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Message: <blockquote data-quote="CapnZapp" data-source="post: 8363944" data-attributes="member: 12731">Feedback on the Aklathu invocation:I assume that when you roll 1-5 you suffer Bane as if you failed your Charisma save?Even if the answer is "correct" and you don't make the Charisma save, I'm afraid it's an awful lot of steps to take for a very small effect:1) roll 202) look up what Bless or Bane does3) roll d4...and it takes your bonus action and only lasts until the start of your next turn. And you need to remember you've "spent" your "ability" for that day.Even if you ignore the math (it's plainly a losing proposition) it's awfully hard to justify spending your bonus action for what amounts to a +12.5% modifier. It's like I always say, any store discount less than 20% off is no discount at all.Suggestions:First, simplify the paragraph to skip the spell references:As a bonus action, up to once per long rest, roll 1d20. If the roll is 17 or higher, you get to roll a d4 and add the number rolled to every attack roll and saving throw you make until the start of your next turn. If the roll is 5 or below, you must roll a d4 and subtract the number rolled to every attack roll and saving throw you make until the start of your next turn. On a roll of 6-16, the invocation has no effect.This also prevents any D&D grognard from trying to detect or dispell the Bless or Bane as if Aklatu cast a spell on you (which I assume is not the intention). It avoids the wonkiness of the favor not stacking with Bless.Then, I'm thinking any number of the following...:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">cut down on the rolling? There gotta be a way to not roll both a d20 and a d4 (and, the horror, a Charisma save!)</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">cut down on the whiffing? As written the rule mostly means spend a bonus action and likely (55%) get a whole lotta nothin' in return.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">make it have an actual impact (when Aklatu actually favors you, that is). A +2 or +3 bonus has an impact through the law of averages. But it does very little to change the outcome of this action. And once a long rest means it's just a drop in the water.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">make it less blatantly unfavorable. If it has a cost, the net average needs to be positive. And your bonus action is a large cost. Alternatively, the favor needs to last longer, so you don't have to pay this round's bonus action (=making it significantly less costly).</li> </ul>[SPOILER="I'm thinking, like"]Her's an alternative Invoke Aklathu's Favor system.You invoke Aklathu using your bonus action as described.Then, if the action you take immediately after invoking Aklathu succeeds, you obviously have Aklathu's favor, and so you get a +5 chit, that you can spend at any time to get a +5 bonus to any single attack or saving throw. Spend it before rolling. If you take a long rest without using the chit, you lose it.But if the action fails, you obviously have his disfavor, and the GM takes the chit for herself instead, to be used at the most inopportune time (or whenever Aklathu gets impatient or bored).Notes:1) you don't get any bonus to the action you're about to take when invoking Aklathu. Aklathu favors those who shows they're independently capable.2) Aklathu (=the GM) can decide to keep the chit for herself at any time. Balancewise, this serves two purposes. First, it's the munchkin protection system (if the GM detects you're "farming" Aklathu's favor by invoking him when you perform safe or sure actions, you will see Aklathu hoarding all the chits). Second, it makes the feature bullet-proof, since the GM can handle every curve-ball thrown at it.Note how +5 is neither a small and likely unimpactful number, nor a variable number that requires you to waste time rolling dice to determine.[/SPOILER]</blockquote>

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