Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Bill Zebub" data-source="post: 8786613" data-attributes="member: 7031982">There have been a lot of debates about whether abilities that modify rolls, such as Inspiration, should be declared before the roll, or invoked after the roll.Rather than treat each one on a case-by-case basis, I have a general design principle that I think should be applied:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Abilities that consume a resource to modify your chances on a single roll should be after-the-roll. </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Abilities that are situational, at-will*, or apply to multiple rolls should be declared before.</li> </ul>*At will abilities are typically those with tradeoffs, such as Reckless Attacks.The thinking behind this is that when you consume a resource (such as spending Inspiration, or even using your reaction) to modify a roll, it has such a high probability of being wasted...either because you fail anyway, or because you would have succeeded without it...that people tend to keep hoarding those resources, hoping for an even more important situation, and then never using them.  It's the same phenomenon that leads to certain kinds of potions staying in the backpack forever.Inspiration is the canonical example, but the current version of Protection fighting style is another: in this case it's your reaction that is the resource, because if you use it now you can't use it again (until your next turn).  It's a bummer to spend your reaction to protect a companion, only to have it not matter (again, either because the enemy still hits, or would have missed anyway) and then have the monster hit on its next attack, or another monster hits on its attack, or a monster incurs an opportunity attack...and you've already spent/wasted your reaction and can't do anything.On the other hand, when you don't have to spend anything...in other words, when using an ability now does not prevent you from using it later...then getting a bonus to the roll is perfectly fine.  If you attack a prone enemy, or one with faerie fire, or you come out of stealth to attack, and you miss (or hit) anyway, nothing is wasted.  And the same applies if it's an at will ability, or something that affects multiple rolls.Note that I'm not claiming anything is broken, or that white room theorycrafting proves I'm right, or that it needs to be this way for 'balance'.  This is purely about fun, and what is enjoyable (to me, and others) at the table.  YMMV.</blockquote>

Verification