Originally Posted by Buba68
Range not-AOE spells use WiS/INT/CHA, and not DEX, to hit?
I'm fairly sure using WIS to hit was a special ability? Or feat? Or something like that ...

Okay, with huge caveats given I'm new to 5e for BG3, and subject to correction by one of our 5e expert forum members, all spell attack rolls use the modifier for the character's spellcasting attribute, whatever it is, so WIS for druids, INT for wizards, CHA for sorcerors, etc. And you get 1 modifier point for each 2 attribute points above 10 (minus below), so +1 for 12 WIS, +2 for 14 and so on. Then you also add your proficiency bonus, which is linked to your overall level starting at 2, going up to 3 at level 5, 4 at level 9 and 5 at level 13 (if we get that far). It also looks as though spell attack rolls get bonuses from high ground and advantage from, eg, hiding, though that's just from looking at game (if you hover over the links in the combat log they'll give you more info about the attack roll and how it was calculated) and I've no idea if that's per RAW.

But 5e ranged attack spells aren't like, eg ranged touch attacks in Pathfinder which I've recently had to get my head around, and don't require DEX so this can safely be dumped for your spellcaster, except for its AC and saving throw bonuses, or unless you want to multi-class into a class that requires it (if we can do that on release!).

Note, btw, that not even all damage spells have attack rolls, some like SH's Sacred Flame cantrip or FIreball require a saving throw from the target instead, or even auto hit like magic missile. Saving throw attributes are given in the spell tooltip (so DEX for sacred flame and fireball) and will be against the spell's difficulty class, which I think is the caster's spellcasting ability modifier + proficiency bonus + 8. (Not sure if that base 8 can ever change!) So for a druid, the spell's DC will always be determined by their WIS, though depending on the type of save the target may use their DEX to calculate whether they avoid the effect. Spell tooltips will help make clear whether they use attack rolls or saving throws, and if the latter what sort.

I hope that is helpful. And also correct!


"You may call it 'nonsense' if you like, but I've heard nonsense, compared with which that would be as sensible as a dictionary!"