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Anyway, I'm still going to try to work on developing an idea for presets just because - well, I'm bored and I find it interesting - maybe Larian needs a bit of help in this regard. So, why not at least try?
[...]
Are you guys seriously not open to at least trying some sort of preset system? Presets could be better than the current system. The main offense of the current BG3 reaction system is that the game automatically uses the first applicable reaction but most reaction abilities aren't modified for this uncertainty. This unfortunately also holds true for some BG3 non-reaction abilities that, in 5e RAW, allow the player freedom on when to activate (e.g., Bardic Inspiration). This can be solved with prompts -- my preferred solution -- but also with a preset system with **appropriately modified abilities**. Cutting Words is a good example of an ability modified for Larian's "first applicable use" system. Instead of lowering one roll of choice, instead it lowers all rolls for a round. We've traded the ability to specifically negate one single attack for the reduced chances to hit with possibly multiple attacks. It still uses your Reaction, but it does so on your terms. Bardic Inspiration, however, is strictly nerfed compared to PnP. You don't have a choice when to use that d6, so it's very likely it will be used in a situation where 1d6 won't affect the roll. IF Larian is going to continue with this "first applicable use" system for activating reactions & other abilities, then the best option imo is probably a preset system where these abilities are modified to be more powerful to compensate for the lack of precision when to use. E.g., - Make Bardic Inspiration apply to all rolls for the next round, or maybe to the next 3 rolls. - Make Counterspell castable on your turn, using your reaction and the spellslot, and it works on the next single leveled spell or next 2 cantrips. Maybe it stays active for a 2nd turn if no spells (or a single cantrip) is cast during the first turn, but your reaction on the 2nd turn isn't used up. Something like this.
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addict
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Regardless, they did not just include Swarm AI for its effects to be negated by everyone having to do pop-ups. - The yare not mutually exclusive ("Swarm AI" just moves unities in group and still does attacks individually). - They don't need to be "pop-ups", there are smoother ways to do prompt confirmation, including ones that take virtually no interruption if the player is quick on the click. No, they aren't but common sense is a thing. If Swarm AI exists for multiple enemies to go at once, how can you have pop-ups that go out to a Bard for instance to react to 5 different enemies that are going in rapid succession. What would the point of Swarm AI even be created for if the game is going to be eventually changed to pause after every attack for player input? This is where reasoning comes into play. Larian has ZERO intention of delivering what people are asking for, and this is something I want as well. However, we have to transition to a practical solution. And that is why I said we should just be able to have access to the characters when it isn't our turn and be able to only use the Reactions then. The game is being shopped for playtesting for the full game and Swen said they are moving to polishing the game and working toward official release. What good does it do to still sit and theorycraft about Solasta Reactions when it's clear it's beyond Larian's capabilities with what they built. What we have could be improved upon marginally if you could change Reactions and use them while you're waiting for others. This way, you could at least have LIMITED control over something like Hellish Rebuke, etc.
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Volunteer Moderator
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I mean, it's all my best guess and all, but I'm thinking that the reason we haven't gotten true reactions in BG3 is because they are attempting to come up with a preset-style solution so combat will be quick and crisp without interruption. I have a hopeful alternative interpretation of events to offer. (Boy, have I ever been burned with optimistic predictions… but I refuse to learn!) It could be that there’s a technical issue with true reactions which involves multiplayer. Maybe passing around priority chaotically to let players make decisions on the fly isn’t easy. I’ve no idea what the specifics might be, but two things were mentioned during the last PfH. 1. A lot of work was being done under the hood for something involving multiplayer which wasn’t necessary in Larian’s previous games. 2. Some features are basically locked in but haven’t been released yet because developpers want to make a good first impression. So it’s possible reactions aren’t in EA yet because they’re still cooking. As a side note, we can start to tell which features are settled because they’re the ones getting polish. Wizards’ spell-learning panel, tuned UI for rests… These are things that, sadly, will stop evolving mechanically. But the combat log is still the same as it’s always been, jank and all. It’s a fair bet that combat itself hasn’t completely hardened into its final form, so polishing the log now would be a waste. Cutting words doesn’t even show up. Could this be a sign that CW isn’t meant to stay this way?
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old hand
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old hand
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I'm not sure how it would look like if let's say 4 archers were attacking Gale at the ""same time"" (Swarm AI) when he could trigger Shield.
It would really disrupt the new system... or at least its purpose and its appeal.
No interruption is absolutely not possible imo with this new and very fast AI. I'm just going to say this actually isn't going to be a problem in regards to Shield, because the AC increase that Shield grants persists until the start of your next turn. So if the swarm AI throws four arrows at Gale, he just needs to activate Shield at the very beginning and it will count against all four attacks. More targeted defensive reactions like Protection fighting style and Hellish Rebuke could have issues, though. No, they aren't but common sense is a thing. If Swarm AI exists for multiple enemies to go at once, how can you have pop-ups that go out to a Bard for instance to react to 5 different enemies that are going in rapid succession.
What would the point of Swarm AI even be created for if the game is going to be eventually changed to pause after every attack for player input?
This is where reasoning comes into play. Larian has ZERO intention of delivering what people are asking for, and this is something I want as well.
However, we have to transition to a practical solution. And that is why I said we should just be able to have access to the characters when it isn't our turn and be able to only use the Reactions then.
The game is being shopped for playtesting for the full game and Swen said they are moving to polishing the game and working toward official release. What good does it do to still sit and theorycraft about Solasta Reactions when it's clear it's beyond Larian's capabilities with what they built.
What we have could be improved upon marginally if you could change Reactions and use them while you're waiting for others. This way, you could at least have LIMITED control over something like Hellish Rebuke, etc. I actually did make a thread looking for suggestions on how they could rework specific reactions to fit into the current framework that BG3 uses. It kind of just went towards everyone asking for proper reactions again instead. https://forums.larian.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=100987&Number=818926#Post818926The way Cutting Words works seems to be a big hint on how many of the remaining targeted defensive reactions might end up working as well. For example, I wouldn't be too surprised if Counterspell ends up being a pre-cast targeted silence/mute at the end of the day.
Last edited by Saito Hikari; 25/07/22 06:27 PM.
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In fact, one thing Solasta does better than BG3 IS combat. Frankly, Solasta blows BG3 combat out of the water. It's more strategic, balanced, easier to learn, actions are easier to find and understand... So funny, I really find the combat in Solasta to be a slog. I don't like the UI at all - I feel like I'm constantly looking through the menus trying to remember what is a spell, what is a bonus action, what is a "power." And I don't find the battles to be all that strategic. Say what you want about high ground bonus in BG3, it does add some interest/strategy with trying to best position characters. I also happen to like the environmental factors like exploding barrels and surfaces (when used sparingly) because they tend to throw in an unexpected element to the fight. Though my view of Solasta might be slightly skewed because it runs so poorly on Mac unless I turn the graphics down so low it looks like garbage.
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So funny, I really find the combat in Solasta to be a slog. I don't like the UI at all - I feel like I'm constantly looking through the menus trying to remember what is a spell, what is a bonus action, what is a "power." And I don't find the battles to be all that strategic. Say what you want about high ground bonus in BG3, it does add some interest/strategy with trying to best position characters. I also happen to like the environmental factors like exploding barrels and surfaces (when used sparingly) because they tend to throw in an unexpected element to the fight. Though my view of Solasta might be slightly skewed because it runs so poorly on Mac unless I turn the graphics down so low it looks like garbage. Nah.
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Ok. This preset thing could work. I worked on it quite a bit today and posted a link to it on my blog. https://baldursgate3theafflicted.blogspot.com/2021/08/home.html?m=1Keep in mind that Counterspell is probably the worst, and I'm still trying to think how to implement it without constant popups if players go up against multiple spellcasters later in the game. For the rest of the classes I worked on, honestly, there wouldn't be that much Reaction Management involved. I made notes. See for yourself if you want. Note: It's a Google Sheets doc, so it's not exactly pretty. I hope you will look at it and get the overall idea as opposed to getting hung up on how it looks. Also, I'm open to suggestions on how to tweak presets, etc.
Last edited by GM4Him; 25/07/22 11:06 PM.
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journeyman
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Ok. This preset thing could work. I worked on it quite a bit today and posted a link to it on my blog. https://baldursgate3theafflicted.blogspot.com/2021/08/home.html?m=1Keep in mind that Counterspell is probably the worst, and I'm still trying to think how to implement it without constant popups if players go up against multiple spellcasters later in the game. For the rest of the classes I worked on, honestly, there wouldn't be that much Reaction Management involved. I made notes. See for yourself if you want. Note: It's a Google Sheets doc, so it's not exactly pretty. I hope you will look at it and get the overall idea as opposed to getting hung up on how it looks. Also, I'm open to suggestions on how to tweak presets, etc. I think having configurable presets would work extremely well, as long as the defined presets are well defined and correct for each spell/ability type. I see nothing wrong with this at all. Keeps the combat and gameplay flowing while still giving players the ability to control their Reactions on their turn.
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Ok. This preset thing could work. I worked on it quite a bit today and posted a link to it on my blog. https://baldursgate3theafflicted.blogspot.com/2021/08/home.html?m=1Keep in mind that Counterspell is probably the worst, and I'm still trying to think how to implement it without constant popups if players go up against multiple spellcasters later in the game. For the rest of the classes I worked on, honestly, there wouldn't be that much Reaction Management involved. I made notes. See for yourself if you want. Note: It's a Google Sheets doc, so it's not exactly pretty. I hope you will look at it and get the overall idea as opposed to getting hung up on how it looks. Also, I'm open to suggestions on how to tweak presets, etc. I think having configurable presets would work extremely well, as long as the defined presets are well defined and correct for each spell/ability type. I see nothing wrong with this at all. Keeps the combat and gameplay flowing while still giving players the ability to control their Reactions on their turn. The two I still am not totally happy with are Counterspell and Temporal Shunt. They are the hardest because of just how complicated they are. However, if you have these two, and you have prompts, that would be a nightmare if you go up against a room of spellcasters. Every few seconds, "Use Counterspell? Goblin Booyahg is casting Hex." I am still pondering them, but a default spell list seems the best way to go. You decide what spells you want to trigger them.
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enthusiast
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And if you *don't* want presets? I'm happy for those who want to fiddle with/configure them, but personally I would prefer to have 100% control over all my reactions (as I do at a game table). So all the above is fine, as long as those who want the 'hassle' or managing reactions can still do so.
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And if you *don't* want presets? I'm happy for those who want to fiddle with/configure them, but personally I would prefer to have 100% control over all my reactions (as I do at a game table). So all the above is fine, as long as those who want the 'hassle' or managing reactions can still do so. IF the presets can do the job for me satisfactorily, I'd personally like them. Faster combat and no popups or prompts. Think about it. Let's say later in the game you face mage's - 4 of them, and you have Counterspell. Round 1. Mage 1 casts Darkness. Popup. Counterspell? No. Mage 2 casts Magic Missile. Counterspell? No. Mage 3 casts Barkskin. Counterspell? No. Mage 4 casts Fireball. Counterspell. Finally. Yes! Or. Same scenario with presets. No popups and pauses. Gets to Mage 4s turn and my mage casts Counterspell based on presets I set. Same result. More fluid combat. And if the presets are simple and easy to set up...
Last edited by GM4Him; 27/07/22 05:09 PM.
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journeyman
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Ok. This preset thing could work. I worked on it quite a bit today and posted a link to it on my blog. https://baldursgate3theafflicted.blogspot.com/2021/08/home.html?m=1Keep in mind that Counterspell is probably the worst, and I'm still trying to think how to implement it without constant popups if players go up against multiple spellcasters later in the game. For the rest of the classes I worked on, honestly, there wouldn't be that much Reaction Management involved. I made notes. See for yourself if you want. Note: It's a Google Sheets doc, so it's not exactly pretty. I hope you will look at it and get the overall idea as opposed to getting hung up on how it looks. Also, I'm open to suggestions on how to tweak presets, etc. I think having configurable presets would work extremely well, as long as the defined presets are well defined and correct for each spell/ability type. I see nothing wrong with this at all. Keeps the combat and gameplay flowing while still giving players the ability to control their Reactions on their turn. The two I still am not totally happy with are Counterspell and Temporal Shunt. They are the hardest because of just how complicated they are. However, if you have these two, and you have prompts, that would be a nightmare if you go up against a room of spellcasters. Every few seconds, "Use Counterspell? Goblin Booyahg is casting Hex." I am still pondering them, but a default spell list seems the best way to go. You decide what spells you want to trigger them. I guess I take a controversial stance on Reactions, in that the way WotC implemented 5th Ed could be slightly changed because it allows too much min/maxing of the type of action. Instead, I like the idea how you force PCs to make their Reactions either react to things affecting themselves (focus on self), react to things on one specific NPC (focus on target), or react to one specific event (focus on one event). Allowing Reactions to be omnipotent, the players get to see everything up front before making the reaction, making them feel too gamey. But, if your Reaction has to target one area, either a target NPC, or target event, or yourself, what you have done is made the Reactions seem more as a bonus action to be used to increase success of one's specified action, instead of something that is held onto forever until the perfect moment. Counterspell is a good example of this as the player gets to see every spell and make a decision after each time. Instead, what your system proposes is the player instead chooses either the first time a specific spell is cast by any NPC or first time a specific NPC casts the spell, Counterspell is now regulated to be a reaction to a specific event instead of getting to see all events all the time then make the reaction. Same for Temporal Shunt, instead of getting to see every action to make the reaction, you have to either set the first time this amount of damage could happen by any NPC (or first time any NPC uses a specific spell) or the first time a specific NPC could cause this much damage (or first time this specific NPC uses a specific spell). Bardic Inspiration also gains a lot from this. Use Bardic Inspiration if any attack event could be succeeded by at least +X (since it adds d6 to the roll and lets say you just rolled something that you needed a 6 to succeed, you won't use it, instead you want to use it only if a 5 or 6 succeeds, or within +5 of the d20 roll). These events can then just be applied, just like above, to either the first event or a specific target NPC. Then, like how Larian has the setup, each Bardic Inspiration Reaction version (defensive, offensive, or ability roll) can be customized in the exact same way.
Last edited by Zyllos; 27/07/22 05:32 PM.
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To summarize, it looks like there are a few distinct suggested implementations of reactions. Let me know if I missed any (significant) ones: 1.) Automatic Use of 1st Eligible Reaction - i.e., BG3's current implementation. E.g., AoOs are a toggle, as are things like Riposte. Hellish rebuke has to be pre-cast on your turn, but isn't cast against a specific enemy target.
Pros: simple, quick
Cons: huge loss in control over your characters, potential waste of resources and/or suboptimal use of your reaction 2.) A Preaction system where you cast reactions on your turn, selecting eligible targets and conditions for activating. E.g., Uncanny Dodge could be manually set to only activate if you take >10 damage. Shield, AoO, Counterspell would be cast only against certain enemies, and Counterspell could be set to only activate for level X+ spells
Pros: more, although still not perfect, control over your character
Cons: potentially unwieldy and tedious. The UI would have to be very good, and you'd still probably spend a lot of time fiddling with reaction triggers often. 3.) Prompt-me System, where the game slows and/or pauses when you have an available reaction(s). You then have the option of using an applicable reaction(s) or not. This is the closest representation of PnP Reactions. See @The Composer's suggestions earlier ITT.
Pro: Full control over character
Con: The game would stop (or just slow down briefly) every time any character could take a reaction. 4.) QTE-like Reactions. You can pause the game at any point to activate a reaction in response to some incoming enemy action.. Pro: Full control over your characters
Cons: This seems difficult to implement and possibly frustrating to use. It is similar to a full-game pause which Larian seems reluctant to implement. Also, there'd have to be enough time to react to all circumstances, and to make that happen it seems to me that gameplay/animations/enemy actions would have to be slowed.
It adds a real-time element to a TB game. 5.) Reaction Overhaul such that all reactions are cast during your turn, and their effects are appropriately changed to reflect this. E.g., BG3's implementation of Cutting Words was changed from being able to subtract a Bardic Inspiration die from a single enemy roll (that you already knew the result of!) into an ability that subtracts the BI die from ALL rolls an enemy makes in the next turn. It has lost the power of being able to negate one specific attack in exchange for the *chance* to affect multiple opponent rolls.
Pros: Everything is cast during character's turns, and abilities now have appropriate power levels for the risk of lost resources/wasted reaction. Effectively, this solution turns characters' reactions into something more similar to the Bonus Action, where BG3 characters will now take 3 actions every turn - Action, Bonus Action, (P)Reaction
Cons: Requires Larian to rework every ability that uses your reaction, and it's unclear how certain abilities like AoO and Counterspell can be appropriately reworked.
It also makes reactions less impactful, turning powerful "use at a critical moment to negate the enemy's action" abilities into more diffuse "apply a debuff to the enemy" type abilities. Obviously, these solutions could be mixed or matched where appropriate. The 3-way "Prompt Me / Automatic Use / Off" system is a mix of #1 and #3. BG3's system is already a mix of #1 and #5, where they've only made modifications to *some* abilities like Cutting Words.
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Not to be too picky but I'd like to point that the spoiler tags make the post format harder to read rather than helping.
That aside, maybe I missed something but it seems to me that any "QTE" proposal we have read so far was meant as a cosmetic variation of 3 rather than an in-real time system. Most of them usually boil down to "make it look like a QTE, but pause the game without the time limits if someone doesn't react quickly".
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journeyman
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And if you *don't* want presets? I'm happy for those who want to fiddle with/configure them, but personally I would prefer to have 100% control over all my reactions (as I do at a game table). So all the above is fine, as long as those who want the 'hassle' or managing reactions can still do so. IF the presets can do the job for me satisfactorily, I'd personally like them. Faster combat and no popups or prompts. Think about it. Let's say later in the game you face mage's - 4 of them, and you have Counterspell. Round 1. Mage 1 casts Darkness. Popup. Counterspell? No. Mage 2 casts Magic Missile. Counterspell? No. Mage 3 casts Barkskin. Counterspell? No. Mage 4 casts Fireball. Counterspell. Finally. Yes! Or. Same scenario with presets. No popups and pauses. Gets to Mage 4s turn and my mage casts Counterspell based on presets I set. Same result. More fluid combat. And if the presets are simple and easy to set up... And what if is some situations I'd rather counterspell Darkness? As in you know REACTIONS? What you're suggesting would basically work (and barelly) if I knew already what spells, enemies and enviroment I can expect in the combat ahead. Hard no. I'd prefer current non-system to presets. But the best system for me is actual reactions as Solasta does them.
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Hmmm my spoiler tags were meant to contain only additional information, in case people wanted to see more about each. I intended for the non-spoilered descriptions to be fully descriptive. But I can see how it's not great formatting... Here is the list in a different format, with color organizing instead of spoiler boxes 1.) Automatic Use of 1st Eligible Reaction - i.e., BG3's current implementation.
Most reactions are toggles (e.g., AoO, Riposte). Hellish rebuke has to be pre-cast on your turn, but isn't cast against a specific enemy target.
Pros: simple, quick
Cons: huge loss in control over your characters, potential waste of resources and/or suboptimal use of your reaction
2.) A Preaction system where you cast reactions on your turn, selecting eligible targets and conditions for activating.
E.g., Uncanny Dodge could be manually set to only activate if you take >10 damage. Shield, AoO, Counterspell could be cast only against certain enemies, and Counterspell could be set to only activate for level X+ spells
Pros: more, although still not perfect, control over your character
Cons: potentially unwieldy and tedious. The UI would have to be very good, and you'd still probably spend a lot of time fiddling with reaction triggers often. The game still uses reactions automatically.
2-alternate.) Preset DAO-like Tactics Reaction System, where you set up reaction conditions prior to combat, and they're automatically used if/when applicable.
During combat, you could still turn reactions are on vs off and make changes to the system, but the specific conditions are largely a set-and-forget. E.g., Counterspell is set to react to level X spells, possibly specific spells. AoO is set to go off only if enemy running away has <X AC; Uncanny Dodge only activates for >X damage. Importantly, all of these options come with defaults
Pros: more control over your characters
Cons: still not perfect control over your character. Potentially overwhelming to players, and its ease of use would strongly depend on the UI.
3.) Prompt-me System, where the game slows and/or pauses when you have an available reaction(s). (Possibly this was never actually suggested, and I misunderstood a version of #2 as this)
You then have the option of using an applicable reaction(s) or not. This is the closest representation of PnP Reactions. See @The Composer's suggestions earlier ITT.
Pros: Full control over character
Cons: The game would stop (or just slow down briefly) every time any character could take a reaction.
4.) "Pause To React" Reaction System. You can pause the game at any point to activate a reaction in response to some incoming enemy action.
Pros: Full control over your characters
Cons: This seems difficult to implement and possibly frustrating to use. It is similar to a full-game pause which Larian seems reluctant to implement. Also, there'd have to be enough time to react to all circumstances, and to make that happen it seems to me that gameplay/animations/enemy actions would have to be slowed.
- It adds a real-time element to a TB game.
5.) Reaction Overhaul such that all reactions are cast during your turn, and their effects are appropriately changed to reflect this.
E.g., BG3's implementation of Cutting Words was changed into an ability that subtracts the BI die from ALL rolls an enemy makes in the next turn, instead of from one specific roll of the player's choice. It has lost the power of being able to negate one specific attack in exchange for the *chance* to affect multiple opponent rolls.
Pros: Everything is cast during character's turns, and abilities now have appropriate power levels for the risk of lost resources/wasted reaction.
Cons: Requires Larian to rework every ability that uses your reaction, and it's unclear how certain abilities like AoO and Counterspell can be appropriately reworked.
- It also makes reactions less impactful, turning powerful "use at a critical moment to negate the enemy's action" abilities into more diffuse "apply a debuff to the enemy" type abilities.
Obviously, these solutions could be mixed or matched where appropriate. The 3-way "Prompt Me / Automatic Use / Off" system is a mix of #1 and #3. BG3's system is already a mix of #1 and #5, where they've only made modifications to *some* abilities like Cutting Words. That aside, maybe I missed something but it seems to me that any "QTE" proposal we have read so far was meant as a cosmetic variation of 3 rather than an in-real time system. Most of them usually boil down to "make it look like a QTE, but pause the game without the time limits if someone doesn't react quickly". That is not how I've understood the "pause to react" system (which might be a better name than "QTE"). I understood it as you *only* take reactions If and When you pause the game to activate one, in response to some incoming enemy action. If I've misunderstood, and what was actually being suggested was a slow-down leading into a full pause - I like that much more.
Last edited by mrfuji3; 28/07/22 05:34 AM. Reason: Added an alternate preset system
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I think I'm overall in favor of the UI option in the pic here. A small, non-intrusive prompt that can be easily skipped. For the most part, when you take damage, you're thinking "Oh shoot, what can I do now?" and so I don't think a minor break in the action would be that sluggish. And hitting spacebar isn't super time consuming. The Solasta pop-ups have a lot of info on them that take up the screen space and can be overwhelming to read if you aren't aware of your options. In a way, it actually gives players more "turns" during the round. Take multiplayer for instance. Instead of having to wait for every other player and every enemy to take a turn, you get another moment to be part of the action (if you choose).
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That is not how I've understood the "pause to react" system (which might be a better name than "QTE"). I understood it as you *only* take reactions If and When you pause the game to activate one, in response to some incoming enemy action. If I've misunderstood, and what was actually being suggested was a slow-down leading into a full pause - I like that much more. Nah, that was never suggested as a reaction system in general. That was something that I (tentatively) suggested myself as a solution to use ONLY for a couple of specific skills that the player should allegedly be able to call at any given moment in the tabletop. What I was tentatively calling an INTERRUPT system. Every person I've seen talking about "QTE reactions" was basically describing a variation of what Composer did with that picture: "confirmation prompt presented in a fancy way". Nothing more, nothing less. Not dissimilar from when I suggested to take a page from XCOM 2 and its dramatic slowdowns/zoom ins... Except I never called it a "QTE system" myself, because it's a very unfortunate way to describe it, that evokes a very different idea (i.e. having a limited amount of time to react, etc).
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I'm still struggling with this - presets vs. Composer's prompts.
Think about Counterspell and Temporal Shunt. Think about Silvery Barbs and Cutting Words.
Silvery Barbs. You wait until an enemy succeeds with their die roll. Then the player announces they are casting Silvery Barbs. It could be ANY d20 die roll. How would that translate to a prompt? Every time an enemy succeeds on a d20 roll the game will ask you if you want to use Silver Barbs to make them reroll and then apply advantage on an ally?
And Counterspell. Again. If you are in a battle with 3 or 4 mage's, you could be pausing combat for each and every mage asking if you want to cast Counterspell. And like the duergar Nere fight in Grymforge, they can cast Enlarge, they cast some cleric spells too, and even dominate spells. That would be a lot of prompts until you finally decide to accept 1 - IF you decide to waste a 3rd level spell slot on it.
Cutting Words is like Silvery Barbs. It can happen at any time. I don't know how you'd pull these off without some sort of preset triggers like Selected Roll Types, Selected Spells, Selected Targets, etc. Otherwise, the game would have to pause a lot to ask if you want to use the Reaction.
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veteran
Joined: Sep 2020
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I'm still struggling with this - presets vs. Composer's prompts.
Think about Counterspell and Temporal Shunt. Think about Silvery Barbs and Cutting Words.
Silvery Barbs. You wait until an enemy succeeds with their die roll. Then the player announces they are casting Silvery Barbs. It could be ANY d20 die roll. How would that translate to a prompt? Every time an enemy succeeds on a d20 roll the game will ask you if you want to use Silver Barbs to make them reroll and then apply advantage on an ally?
And Counterspell. Again. If you are in a battle with 3 or 4 mage's, you could be pausing combat for each and every mage asking if you want to cast Counterspell. And like the duergar Nere fight in Grymforge, they can cast Enlarge, they cast some cleric spells too, and even dominate spells. That would be a lot of prompts until you finally decide to accept 1 - IF you decide to waste a 3rd level spell slot on it.
Cutting Words is like Silvery Barbs. It can happen at any time. I don't know how you'd pull these off without some sort of preset triggers like Selected Roll Types, Selected Spells, Selected Targets, etc. Otherwise, the game would have to pause a lot to ask if you want to use the Reaction. You're creating trouble that doesn't need to be there. - Temporal Shunt and Silvery Barbs aren't PHB and thus almost certainly won't be in the game. - Cutting Words is already in the game, implemented according to what I call method #5 - Reworked Reactions Effects. So the only relevant ability in your list is Counterspell. In your example against 4 mages, it's very likely that one of the first 2 mages will cast a spell you want to counterspell, using up your reaction. So we've already halved (or more) the # of prompts per turn. In your preset example, each turn my PC mage would still have to: -pre-cast counterspell (1-3 clicks, depending on how easy it is to access counterspell on the hotbar) -preselect 1-4 of the mages (1-4 clicks) -double check that the conditions for counterspell are correct (i.e., what spell level to counter - unknowable # of clicks) If my counting is correct, that's 2 clicks minimum using 2-3 different UI systems, every turn....How is this more efficient than the game pausing 1-2, maybe 3, times between turns with: "Click the counterspell icon to counterspell [enemy spell], or press space to do nothing"?
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