Modifier buttons on the desktop (extension)

[Trenloe]

Am I correct in guessing that the Off-guard modifier still won't work with IFT for sneak attack purposes? Would be really nice to have some way to automate that...

There's a lot of code built into the FF/Off-Guard modifier button that assumes it's only being used for an attack action, not a damage action. Yes, that could be changed, but now it changes how that button has worked since day one and making the change introduces risk - i.e. changing or breaking functionality. There's a number of small things, but the main change is that the modifier button resets after an attack action - it would be clunky to have to select it again before rolling for damage and it could create issues with not resetting after the attack action (so that you don't need to select it again for damage) if there isn't a damage action follow up (i.e. the attack missed) - then users who are familiar with the FF/OG modifier button being cleared after an attack might do further actions with it selected when it shouldn't be. So, maybe just a "clunky" approach of having to select the FF/OG modifier button before each action - attack or damage, might be the least intrusive.

[MaxAstro]

It's easy enough to train my players to click the button twice and honestly that would be less clunky than what we are doing now, which is creating an expiring ETTS spell effect for each player and having them apply it before attacking.

EDIT: Although it occurs to me - obviously I have no idea what the underlying code looks like so no idea if this is feasible, but - the damage roll already "remembers" whether the attack roll was a crit or not. Can you add a rider to that code to "remember" whether the attack roll had the off-guard modifier or not?

[Trenloe]

I've had another look at it, and I remember the reason why I haven't done it before - to fully use IFT effect processing an "Off-Guard" effect needs to be placed on the target during the damage action and then cleared off afterwards (the latter is easy enough). The issue is that the player instance needs to get the GM instance to add the effect asynchronously (using OOB messaging) and this takes it outside of the normal damage processing steps resulting in the effect not being applied before the damage code actually checks for the Off-Guard IFT effects. I'll look at other possible ways of doing it, but if it's not 100% reliable I won't deploy the code.

[MaxAstro]

I wonder if sneak attack is a "core" enough function that it's worth hard-coding it in some way instead of relying on IFT like it does now? For example, you could have an effect that was something like "SNEAK: 1d6 precision" and instead of checking for an effect on the target it just checks if the actor's most recent attack roll had the off-guard modifier?

Assuming that an off-guard effect on the target would result in the same modifier being present to check for, anyway.

[Trenloe]

I wonder if sneak attack is a "core" enough function that it's worth hard-coding it in some way instead of relying on IFT like it does now? For example, you could have an effect that was something like "SNEAK: 1d6 precision" and instead of checking for an effect on the target it just checks if the actor's most recent attack roll had the off-guard modifier?

Assuming that an off-guard effect on the target would result in the same modifier being present to check for, anyway.

I've enlisted Moon Wizard's help to get some ideas and he mentioned the possibility of hard coding sneak attack. I may end up going that way... but, if I'm going to do FF/OG modifier button checks during the damage action then I'd like to code for all IF: Off-Guard/IFT: Off-Guard effects and not just sneak attack. I also want to support the sneak attack effects that are already present on created PCs.

[Trenloe]

There was a lot more complexity in this rabbit hole than I wanted to spend the time overcoming today, but I got it working by using global flags (local to each client) to indicate if the FF/OG button was clicked and which "creature" was the source - the latter was needed for matching IF: Off-guard; conditional effects. With the update tomorrow, the FF/OG modifier button should now cater for IF/IFT Flat-footed/Off-guard effects for both attacks and damage vs. all selected targets.

[Farnaby]

That sounds fantastic, can't wait to try it out.

Thanks Trenloe!!!

[webdove]

That’s excellent!

[MaxAstro]

Absolutely incredible.

This is using the "two clicks" implementation mentioned earlier, right? So I should instruct my players to click the off-guard modifier for both the attack and the damage?

[Trenloe]

Absolutely incredible.

Thanks! I've spotted a couple of small issues while doing the overview video - fix for those soon...

This is using the "two clicks" implementation mentioned earlier, right? So I should instruct my players to click the off-guard modifier for both the attack and the damage?

Yes.

Video just posted: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsKuuiTURz4