Confusion with rolling to attack- Psions

[elvenrogue]

Hi guys,

Started playing a campaign as a Psion but I'm a little bit confused because occasionally I'll read "attack roll"- but which powers require an attack roll and what bonuses do I add to my roll?

Cheers!

[Necroticplague]

Powers tht say you need to hit with either a ray or a touch attack require an attack roll, and its a normal attack roll (ranged or melee, respectively), except that it targets touch AC.

[elvenrogue]

But does that mean that my attack roll is only 10+ my BAB of 2? Or do I add other modifiers to it?

[Jack_Simth]

Powers tht say you need to hit with either a ray or a touch attack require an attack roll, and its a normal attack roll (ranged or melee, respectively), except that it targets touch AC.

Yep. BAB + Strength Modifier + Size modifier + any situational modifiers for melee, BAB + Dexterity modifier + SIze modifier + any situational modifiers for Ranged.

Crystal Shard (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/crystalShard.htm), for instance, is a ranged touch attack. So if you're a 3rd level halfling (Small) psion, with a dexterity of 16 (14 base, +2 racial), a strength of 6 (8 base, -2 racial) under the effects of Offensive Precognition (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/precognitionOffensive.htm) at Manifester Level 3 (No augmentation), then your attack roll is:
+1 (BAB) +3 (Dex) +1 (Size) +1 (Insight from Offensive Precognition)=+6. So you roll 1d20+6.

If you were instead manifesting Dissipating Touch (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/psionic/powers/dissipatingTouch.htm) (melee), you'd be at:
+1 (BAB), -2 (Strength) +1 (Size) +1 (Insight from Offensive Precognition)=+1. So you roll 1d20+1.

You add up the exact same modifiers as you would if you were wielding a mundane, nonmagical dagger or bow (assuming proficiency). Anything that specifically says it adds to an attack roll of the appropriate type that isn't tied to a specific weapon applies.

[ZamielVanWeber]

Ranged: BAB + Dex Mod + Miscellaneous modifiers + Die roll.
Melee: BAB + Str Mod + Miscellaneous modifiers + Die roll.

The only difference, as NecroticPlague said, is that you target their touch AC instead of their normal AC.
Edit: Ninja'd

[Chronos]

Note that targeting only touch AC is a very significant difference. Most of the biggest bonuses to AC come from armor and natural armor, so touch ACs are usually quite low, low enough that even a mage with poor BAB scaling can usually reliably hit them (as long as you're not attacking air elementals, will-o'-wisps, high-level monks, etc.).

[Necroticplague]

Note that targeting only touch AC is a very significant difference. Most of the biggest bonuses to AC come from armor and natural armor, so touch ACs are usually quite low, low enough that even a mage with poor BAB scaling can usually reliably hit them (as long as you're not attacking air elementals, will-o'-wisps, high-level monks, etc.).
In fact, if you run the average numbers, CR and touch AC are inversely proportional, because high level creatures are normally bigger (size penalty to AC) and have lower DEX bonuses. They make up for this in normal AC through piles of natural armor, but that doesn't help their touch AC.

For example; see red dragon (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Red_Dragon). CR4: touch 10. CR 26: touch 2.

[Crake]

In fact, if you run the average numbers, CR and touch AC are inversely proportional, because high level creatures are normally bigger (size penalty to AC) and have lower DEX bonuses. They make up for this in normal AC through piles of natural armor, but that doesn't help their touch AC.

For example; see red dragon (http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/SRD:Red_Dragon). CR4: touch 10. CR 26: touch 2.

until the red dragon casts scintillating scales

[Psyren]

until the red dragon casts scintillating scales

Yeah, additions were made to help dragons out since the game is called Dungeons & Dragons :smalltongue:

But such buffs can be countered or dispelled too.