D&D 5E (Un)-Reliable Talent? How do you do it?

[DND_Reborn]

UPDATE: after having time to run the numbers today, I'm "ok" overall with RT working with both dice for advantage and disadvantage. What happens is RT tightens the effects of advantage and disadvantage. In other words, advantage won't help you as much as it might help another PC, but in the same way disadvantage won't hinder you as much, either. @TwoSix commented as to such IIRC.

The floor is still a bit too high for my tastes (I'd rather it be 8, not 10), but not so much that it warrants adding a house-rule for it.

Thanks to all for your thoughts and contributions (well, for those who made any... (j/k)).



----- Here is the original post for people who want to read it. -----

Quick question to throw out there: How would you rule a rogue using Reliable Talent when the check has disadvantage?

It seems a bit too good for it to make the minimum 10 when both dice are rolled.

It doesn't make sense to say only one of the dice becomes a 10 because if the other is less it doesn't help at all.

So, I was thinking of making the minimum 5 when there is disadvantage. I think that is a decent compromise.

Thoughts?

EDIT: rolling both dice and using the lower result, then applying reliable talent to that result, more or less make the disadvantage a non-issue. I am trying to avoid that, so I am focused more on something that makes the reliable talent less reliable due to the disadvantage than it would be otherwise.

 

[iserith]

Take the lower of the two rolls. If that roll is a 9 or lower, treat it as a 10. That seems fine to me.

 

[DND_Reborn]

Take the lower of the two rolls. If that roll is a 9 or lower, treat it as a 10. That seems fine to me.

Which makes the disadvantage most likely a non-issue.

The only time the disadvantage would still be an issue is if both rolls are above 10 (only a 1 in 4 chance).

So, I'm glad that is fine for you, but it isn't for me. I sort of thought that would have been obvious from the OP but I'll update it just in case.

 

[Li Shenron]

I would probably rule minimum 10 on both rolls i.e. still at least 10 even with disadvantage, but if you are afraid it's too good then -5 is somewhat symmetrical with passive skills.

 

[iserith]

Which makes the disadvantage most likely a non-issue.

The only time the disadvantage would still be an issue is if both rolls are above 10 (only a 1 in 4 chance).

So, I'm glad that is fine for you, but it isn't for me. I sort of thought that would have been obvious from the OP but I'll update it just in case.

I wouldn't say it's a non-issue, particularly as it means you may be discarding a result higher than 10 on the other die. If the DC is sufficiently high, a result of 10 on the die may not result in success. If the DC isn't very high, then the rogue likely reliably succeeds i.e. "reliable talent."

 

[X13Phantom]

So what are you doing to the other classes to make them bad too.

When I make a rogue and finally reliable talent, the GM better not take it away

 

[billd91]

Which makes the disadvantage most likely a non-issue.

I'd argue that's part of the excellence of the reliable talent class feature. The skill monkey gets to be very good at his skills, even in situations that would disadvantage other people.

 

[DND_Reborn]

So what are you doing to the other classes to make them bad too.

When I make a rogue and finally reliable talent, the GM better not take it away

I decrease their hit points, make all the short rest features into long rest features, cut their ki points in half, and all sorts of horrible things...

 

[DND_Reborn]

I'd argue that's part of the excellence of the reliable talent class feature. The skill monkey gets to be very good at his skills, even in situations that would disadvantage other people.

Hmm... that is true I suppose.

We do play sources of advantage and disadvantage stack, so we could reserve the -5 penalty if two sources of disadvantage are imposed.

This came up because our rogue recently had a level of exhaustion (so disadvantage on ability checks) but has reliable talent, so we played it that it worked on both dice, but after the fact our DM felt that was a too good and (even though I also have a rogue) I agreed.

 

[Umbran]

Take the lower of the two rolls. If that roll is a 9 or lower, treat it as a 10. That seems fine to me.

Agreed.

I think getting around disadvantage is part of the point.