I wouldn't assume that NPCs are built using character creation rules with class levels.
Seconded. Enemy creatures aren't built bottom-up by picking abilities and calculating modifiers as a result. They are built top-down - the role of the enemy is picked, then the description and abilities, and finally the numbers are just pulled from value tables based on the creature level and their role.
That said, there *is* something going on in so far as normally, spell DC = 10 + spell attack modifier.
Surprisingly, Enemy Spell DC and Spell Attack Bonus is the (so far) one and only place that I have seen a DC that doesn't match 10 + bonus. That is just what was chosen for those numbers on the table, and I have no explanation for why.
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He has Dispel Magic prepped, so I'm also trying to figure out his 'counteract check modifier' - supposed to be proficiency (+12) + ability modifier (+6) + other modifiers (?) = +18, right? But it could be something else, since those other numbers are ... off.
Like the others have said, NPCs aren't built with PC rules. Their numbers aren't calculated by adding up proficiencies and ability scores. Instead, you just look at the table for what the numbers should be for a creature of that level, and write them into the statblock.
But to answer this question: just use his spell attack modifier.
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OK, guess that all makes sense (sort of). I'd rather it was more logical, less arbitrary, but I guess I've just got to roll with it. (No pun intended. )
Thanks
It looked weird to me too, the first time I ran into it. But there is a logic to it and it's actually less arbitrary.
See, the main goal of monster statblocks is to be opposition to the players. So the really important bit is what on the outside: the stats that the players can interact with.
Another important part is that as a GM, you can easily select monsters from a book to throw against your party. For that to be easy, you have to be sure that if it says "level 6", it's really gonna be about as powerful as a level 6 monster should be. You don't want a level 8 monster cosplaying as level 6 - if you wanted to challenge the party with a tougher monster, you could just go look at the higher level monsters. The level of a monster should be an honest number.
So that's why the current approach is actually very logical and non-arbitrary: you go directly to the number that you need.
In first edition, sometimes when you're reading an adventure you get the feeling the writer was powergaming the monster against the players. "There's six PCs of level 3 or so, so I can use a level 5 monster (plus some mooks). Okay, I'll take this level 1 ghoul, make it a ghast instead (+2 to all numbers, counts as +1 level), give it four rogue levels but I'll say they're not perfectly matching classes, so they only count for half. And because it's a monster that gained class levels it gains an elite (advanced) template for free." Very very clever - you built a monster from the ground up using rules. But this so-called level 5 monster has stats that more closely resemble the guidelines for the stats a level 7 monster should have.
You don't do that kind of shenanigans in second edition. You work from the level you want, directly to the numbers that make sense for that level.
(It also saves a massive amount of work when you start doing monsters around level 10 and up.)