Let's use a different example since people seem to be hung up on me using Uncanny Dodge a lot or Counterspell. AOO. Simple presets would take care of most of them. Preset options are: All Enemies/ Selected Targets/ Off. For this one, you either have it trigger like Overwatch in Xcom where the first person to exit melee combat without using Disengage triggers your AOO or you have selected targets. This is similar to what you are basically saying. Yes?
SNIP
BUT... what about Absorb Elements. This exact same preset approach wouldn't work as well with this spell. Why? Because I may already be Fire Resistant (like if I'm a tiefling), so I may not want ALL elemental damage types to be triggered. If an enemy uses a fiery attack on me - let's say grease + fire arrow creates fiery explosion - my tiefling is already resistant. I wouldn't necessarily want to waste my spell slot on resisting fire damage.
SNIP Therefore, for Absorb Elements, the best preset solution would be something more like this: All Types/ Selected Damage Types/ Max Damage Potential > X (you set the value)/ Selected Damage Types AND Max Damage Potential > X (you set the value)/ Off. OR... at the very least, All Types/ Selected Damage Types/ Off.
That's exactly what I said.
=> I'm all for the "very least" => All types / selected damage types / Off. It would only require to couple 2 systems : toggles and the variation UI element already used for spells like hex. You've seen an idea of what I'm thinking about in PM.
In my opinion the TT game is too complex to be faithfully translated into a video game. There are too many rules, too many specific conditions, to many things to think about, to many things you "might want to do". In other words : too many possibilities and things to think about. You cannot ask players to go into a deep management of various conditions.
In my opinion toggles + variation would be a good compromise.
Additionnal exemple for the AOO : I choose my target when I want to during my turn and I turn the sneak / smite attack toggle ON/OFF for my presetted AOO. Absord element is not in the PHB, but it would work to toggle the different type of damage you want a resistance on.
Reactions that could not be handled very easily could become active skills.
=> A lot of things could also become something like Cutting Words => You cast during your turn but that is activated and that consume your reaction when the conditions have been triggered. It's not a problem if the spells or class features are a bit improved or downgraded to compensate the lack of "total" control (and prompts). Just like Cutting Words.
Using an action or a bonus action is something everyone can do. Everyone would be able to use a ressource call "reaction" during its turn. Use the very welcomed variation UI for spells like Hex and eventually use a few toggles is something that is already teached.
- it would make us use the UI in a way we already know. - it would make Larian use mechanics that are already implemented in the game - it would give us a decent level of control. - it would give us additionnal active skills to use during our turns. - it would make the ennemies turns look a lot more real time (Most players in this thread have asked for different animations if an attack is dodged by dexterity or absorbed by armors/shield. I can believe that Tuco would not like to see our characters react live in real time during the ennemies turns but I guess it would be appealing to see for a lot of players).
That's the best solution in my opinion at this point. You know how much love I have for Solasta but I have better expectations for BG3's combats flow.
