, you can cast any spell you want during combat, simply using the methods as stated in the spell description.
Yes, you can cast a spell during combat that takes an hour to cast... if you really want to. I feel bad if your combats last an in-game hour, though.
All spells will tell you in their spell description how to cast them. "Make a ranged/melee spell attack roll" or "target must succeed against your spell save DC" for MOST damaging (or, as you put it, "combat") spe
With this in mind, how would you determine if a d20 should be rolled for the following spell?
Magic Missile
You create three glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4+1 force damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
I had an inkling that this was the spell you may have been referring too after giving it some thought, lol. Magic Missile is the exception to this rule, as it is considered an auto-hit. There are ways to deter the damage, as with the Tarrasque's Reflective Carapace, but in a typical setting that spell just...hits.
EDIT: The trade off is that it deals similar damage to Unarmed Strikes, so it doesn't yield a lot of damage compared to other spells that scale.
All spells will tell you in their spell description how to cast them. "Make a ranged/melee spell attack roll" or "target must succeed against your spell save DC" for MOST damaging (or, as you put it, "combat") spe
With this in mind, how would you determine if a d20 should be rolled for the following spell?
Magic Missile
You create three glowing darts of magical force. Each dart hits a creature of your choice that you can see within range. A dart deals 1d4+1 force damage to its target. The darts all strike simultaneously and you can direct them to hit one creature or several.
The part I bolded states what Styles described - they auto hit.
It does not say there is a roll required, so a roll is NOT required. It states that each dart hits a creature, so the darts hit a creature(s).
Short answer: Spells do exactly what they say they do.
Longer answer: Spells do exactly what they say they do, and there is almost always a roll involved.
If the spell causes damage to a target, there is absolutely going to be a d20 roll involved (unless the spell specifically states no roll is needed, such as Magic Missile, but this is rare). You will either personally make an attack roll (if the spell targets the creature/object's AC), or the creature(s) will make saving throw roll(s) (if the spell targets creature/object's ability score).
The only spells that do not require an attack/saving throw roll are those that are strictly beneficial in nature. You do not have to roll to confirm whether a Cure Wounds spell lands on the target, so long as the target is a willing one.
Are there specific spells that you have questions about? Tell us which ones, and we can explain how they function.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
So someone please correct me if I am wrong or maybe help give me some clarification...My understanding is that in order to cast a spell in combat you DO NOT have to roll a d20 to determine hit or miss UNLESS the spell says otherwise???
Thanks in advance! 😁
Short AND simple answer: you are correct. Just remember that spell attacks as well as saves (which most spells have one or the other) do involve a d20 roll.
Magic missile does not make a spell attack, it just deals damage, so no roll.
So someone please correct me if I am wrong or maybe help give me some clarification...My understanding is that in order to cast a spell in combat you DO NOT have to roll a d20 to determine hit or miss UNLESS the spell says otherwise???
Thanks in advance! 😁
You don't have to make a d20 roll just to see if you can cast it. But very often a d20 roll of some kind is required to see if the spell's effect is successful. Some spells require a "spell attack roll", either melee or ranged(Shocking Grasp an Eldritch Blast, for example). In this case, the caster is the one making the roll, adding their proficiency bonus and their spellcasting ability modifier(the combination of these two modifiers is known as your Spell Attack Bonus). Other spells require the potentially affected creature(s) to make a Saving Throw to resist the effect of the spell(such as Fireball or Hold Person). The target number they have to meet or exceed with the roll is the casters Spell Save DC(Difficulty Class), which is equal to 8 plus the caster's proficiency bonus plus their spellcasting ability modifier. In some cases, succeeding on the saving throw results in the target being completely unaffected by the spell, sometimes succeeding means they only take half damage instead of the full impact of the spell. There are other spells that require other types of rolls, and some that don't require rolls at all. Read the description of the spell, it will tell you explicitly what kind of rolls are required and who has to make them.
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So someone please correct me if I am wrong or maybe help give me some clarification...My understanding is that in order to cast a spell in combat you DO NOT have to roll a d20 to determine hit or miss UNLESS the spell says otherwise???
Thanks in advance! 😁
I am interested in how you came to that conclusion. The only thing I can infer is that you perhaps applied a mechanic from one type of spell to another.
Attack/offesnive spells require a d20, as to all attacks, to be rolled to see if you successfully hit the target versus their Armor Class. Otherwise there is a DC save involved.
Other spells like Cure Wounds or Shield are different, and don't use that mechanic because you're not attacking.
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Chief Innovationist, Acquisitions Inc. The Series 2
Successfully completed the Tomb of Horrors module (as part of playing Tomb of Annihilation) with no party deaths!
Yes, you are correct, though that is an odd way of wording it, and I'm also interested in what made you consider it in that way.
All spells will tell you in their spell description how to cast them. "Make a ranged/melee spell attack roll" or "target must succeed against your spell save DC" for MOST damaging (or, as you put it, "combat") spells.
"Combat spells" should be differentiated against "spells used in combat". Technically, as far as I can tell, the rules don't categorize spells as "combat" or "non-combat" or whatever. Technically speaking, you can cast any spell you want during combat, simply using the methods as stated in the spell description.
Yes, you can cast a spell during combat that takes an hour to cast... if you really want to. I feel bad if your combats last an in-game hour, though.
With this in mind, how would you determine if a d20 should be rolled for the following spell?
Magic Missile
I had an inkling that this was the spell you may have been referring too after giving it some thought, lol. Magic Missile is the exception to this rule, as it is considered an auto-hit. There are ways to deter the damage, as with the Tarrasque's Reflective Carapace, but in a typical setting that spell just...hits.
EDIT: The trade off is that it deals similar damage to Unarmed Strikes, so it doesn't yield a lot of damage compared to other spells that scale.
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Watch DnD Shorts on youtube.
Chief Innovationist, Acquisitions Inc. The Series 2
Successfully completed the Tomb of Horrors module (as part of playing Tomb of Annihilation) with no party deaths!
The part I bolded states what Styles described - they auto hit.
It does not say there is a roll required, so a roll is NOT required. It states that each dart hits a creature, so the darts hit a creature(s).
Short answer: Spells do exactly what they say they do.
Longer answer: Spells do exactly what they say they do, and there is almost always a roll involved.
If the spell causes damage to a target, there is absolutely going to be a d20 roll involved (unless the spell specifically states no roll is needed, such as Magic Missile, but this is rare). You will either personally make an attack roll (if the spell targets the creature/object's AC), or the creature(s) will make saving throw roll(s) (if the spell targets creature/object's ability score).
The only spells that do not require an attack/saving throw roll are those that are strictly beneficial in nature. You do not have to roll to confirm whether a Cure Wounds spell lands on the target, so long as the target is a willing one.
Are there specific spells that you have questions about? Tell us which ones, and we can explain how they function.
You don't know what fear is until you've witnessed a drunk bird divebombing you while carrying a screaming Kobold throwing fire anywhere and everywhere.
Short AND simple answer: you are correct. Just remember that spell attacks as well as saves (which most spells have one or the other) do involve a d20 roll.
Magic missile does not make a spell attack, it just deals damage, so no roll.
You don't have to make a d20 roll just to see if you can cast it. But very often a d20 roll of some kind is required to see if the spell's effect is successful. Some spells require a "spell attack roll", either melee or ranged(Shocking Grasp an Eldritch Blast, for example). In this case, the caster is the one making the roll, adding their proficiency bonus and their spellcasting ability modifier(the combination of these two modifiers is known as your Spell Attack Bonus). Other spells require the potentially affected creature(s) to make a Saving Throw to resist the effect of the spell(such as Fireball or Hold Person). The target number they have to meet or exceed with the roll is the casters Spell Save DC(Difficulty Class), which is equal to 8 plus the caster's proficiency bonus plus their spellcasting ability modifier. In some cases, succeeding on the saving throw results in the target being completely unaffected by the spell, sometimes succeeding means they only take half damage instead of the full impact of the spell. There are other spells that require other types of rolls, and some that don't require rolls at all. Read the description of the spell, it will tell you explicitly what kind of rolls are required and who has to make them.