If

Returns one of two values depending on a condition. Only the chosen branch ever evaluates; the untaken one never runs, which makes If safe to use even when the untaken side wouldn’t otherwise be valid.

Category: Conditional Returns: matches the chosen branch; see overloads.

Signature

If(cond, then, else)

The first argument is the condition. If it isn’t already a boolean it boolean-coerces first; see Boolean coercion. The second is the value returned when cond is true; the third is the value returned when cond is false.

Overloads

If always returns exactly the value of whichever branch fired, unchanged: there’s no rounding, reformatting, or type conversion applied to it. The table below is what the editor’s autocomplete and hover help display for the return type, based on the types of then and else:

Args	Returns	Notes
`(bool, int, int)`	`int`	All-integer branches.
`(bool, decimal, decimal)`	`decimal`	All-decimal branches.
`(bool, int, decimal)`	`decimal`	Numeric widening.
`(bool, decimal, int)`	`decimal`	Numeric widening.
`(bool, bool, bool)`	`bool`	Boolean branches.
`(bool, string, string)`	`string`	String branches.
`(bool, list, list)`	`list`	List branches.
`(bool, number, number)`	`number`	Numeric fallback when types can’t be statically resolved.
`(bool, any, any)`	`any`	Catch-all.

Examples

If(var_player_has_key, "node_open", "node_locked")
                                // pick a target id string by inventory state
If(var_trust_score > 50, "warm", "cold")
                                // string flavor switch
If(Played(node_seen_clue), 10, 0)
                                // contribute different amounts to a score
Clamp(var_score + If(Played(node_bonus), 5, 0), 0, 100)
                                // nested inside a Clamp

Notes

Lazy in both interpreted and compiled modes. Only the chosen branch evaluates; the other is never invoked. This matters most for Pick, Cycle, and Once: put one of those in the untaken branch and it simply never draws or advances, because it never runs.

The condition boolean-coerces using StoryBonsai’s standard rule; see Expressions for the full detail. A non-boolean condition (an int variable, a string) coerces to true or false before If picks a branch.