I find the Homebrew tools to be frustrating, unintuitive, and extremely lacking in capability. Simple things you'd expect to be able to do: you can't. What would take a few seconds with a pencil takes hours of fiddling for digital.
The interface would benefit from more on-screen tips, popups, etc explaining exactly how each setting functions.
I know I'm not the first to say this. But I wasn't sure what existing thread to tack this onto, in a meaningful way.
-------------------- additional examples of recent frustrations: If you try to make a feat to add additional spells known: can't. the new spells count against spells known. okay, do it as a subclass. let's say i want to add spells that can only be cast as ritual. okay, add into the new subclass. nope. they will always display as "at will" instead of "ritual only". so I have to add those spells as a feat. i'm entering the exact same values in subclass and feat and getting different results on the character sheet.
a 2d8 piercing weapon; longbow or pike: can't make it.
Is there any way to set advantage with a tool, as you can with a skill?
A revamp of the homebrew tools is on the long term roadmap. It's important to keep in mind that the homebrew tools as they exist are a (cut down) mirror of the tools used by the Devs to enter content. What this means is there's not going to be a modifier for something unless it exists in the game and thus a dev has needed to enter it.
- you can't add additional spells via feat because no feat does this so far
- same for ritual only spells on a subclass
- homebrew mundane weapons are on the long term roadmap
- because tool modifiers aren't shown on the character sheet the same way skills are, there's nowhere to show advantage, thus the field doesn't currently exist; you just handle it through description. The field exists for skills because skills their modifiers are shown on the sheet and integrate with the dice roller
I can assure you that the team is aware of all the interesting things the community wants to do with the homebrew tools and where they're lacking in that regard. Work is planned to improve them in the future
- you can't add additional spells via feat because no feat does this so far
Magic Initiate? The new UA feats? (Especially the new UA feats, as they let you use your spell slots more than MI does) -------------------------
Not quite. Let's say you want to add new spells known, that do not count against your # of spells known. Like Domain Spells. I couldnt seem to do it with a feat. Or you use the template for Magic Initiate or Fey Touched. (But those are more of a 1/day use than casting with spell slots.) say you want 1 free cast per day and subsequent casts would use a spell slot. Well, once you click the "use" button, it doesn't change to a "cast" button. (that's minor, but still.)
-------------------------
- same for ritual only spells on a subclass
Path of the Totem Warrior does exactly this. -----------------------------
Hmmmmm. I might have to make a copy of Totem Warrior and look at the exact way this is accomplished. And then see if I can replicate it in the HB subclass I'm working on. Still, you see how complicated that is?
-------------------------------
I appreciate the response. I can see where the devs are coming from, on this. I think they see where the users are coming from. They haven't needed to do these types of things, yet. But that's literally what homebrew is all about. It just seems like these things would be very doable on their end. But I don't know what their tools are like; how modular the architecture is. As for the long term roadmap; well, I hope that's not too terribly long. Thanks.
I just looked at a copy of Totem Warrior. Looks like it might work. I had been setting "Must Cast As Ritual" (that didnt work properly), but I might not have added "As Ritual Only" in restrictions. (Actually, I don't want to go back, and risk messing it up, now that I have it working from a feat, instead.) (Also, it's been a week or two since I got it basically working, and it's not as fresh in my mind. If I go back and start messing with it now, I could create a lot more work for myself. I'll save it for the future, if needed.)
Adding spells knowable, as-in, adding to a spell list can be done by making a whole new subclass. But currently not from a feat. The upside to doing it as a feat is that it's more modular for an existing character that's being played. Less risk of messing it all up from the foundation of changing the subclass.
I find the Homebrew tools to be frustrating, unintuitive, and extremely lacking in capability.
Simple things you'd expect to be able to do: you can't. What would take a few seconds with a pencil takes hours of fiddling for digital.
The interface would benefit from more on-screen tips, popups, etc explaining exactly how each setting functions.
I know I'm not the first to say this. But I wasn't sure what existing thread to tack this onto, in a meaningful way.
--------------------
additional examples of recent frustrations:
If you try to make a feat to add additional spells known: can't. the new spells count against spells known.
okay, do it as a subclass. let's say i want to add spells that can only be cast as ritual. okay, add into the new subclass. nope. they will always display as "at will" instead of "ritual only".
so I have to add those spells as a feat. i'm entering the exact same values in subclass and feat and getting different results on the character sheet.
a 2d8 piercing weapon; longbow or pike: can't make it.
Is there any way to set advantage with a tool, as you can with a skill?
A revamp of the homebrew tools is on the long term roadmap. It's important to keep in mind that the homebrew tools as they exist are a (cut down) mirror of the tools used by the Devs to enter content. What this means is there's not going to be a modifier for something unless it exists in the game and thus a dev has needed to enter it.
- you can't add additional spells via feat because no feat does this so far
- same for ritual only spells on a subclass
- homebrew mundane weapons are on the long term roadmap
- because tool modifiers aren't shown on the character sheet the same way skills are, there's nowhere to show advantage, thus the field doesn't currently exist; you just handle it through description. The field exists for skills because skills their modifiers are shown on the sheet and integrate with the dice roller
I can assure you that the team is aware of all the interesting things the community wants to do with the homebrew tools and where they're lacking in that regard. Work is planned to improve them in the future
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Huh? How do you mean? I can add spells using a feat
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Magic Initiate? The new UA feats? (Especially the new UA feats, as they let you use your spell slots more than MI does)
Path of the Totem Warrior does exactly this.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
No feats add spells to spell lists, which is what I assumed is what they meant. Spells can be added in other fashions as mentioned.
I was incorrect on totem warrior, I need to brush up on my barbs. Copying that subclass would be a great way to find out the modifiers
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Magic Initiate? The new UA feats? (Especially the new UA feats, as they let you use your spell slots more than MI does)
-------------------------
Not quite. Let's say you want to add new spells known, that do not count against your # of spells known. Like Domain Spells. I couldnt seem to do it with a feat.
Or you use the template for Magic Initiate or Fey Touched. (But those are more of a 1/day use than casting with spell slots.)
say you want 1 free cast per day and subsequent casts would use a spell slot. Well, once you click the "use" button, it doesn't change to a "cast" button. (that's minor, but still.)
-------------------------
Path of the Totem Warrior does exactly this.
-----------------------------
Hmmmmm. I might have to make a copy of Totem Warrior and look at the exact way this is accomplished. And then see if I can replicate it in the HB subclass I'm working on. Still, you see how complicated that is?
-------------------------------
I appreciate the response. I can see where the devs are coming from, on this. I think they see where the users are coming from.
They haven't needed to do these types of things, yet. But that's literally what homebrew is all about.
It just seems like these things would be very doable on their end. But I don't know what their tools are like; how modular the architecture is. As for the long term roadmap; well, I hope that's not too terribly long. Thanks.
I just looked at a copy of Totem Warrior. Looks like it might work. I had been setting "Must Cast As Ritual" (that didnt work properly), but I might not have added "As Ritual Only" in restrictions.
(Actually, I don't want to go back, and risk messing it up, now that I have it working from a feat, instead.)
(Also, it's been a week or two since I got it basically working, and it's not as fresh in my mind. If I go back and start messing with it now, I could create a lot more work for myself. I'll save it for the future, if needed.)
Adding spells knowable, as-in, adding to a spell list can be done by making a whole new subclass. But currently not from a feat. The upside to doing it as a feat is that it's more modular for an existing character that's being played. Less risk of messing it all up from the foundation of changing the subclass.