Quick dumb question, struggling with Melee Spell Attack Roll in PF1

[ForsakenM]

I keep getting results for PF2, so I need a refresher.

If I do a Melee Spell Attack, I roll a d20 and add my spellcasting modifier and...what else, if anything else at all?

[happykj]

do you mean Melee Touch Attack?

The attack roll in PF1 mainly is 2 categories: melee and ranged

Melee attack roll = D20 + BAB (base attack bonus) + Strength Modifier + Size Modifier + Other Modifiers (eg: morale bonus on attack roll)

For Touch Attack, your opponent's Armor/Shield/Natural Armor bonus is not applied to his AC.

And your spellcasting modifier (eg: if you are wizard, then is Int) is applied to your spell DC.

Some feats might changes the calculation.

[ForsakenM]

happykj wrote:

do you mean Melee Touch Attack?

The attack roll in PF1 mainly is 2 categories: melee and ranged

Melee attack roll = D20 + BAB (base attack bonus) + Strength Modifier + Size Modifier + Other Modifiers (eg: morale bonus on attack roll)

For Touch Attack, your opponent's Armor/Shield/Natural Armor bonus is not applied to his AC.

And your spellcasting modifier (eg: if you are wizard, then is Int) is applied to your spell DC.

Some feats might changes the calculation.

Maybe I asked the wrong question.

If I cast Bestow Curse and then go to touch someone to give them the curse, what do I roll to see if I touch them if I've already cast the spell successfully?

[happykj]

It will be a Melee Touch Attack.

In rough summary, you roll D20 and add any bonuses that can be applied (generally is same as normal attack roll, anything that apply to your attack roll is also apply to touch attack roll)

The difference between Touch Attack and Normal Attack is actually your opponent's AC, their Armor/Shield/Natural Amor AC bonus are not applied since you only need to "touch" them

Note that you won't automatically lose the touch spell attack even if you miss it.

See Touch Spells in Combat for more info

For example, if you are a level 7 wizard with following stat:

BAB +3
Strength Modifier -1 (Str 8)
Size Modifier +0 (Medium Size)
Other Modifiers +0 (Assuming the wizard don't have any related feats or effects)

Then you roll a D20 + 3 - 1 to touch a Skeleton with following stat:

Base AC 10
*Amor + 2 (broken chain shirt)
Dex bonus + 2 (Dex 14)
Size Modifier +0 (Medium Size)
*Natural Armor + 2
Other Modifiers + 0

Armor and Natural Armor is not applied to touch attack
The skeleton AC against touch attack will be 10 + 2 + 0 = 12

[Name Violation]

pathfinder doesn't use the spell casting modifier for attack rolls, it uses strength (for melee) or dexterity (for ranged)

[Balacertar]

There are certain spells for which you use your caster level (CL) and your spellcasting stat modifier to resolve the attack roll, for example telekinesis. These special cases are always specified in the spell description.

But if not explicitly specified, default melee attack is BAB + Str (or Dex if for example you have Weapon Finesse), or ranged attack is BAB + Dex.