[RPG] Do melee and ranged spell attack rolls have advantage against a stunned creature

advantage-and-disadvantageattackconditionsdnd-5espells

In D&D 5e, if a creature has a condition such as Stunned, then:

  • Attack rolls against the creature have advantage.

Does this benefit also apply to spells that require melee or ranged spell attack rolls to hit?

Best Answer

If you make an attack roll, you are making an attack.

Ironically, the Rick and Morty D&D source has what I think is the clearest statement to help us out here:

Whenever you make an attack roll, you’re making an attack. Whether you’re striking with a melee weapon, firing a weapon at range, or making an attack roll as part of a spell, an attack has the following structure...

That should clear it up. Melee and ranged spell attacks require attack rolls, so would have advantage against a stunned creature.

The PHB reads similarly in the section Making an Attack:

Whether you're striking with a melee weapon, firing a weapon at range, or making an attack roll as part of a spell, an attack has a simple structure. [...]

If there's ever any question whether something you're doing counts as an attack, the rule is simple: if you're making an attack roll, you're making an attack.

Stunned gives an attacking creature advantage on all attack rolls, and melee and ranged spell attacks make attack rolls and would be made at advantage.

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