Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 RedwoodElf Oct 06, 2014 15:45:30	Ok, so if a character has lots of conditions that give him advantage, he still only gets 2 dice, I understand that part.   But some of the other players are interpreting this as a single DISadvantage condition can cancel multiple advantage conditions, since, they say, only one advantage counts.   Example: Bob the Druid is in Dire Wolf form, and is near an ally (Pack tactics gives an advantage), and he is attacking a prone target (Advantage). - HOWEVER, he has the "poisoned" condition, giving a Disadvantage. Does the Poisoned condition trump BOTH attacking a prone target AND pack tactics, or would it only cancel one of them, leaving bob with a net advantage?
#2 Saelorn Oct 06, 2014 15:58:08	Yes, everyone else is correct. A single instance of disadvantage will completely negate the advantage gained from any number of sources.   Instead of the game mechanics, I try to think of it in general terms of what is happening in the world. If you have one or more things going for you (pack tactics, prone target, invisible, etc) then circumstances are beneficial and you're more likely to succeed. If you have one or more things going against you (magical curse, blinded, weak from poison, etc) then you are less likely to succeed. If you have one or more things going for you and one or more things working against you, then things are complicated. Whereas a prior edition would attempt to quantify each condition and add bonuses and penalties, this edition just says to skip all of the math and assume they cancel each other out. It's not as precise, but it's much faster.   It also nicely mirrors the narrative from much of the fiction - no matter how the odds are stacked against our hero, she can usually turn the tide with just a single trick that negates everything and brings it back to even ground.
#3 Illithidbix Oct 06, 2014 16:36:07	Yep   Page 173 PHB or Page 57 of the Basic Rules wrote:
#4 Gruff_Ironfist Oct 08, 2014 9:18:52	Saelorn wrote:
#5 Uthrac Oct 08, 2014 11:49:25	Saelorn gave a great description.   Regardless of the number of sources ...   If you have neither Advantage nor Disadvange, roll 1 die. If you have any amount of Advantage and no Disadvantage, roll 2 dice and use the higher result. If you have no Advantage and any amount of Disadvantage, roll 2 dice and use the lower result. If you have any amount of Advantage and any amount of Disadvantage, roll 1 die.
#6 Mijal Oct 08, 2014 17:11:21	I've also noticed that this rule encourages more creative and interesting tactics:  If the monsters are imposing disadvantage, characters have an incentive to try to stop the condition rather than just completely countering it by buffing.