Applying Vantage

There are so many ways and different adjustment where advantage and disadvantage can be applied, this small section is dedicated to having a single location to document the various scenarios. Melee is fairly straight forward and fairly easy to remember. Many other situations work similarly; however, there are many edge cases: saves, competitions, reactions, magic-use and so on. The record of this section is essentially a more detailed version of what can be found in What the Numbers Mean.

Combat
Stealth
Saves/Competitions
Incantations
Sorcery
Reactions
Advantage/Disadvantage Chart

Combat

Hopefully, it has been made clear by now, but here is the repeated rule for advantage/disadvantage for combat. Range and melee use the was calculations; however, what the vantage is may differ -- attacking a prone target, for example. If at advantage when successfully striking an opponent, then an additional d20 is added; further, if the attack hits the target, the the damage gains an additional 1 to 3 points. Of course, this bonus die and bonus damage only applies to the primary-hand pool. However, the added die can let the formula to exceed the 5d20-max rule.

Essentially, being at disadvantage is the same only in reverse. The primary attack pool will lose a d20 and d3 points will be lost from the calculated damage amount. The inflicted damage can be zero but not negative; a disadvantage attack cannot heal an opponent. Further, if the total dice falls below 1d20, then two d20s are rolled, using the lower value between the two.

Stealth

The term “stealth” when not referring to the specific skill means a category of covert-style skills, such as stealth, sleight of handand lock-picking. Some of these skills have multiple rolls; thus, knowing what roll is affected by advantage or disadvantage is important. The high-altitude rule is vantage always alters success. Thus, with a skill like sleight of hand where a d20 is rolled for success against a DC and 4d6 is rolled to determine whether the action is noticed, the adjustment of vantage is only applied to the d20 roll.

Conversely, the stealth skill is used to move or approach silently and without being noticed, 4d6 are rolled to determine the DC required for the others’ Perception. Success or failure is not in the hands of the one with either advantage or disadvantage but rather others. Further, some may notice while others will not. Thus, the dice changed is the number of d6s rolled. This is also true if an unskilled person attempts to move quietly with a different vantage than normal.

Saves/Competitions

Whenever a save, check or competition is required, if advantage or disadvantage apply, then two of the appropriate type dice are rolled, taking either the higher or lower of the two scores. Of course, the appropriate die is a d20 for saves and checks, and a d12 for a competition.

Incantations

For spell-casting to gain advantage, it is rare. Conditions to create disadvantage happens more often. When using incantations under advantage, the cost of Spirit is lowered by one point. When under disadvantage, the cost is increased by one point.

Sorcery

When using sorcery, casting with advantage means that should that axiom have oversiphoning, then the next point cost would be the result when cast at the lesser point cost. However, if casting with disadvantage, either more points are required, one step of oversiphoning at a time or if casting at the normal cost, a normal Logic check (DC:14) just to be able to manifest the spell from casting; failure indicates the loss of points while the axiom fails. Should oversiphoning not be available for the specific axiom being used, then no points can be added for advantage, and the Logic check must apply.

Reactions

There are several skills that act or can act as reactions. Perhaps the most notable one is dodge. For this specific skill, a d6 is rolled to adjust the incoming attack score. There are magical conditions which might cause a d8 to be rolled in its stead. Other skills may require a check, save or roll of a d20. In almost every case, a single die is rolled to calculation success or failure when using a reaction. However, regardless of the sides of the die, advantage or disadvantage will require two of those dice to be rolled, using either the better or the worse of those two results depending on which vantage applies.

Advantage/Disadvantage Chart