Post/Author/DateTime	Post
MasterMagician 08-26-06, 09:57 AM	My friends and I have just started playing dNd, me being the dungeon master. we just recently attempted to play a couple of nights ago. As with combat, you have to roll a d20 to see if you hit, but do you have to do that with magic? for example my friend cast magic missile, and if he can see the target and line of sight doesnt affect him does he just roll the d4 to see how much damage it deals? And if there is no saving throw allowed (like in this case) does the damage just go through? Thanks
Fargren 08-26-06, 10:16 AM	You got it right. There are very little spells without save or attack roll, and Magic Missile is one of them. Not that it matters much at lvl 1, but don't forget about spell resistance.
Daosus 08-26-06, 12:32 PM	To be a bit more specific, usually, the spell will say if it needs an attack roll in the description. Spells that target "creature touched" require a touched attack. Spells where the effect is "ray" require a ranged touch attack. Most other spells will let you know in the description. A good guide is that if a spell doesn't have a saving throw, it should require an attack roll. The reverse does not hold, as many spells are powerful to require both (like Disintegrate, for example). Magic Missile is a (too) powerful 1st level spell in that it requires neither an attack roll, nor a saving throw. Given that it's 1st level, it prolly won't break your game. Besides...you can't have DnD without Magic Missile ;)
MasterMagician 08-26-06, 01:29 PM	whats spell resistance? (if you cant say those types of things on the forums, can someone please give me the page number?) And how should I incorporate the attack roll into magic missile? just use the ac of the person its being cast upon?
Daosus 08-26-06, 04:09 PM	Spell resistance is just what it sounds like. You must roll a Caster Level Check equal to the SR in order to have your spell affect the target. If the spell description says "Spell Resistance: No" it means that that spell bypasses spell resistance. *EDIT* Only certain (and usually higher level) creatures have SR. If it's stat block does not list SR, it does not have it. Caster Level Check is 1d20+caster level Finally, I'd suggest buying the Dungeon Master's GUide and the Player's Handbook if you've not done so already. They are very handy to have and explain all that stuff. Alternatively (or in my case, for convenicence), the "core" elements of DnD have been released under the OGL and are available online at verious sites. My favorite is www.d20srd.org because it has a search function and a nice interface. PS. - Magic missile does not have an attack roll. You cast Magic Missile and roll 1d4+1 for damage. It always hits as long as you have line of effect. If it is a touch attack, you ignore some types of armor (look up touch attack). If it is just "melee attack" or "ranged attack" you do not ignore any armor. PPS.- Very quickly, I'd suggest looking over the Playing the Game section in your PH.
Oompa 08-27-06, 09:23 AM	Quick question not related to topic.. Cure wounds serie.. creature touched.. is it possible to make also ranged touch?? And if the target is friendly?
Mitchell 08-28-06, 02:28 AM	No, you have to actually touch the target. If it could be used as a ranged touch attack, it would have a range (see acid splash for an example). Under the range entry for cure light.moderate/etc wounds, it shows a range of touch.
Nom 08-28-06, 09:15 AM	Spells can be a little confusing at first. With normal attacks, the attacker rolls the d20 against the target's AC. With skills, the character using the skill rolls a check. Confusingly, spells typically work in the opposite manner. The caster automatically succeeds (no roll), and then the target rolls a d20 to mitigate or negate the effect of the spell (a "saving throw"). Some spells don't allow a save (eg magic missile, light), assume you won't want to save (cure light wounds), or require an attack roll (ray of frost). Most spells without a save are helpful rather than harmful.
Daosus 08-28-06, 03:34 PM	No, you have to actually touch the target. If it could be used as a ranged touch attack, it would have a range (see acid splash for an example). Under the range entry for cure light.moderate/etc wounds, it shows a range of touch. There are some Prestige Class abilities that allow you to do this, but really, the fact that you have to be standing right next to the guy you're healing is a big limitation on healing spells and is there for a reason.
tarkin 08-28-06, 03:48 PM	You want the Reach Spell feat. In Forgotten Realms, there are also "healing arrows", which are in my opinion, too cheap for what they do. After all, a good archer can hit someone with four or five a round.