| Soapbox |
I'm building my first "Inventor" character (at 3rd level) and I have selected the "Searing Restoration" ability which seems very powerful to me. I understand that it carries the "unstable" trait which forces a flat check every time I use the power in combat (and brings a temporary lockout on a crit failure).
Is there anything preventing me from using the power out of combat and Taking 20 on the flat check each time? Am I maybe misunderstanding how that works?
| NorrKnekten |
There is no such thing as Taking 20 in this edition and even if we were to use the first edition Taking20 it assumes you can repeat the check until you make it which you cannot in this scenario.
Furthermore the lockout happens on a failure with you(or your innovation) taking damage on a critical failure.
It is however true that you can treat it as similar to Lay on Hands for extra healing whenever you have 10 minutes to spare. 1 in 4 times you can even immediatly reuse it for even more healing within the same 10 minute period it takes to reset the unstable innovation.
| Soapbox |
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I think I found my answer: you can't Take 20 on a Flat check because it represents chance, not skill or technique.
So "Searing Restoration" kinda is an unlimited font of healing, even in combat, but only so long as your luck holds out.
Outside of combat, you can use it at will so long as you are willing to deal with the consequences of any failures you get on the Flat checks.
Is that about right?
| Soapbox |
There is no such thing as Taking 20 in this edition and even if we were to use the first edition Taking20 it assumes you can repeat the check until you make it which you cannot in this scenario.
Furthermore the lockout happens on a failure with you(or your innovation) taking damage on a critical failure.
It is however true that you can treat it as similar to Lay on Hands for extra healing whenever you have 10 minutes to spare.
Oh, I didn't even catch that Taking 20 doesn't even exist in 2E! Thanks for the explanation. I'm thinking it will be an ability I'll only use outside combat unless some one is very desperate.
| NorrKnekten |
I think I found my answer: you can't Take 20 on a Flat check because it represents chance, not skill or technique.
So "Searing Restoration" kinda is an unlimited font of healing, even in combat, but only so long as your luck holds out.
Outside of combat, you can use it at will so long as you are willing to deal with the consequences of any failures you get on the Flat checks.
Is that about right?
You are mostly correct, Even regarding how it mostly sees time outside of combat with how powerful Explode and some other Unstable Actions are.
However, it is amazing when it comes to removing bleed(1/4 chance of bleed going away at the end of turn typically resulting in 3 rounds on average, Or a 1/2 of Searing Restoration removing it outright) or bringing another character up with only a single action (Potion uses two actions provided you have a free hand, Or isn't already holding the potion).