Implementing and Tracking Portent Use

[warderbrad]

Hello all,
I am currently playing in a game where my character is a multiclass wizard with Divination school. As such Portent is a part of my character. I would like to find the most optimal way to handle this ability and have decided to turn to the forums to hear how others are doing this.

First off, the simple act of rolling 2d20 is no big deal. And it is possible to edit the Portent entry and add a line at the end that will keep track of the rolls waiting to be used. It takes a few steps but it is fine. What I would like to know is how others handle this portion of the ability's use and if anyone has found something which requires less upkeep.

Secondly, when using a rolled Portent number in place of a d20 roll. How have others done this? I have not yet found a way to use an ability without having it roll. It is a simple thing to roll the ability and mentally change the rolled dice face but again I am wanting to draw on the experience of the group to find what is best.

Thanks for your time and replies.

[Zacchaeus]

I've never used this but I can't see any way to automate it. From what I can see you just record the dice you roll and then use that instead of what you actually rolled. It would all have to be done with mental arithmetic I fear. As you say checking off the two dice is easy enough; you could also record them in f-keys.

[whiteTiki]

Yeah. Like Zacchaeus said, this is a difficult one if you want to automate it. Probably will be available in an update in the near future. There's currently no effect that can substitute a d20 roll for something else (lets say, the Portent dice) at will.
There's actually just 1 "property" that has similar code. The "Reroll" feature, but unfortunately it has this inconvenient:


It only works for weapon's damage dice under the properties section (that means no d20)
It can't be programmed as an effect to affect someone else (like an NPC)
It only rerolls when the Roll Result is lower than the indicated number (EX: "reroll 2" will reroll when obtaining a 2 or lower) <In cases were you want it to reroll if the roll result is too high it will not work>


So for the moment, you could add it to the notes section, take a note of it by hand, notify the DM or even create an effect with the proper name just to remind you about it.

You can add this feature to the Fantasy Grounds Wish List managed by Moon Wizard here (https://fg2app.idea.informer.com/). Don't forget to check before if that hasn't been posted yet.

[warderbrad]

I appreciate the thoughts and insights you both have shared. I was currently adding it as a note at the bottom of the ability and just leaving it open to remind me.

I just wanted to make sure that there was not some mechanism that I was not aware of that could make it work more easily.

[Xorn]

Actually, the use of Portent must be declared before the attack roll, saving throw, or ability check it is replacing.

The wizard I DM has Portent also; every morning he just rolls two 20s and records them in his notes.

[warderbrad]

Xorn,
This is how I have been doing it. As soon as we finish a long rest I roll a new set of d20s. I hadn't meant to imply otherwise. If you could help me refine my phrasing by showing me where I implied otherwise it would be helpful. Unless you were referring to the options suggested. The way we have been doing it I would state that I was going to use a Portent Roll, then use the ability to get all the info on the screen, then do the mental math to change the dice roll and the DM applies the effects as needed. It is a bit cumbersome but it works alright.

What might be a way to address this and other situations would be to allow a DM to apply a retroactive "Fudge" amount to a roll. What that would do is allow the system to apply the effects. I would foresee this working where the DM could type a modifier into the modifier box, then drag the roll result onto a the modifier box and the system would do the rest. Not sure how hard that would be to implement.

[Wonderbringer]

I would simply make a "reminding effect" so that it is displayed on the combat tracker and when your turn starts (if your DM uses the necessary option). Just make an effect: "Portent; # #". Roll your 2d20 after each long rest and just put the numbers in the effect. Easy to find and will be a steady reminder.

[Griogre]

You can do it that way Wonderbringer, but amazing thing, my wizard player with portent doesn't forget - so I've never bothered. :)

[damned]

...What might be a way to address this and other situations would be to allow a DM to apply a retroactive "Fudge" amount to a roll. What that would do is allow the system to apply the effects. I would foresee this working where the DM could type a modifier into the modifier box, then drag the roll result onto a the modifier box and the system would do the rest. Not sure how hard that would be to implement.
i dont think there is any jounalling in the FG database and without journalling i doubt you could do a retroactive mod like this....

[Xorn]

Xorn,
This is how I have been doing it. As soon as we finish a long rest I roll a new set of d20s. I hadn't meant to imply otherwise. If you could help me refine my phrasing by showing me where I implied otherwise it would be helpful. Unless you were referring to the options suggested. The way we have been doing it I would state that I was going to use a Portent Roll, then use the ability to get all the info on the screen, then do the mental math to change the dice roll and the DM applies the effects as needed. It is a bit cumbersome but it works alright.

I wasn't making any assumptions as to what you do or don't do--didn't mean to give that impression. I was just stating that's what we do, and we're happy. I'd be more interesting in seeing dynamic lighting in FG before adding functionality for Portent. And I couldn't give less shits about Dynamic Lighting, for the record.

My reply was to remind anyone using Portent that it's before the roll. I added what our wizard does currently as a footnote. :)

[Kindran]

I wrote an extension for this feature for my group.

Features:
* Displays portent rolls and usage indicators on the "Actions" tab of any character having the Portent or Greater Portent feature.
* Automatically rolls and saves the Portent dice for those characters on a long rest (and resets usage indicators)
* Drag any Portent die from the Actions tab onto a target to apply the "PORTENT: xx" effect, where xx is the die roll
* Target's next d20 roll (initiative, save, skill check, ability check, or attack roll) will be replaced by portent die roll and effect expired.
* Provides check box next to each roll so player can keep track of which rolls he's used (does not automatically do this when roll is dropped onto target)
* Handles both Portent and Greater Portent

Rules Notes:
1) As I understand RAW, Portent only substitutes the die roll. So, any modifiers still get applied to it.
2) As I understand RAW, only ONE die roll is substituted. If the target has advantage or disadvantage - the first roll will be replaced with the Portent roll. This may or may not be to your maximum benefit. The wording of Portent isn't totally clear. It could easily be made to replace both, if you want to convince me that that's closer to RAW.

Anyway, I just finished writing it as a Saturday morning project yesterday. My group only plays once a week, so it'll be a few month before I'm comfortable putting it on Forge. But if you want a copy e-mailed to you to help me test it out, please feel free to respond.

[mccartysr]

If you would like something that is on the forge right now "Requested Rolls" can you get the ability to edit the roll values before the resolution process (where it tells you success or failure). It doesn't have the ability to automatically track your portent values, but it would work for now.

[Kindran]

I already do use (and love) requested rolls, but my players don't like when it interrupts the rolling workflow too much. I guess I could have used the "Staged Rolls" feature to only stage rolls for targets having the "Portent" effect applied, similar to what we do for Bardic Inspiration. That'd have probably been enough if I'd thought of it. But I've already got the Portent-specific mod working now and it does everything more cleanly for us (keeps track for rolls and usage) and doesn't interrupt die roll workflow.