Launch Item - No attack roll?

[Conaill]

The Launch Item spell from MoF launches a item up to 10 lbs 400+ ft away. However, the spell does not seem to require any attack roll.

One one hand, this seems WAY more powerful than, say, True Strike for a 1st level spell. On the other hand, it's in line with other area effect spells where you can just pinpoint a specific location.

What do you think? If Launch Item requires an attack roll, what about range increments?

From Magic of Faerun, pg 105:

Launch Bolt

Transmutation
level Sor/Wiz 1
components S
casting time 1 action
Range: Long,(400 ft + 40 ft/lvl)
Target: one fine item in your possession weighing up to 10 lb.
duration: insantaneous
saving throw none
spell resistance no

You cause a fine item in your possession to fly at great speed to a target or location you specify. The spell protects the item from any damage caused by this launching (for example, an egg would not crack from being hurled by the spell, a flask of alchemical fire would not break from the sudden exceleration) but does not protect it from damage caused by striking the target.
This spell is normaly used to launch dangerous items (flasks of acid thunderstones and so on) farther than you would normaly throw them.
Even strange magical effects (such as the glowing bead from a delayed blast fireball spell) can be safely launched by this spell.

 

[Kraedin]

Unless there's more text you're not showing us, then no, there is not an attack roll for this spell.

Magic of Faerun tends towards the high side of power, so it being better than PHB spells is no suprise. Honestly, this spell doesn't see that good to me, however.

I mean, what can you launch with the thing? Alchemist's Fire? A magic missile would be more effective.

 

[Xarlen]

Well, you could, for instance, launch a Net. A spear or similar weapon, a lance maybe? A basket with some very angry weasels in it?

 

[Conaill]

I mean, what can you launch with the thing? Alchemist's Fire? A magic missile would be more effective.

How about a jar with 10 flasks worth of Alchemist's Fire? A tanglefoot bag at 400'?

My character is an alchemist, so he has quite few nastier concotions than plain Alchemist's Fire available to him.

How about launching a 1lb rock 400 ft up in the air? No attack roll, so you should be able to aim exactly above a (stationary) target.

 

[Kraedin]

I suggest you look up "Fine". A Fine object must be less that 6" long, and weigh less than 1/8 of a pound.

 

[Conaill]

Hey, I didn't write the spell!

I guess they mean an item of *size* Fine, but weighting up to 10 lbs.

Where did you find the table of object sizes and weights? Don't have my books with me here, and I couldn't find it in the SRD. (I don't think you can use the creature size table.)

 

[Kraedin]

It's the only table there is, so we have to extrapolate.

Most of the weapons (the only objects I know with offical size categories) are about within the size categories. Greatswords are rather small, as are longswords, but ranseurs and longspears are just about right, so it seems that the creature categories can be roughly applied to objects.

In any case, Fine is pretty small, so you won't be able to launch much.