D&D was always about tracking time and weight. Online tools like DDB are the ideal solution to doing this without the human bookkeeping, so this should be a priority feature.
Weight is in there and that's great, but we need time and we need spell components. Spell components are a core part of the rules (even if they're an oft ignored one), but I suspect more people will be inclined to track them if they can toggle on a 'must have spell components in inventory' option for casting, preferably customised so you can specify spell levels (eg. you might want to forget about low level spells using components, but you certainly want that 1000gp diamond to be essential for a resurrection spell).
Similarly, time tracking used to be essential to D&D - there's no point having torches and lanterns if we're not tracking how long they're going to last, despite the core rules specifying these things - people should be able to run proper 'classic' D&D with the 5e rules provided.
Spell components can be tracked via custom inventory items, which has two key benefits
It avoids clogging up the inventory system with hundreds of items that are only used for one thing
It works with homebrew spells that can have very esoteric components
As for tracking time, that's something that's already possible with the combat tracker and something the team has expressed a desire to expand on for things such as temporary effects and concentration. I'm not entirely sure what you're envisioning for tracking time beyond the resolution found in combat though? Would be curious to hear what you picture with that so it can be passed along the feedback channels.
They already gave the examples of torches and lanterns, which have limited, non-combat time durations. There's also the material items created by the spell creation, or a wizard might want to remember if their contingency spell is still active. A good number of the spells that have a duration greater than a day would benefit from some way to track when they were last cast. Some of the shorter ones as well: I've long wished that I had a better way than editing the notes of divination or commune to remember that I've already cast it today. And considering the most recent UA, there might be more clerics in the future who really want to be able to accurately track this. Divination spells like that could at least be tied to reset with the use of the long rest button, but the other things I mentioned could not. Possibly a place to start might be some way to view, in the sidebar only, how many long rests it's been since a spell was cast? Upcasting would be an issue, but it's the best starting place I can think of. For shorter-use items like torches and flasks, maybe make them equippable, and if they're equipped and you hit the long rest button, there's an option (must be confirmed separately) to remove it from your inventory?
Also, whatever's created should not be tied solely to the campaign page, it needs to be usable by folks who don't have a campaign associated with the character.
I was more asking how they envision the system working or what they would expect from it so I can pass on useable and actionable feedback, rather than asking what would be the point. They had already established valid use cases.
Thanks for the reply Davyd, I was thinking a few things in combination:
1. Items with limited time-spans (like lanterns with oil or torchs) can be set to 'lit'/'active', in the system. Ritual spells, short rests and the like take the time they take in one go (eg. a 10 minute ritual), so the system would just know to track them on use.
2.This combines with a 'dungeon turn' button for DMs. I realise without DDB having its own VTT, that tracking things like movement isn't really feasible outside of a combat turn but a 'dungeon turn' button/ticker might be a good way to resolve and keep it human-driven. Every click passes 10 minutes, which knocks 10 minutes off those active items. Spells etc that have ritual casting times would also be tracked this way.
The dungeon turn button would be a default 10 minutes, but also a custom amount could be specified if need be.
During combat, obviously we know a round takes 6 seconds so the game can be still tracking time during combat.
Every time the dungeon turn button is clicked it says so in the global game log, and also any changes that incurs eg. 'DM has taken a dungeon turn, Brad's torch goes out, Sue's spell has finished casting'.
Above the button there should be a 'clock' face that fills in representing the full dungeon turn, and it colour in smaller amounts to account for minor things the PCs are doing that take time, giving the DM a quick visual aid. If the clock is 'filled', then the button changes colour to indicate the DM should consider passing a dungeon turn, and perhaps there should be an option to allow this to happen automatically.
Sorry the reply took so long, I don't have emails set up to warn me of thread responses.
D&D was always about tracking time and weight. Online tools like DDB are the ideal solution to doing this without the human bookkeeping, so this should be a priority feature.
Weight is in there and that's great, but we need time and we need spell components. Spell components are a core part of the rules (even if they're an oft ignored one), but I suspect more people will be inclined to track them if they can toggle on a 'must have spell components in inventory' option for casting, preferably customised so you can specify spell levels (eg. you might want to forget about low level spells using components, but you certainly want that 1000gp diamond to be essential for a resurrection spell).
Similarly, time tracking used to be essential to D&D - there's no point having torches and lanterns if we're not tracking how long they're going to last, despite the core rules specifying these things - people should be able to run proper 'classic' D&D with the 5e rules provided.
Spell components can be tracked via custom inventory items, which has two key benefits
As for tracking time, that's something that's already possible with the combat tracker and something the team has expressed a desire to expand on for things such as temporary effects and concentration. I'm not entirely sure what you're envisioning for tracking time beyond the resolution found in combat though? Would be curious to hear what you picture with that so it can be passed along the feedback channels.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
They already gave the examples of torches and lanterns, which have limited, non-combat time durations. There's also the material items created by the spell creation, or a wizard might want to remember if their contingency spell is still active. A good number of the spells that have a duration greater than a day would benefit from some way to track when they were last cast. Some of the shorter ones as well: I've long wished that I had a better way than editing the notes of divination or commune to remember that I've already cast it today. And considering the most recent UA, there might be more clerics in the future who really want to be able to accurately track this. Divination spells like that could at least be tied to reset with the use of the long rest button, but the other things I mentioned could not. Possibly a place to start might be some way to view, in the sidebar only, how many long rests it's been since a spell was cast? Upcasting would be an issue, but it's the best starting place I can think of. For shorter-use items like torches and flasks, maybe make them equippable, and if they're equipped and you hit the long rest button, there's an option (must be confirmed separately) to remove it from your inventory?
Also, whatever's created should not be tied solely to the campaign page, it needs to be usable by folks who don't have a campaign associated with the character.
Birgit | Shifter | Sorcerer | Dragonlords
Shayone | Hobgoblin | Sorcerer | Netherdeep
I was more asking how they envision the system working or what they would expect from it so I can pass on useable and actionable feedback, rather than asking what would be the point. They had already established valid use cases.
Find my D&D Beyond articles here
Thanks for the reply Davyd, I was thinking a few things in combination:
1. Items with limited time-spans (like lanterns with oil or torchs) can be set to 'lit'/'active', in the system. Ritual spells, short rests and the like take the time they take in one go (eg. a 10 minute ritual), so the system would just know to track them on use.
2.This combines with a 'dungeon turn' button for DMs. I realise without DDB having its own VTT, that tracking things like movement isn't really feasible outside of a combat turn but a 'dungeon turn' button/ticker might be a good way to resolve and keep it human-driven. Every click passes 10 minutes, which knocks 10 minutes off those active items. Spells etc that have ritual casting times would also be tracked this way.
The dungeon turn button would be a default 10 minutes, but also a custom amount could be specified if need be.
During combat, obviously we know a round takes 6 seconds so the game can be still tracking time during combat.
Every time the dungeon turn button is clicked it says so in the global game log, and also any changes that incurs eg. 'DM has taken a dungeon turn, Brad's torch goes out, Sue's spell has finished casting'.
Above the button there should be a 'clock' face that fills in representing the full dungeon turn, and it colour in smaller amounts to account for minor things the PCs are doing that take time, giving the DM a quick visual aid. If the clock is 'filled', then the button changes colour to indicate the DM should consider passing a dungeon turn, and perhaps there should be an option to allow this to happen automatically.
Sorry the reply took so long, I don't have emails set up to warn me of thread responses.