D&D 5E How do you handle, "after seeing the roll, but before knowing whether it succeeds" mechanics in online play?

[Sword of Spirit]

There are a variety of features in 5e that require the player to insert their declaration of using a feature at a point that simply doesn't exist in much of online play. Cutting Words and Combat Inspiration are some early examples right out of the PHB bard subclasses. You need to see the d20 for an opponent's attack roll without seeing the total result so you can declare whether you want to stop it. In VTTs that often isn't even an option. And if the DM rolls by themselves, telling the players the die roll without modifiers first every single time is a real hassle.

How do you guys handle these sorts of things? What I've been doing with Cutting Words is just let the bard ask me, after I say that an attack hit, etc, whether Cutting Words might have helped. I tell them that and they can decide whether to use it or not. This is probably in the same ballpark of effectiveness. You'll never waste Cutting Words when you don't need it, but you can't estimate your odds as well if you're good at figuring out the opponents modifier.

With the changes to play mode over the last year, this sort of thing has to be dealt with by like 90% of play groups, but there isn't any guidance from WotC for it because at the time the game came out VTTs were still a small minority of play groups.

 

[Asisreo]

There are a variety of features in 5e that require the player to insert their declaration of using a feature at a point that simply doesn't exist in much of online play. Cutting Words and Combat Inspiration are some early examples right out of the PHB bard subclasses. You need to see the d20 for an opponent's attack roll without seeing the total result so you can declare whether you want to stop it. In VTTs that often isn't even an option. And if the DM rolls by themselves, telling the players the die roll without modifiers first every single time is a real hassle.

I believe most VTT's let you hide rolls as the DM and you can clearly say them, though you may be more comfortable rolling in the open.

You could toggle modifiers in most VTT's as well, though this could still be a hassle. It at least lets you still click on character sheet macros without calling for individual rolls.

Your way is probably the best way, though, as far as I know.

 

[the Jester]

I roll in the open and strive to wait a moment before calling the result so pcs with such abilities have a chance to intervene.

 

[Seramus]

I will outright tell my players the necessary number to succeed, if their character has several/frequent abilities that require that knowledge.

 

[Swarmkeeper]

As a DM, I roll in the open in-person and online. I will tell the players the DC for an ability check or saving throw before they roll - so they know if they need to apply any extra ability for coming up short. I don't tell players the AC for enemies, but they usually figure it out pretty quickly.

For an enemy attack roll, I'll state (in-person) or everyone will just see (VTT) the total result. Apply what you want at that point if the "after seeing the roll" mechanic applies to one of your abilities. Don't try to cheese Guidance or ordinary Bardic Inspiration after a roll, though - that doesn't fly.

 

[Steampunkette]

After the Roll but before the result is declared doesn't mean the player needs to see what you rolled.

It means that after the dice has stopped rolling behind your screen (Or in private in a VTT) the player needs to declare they're using their ability.

Sometimes that means wasting it in the course of play. But it's a shot in the dark type effect.

Those kinds of effects are much better when used on the player's own rolls, of course. Since you roll a 7 and know with your +7 you're probably not going to beat the DC before the DM tells you what happened...

But yeah. I let the players call it out whenever they like and sometimes it swings the game hard in their favor, other times it doesn't. When it -does- I make sure they know. "Ducking back at the last possible instant you can feel the wind off the blade blow against your open eyes as if someone were trying to rid you of a fallen eyelash" type descriptions.

 

[cmad1977]

I’m not too picky. Too often I’m moving too fast for the players to actually interject in time so I let a lot of these abilities trigger after I’ve said
“The zombie rears it’s head back and bites for you, 17 hits and is sinks it’s teeth into your neck for 6 damage…”
“Wait… my protection style(or whatever) can help prevent that.. oh… I have to say that before you roll damage…”
“It’s fine. With a desperate lunge Shield McShieldman deflects the zombies bite to the side.”

 

[ECMO3]

I ignore that mostly. Even at the table it is difficult to enforce strictly RAI unless you really slow the game down. Like cmad says I don't want to roll and then say
DM: "Ok I rolled a natural 13 do you want to use your reaction to increase your AC"
Player with 17 AC: No
DM: "Ok the zombie rears it’s head back and bites for you, the adjusted roll hits and is sinks it’s teeth into your neck.
DM: The second zombie rolls a 16 do you want to use your reaction to increase your AC.

 

[Quickleaf]

There are a variety of features in 5e that require the player to insert their declaration of using a feature at a point that simply doesn't exist in much of online play. Cutting Words and Combat Inspiration are some early examples right out of the PHB bard subclasses. You need to see the d20 for an opponent's attack roll without seeing the total result so you can declare whether you want to stop it. In VTTs that often isn't even an option. And if the DM rolls by themselves, telling the players the die roll without modifiers first every single time is a real hassle.

How do you guys handle these sorts of things? What I've been doing with Cutting Words is just let the bard ask me, after I say that an attack hit, etc, whether Cutting Words might have helped. I tell them that and they can decide whether to use it or not. This is probably in the same ballpark of effectiveness. You'll never waste Cutting Words when you don't need it, but you can't estimate your odds as well if you're good at figuring out the opponents modifier.

With the changes to play mode over the last year, this sort of thing has to be dealt with by like 90% of play groups, but there isn't any guidance from WotC for it because at the time the game came out VTTs were still a small minority of play groups.

In Roll20 and in the dice roller built into D&D Beyond, rolls are usually visible. That's what we use when playing online.

 

[iserith]

In my online games, ACs are all visible as are all rolls. I'm fine with the players ignoring the part of the mechanic that requires them to make a guessing game of their abilities. I don't think guessing brings much to the game experience whereas informed choices do in my view.