True Strike fix idea

[Zephirus]

Every one complains about True Strike, but no one actualy does any thing about it.

So, here is my attempt to fix it.

True Strike
divination cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
Range: Personal
Component: Somatic
Duration: Until the end of your turn

You close your eyes and see the threads of fate weaving themselves around you.
On your next attack roll you roll a 2d10 along with the d20. The result is the best of the two rolls.

Discussion:

First of all, this is not advantage. So, no at will sneak attacks for the rogue. I think it is part of rogue role playing to come up with a reason to get advantage or another sneak attack condition every round, and if you are too lazy for this, just dip 2 levels of barbarian and reckless attack to your heart content, and suffer the consequences of your enemies also having advantage on you.

Second, all this the better of 1d20 or 2d10 gives you is no auto failure on 1, because you will never roll a one.

Third, this roll improves the chances of beating small DCs even above the chances of advantage while making larger DCs just a little bit easier than a normal roll. The chance of criting is almost the same as rolling without advantage. The turning point is when you need more than 12 to hit as you can see in the graphic.

This will help to one shot the hits you would make anyway and give a little bit of extra help to the ones that you would probably miss without being as broken as at will advantage.

https://i.imgur.com/pJyXCDC.png

[Tanarii]

The problem is most "fixes" are broken, in that they give way too much. Like yours, which effectively provides a form of uninterruptible advantage (that stacks with advantage) every round at no significant action cost, range, way to prevent buff-stacking, or even a specific target.

Add concentration to it, and a statement that you cannot also get advantage, and it's pretty good. Good things: Bonus action competes with AT's cunning action and EKs War Magic, doesn't actually provide advantage, make it clear it doesn't stack with advantage, can be interrupted by damage and costs the concentration slot. Maybe require a specific target and range too.

Basically, if you just turn it into "pseudo-advantage every turn for bonus action" it goes from super-niche effectively useless cantrip to every gish's automatic choice.

[Zephirus]

The problem is most "fixes" are broken, in that they give way too much. Like yours, which effectively provides a form of uninterruptible advantage (that stacks with advantage) every round at no significant action cost, range, way to prevent buff-stacking, or even a specific target.

Add concentration to it, and a statement that you cannot also get advantage, and it's pretty good. Good things: Bonus action competes with AT's cunning action and EKs War Magic, doesn't actually provide advantage, make it clear it doesn't stack with advantage, can be interrupted by damage and costs the concentration slot. Maybe require a specific target and range too.

Basically, if you just turn it into "pseudo-advantage every turn for bonus action" it goes from super-niche effectively useless cantrip to every gish's automatic choice.

You are right. I also think that 2d10 is too much of a bonus anyway. (it ends up as a +3 if you need 15 or more). Perhaps 2d8+1 is more balanced. You will be extra sure that you will hit what you would hit almost any time any way, you get a little bit of help to those things you would have a hard time hitting, and no bonuses to the things you would hit once in a blue moon. Here is the graphic.

https://i.imgur.com/9WiwGcD.png

[BobZan]

I'd play Sorcadin on your table. Or Hexblade with Elven Accuracy, for Uber Advantage.

[Zephirus]

I'd play Sorcadin on your table.

I am creating 5e a setting for Master of Magic, and I want this to be the racial feature for High Elves (in the game, they get +1 to hit and each population generates 1 mana, and this would be in line with the "our elves are better trope").

[alchahest]

I am creating 5e a setting for Master of Magic, and I want this to be the racial feature for High Elves (in the game, they get +1 to hit and each population generates 1 mana, and this would be in line with the "our elves are better trope").

tell me more. (in another thread, probably). MoM is one of my favorite games.

[Zephirus]

tell me more. (in another thread, probably). MoM is one of my favorite games.

I always wanted to play MoM from the Heroes POV.

The wizards will work more or less like gods, I must rehaul the races and spells to fit the setting. Then run a few play tests. All I have is a few scraps, when I have more, I will create a thread with the rulebook PDF.

[Specter]

If I were to fix it, I would just cut concentration and write 'the next attack you make until the end of your next turn'. That way, any bonus or reaction or Action Surge or whatever attacks still kick in.

[strangebloke]

The thing is, bad options are less disruptive than overpowered options.

A bad option just gets ignored.

An overpowered option makes all alternatives look gross by comparison.

Hence, 'fix' usually means 'castrate.'

[Joe the Rat]

My first inclination on a True Strike tweak is to have it treat any roll below 10 as 10. Or just make your attack roll 15+modifiers.

Kudos on taking a novel approach with the dice. Using alternate dice can break the connection to advantage - true strike ignores advantage and disadvantage, because you are rolling... something that isn't 20-sided. Exactly what... depends on what sort of distribution curve. Like 6d6, keep 3. You can also remove critical hits and misses from the equation this way.


tell me more. (in another thread, probably). MoM is one of my favorite games.

I always wanted to play MoM from the Heroes POV.

The wizards will work more or less like gods, I must rehaul the races and spells to fit the setting. Then run a few play tests. All I have is a few scraps, when I have more, I will create a thread with the rulebook PDF.

I too wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

[Submortimer]

my suggestion has always been:

True Strike
1st level divination spell
Casting Time: 1 Bonus Action
Range: 30 feet
Component: Verbal, Somatic, Material (a metal arrowhead)
Duration: concentration, up to 1 minute

You extend your hand and point a finger at a target in range. Your magic grants you insight into the target's defenses. On this turn and every subsequent turn for the spell's duration, you gain advantage on your first attack roll against the target. The spell ends once the duration expires or the target drops to 0 hit points, whichever comes first.

At Higher Levels. When you cast this spell using a spell slot of 3rd level or higher, if you reduce the target to 0 hit points before the duration of the spell runs out, you can use a bonus action on your turn to transfer the effect to another creature you can see within range.

[Kane0]

What I did for True Strike (as well as Blade Ward and Resistance) was to steal from Guidance.

True Strike
Divination Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends the target can roll 1d4 and add the result to an attack roll of their choice. The spell then ends.
The die rolled increases when you reach 5th level (1d6), 11th level (1d8) and 17th level (1d10).


Blade Ward
Abjuration Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends the target can roll 1d4 and reduce the damage taken from one attack of its choice by the result. The spell then ends.
The die rolled increases when you reach 5th level (1d6), 11th level (1d8) and 17th level (1d10).

Guidance
Divination Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends the target can roll 1d4 and add the result to once ability check of its choice. The spell then ends.
The die rolled increases when you reach 5th level (1d6), 11th level (1d8) and 17th level (1d10).

Resistance
Abjuration Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to one minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends the target can roll 1d4 and add the result to one saving throw of its choice. The spell then ends.
The die rolled increases when you reach 5th level (1d6), 11th level (1d8) and 17th level (1d10).

[Zephirus]

What I did for True Strike (as well as Blade Ward and Resistance) was to steal from Guidance.

True Strike
Divination Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends the target can roll 1d4 and add the result to an attack roll of their choice. The spell then ends.
The die rolled increases when you reach 5th level (1d6), 11th level (1d8) and 17th level (1d10).


Blade Ward
Abjuration Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends the target can roll 1d4 and reduce the damage taken from one attack of its choice by the result. The spell then ends.
The die rolled increases when you reach 5th level (1d6), 11th level (1d8) and 17th level (1d10).

Guidance
Divination Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends the target can roll 1d4 and add the result to once ability check of its choice. The spell then ends.
The die rolled increases when you reach 5th level (1d6), 11th level (1d8) and 17th level (1d10).

Resistance
Abjuration Cantrip

Casting Time: 1 Action
Range: Touch
Components: V, S
Duration: Concentration, up to one minute

You touch one willing creature. Once before the spell ends the target can roll 1d4 and add the result to one saving throw of its choice. The spell then ends.
The die rolled increases when you reach 5th level (1d6), 11th level (1d8) and 17th level (1d10).

I am playing with the numbers...

https://i.imgur.com/yR38HXQ.png

bigger between 3d6 and 1d20
advantage
d20 + d4
normal roll

Your idea outperform advantage at higher rolls and underperform on all other circunstances but always outperform the normal roll. And also create the possibility for spamming criticals.
My Idea outperform advantage for rolls below 11 and tends to the normal roll as the target increases.

[Kane0]

It's also an action, has concentration and can be given to another party members, so it's not always just the numbers.

[MxKit]

Honestly, my biggest problem with true strike isn't the action casting time, or the concentration, or even the effect, exactly. It's that it has arguably one really good potential use that still keeps it as something you're not going to constantly be using... but that potential use is currently incredibly hampered.

See, the best use of true strike in my experience is on a caster, especially one with limited spell slots, who really wants a particular spell to land so they aren't just wasting one of their few slots. But true strike only works to give you advantage on an attack roll, which cuts out a solid 95% of the spells a caster would actually want to use it for.

Have it still cost an action, and even use concentration, but let it either give your next attack roll advantage or the next saving throw you make your enemy roll disadvantage. You still have to give up a full action, you can still have your concentration broken, you can't use it to shore up a spell that requires concentration itself, and the enemy you choose can still succeed on their saving throw (just as you can still fail your attack roll). Even that still seems a little too good, but I don't feel like it hits the same level of "why would anyone not take this cantrip and just be using it constantly?"

[samcifer]

I would say to make it a bonus action to cast and the effect: "On your next turn, add +2 to an attack roll you make during that turn. This effect can only be applied to a single attack roll. This effect expires at the end of your next turn. You may only have one instance of this effect active at a time." (meaning you use It or lose it next turn and you cannot use this cantrip again during your next turn. (meaning it can only be used every other turn.)

[clash]

Have it still cost an action, and even use concentration, but let it either give your next attack roll advantage or the next saving throw you make your enemy roll disadvantage. You still have to give up a full action, you can still have your concentration broken, you can't use it to shore up a spell that requires concentration itself, and the enemy you choose can still succeed on their saving throw (just as you can still fail your attack roll). Even that still seems a little too good, but I don't feel like it hits the same level of "why would anyone not take this cantrip and just be using it constantly?"

Honestly this would be a great cantrip. I could see it competing with some of the good ones but not being an always use type of thing.