Does "Claw at the Moon" require the character to make a normal attack roll in addition to the Jump check?

Question

Claw at the Moon's description states the following:

ToB p.86

As part of this maneuver, you attempt a Jump check to leap into the air and make a melee attack that targets your foe's upper body, face, and neck. The Jump check's DC is equal to your target's AC. If this check succeeds, your attack deals an extra 2d6 points of damage. If this attack threatens a critical hit, you gain a +4 bonus on your roll to confirm the critical hit.

If your check fails, you can still attack, but you do not deal extra damage or gain a bonus on a roll to confirm a critical hit. The maneuver is still considered expended.

I have two interpretations of this maneuver's effect:

1. You get to make a Jump check and a normal attack roll, if the check fails, you only take into account the normal attack roll and don't have any additional bonuses.
2. You only make the Jump check to determine the attack roll (since the DC of the roll is the enemy's AC, it would make sense), and only if you fail, you can make a normal attack roll and attack normally.

Logic dictates that the first interpretation is the correct one and that the second one is a tad overpowered, but I've been wrong before. Which interpretation is the correct one?

Answer 1

The effect states that it allows you to make a melee attack. This follows all normal melee attack rules, including making an attack roll. Nowhere does it state that the attack roll is affected by your Jump check in any way.

If you succeed on your jump check but miss your attack, nothing happens. Your attack dealt extra damage, but did not hit, so the extra damage did nothing.

If you fail your jump check, you proceed as if you had attacked normally, as per the description.