Just trying to clear things up for one of my players. Under the various spell-casting abilities it says they use their spell-casting for spell rolls? Does that include for the attack rolls for spells that require one?
After looking at the spell chapter it says melee spell rolls have the finesse trait? So that means it's dex or str?
I think I answered my own question but I just want to be sure.
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Just trying to clear things up for one of my players. Under the various spell-casting abilities it says they use their spell-casting for spell rolls?
Their proficiency bonus for spellcasting, yes.
Does that include for the attack rolls for spells that require one?
No. Spell rolls are baffling and poorly defined, but they don't apply to attacks. Mostly they apply to dispel rolls as a type of 'counteract check' (which refers you to page 317, because cross referencing is required to be a pain in this book)
The glossary (p 423) is probably the best (or only) definition of spell rolls, mostly it sets your spell DCs and is used for dispel. It might be better if it didn't exist and the game just explained how to set both with spellcasting proficiency modifier + stat mod, because it sounds like it should be used for attack rolls.
But... for attacks you still use your spellcasting proficiency bonus. See spell attacks on page 197.
But instead of spellcasting modifier you add (almost always) Dex, rather than your spellcasting ability, which can make them diverge quite sharply from your spell roll.
If you find this confusing, you'd be correct.
After looking at the spell chapter it says melee spell rolls have the finesse trait? So that means it's dex or str?
Melee [b]touch[/i] attacks have the finesse trait. Most melee spells are touch, but some aren't, so you'd add strength in that case, despite the fact that you specifically can't add unarmed or weapon damage to a spell attack.
(Caveat: finesse is inherently optional, so you can still use strength instead of dex if it is higher). But you always use dex on ranged spell attacks.