Clarifications on touch spells (how did you run them?)

[Li Shenron]

I thought I overlooked this, and truth is that I might still be overlooking it... but it seems that there is no explicit mention on the following issues related to spells requiring a melee attack to touch your target (e.g. Shocking Grasp):

- Does armor/shield bonus apply to the target's AC or not?

- Do you lose the spell on a miss?

I would spontaneously answer NO to both, but that's clearly because I've been playing 3ed. Someone starting D&D from these 5e playtest rules could not imagine these two rules if they weren't written in the text, and if I were them I would probably answer YES to both and they would seem perfectly logical.

So did you run touch spells (although at the moment they are not specifically called like that) as in 3ed or what do you suggest?

 

[jadrax]

AFAICT

AC is just AC, there is no touch AC anymore.

If you miss with a spell, it is consumed as normal (I.e. not consumed if its an At Will).

 

[Viktyr Gehrig]

I'd say if you missed with a touch spell, the slot is consumed-- but you can keep rolling attacks with it until you either hit or until you give up and try to cast something else.

 

[Minigiant]

I thought I overlooked this, and truth is that I might still be overlooking it... but it seems that there is no explicit mention on the following issues related to spells requiring a melee attack to touch your target (e.g. Shocking Grasp):

- Does armor/shield bonus apply to the target's AC or not?

Yes. In cases when armor/shield would help or harm accuracy, the spell will state that (Like Shocking grasp).

- Do you lose the spell on a miss?

Yes. I'm guessing Shocking Grasp only lasts 6 seconds. Nothing says it lasts longer than an action.

5E seems to be using a design where all spells use the smae rules unless the specific spell says otherwise.