New to PF and need help with spellcasting

[Wilhem]

Hi I'm new to PF and have only really played combat based characters before.
I'm now trying to get my head around ranged/touch attacks. How do i work out attack roll mods? I know opponent uses touch AC, but do i get dex or str bonus to the attack roll? I guess what i mean is for a ranged touch attack is my to hit roll d20 + dex + bab? Also do i use str for normal touch?
I'm sure this is obvious to most, but I didn't find it very clear in the core rulebook.

Cheers for any help

 

[Bacris]

You make it just like a regular attack, except your target is the touch AC, rather than regular AC.

So ranged touch - roll a ranged attack and apply all your normal ranged attack modifiers - that'd normally be d20 + dex + attack bonus. Melee touch - roll a melee attack and apply your normal melee attack modifiers - d20 + str + attack bonus.

The reason I say attack bonus and not base attack bonus is if you have some sort of spell / effect that gives you a bonus on attack rolls, that applies as well.

 

[Aaron L]

Just remember, ranged attacks generally use Dex and melee uses Str.

 

[Wilhem]

Cheers guys, that is what i thought. Just wanted to make sure so that now i will avoid touch attacks from the gnome sorceror str 6 i am making.

 

[Jcosby]

Cheers guys, that is what i thought. Just wanted to make sure so that now i will avoid touch attacks from the gnome sorceror str 6 i am making.

Another thing to remember is "Ranged" touch attacks also suffer from the same penalties as that of a bow or other Ranged attacks. You will get a -4 attack roll if your target is in combat.

But with that said, "Ranged" feats apply to Ranged Touch attacks. You can pick up Precise Shot, Point Blank Shot etc to help with your attack rolls.

Jeff

 

[aboyd]

Another thing to remember is "Ranged" touch attacks also suffer from the same penalties as that of a bow or other Ranged attacks. You will get a -4 attack roll if your target is in combat.

Or a -8. The -4 from being in combat and the -4 from having any of your allies between you & the target (soft cover) stack. That's a rule that was in 3.5 and didn't change when Pathfinder took over. It always surprises people.