Actions with this trait allow you to follow up earlier attacks. An action with the press trait can be used only if you are currently affected by a multiple attack penalty. Some actions with the press trait also grant an effect on a failure. The effects that are added on a failure don’t apply on a critical failure. If your press action succeeds, you can choose to apply the failure effect instead.
I'm asking this in regards to the Fighter's "Exacting Strike".
I understand that if I "fail" my second attack (which would be an Exacting Strike), that my third attack would still be at a -5.
What I am wondering is referencing the last part of what I quoted. If I apply the failure effect on a successful attack, does that mean I fail the attack as well? Or does it possibly mean that I succeed the attack and get the effect of Exacting Strike as well?
Either way, I like the ability, just wanted to see if there is an additional perk to the obvious one.
Anyone with an opinion?
Does "applying the failure effect instead" on an action that succeeded mean that the action failed as well, or that I just get to tack on the "failure" effect of Exacting Strike.
The rest of the Press Trait reads:
(For example, you may wish to do this when an attack deals no damage due to resistance.) Because a press action requires a multiple attack penalty, you can’t use one when it’s not your turn, even if you use the Ready activity.
If I assume that by taking a failure for the effect means that the "successful" action also fails, then when do I get to make the determination? After tallying up damage? Because that final part of the Press trait makes it sound like it.
For example:
I attack and it succeeds and I roll 10 slashing damage. The creature has slashing resistance 5 so I deal 5 damage.
My next attack will be an Exacting Strike, I attack at a -5 and manage to hit the creature, but only roll 5 damage. Due to the resistance, I deal no damage.
Is this when I can say "actually, because of Exacting Strike, my attack fails and my next attack will be at a -5 instead of a -10"? Or did I have to make the determination after knowing that my attack was a "success", but before damage is calculated?
That's what I'm trying to figure out. The second part of the trait gives the example of maybe choosing to fail if you would deal no damage due to resistance, but typically I find out that I deal no damage AFTER I have had a successful attack, and I don't get to go back and say "Nevermind, I meant to do this instead."
For example:
I attack and it succeeds and I roll 10 slashing damage. The creature has slashing resistance 5 so I deal 5 damage.
My next attack will be an Exacting Strike, I attack at a -5 and manage to hit the creature, but only roll 5 damage. Due to the resistance, I deal no damage.
Is this when I can say "actually, because of Exacting Strike, my attack fails and my next attack will be at a -5 instead of a -10"? Or did I have to make the determination after knowing that my attack was a "success", but before damage is calculated?
The latter. A successful strike hits. If you're choosing to fail instead, you aren't hitting. If you've moved on to damage resolution you don't get to go back and revisit your options.
Then their example "you may wish to do this when an attack deals no damage due to resistance" makes no sense. But thanks for the replies all!
Unless you were really fishing for a crit and wanted another chance of getting AC+10. Seems like a rear thing but that’s all I could think of.
Might be future proofing for later press actions