So, cantrips frequently use ability modifier scores... but spellcasting npcs don't have their modifier listed and often don't list a spellcasting class.
Do people here apply the character's highest mental ability mod, try and match it to the spellcasting class the character seems to be from.
Or do people not include it all?
Is there anything pointing to RAI that people have found?
I usually go by their tradition and what their spellcasting is identified as. So an NPC with Wizard spellcasting would use their Int mod. If there is any question as to what type of spellcasting they are using for some reason, perhaps because the spell is some form of innate or some otherwise unexplained spell, I go with Charisma as that is the default non-typed magic mod usually.
It really annoyed me when I first came across this because I had started skipping transcribing enemy ability scores in roll20 because they had no relevance.
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The default for innate spells is Charisma, so there's that...except that leads to problems. Some of the DCs/spell attack bonuses are high (as we know) and have to come from a different stat because a creature's Cha is low. So should we switch from Charisma?
Probably not, yet there's another problem; some of these charisma scores are low enough to make a spell worthless. At least two creatures (IIRC) have 1st/2nd level Daze & a +0 Cha, meaning the spell does absolutely nothing except on a critical fail.
One creature I saw the other day had Telekinetic Projectile w/ a negative Charisma so they did 2d6-4 (or 5) damage, making it best for tossing small objects where you want, not for direct combat.
Sure, the flavor of those Cantrips suited the monsters, but it's misleading to include attacks not worth spending the actions on.
Funnily enough, some others have significant Cha, and their Cantrips do about as much as their melee attack. :) (Though yes, 2 actions vs. one)