Banethorn: Created page with "== Provocation == Provocation is a Bard skill that incites one creature to attack another, causing them to fight each other instead of you. It requires two targets — the creature you wish to anger, and the creature you want it to attack. When successful, both creatures lock onto each other for 30 seconds, ignoring everything else. === Requirements === * A musical instrument in your backpack * '''Musicianship''' skill (checked before every attempt) * Two valid creatu..."

2026-06-16T01:13:49Z

Created page with "== Provocation == Provocation is a Bard skill that incites one creature to attack another, causing them to fight each other instead of you. It requires two targets — the creature you wish to anger, and the creature you want it to attack. When successful, both creatures lock onto each other for 30 seconds, ignoring everything else. === Requirements === * A musical instrument in your backpack * '''Musicianship''' skill (checked before every attempt) * Two valid creatu..."

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== Provocation ==

Provocation is a Bard skill that incites one creature to attack another, causing them to fight each other instead of you. It requires two targets — the creature you wish to anger, and the creature you want it to attack. When successful, both creatures lock onto each other for 30 seconds, ignoring everything else.

=== Requirements ===

* A musical instrument in your backpack
* '''Musicianship''' skill (checked before every attempt)
* Two valid creatures within bard range of each other

=== How to Use ===

# Use the Provocation skill from your skill menu
# Select your instrument if prompted
# Target the '''first creature''' — this is the one you are provoking
# Target the '''second creature''' — this is who the first creature will attack

Both creatures will then fight each other for '''30 seconds'''. During this time, they ignore all other targets.

=== Musicianship Check ===

Before the Provocation skill roll is made, your '''Musicianship''' is checked. If this check fails, you play poorly and the attempt ends immediately. The chance to pass is:

Success Chance = Musicianship / 100

At 100 Musicianship this always succeeds. Below that, you risk wasting attempts. Musicianship above 100 also provides a separate difficulty bonus to Provocation (see below).

: ''A failed Musicianship check still consumes a use of your instrument.''

=== How Difficulty is Calculated ===

Provocation is unique among bard skills because the difficulty is based on '''both''' creatures, not just one. The formula takes the '''average''' of the two creatures' bard difficulties as seen through your instrument:

Effective Difficulty = ((Creature 1 Difficulty + Creature 2 Difficulty) / 2) − 5.0

After this base calculation, two additional bonuses are applied:

* '''Musicianship above 100:''' Reduces difficulty by half the excess. At 120 Musicianship, this is −10.0.
* '''Instrument properties:''' Exceptional quality (−5.0) and matching slayer types (−10.0 each) reduce each creature's individual difficulty ''before'' the average is taken.

Your Provocation skill is then checked against the final adjusted difficulty using the standard ±25 skill window.

=== Important: Slayer Matching and Averages ===

Because Provocation averages the difficulty of ''both'' creatures, your slayer instrument must match '''both''' targets to get the full benefit. If your slayer only matches one of the two creatures, you only get half the slayer bonus in practice since the unmatched creature's higher difficulty pulls the average back up.

For example, with an Exceptional instrument and one matching slayer against two creatures at 160 difficulty:

* '''Slayer matches both:''' Each creature is 145 difficulty → average is 145 → effective 130.0
* '''Slayer matches only one:''' Creatures are 145 and 155 → average is 150 → effective 135.0
* '''Slayer matches neither:''' Each creature is 155 → average is 155 → effective 140.0

=== Success Rates vs. Maximum Difficulty Creatures ===

The following table shows approximate success rates at '''120 Provocation''' and '''120 Musicianship''' against two creatures ''both'' at the maximum Bard Difficulty of 160, assuming your slayer types match both targets:

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! Instrument !! Effective Difficulty !! Success Rate
|-
| No bonuses || 145.0 || style="color: red;" | '''0%''' (skill below minimum threshold)
|-
| Exceptional only || 140.0 || style="color: orange;" | '''10%'''
|-
| One matching slayer only || 135.0 || '''20%'''
|-
| Exceptional + one matching slayer || 130.0 || '''30%'''
|-
| Two matching slayers (no exceptional) || 125.0 || '''40%'''
|-
| Exceptional + two matching slayers || 120.0 || style="color: green;" | '''50%'''
|}

=== Success Rates by Creature Difficulty ===

This table shows approximate success rates at '''120 Provocation''' and '''120 Musicianship''' with an '''Exceptional instrument''' (no slayer) when both creatures have the same difficulty:

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! Creature Bard Difficulty !! Effective Difficulty !! Success Rate
|-
| 80 || 60.0 || 100%
|-
| 100 || 80.0 || 100%
|-
| 110 || 90.0 || 100%
|-
| 120 || 100.0 || 90%
|-
| 130 || 110.0 || 70%
|-
| 140 || 120.0 || 50%
|-
| 150 || 130.0 || 30%
|-
| 160 || 140.0 || 10%
|}

=== Cooldown ===

Provocation has a '''10 second''' cooldown after every attempt, whether you succeed or fail.

=== Duration ===

A successful Provocation causes both creatures to fight each other for '''30 seconds'''. After this timer expires, the creatures return to their normal behavior. You can re-provoke them if needed, but be mindful of the cooldown.

=== What Cannot Be Provoked ===

Several restrictions apply to Provocation:

* '''Unprovokable creatures''' — some creatures are flagged as immune to Provocation entirely. You will receive the message: ''"You have no chance of provoking those creatures."''
* '''Tamed or controlled creatures''' — you cannot provoke a creature that is under another player's control. You will receive: ''"They are too loyal to their master to be provoked."''
* '''Paragon creatures at 160+ base difficulty''' — Paragons that already sit at or above the maximum difficulty cap cannot be provoked.
* '''A creature against itself''' — you cannot make a creature attack itself. ''"You can't tell someone to attack themselves!"''
* '''Creatures out of range''' — both creatures must be within your bard range of each other. If they are too far apart: ''"The creatures you are trying to provoke are too far away from each other for your music to have an effect."''

=== Provocation vs. Peacemaking: Key Differences ===

{| class="wikitable" style="width: 100%;"
|-
! !! Provocation !! Peacemaking
|-
| '''Targets''' || Two creatures || Self or one creature
|-
| '''Difficulty''' || Average of both creatures, −5 || Single creature, −10
|-
| '''Duration''' || Fixed 30 seconds || 10–120 seconds (scales with difficulty)
|-
| '''Cooldown''' || Always 10 seconds || 5 seconds on success, 10 on failure
|-
| '''Slayer instruments''' || Must match both targets for full effect || Only needs to match one target
|}

=== Tips ===

* '''Pick your pairs carefully.''' Since difficulty is averaged, provoking a hard creature against an easy one gives a lower combined difficulty than provoking two hard creatures against each other.
* '''Use Provocation to thin crowds.''' Provoking two dangerous creatures onto each other lets them damage or kill each other while you stay safe.
* '''Musicianship above 100 matters.''' At 120 Musicianship, you get −10 difficulty, which can push a borderline attempt into viable territory.
* '''Match your slayer to the area, not just one creature.''' Because both targets factor into difficulty, a slayer that covers both creatures (such as a super slayer for the creature type common in the area) gives much better results than one that only matches half the equation.
* '''Provoking is a revealing action.''' Using Provocation will break your Hiding or Stealth. Plan your approach accordingly.
* '''Re-provoke before the 30 seconds expire''' if the creatures haven't finished each other off. Watch the cooldown timer and be ready to reapply.
* '''You can provoke creatures onto each other even if they would normally be allies.''' Two creatures of the same type that wouldn't normally fight can be forced into combat through Provocation.

=== See Also ===

* [[Bard Instruments]]
* [[Peacemaking]]
* [[Discordance]]
* [[Musicianship]]

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