Guidance Cleric cantrip is really dumb

[iserith]

There is nothing about it being used in out-of-combat situations that stops it from being the difference between a long duration concentration spell lasting into a second encounter or not.

True, I've just never seen that come up. It seems like mostly a non-concern to me.

 

[Quartz]

I'm getting really frustrated with the Cleric cantrip Guidance and I'm wondering what your guys thoughts on it are.

If the task isn't advancing the deity's goals, a response of "YOU DO NOT NEED MY HELP." or "STAND ON YOUR OWN TWO FEET." is entirely appropriate.

 

[Uller]

I would go the opposite way of the handwave suggestion, and encourage the player to offer up a suitable IC prayer to his or her deity in order to bestow the necessary guidance. Every use of the cantrip should be an RP heavy moment, with some gravity added to the situation by the casting. If the player does that - good on 'em, no problem at all. If the player balks at the RP element and having to think of wording for prayers, then fair enough I'd still allow it but I think the point would be made. It would take a brave player to carry on flippantly issuing Guidance left right and centre when the DM has asked for context like that.

Do you do this with all PC abilities? When the monk spams flurry of blows do they have to act out an attack routine? If the bard uses bardic inspiration do they have to recite charge of the light brigade?

 

[FrogReaver]

Do you do this with all PC abilities? When the monk spams flurry of blows do they have to act out an attack routine? If the bard uses bardic inspiration do they have to recite charge of the light brigade?

I'm all for acting out stuff as long as I also get to shoot a real crossbow and swing a great sword around in your kitchen...

 

[Tony Vargas]

And even when it’s not happening all at the same time we have some ridiculous looking situations. The Bard wants to have a conversation with an NPC and try and convince them of something? Hold on, the cleric’s got to be there!

IMHO, the Bard has it coming for that 3.x "Inspire Confidence" routine.

 

[mrpopstar]

I'm getting really frustrated with the Cleric cantrip Guidance and I'm wondering what your guys thoughts on it are.

For those who don't know Guidance is a Cleric cantrip with a casting time of one action (concentration 1 minute) that works as follows: You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends, the target can roll a d4 and add the number rolled to one ability check of its choice. It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends.

Practically speaking, this means that whenever any member of the party is making any sort of check out of combat the cleric can, and strategically should, cast guidance on them.

The community “solution” seems to be either:

1. the DM should basically force there to be none, or minimal, non-time sensitive checks to force the cleric not to waste his action casting guidance or
2. Up the DC of checks appropriately

My issue though NOT on the technical aspect. The 1d4/ the DC of the check doesn't bother me. My issue is how the cantrips existence affects the immersion/feel of the game. Now, anytime anytime anyone tries to do anything the cleric pipes up saying, “and I cast guidance!" (to make matters worse [although outside the scope of this post] usually someone else will pipe up saying “and I use the help action!”) Already we now have this annoying pocket cleric who is always involved in everything, even situations that should be another character’s time to shine.

But it gets even worse. Often, the party will be in a (out of combat) situation where several different characters will want to use their skills to do something. The thief wants to try to pick the lock on a chest while the ranger sweeps the room for traps and the wizard starts to translate the strange glyphs on the walls. Instead of everyone going about and doing their thing, everyone has to wait for the cleric to come over and give each of them guidance.

And even when it’s not happening all at the same time we have some ridiculous looking situations. The Bard wants to have a conversation with an NPC and try and convince them of something? Hold on, the cleric’s got to be there! Oh, the Fighter is trying to size up different weapons at the shop? Gotta have the priest with ya. Barbarian having a drinking contest? Make sure the clerics on hand; not for the recovery of course, but for the initial drink.

I’ve been told if it bothers me so much I should just ban it from use in those kind of situations, but I really hate taking away player autonomy and contradicting the PHB. Thoughts?
P.S: All this stuff also applies to the help action, although at least there most DM’s I know (and I do this) require an explanation of how they are helping so it at least makes sense; guidance obviously cannot have the same requirement.

I can see and understand how guidance might be immersion-challenging.

Given the duration of the spell, it is only applicable in situations where the target is able to complete their task within one minute. Most social interactions take much longer than a minute, and most adventuring activities (those undertaken while traveling and exploring) do as well. This immediately solves the room-sweeping ranger, glyph-translating wizard, NPC-convincing bard, and equipment-comparing fighter scenarios described above.

The effects are intended for high stakes situations where an audible prayer and the laying on of hands is appropriate. Try and ask your players to push their thinking in that direction.

 

[hbarsquared]

This seems like a non-issue to me, balance-wise and rp-wise.
[MENTION=97077]iserith[/MENTION] said it - the Help action grants another player advantage, which is usually better than +1d4. This doesn't break the game just because it might be underutilized by players. I don't see how saying "I cast guidance" affects the immersion/feel of the game any more so then saying "I Help."

 

[Paul Farquhar]

If the task is challenging, you would expect to have three party members involved. One is the principal, another is helping, and another casting Guidance. Which is as things should be in a team game.

 

[Morrus]

Sod off.

Really not appropriate. Don't post in this thread again, please.

 

[Satyrn]

One step further.

If the check has been called for. Too late

This is one thing I was gonna suggest to the OP - don't let Guidance apply if it's cast after the check is called for. I'm not sure if it will actually help though, because it might just lead the cleric to casting it even more, "just to be sure."