How does the cleric cantrip guidance work?

[Captain Obvious]

Edit: To clarify, I know guidance is a cantrip, and I know it results in a buff. In standard D&D the buff is consumed when the player decides to use it on an ability check. My question was essentially that if
1) I'm buffed with guidance and 2) I roll an ability check whether Guidance is automatically used on that ability check, AND if there's any way to tell, AND if it's consumed.

Answer seems to be that it's automatically used, it's hidden at the moment (but the DC for the roll might appear lower) and that it isn't conusmed.

I know in 5e proper it's something you choose to do, but I've never seen a popup during a skill check or when shoving someone or any typical "ability checks" (from a tabletop perspective).
Have I missed a toggle? Is it just "always on" and being rolled in the background?

[Dani]

Guidance per the rules does require that it is cast before a check is made.

In tabletop this is usually alleviated by the cleric going "Hey, can I touch him and give him guidance before the check is made?", and as long as they aren't like across the room the GM will typically allow it.

In BG3, you have something similar. As long as your cleric isn't in conversation, you can switch to them (via the little character switch bottom in the bottom left) and have them cast guidance on your speaker before a roll is made.

Otherwise once a roll is made, if you didn't have guidance, you missed your opportunity to use it. So, really the best way to take full advantage of guidance is to cast it immediately after an ability check is made, or immediately before you know a check will be made.

I hope this helps.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by Dani, 3D Modeler:

I hope this helps.

That's all fine and all, but I guess what I'm asking is if once I have a character with the guidance buff, do I need to do anything to consume that buff to roll the additional 1d4?
Skill checks don't show a little d4 rolling, and because it only shows the target it's difficult to know.
After-all, in tabletop, guidance is consumed once it's rolled.

[R3sistance]

I checked Guidance with a quick save scum. Entered a chat with an early dice check which had target 13, quickly reloaded, casted guidence and retried the convo, target was 10. Haven't checked if target changes each time (but presume it does). Would need more testing to say exactly how it works.

In the Dice Rolling screen, I believe there is somewhere you can highlight to see your actual modifiers too, I believe I saw once. Need to play around more with dice rolls.

[CuAnnan]

Originally posted by Obvious:

After-all, in tabletop, guidance is consumed once it's rolled.

No it's not. It's a cantrip.

[Serum7six]

Guidance when cast on <target> reduces the required roll to pass <test> i.e. If you try to pass a test with a DC of 13, if you have Guidance active it will display as a DC of 11.

[Boink]

It's classed as a concentration spell, it lasts as long as you're concentrating.

There's an amulet with a permanent version very close to the start of the game.

[SpaceKiwi]

Is Guidance actually working as intended? The cantrip makes it sound like you can choose which check you apply it to, but this doesn't seem to be an option

[Boink]

Originally posted by SpaceKiwi:

Is Guidance actually working as intended? The cantrip makes it sound like you can choose which check you apply it to, but this doesn't seem to be an option

It applies to *any* d20 skill check, it's applied to the 1st one you do.

Note: haven't tested in conversations that require multiple checks in a row (like getting "cured" by Nettie)

[Aldaris]

Originally posted by CuAnnan:

Originally posted by Obvious:

After-all, in tabletop, guidance is consumed once it's rolled.

No it's not. It's a cantrip.

From Player's Handbook:

"It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends."

So yes it is consumed once it's rolled. You're mixing up the the idea of a buff for one roll (what they're talking about) with the idea of no spell slots for cantrips (what you're talking about).

[SpaceKiwi]

That's what's confusing me, there have been several instances where I've used it during multiple checks and switched between characters to recast it. Sometimes it's been used and sometimes it hasn't.

I might do some indepth testing of it tomorrow with the intellect devourer, just to see if there's actually an issue or I'm just imagining it

[Viktor]

For what I have experienced the guidance acts as a buff and doesn't end after the first check (If there are more in a conversation) I think it is just a way to speed things up, If you used it for the first check you probably want it for the rest to why make us have to do it twice?

[CuAnnan]

Originally posted by Aldaris:

Originally posted by CuAnnan:

No it's not. It's a cantrip.

From Player's Handbook:

"It can roll the die before or after making the ability check. The spell then ends."

So yes it is consumed once it's rolled. You're mixing up the the idea of a buff for one roll (what they're talking about) with the idea of no spell slots for cantrips (what you're talking about).

Ah, yeah. The effect is consumed.
Misunderstood.

[Boink]

Just tested this:

Skill check (wisdom) @ the camp (Shadowheart's story-line): applied a bonus *and* was not consumed in the process. Using the amulet.

So it looks like it's a permanent concentration buff until rest atm.

[Captain Obvious]

Originally posted by CuAnnan:

Originally posted by Obvious:

After-all, in tabletop, guidance is consumed once it's rolled.

No it's not. It's a cantrip.

THE BUFF is consumed.
It's a buff, that lets you add a 1d4 roll for one ability check. At which point you'd need to recast it as an action.

[Boink]

Originally posted by Obvious:

Originally posted by CuAnnan:

No it's not. It's a cantrip.

THE BUFF is consumed.
It's a buff, that lets you add a 1d4 roll for one ability check. At which point you'd need to recast it as an action.

No, it's not. I just tested it. The spell is still active on my portrait.