How exactly do you cast a spell?

[speedster_sasha]

I am sure this is in the forums somewhere but I will be darned if I can find it. DO you have to make a roll to cast a spell? What about in combat? For instance lightning...do you just automatically cast it and does it automatically hit it's targets with no rolls for armor or to hit or anything?..(other then a reflex save)

The system seems a little confusing....

Cheers!

Sasha.

[Crimson Jester]

Casting Spells
Whether a spell is arcane or divine, and whether a character prepares spells in advance or chooses them on the spot, casting a spell works the same way.

Choosing a Spell
First you must choose which spell to cast. If you're a cleric, druid, experienced paladin, experienced ranger, or wizard, you select from among spells prepared earlier in the day and not yet cast (see Preparing Wizard Spells and Preparing Divine Spells).

If you're a bard or sorcerer, you can select any spell you know, provided you are capable of casting spells of that level or higher.

To cast a spell, you must be able to speak (if the spell has a verbal component), gesture (if it has a somatic component), and manipulate the material components or focus (if any). Additionally, you must concentrate to cast a spell.

If a spell has multiple versions, you choose which version to use when you cast it. You don't have to prepare (or learn, in the case of a bard or sorcerer) a specific version of the spell.

Once you've cast a prepared spell, you can't cast it again until you prepare it again. (If you've prepared multiple copies of a single spell, you can cast each copy once.) If you're a bard or sorcerer, casting a spell counts against your daily limit for spells of that spell level, but you can cast the same spell again if you haven't reached your limit.

So no you don't have to roll, you just choose a spell and cast it on your turn.

[Kazejin]

speedster_sasha wrote:

I am sure this is in the forums somewhere but I will be darned if I can find it. DO you have to make a roll to cast a spell? What about in combat? For instance lightning...do you just automatically cast it and does it automatically hit it's targets with no rolls for armor or to hit or anything?..(other then a reflex save)

The system seems a little confusing....

Cheers!

Sasha.

The same way you make your character walk forward. You say you do it.

Every spell's description tells you basically what you need to know (except for a few cases where a spell's effect gets clarified for other reasons). For the most part, though, you just do what the spell says. If you cast a spell that says creatures in the area take 2d6 damage, then that's what you do. Roll 2d6 and that's how much damage the affected creatures take. It only uses an attack roll if it says so. (For example, some spells say that they require a ranged touch attack, in which case the rules on that will apply.)

[Zolthux]

speedster_sasha wrote:

I am sure this is in the forums somewhere but I will be darned if I can find it. DO you have to make a roll to cast a spell? What about in combat? For instance lightning...do you just automatically cast it and does it automatically hit it's targets with no rolls for armor or to hit or anything?..(other then a reflex save)

The system seems a little confusing....

Cheers!

Sasha.

You only need to make attack rolls on spells that say "Range: creature touched" (Unless it's a harmless spell, in which case an ally can choose to be touched by your spell), or those that say "you must succeed on a melee/ranged touch attack rolls.

Examples: Scorching Ray, Shocking Grasp

Other spells do not say that they require an attack roll, but they do allow a save.

Examples: Fireball, lightning bolt

Finally, some spells require both a touch attack AND a save, as they have a range of creature touched

Example: Bestow curse, Inflect Moderate Wounds