Jester can't use any abilities?

[gecman]

In another post I mentioned the game being obtuse - this is what I mean. Can someone explain why the Jester suddenly can't use any abilities except one? I can't figure it out. I'm in range, enemies are in range. Is there a mechanic I don't understand?

https://ibb.co/n1eYd6

Edit: Following up on my other thread. It just cost me my Jester that he couldn't do anything and nothing would tell me why. And that's why newcomers quit this game. I'm sure it's a perfectly managable thing, but it would be ♥♥♥♥ing nice if the game bothered to tell you what it wanted from you.

Edit 2: I'm just an idiot continue on your way.

[White Shadow]

I am not too familiar with Jester since I don't use him much, but just checked the DD wiki. It seems Finale can only be used once per battle and Solo twice per battle. I would guess you must've already used them in this fight. Not 100% sure if the in-game skill descriptions mention this. They should do. Perhaps worth double checking. (Slice Off can only be used from pos 2 and 3).

[wolkenwand]

In that picture two of your current skill is unusable from that position, but the other two should be usable. Try to open your jester status panel and check if you already activate the skills, you can only activate the skills outside of battle.

[Ravenfeathers]

I use the jester quite a bit without any problems: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1170147558

You should use dirk stab it allows you to attack from any position, but you can't attack an enemy in 4th position with it. Harvest and slice off can only be used on enemies on 2nd and 3rd position.

battle ballad and inspiring tune can be used all the time, but only from 3rd and 4th position. But even so I would make sure I also have a bounty hunter, highway man or hellion in the party so you can get to back row easily.

When I play him I have him in 3rd position use harvest on the 2nd and 3rd enemy and then use dirk stab, finale and inspiring tune when he's at the back.

[gecman]

Originally posted by White Shadow:

I am not too familiar with Jester since I don't use him much, but just checked the DD wiki. It seems Finale can only be used once per battle and Solo twice per battle. I would guess you must've already used them in this fight. Not 100% sure if the in-game skill descriptions mention this. They should do. Perhaps worth double checking. (Slice Off can only be used from pos 2 and 3).

Ugh, it does. I just glanced when I learned the abilities and didn't look again. I kept looking around to see if he was diseased or something. No. I had just used his abilities the maximum number of times.

[No One]

You're not an idiot. Reading is hard. Something like half of all player trouble is down to not reading the abilities. If it were easy this number would be much lower.

Assume reading is hard, and therefore you have to work at it. In the case of DD the reading is necessary and worthwhile.

But yes it's the uses-per-battle thing, as per White Shadow. Solo can be used twice per battle, so if you've used it twice and don't have dirk stab slotted, your jester will get stuck in row 4.

Edit: I just noticed you're on the cannon. Yeah...that's a bad time to realize solo has limited uses. If you like solo/finale, then make very sure to swap them out before you go into the cannon room.

[Crime Dad]

also his stress heal can only be used if you click on a party member above, just saying this part because abilities that target friendly units and camping skills can sometime be misused or used incorrectly if you target the wrong person. anyways. dont get too frustrated, could happen to anyone.

[White Shadow]

Originally posted by gecman:

Ugh, it does. I just glanced when I learned the abilities and didn't look again. I kept looking around to see if he was diseased or something. No. I had just used his abilities the maximum number of times.

Don't stress it (lol, sorry for the pun). It happens, especially when the abilities have a lot of unique effects or conditions tied to them (and Jester is a really weird class).
Sometimes it can work the opposite way and an ability you previously thought was meh turned out to be better than you thought because you missed a key detail in its description (I had cases when I thought the ability only buffed one party member, but turns out it buffs all).

[gecman]

Originally posted by No One:

You're not an idiot. Reading is hard. Something like half of all player trouble is down to not reading the abilities. If it were easy this number would be much lower.

Assume reading is hard, and therefore you have to work at it. In the case of DD the reading is necessary and worthwhile.

But yes it's the uses-per-battle thing, as per White Shadow. Solo can be used twice per battle, so if you've used it twice and don't have dirk stab slotted, your jester will get stuck in row 4.

Edit: I just noticed you're on the cannon. Yeah...that's a bad time to realize solo has limited uses. If you like solo/finale, then make very sure to swap them out before you go into the cannon room.

I did not realize you could swap abilities in dungeon until you said this.

[No One]

DD's a hard game about making hard choices.

You used to be able to swap out camp abilities during a camp.

Swapping abilities is good, as it's possible to accidentally embark with no abilities slotted.