D&D 5e 2014 - NPC Skill Rolls - ADVSKILL/DISSKILL Not Working

[rocketvaultgames]

in D&D 5e 2014, it appears that NPC skill rolls are not being detected as skills. When a check or save is rolled, in chat the roll is indicated as such ([CHECK] or [SAVE]). Skills don't have a tag (though they do use the correct bonus.

The problem is that skill rolls aren't picking up on ADVSKILL and DISSKILL effects. they do pick up SKILL: n though, so I'm not sure what the problem is. Maybe I'm missing something, but I believe these effects used to work and haven't been changed on my end.

I'm testing in a new fresh campaign with no extensions and only 2014 PHB/DMG/MM loaded, though the same thing happens in an ancient campaign with 100+ extensions.

[Moon Wizard]

Thanks for reporting. I'll be pushing a fix on Tuesday for that.

Regards,
JPG

[Zacchaeus]

This is working for me. DO you have steps to reproduce?

[rocketvaultgames]

My apologies. "ADVSKILL" works... "ADVSKILL: perception" (for example) does not.

[Zacchaeus]

My apologies. "ADVSKILL" works... "ADVSKILL: perception" (for example) does not.

Yep, I see that. And I see MW already replied to you.

[claedawg]

Not sure if it is a similar issue but ADVCHK also does not work for NPCs in the CT. It does work for PCs.

Using the Shadowdark RPG ruleset, so it may be just there as I have not played 5E in a few months.

[Moon Wizard]

This is working correctly in the 5E ruleset for NPCs.

You should report in the Shadowdark ruleset support thread; as that ruleset is supported by third party developers, not directly by us.

Regards,
JPG

[claedawg]

Thanks, will post over there now.

[rocketvaultgames]

"ADVSKILL" and "ADVSKILL: perception" both appear to work correctly after today's update. I still cannot get "ADVSKILL: perception (smell)" to work for PCs nor NPCs (with or without extensions).

[rhagelstrom]

"ADVSKILL" and "ADVSKILL: perception" both appear to work correctly after today's update. I still cannot get "ADVSKILL: perception (smell)" to work for PCs nor NPCs (with or without extensions).

I doubt that will ever be a thing

[rocketvaultgames]

I doubt that will ever be a thing

This definitely used to work. I can't guarantee when it broke but I suspect with the 2024 update a few months back... I suppose it is possible that it never was FG functionality but some extension...

[Moon Wizard]

ADVSKILL does not have any other qualifiers other than [ability name] or [skill name].

Regards,
JPG

[rocketvaultgames]

ADVSKILL does not have any other qualifiers other than [ability name] or [skill name].

Regards,
JPG

...and that means it doesn't work for custom skill names nor built-in skills like: "Tools/Items: Artisans Tools".

I'm sure this used to work as I have a number of PCs and NPCs in the CT that have been in there for months (some for years) with these effects and they certainly worked when I added them:

Watchful Helm; AC: 1; ADVSKILL: perception (Sight)
Keen Senses; ADVSKILL: perception (Smell)
Dragon Sage; ADVSKILL: history (Dragons)
etc.

Can't it just name-check for any string listed in SKILLS with proper syntax? Is it hardcoded to a predefined list of skills?

If not, do you have any idea which extension may have done this? BCEG? Pets (Friend Zone)?

[Zacchaeus]

FG would ignore anything after ADVSKILL: perception. So it would have correctly given advantage on any perception check. There’s no mechanism for distinguishing whether that is sight or smell. I know of no extension that does this.

[claedawg]

FG would ignore anything after ADVSKILL: perception. So it would have correctly given advantage on any perception check. There’s no mechanism for distinguishing whether that is sight or smell. I know of no extension that does this.

I could have sworn it did work a couple of years ago when I was making homebrew upgrades for A5E skill specializations. I would add the skill to the to sidebar menu and as an example use ADVSKILL: perception (smell).

No wait. That was just SKILL: 1d4, perception (smell). I can't remember if I tried using ADVSKILL or not. Sorry, lol.

[rhagelstrom]

I know there was at one time an issue where if you gave it an invalid descriptor it appeared to work but it was actually affecting all the check/skill/saves. I don't recall if that was for saves or checks or skills. What you guys are talking about never worked.

[rocketvaultgames]

Huge thanks to Farratto for telling me this:

ADVSKILL does in fact work for custom skills. The problem was the parentheses. Hyphens don't work either.

"ADVSKILL: perception_smell" is picked up correctly and distinguished from regular "perception"

[rocketvaultgames]

Huge thanks to Farratto for telling me this:

ADVSKILL does in fact work for custom skills. The problem was the parentheses. Hyphens don't work either.

"ADVSKILL: perception_smell" is picked up correctly and distinguished from regular "perception"

well... it works for PC skills... the parsing won't pick it up in an NPC statblock so there is no way to roll it with an underscore...