Range: Touch!

[GutterFace]

So there is this halfling Death Cleric that loves climbing onto people. And loves casting inflict wounds. Thye have made the argument that since they are already, physically on someone, holding onto them, they would auto succeed their touch attack spells.

does this make sense or would you still have them roll to 'hit'

of course the target would get a reaction to the spell being cast.

[some guy]

Sure, they're already touching their target. However, Inflict Wounds also needs a free hand. Clinging on to something moving with only one hand seems difficult. I'd probably say they could exchange their attack roll with a contested acrobatics or athletics check. Might give disadvantage on that check for skitterish targets, but I'm not sure about that.


Edit:

of course the target would get a reaction to the spell being cast.
Do you mean like an opportunity attack or just a general reaction if they have one available? Because casting spells no longer provokes opportunity attacks.

[ProphetSword]

Definitely have them roll. The chance to hit also includes the target's chance to avoid being hit. Perhaps advantage could be given, but if situations arise where automatic hits happen like this, expect a lot of abuse. I assume a grapple check was made to begin with?

[Fyorl]

There's nothing in the rules. Seems reasonable to let them succeed for free if they already rolled and succeeded previously to be able to grapple/climb onto their opponent.

Also, casting a spell in close-combat does not provoke a reaction as far as I'm aware unless the opponent has a particular feat.

[Giant2005]

Ther Cleric is using the "Climb onto a Bigger Creature" action on page 271 of the DMG. His attack has advantage.

[Gritmonger]

There's nothing in the rules. Seems reasonable to let them succeed for free if they already rolled and succeeded previously to be able to grapple/climb onto their opponent.

Also, casting a spell in close-combat does not provoke a reaction as far as I'm aware unless the opponent has a particular feat.

There is something in the rules. Grapple reduces an opponent's move to zero; however it doesn't give you advantages on attacks against that person unless you have the Grappler feat. Auto-success on a grapple ("climbing" an opponent) plus auto-success on an attack is rather overpowered in that it does a standard feat one better...

[MrStabby]

Clinging on with one hand free, being tossed about on a creatures back will make hanging on very difficult. I would say make them roll.

The roll could be an acrobatics or athletics check to stay on (maybe with disadvantage given they are doing it one handed) or possibly the attack roll.

[Naanomi]

I'd make them roll, it's not like a superpower where their hands suddenly shoot out energy, it's a spell with hand waving and components. Some little guy on my back starts chanting and his hand turns black, I'm going to twist and shake to make sure that hand doesn't touch me in a vulnerable spot (which matters, after all my armor's AC is helping me so he must need to find a good spot to touch)

As noted above, they may have advantage if the 'climb on' option in the DMG is being used.

[ruy343]

Well, on top of all of this that has been mentioned, we need to bear in mind that spells are created by both a mix of complex hand gestures and vocal sounds, and that the effects of the spell are created by the joining of these two and proper timing in execution of both. While grappling, you may already have hand on the target, yes, but you may not be able to get that timing right with touching the creature.

When you think of spells that way, the use of your spellcasting ability modifier (instead of dex) makes sense for touch attacks: you can touch your opponent whenever you want, but it's timing it right with everything else in the spell that's the hard part.

[Maxilian]

Definitely have them roll. The chance to hit also includes the target's chance to avoid being hit. Perhaps advantage could be given, but if situations arise where automatic hits happen like this, expect a lot of abuse. I assume a grapple check was made to begin with?

I agree, if they are on top of them, give them advantage, but make them always roll, sometimes the roll is not only to evade, is to resist

[Mr.Moron]

Definitely have them roll. The chance to hit also includes the target's chance to avoid being hit. Perhaps advantage could be given, but if situations arise where automatic hits happen like this, expect a lot of abuse. I assume a grapple check was made to begin with?

Given grapple checks are basically impossible to lose, even when you're a 2nd level character going up against challenge 20+ monsters the grapple check doesn't represent any kind of mitigating factor.

From a balance standpoint:

If the initial climb was tied to an attack roll and doesn't have any meaningful mechanical benfits, it seems fair to let the spell attack roll into it. An Auto-hit is "Fair", since you already passed on an attack roll that didn't really do anything... may as well get some use out of it. Though it does save you from wasting spell slots on misses, it's costing you 2+ actions for 1 result... so fair break.

If the initial climb was a skill check, it's basically giving out free automatic hits on touch spells because grapple checks and other opposed skill checks basically can't be failed except vs other PCs.

If the initial climb was an attack roll, but carries another benefit it might be fair to give the rider advantage. You've already gotten the benefit from the attack roll, but you're still in an advantageous position. It could be fair to make things easier, depending on what the other benefits of grabbing on like this are.

From fluff standpoint:

Range:Touch is not the same as the 3.5 "Touch Attack". You still have to hit against full AC, meaning magic Range: Touch doesn't bypass armor, or thick skin. Presumably simply grabbing on to someone doesn't automatically make your hands pass through their Full Plate. Auto-hits of any kind are plainly silly if you can bypass armor simply by being in contact with someone before the attack.

[Safety Sword]

You need a free hand to do any somantic component. So you have to let go. Which means you have to touch again.

NO FREEBIES!