Last year I had a side project I was working on that was basically D&D Beyond (just a lot uglier because I'm not really a design person) that I ended up dropping when D&D Beyond got announced. One of the main things I was setting out to accomplish when making that was to remove the tedium of creating homebrew monsters which is something none of the tools I've seen ever tries to accomplish despite the math and rules being extremely simple. There is so much trivial math that goes into creating a monster that is baked into the rules that people just overlook.
The only core information you really need is CR (for proficiency), size (for hit die type), the main stats (namely CON for hit points modifier), and how tough you want your creature (the amount of hit die and more or less CON). Average HP can be calculated from these numbers, and if you decide you want to make the creature tougher or weaker, just change number of hit die or CON modifier and everything will auto-calculate, including saving throws and abilities that would rely on CON.
This means actions too. Hitting with a sword? {{1d6+STRMOD+PROF}} (strength modifier + proficiency (based on CR)). This can be calculated using the creature's own stats on the fly, and the average damage done can also be auto-calculated. Want to make them stronger? Increase their STR, and any other ability using STR will also be updated and auto-calculated. Saving throws? {{8+CONMOD+PROF}}. Skill Expertise? {{PROF+PROF}} (or I guess 2*PROF)
This could also be incorporated into an initiative tracker (though I never got this far with my app's initiative tracker). How many times as a DM have we thrown more monsters at players mid-battle because they were obliterating everything? Or secretly made it stronger? Summoning an elemental, but mildly boosting its stats on the fly for that one encounter and all its abilities will automatically change with it.
It can also be expanded into spells and magical items that might be based on specific stats from an equipped monster. But this is another feature I hadn't gotten around to expanding upon.
Is something like this planned? Is this something I could help with? (I am full-stack developer)
The D&D Beyond teams still has job openings up for a Front-End Developer and a Software Development Manager. If you have the knowledge/skills/education required, throw in an application!
I know we've been getting a few chrome extensions from indie developers with D&D Beyond, and that's ok as long as they don't start trying to make a profit out of it. Whenever staff sees something they could potentially add to the site, they're pretty good at contacting users and asking for their permission. If you want to 'donate' some work to the site, that's completely up to you! :)
As for whether these features are planned, I don't know. I've heard that improvements to the homebrew system are something that they want to work on, but it is not a priority at this time.
The D&D Beyond teams still has job openings up for a Front-End Developer and a Software Development Manager. If you have the knowledge/skills/education required, throw in an application!
Last year I had a side project I was working on that was basically D&D Beyond (just a lot uglier because I'm not really a design person) that I ended up dropping when D&D Beyond got announced. One of the main things I was setting out to accomplish when making that was to remove the tedium of creating homebrew monsters which is something none of the tools I've seen ever tries to accomplish despite the math and rules being extremely simple. There is so much trivial math that goes into creating a monster that is baked into the rules that people just overlook.
The only core information you really need is CR (for proficiency), size (for hit die type), the main stats (namely CON for hit points modifier), and how tough you want your creature (the amount of hit die and more or less CON). Average HP can be calculated from these numbers, and if you decide you want to make the creature tougher or weaker, just change number of hit die or CON modifier and everything will auto-calculate, including saving throws and abilities that would rely on CON.
This means actions too. Hitting with a sword? {{1d6+STRMOD+PROF}} (strength modifier + proficiency (based on CR)). This can be calculated using the creature's own stats on the fly, and the average damage done can also be auto-calculated. Want to make them stronger? Increase their STR, and any other ability using STR will also be updated and auto-calculated. Saving throws? {{8+CONMOD+PROF}}. Skill Expertise? {{PROF+PROF}} (or I guess 2*PROF)
This could also be incorporated into an initiative tracker (though I never got this far with my app's initiative tracker). How many times as a DM have we thrown more monsters at players mid-battle because they were obliterating everything? Or secretly made it stronger? Summoning an elemental, but mildly boosting its stats on the fly for that one encounter and all its abilities will automatically change with it.
It can also be expanded into spells and magical items that might be based on specific stats from an equipped monster. But this is another feature I hadn't gotten around to expanding upon.
Is something like this planned? Is this something I could help with? (I am full-stack developer)
The D&D Beyond teams still has job openings up for a Front-End Developer and a Software Development Manager. If you have the knowledge/skills/education required, throw in an application!
I know we've been getting a few chrome extensions from indie developers with D&D Beyond, and that's ok as long as they don't start trying to make a profit out of it. Whenever staff sees something they could potentially add to the site, they're pretty good at contacting users and asking for their permission. If you want to 'donate' some work to the site, that's completely up to you! :)
As for whether these features are planned, I don't know. I've heard that improvements to the homebrew system are something that they want to work on, but it is not a priority at this time.
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