So, there are a few situations when you are granted advantage, either from the class ability of another character or for inspiration. Can you decide to spend this resource after your first roll? (But before you know the result?). Or do you have to decide before rolling anything? I don't see anything in the descriptions for advantage/disadvantage that specify or limit when that 2nd roll is made.
If I roll a "2" on an attack, can I decide to use my inspiration and roll again?
The 2 dice are rolled at the same time and you take the best roll if you roll with the Advantage mechanic. Inspiration dice are a whole different thing, you use them when you feel you need to.
Rolling with advantage means to roll two dice at once and take the higher result. If you have some power or feature that lets you choose whether or not to roll with advantage, then the choice should be made before the roll.
If I roll a "2" on an attack, can I decide to use my inspiration and roll again?
No. You use inspiration when you make the roll; you don't get to apply it retroactively. If it's important to you not to fail a certain roll, use your inspiration beforehand.
Each ability tells you when it can be used. I don't know of any that grants advantage that can be used after the fact. Some like the Lucky feat intentionally give you a do-over, but that's not the same as granting advantage.
You don't have to roll inspiration with the initial d20 roll.
"Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time."
So, the text for advantage says, "Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens, you roll a second d20 when you make the roll."
And, for example, the text for using inspiration says, "If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll."
No where does it refer to timing for when to roll a second time, or say it has to be rolled at the same time. Is there a clarification somewhere?
And, for example, the text for using inspiration says, "If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll."
No where does it refer to timing for when to roll a second time, or say it has to be rolled at the same time.
"Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll." You spend the inspiration and you get advantage. You either have advantage on a roll or you don't. If you have advantage you roll two dice; otherwise you roll one. If you've already made the roll without advantage, you missed the train. You can't go back in time and say "No, no, I had advantage on that roll all along." Some DMs are more lenient (and that's fine), but the text is pretty clear about how it works.
Inspiration is an insurance policy. Maybe you would've been OK anyways. But you can't predict the future, and if the result of failure is disastrous, you're better off having insurance. If you end up dead, it won't matter if you "wasted" it or not.
So, the text for advantage says, "Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens, you roll a second d20 when you make the roll."
And, for example, the text for using inspiration says, "If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll."
No where does it refer to timing for when to roll a second time, or say it has to be rolled at the same time. Is there a clarification somewhere?
It does say it has to be rolled at the same time. That’s what “when you make the roll” means.
So, the text for advantage says, "Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens, you roll a second d20 when you make the roll."
And, for example, the text for using inspiration says, "If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll."
No where does it refer to timing for when to roll a second time, or say it has to be rolled at the same time. Is there a clarification somewhere?
It does say it has to be rolled at the same time. That’s what “when you make the roll” means.
So, the text for advantage says, "Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens, you roll a second d20 when you make the roll."
And, for example, the text for using inspiration says, "If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll."
No where does it refer to timing for when to roll a second time, or say it has to be rolled at the same time. Is there a clarification somewhere?
It does say it has to be rolled at the same time. That’s what “when you make the roll” means.
Hmm. Really? I guess so... I still think it's ambiguous, but that reading does make sense. Both of my quotes only refer to a single "roll," not "rolls."
Thanks for that clarification.
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So, there are a few situations when you are granted advantage, either from the class ability of another character or for inspiration. Can you decide to spend this resource after your first roll? (But before you know the result?). Or do you have to decide before rolling anything? I don't see anything in the descriptions for advantage/disadvantage that specify or limit when that 2nd roll is made.
If I roll a "2" on an attack, can I decide to use my inspiration and roll again?
The 2 dice are rolled at the same time and you take the best roll if you roll with the Advantage mechanic. Inspiration dice are a whole different thing, you use them when you feel you need to.
Rolling with advantage means to roll two dice at once and take the higher result. If you have some power or feature that lets you choose whether or not to roll with advantage, then the choice should be made before the roll.
No. You use inspiration when you make the roll; you don't get to apply it retroactively. If it's important to you not to fail a certain roll, use your inspiration beforehand.
Each ability tells you when it can be used. I don't know of any that grants advantage that can be used after the fact. Some like the Lucky feat intentionally give you a do-over, but that's not the same as granting advantage.
You don't have to roll inspiration with the initial d20 roll.
"Once within the next 10 minutes, the creature can roll the die and add the number rolled to one ability check, attack roll, or saving throw it makes. The creature can wait until after it rolls the d20 before deciding to use the Bardic Inspiration die, but must decide before the DM says whether the roll succeeds or fails. Once the Bardic Inspiration die is rolled, it is lost. A creature can have only one Bardic Inspiration die at a time."
Inspiration and Bardic Inspiration are not the same thing, and Bardic Inspiration doesn't grant advantage either.
So, the text for advantage says, "Sometimes a special ability or spell tells you that you have advantage or disadvantage on an ability check, a saving throw, or an attack roll. When that happens, you roll a second d20 when you make the roll."
And, for example, the text for using inspiration says, "If you have inspiration, you can expend it when you make an attack roll, saving throw, or ability check. Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll."
No where does it refer to timing for when to roll a second time, or say it has to be rolled at the same time. Is there a clarification somewhere?
The whole point of Inspiration is to grant you Advantage on a roll you make in the future.
The whole point of having Advantage on a roll is to be able to roll two 20 sided dice and pick the best result.
"Spending your inspiration gives you advantage on that roll." You spend the inspiration and you get advantage. You either have advantage on a roll or you don't. If you have advantage you roll two dice; otherwise you roll one. If you've already made the roll without advantage, you missed the train. You can't go back in time and say "No, no, I had advantage on that roll all along." Some DMs are more lenient (and that's fine), but the text is pretty clear about how it works.
Inspiration is an insurance policy. Maybe you would've been OK anyways. But you can't predict the future, and if the result of failure is disastrous, you're better off having insurance. If you end up dead, it won't matter if you "wasted" it or not.
It does say it has to be rolled at the same time. That’s what “when you make the roll” means.
This.
Hmm. Really? I guess so... I still think it's ambiguous, but that reading does make sense. Both of my quotes only refer to a single "roll," not "rolls."
Thanks for that clarification.