I have a lot of friends that prefer rolling atributes than picking 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.
The problems to me is: how to trust their rolls? A player can roll multiple times until he gets the perfect one, and if we are rolling dice that's not the point. We want some chaos in the characters.
Is there a way to build a atribute roller that the DM could validate? Let's say for example the DM creates a campaign inside the system and gives the player the opportunity to roll once for his character. This way the player can't roll and roll and roll and roll (unless he does it outside the campaign).
I have a lot of friends that prefer rolling atributes than picking 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.
The problems to me is: how to trust their rolls? A player can roll multiple times until he gets the perfect one, and if we are rolling dice that's not the point. We want some chaos in the characters.
Is there a way to build a atribute roller that the DM could validate? Let's say for example the DM creates a campaign inside the system and gives the player the opportunity to roll once for his character. This way the player can't roll and roll and roll and roll (unless he does it outside the campaign).
Yeah. You could definitely have a logged die roller. Maybe add an option for a "guided creation wizard" that sandboxes the entire process, saves a copy of all rerolls, and includes a "Send to DM for approval" step at the end. You could still have a "let me enter stats, myself" option. I'm not sure how well the politics would work for the DM, but that's not really the problem of the developer. ;)
If you're playing in person, I strongly recommend having a Session 0 for character creation. It's a much better way of getting PC parties together and takes about the same amount of time as the otherwise obligatory bar fight/goblin invasion/"hey, you know Sally, too" introductions.
Even if you don't want to do that, my rule since 1E has been that stats, hit points, etc. that I don't witness don't count. No exceptions. I won't accuse anyone of cheating, but I'm open that it has happened at my table, as have both (incorrect) accusations of cheating and accusations of favoritism in "confirming" things. So, I choose to never, ever deal with the question again. Announce "this roll counts", make sure you have my attention, and you're stuck with it. I don't generally worry about cheating on attack rolls and such, but anything that's essentially permanent gets vetted.
Actually, I've used point buy for years because I don't like seeing people forced to live with one bad bout of random suckitude for a year or more. The sameness of stats and hit points bothers me far less than the uber-schmuck who steals the spotlight. Not knocking the desire to roll, just disclosing. We did go back to rolling with the first batch of 5E characters, but it was so horribly and obviously unbalanced that, after four months of play, I made all the players either either restat with point buy or create new characters.
I like the array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) because it's simple. It speeds up character creation and makes everybody quite strong.
My problem with rolling is that: 1) May break the balance of the party; 2) I'm terrible at it (rolled 9, 10, 11, 8, 13, 11 las time). But a tool as we said before might help a lot of friends.
2) Graphics like a "money pouch" look to input your collective coins and valuables.
3) The ability to click on your money pouch and choose a category to purchase from; common goods, common magic items, uncommon magic items and so on with the ability to enable purchasable items based on DM allowance, for example; rare magical items. When you purchase an item the cost is subtracted from your pouch and placed in its respectable area.
These have probably all been said, and most likely have been considered by Wizards, but I will put my support behind these ideas.
Item/ammunition management: When setting up a character sheet, I always end up putting bubbles for things like ammunition, rations, spell slots, and it really helps keep track, especially in longer sessions. One bubble equals one of an item, expendable die or spell slot, or 5 feet of rope. The bubbles work well for a printed version and/or a "USE || ADD" button would work for a digital CS.
Spell Management: Being able to cultivate a list spell sheet with descriptions makes life a lot easier than having to hunt through books even when you know where everything is. (On this note, DnD Beyond has been incredibly helpful making new spell sheets for my group). On the printable version, you can possibly give the option to print them out as cards.
Creature/Form Management: There really is not a place on the standard CS to place this info, but there is almost always a ranger and/or druid playing that needs it in my groups. On the digital version there can even be a "TRANSFORM || REVERT" button that will automatically shift your stats.
Automatic Stat Changes: This one is for the digital version only, and may qualify as campaign management, but casting a buff/debuff, or adding equip with bonuses should automatically shift your stats. If the CSs are linked to a GM, you can even use this feature between party members. If this is implemented, it could also potentially be used for healing, damage, and exp (my GM is notorious for forgetting the exp).
1.2) If my character doesn't have a portrait, I'd prefer that the section be absent to conserve space. The same goes for other similar fields.
It's been indicated that there will be multiple sheets. So, yeah, I definitely hope there are some w/o a portrait.
To be honest, the only reason I really care about a character portrait is because the combat tracker I use allows for portraits to be added to the PCs. That really speeds up recognition time and the ability to just scan. I figure that, once I have a portrait for a character, I might as well use it. Also, once this tool matures, I assume the same sort of scan-ability will apply to multiple character slots, a campaign manager, and (hopefully) the combat tracker.
1.2) If my character doesn't have a portrait, I'd prefer that the section be absent to conserve space. The same goes for other similar fields.
It's been indicated that there will be multiple sheets. So, yeah, I definitely hope there are some w/o a portrait.
To be honest, the only reason I really care about a character portrait is because the combat tracker I use allows for portraits to be added to the PCs. That really speeds up recognition time and the ability to just scan. I figure that, once I have a portrait for a character, I might as well use it. Also, once this tool matures, I assume the same sort of scan-ability will apply to multiple character slots, a campaign manager, and (hopefully) the combat tracker.
I definitely agree on the topic of combat trackers. However, I've failed to find a combat tracker to meet my standards and trump the ease of operation of an index card, even with my oversized phone screen (Note 4). The one I did find was horribly riddled with bugs and was actually massively changed in the last few months and they're still only managed to fix about half of the bugs I'd found before. I have a rather high standard when it comes to digital combat trackers, so hopefully D&DB meets that standard or exceeds it.
But more on the topic of character portraits, I've got some players who love portraits, and some who entirely neglect them. I myself only bother every now and then.
I definitely agree on the topic of combat trackers. However, I've failed to find a combat tracker to meet my standards and trump the ease of operation of an index card, even with my oversized phone screen (Note 4). The one I did find was horribly riddled with bugs and was actually massively changed in the last few months and they're still only managed to fix about half of the bugs I'd found before. I have a rather high standard when it comes to digital combat trackers, so hopefully D&DB meets that standard or exceeds it.
But more on the topic of character portraits, I've got some players who love portraits, and some who entirely neglect them. I myself only bother every now and then.
Note: I use the desktop version on my Surface. I have no opinion on the mobile version, since I'm an iPhone guy.
As a matter of fact, that is what I used. The mobile version used to be riddled with bugs and nigh unusable, then I checked back on it a few months ago and half of the bugs were still there, along with some new ones, and they completely redid the UI in the meantime, despite the bugs. If the mobile version is any less bug-riddled now, I may consider it again, having already bought it before, though I'm just as content to wait for D&DB to release and have all of 5E at my fingertips on my phone.
Custom stats. Like, say you want a Computer skill for a hi-tech campaign, so you can add the skill to the sheet and link it to the Intelligience stat for quick rolling.
I'm looking forward to the character builder. A feature that I would very much like to have is the ability to compare current stats with future stats before I "level up" my character or "multi-class." And not just the change from current stats, but from one option to the next. I am a min/max player to a degree
Most importantly is the ability to see if stats go up or down as I am looking through my options. Especially if I am creating a character and looking at options for multiple levels at a time.
I have a lot of friends that prefer rolling atributes than picking 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.
The problems to me is: how to trust their rolls? A player can roll multiple times until he gets the perfect one, and if we are rolling dice that's not the point. We want some chaos in the characters.
Is there a way to build a atribute roller that the DM could validate? Let's say for example the DM creates a campaign inside the system and gives the player the opportunity to roll once for his character. This way the player can't roll and roll and roll and roll (unless he does it outside the campaign).
Yeah. You could definitely have a logged die roller. Maybe add an option for a "guided creation wizard" that sandboxes the entire process, saves a copy of all rerolls, and includes a "Send to DM for approval" step at the end. You could still have a "let me enter stats, myself" option. I'm not sure how well the politics would work for the DM, but that's not really the problem of the developer. ;)
If you're playing in person, I strongly recommend having a Session 0 for character creation. It's a much better way of getting PC parties together and takes about the same amount of time as the otherwise obligatory bar fight/goblin invasion/"hey, you know Sally, too" introductions.
Even if you don't want to do that, my rule since 1E has been that stats, hit points, etc. that I don't witness don't count. No exceptions. I won't accuse anyone of cheating, but I'm open that it has happened at my table, as have both (incorrect) accusations of cheating and accusations of favoritism in "confirming" things. So, I choose to never, ever deal with the question again. Announce "this roll counts", make sure you have my attention, and you're stuck with it. I don't generally worry about cheating on attack rolls and such, but anything that's essentially permanent gets vetted.
Actually, I've used point buy for years because I don't like seeing people forced to live with one bad bout of random suckitude for a year or more. The sameness of stats and hit points bothers me far less than the uber-schmuck who steals the spotlight. Not knocking the desire to roll, just disclosing. We did go back to rolling with the first batch of 5E characters, but it was so horribly and obviously unbalanced that, after four months of play, I made all the players either either restat with point buy or create new characters.
They just released a roll function you can use in the forums that would notify you if a post has been edited to potentially change the die roll. There are a lot of different functions associated with it, so you could include things like "reroll 1's" and "drop the lowest die roll." The post shows up with blue numbers that you can hover over to see what functions were used and what each roll was. So, you could have a post like this:
It would be super useful as a DM to have a 'cheat sheet' be automatically be created alongside a character sheet that includes the character's Passive Perception, Wisdom Save, Armor Class, etc.
Totally agree. I have all of the "basics" on an index card for my game now. Would be nice to be able to load this into a digital format, maybe even link it to an initiative tracker. Just a thought.
Yes and yes. As a DM having a list of characters' basic stats on hand would be super handy and I would love to have an initiative tracker. Or better yet a Combat Tracker for initiative order, hit points remaining, conditions, effects, buffs, current round, etc... something similar to Hero Lab.
3) The ability to click on your money pouch and choose a category to purchase from; common goods, common magic items, uncommon magic items and so on with the ability to enable purchasable items based on DM allowance, for example; rare magical items. When you purchase an item the cost is subtracted from your pouch and placed in its respectable ar>>
It's better to role play buying things because the books have set prices yes, but you can always haggle, and that can be pretty fun
Will Beyond have its own virtual tabletop? I ask because I think everyone is wondering how character sheets will be linked to online play. If the emphasis is going to be on third-party VTTs, adding native export to those platforms would certainly add value to the purchase.
I have a lot of friends that prefer rolling atributes than picking 15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8.
The problems to me is: how to trust their rolls? A player can roll multiple times until he gets the perfect one, and if we are rolling dice that's not the point. We want some chaos in the characters.
Is there a way to build a atribute roller that the DM could validate? Let's say for example the DM creates a campaign inside the system and gives the player the opportunity to roll once for his character. This way the player can't roll and roll and roll and roll (unless he does it outside the campaign).
I like the array (15, 14, 13, 12, 10, 8) because it's simple. It speeds up character creation and makes everybody quite strong.
My problem with rolling is that: 1) May break the balance of the party; 2) I'm terrible at it (rolled 9, 10, 11, 8, 13, 11 las time). But a tool as we said before might help a lot of friends.
Wish List two:
1) Cover Page, showing your characters avatar.
2) Graphics like a "money pouch" look to input your collective coins and valuables.
3) The ability to click on your money pouch and choose a category to purchase from; common goods, common magic items, uncommon magic items and so on with the ability to enable purchasable items based on DM allowance, for example; rare magical items. When you purchase an item the cost is subtracted from your pouch and placed in its respectable area.
I second that. The ability to upload my own character portrait would be awesome.
"I encourage peace."
These have probably all been said, and most likely have been considered by Wizards, but I will put my support behind these ideas.
Item/ammunition management: When setting up a character sheet, I always end up putting bubbles for things like ammunition, rations, spell slots, and it really helps keep track, especially in longer sessions. One bubble equals one of an item, expendable die or spell slot, or 5 feet of rope. The bubbles work well for a printed version and/or a "USE || ADD" button would work for a digital CS.
Spell Management: Being able to cultivate a list spell sheet with descriptions makes life a lot easier than having to hunt through books even when you know where everything is. (On this note, DnD Beyond has been incredibly helpful making new spell sheets for my group). On the printable version, you can possibly give the option to print them out as cards.
Creature/Form Management: There really is not a place on the standard CS to place this info, but there is almost always a ranger and/or druid playing that needs it in my groups. On the digital version there can even be a "TRANSFORM || REVERT" button that will automatically shift your stats.
Automatic Stat Changes: This one is for the digital version only, and may qualify as campaign management, but casting a buff/debuff, or adding equip with bonuses should automatically shift your stats. If the CSs are linked to a GM, you can even use this feature between party members. If this is implemented, it could also potentially be used for healing, damage, and exp (my GM is notorious for forgetting the exp).
"I encourage peace."
"I encourage peace."
Custom stats. Like, say you want a Computer skill for a hi-tech campaign, so you can add the skill to the sheet and link it to the Intelligience stat for quick rolling.
I'm looking forward to the character builder. A feature that I would very much like to have is the ability to compare current stats with future stats before I "level up" my character or "multi-class." And not just the change from current stats, but from one option to the next. I am a min/max player to a degree
Most importantly is the ability to see if stats go up or down as I am looking through my options. Especially if I am creating a character and looking at options for multiple levels at a time.
It's better to role play buying things because the books have set prices yes, but you can always haggle, and that can be pretty fun
Will Beyond have its own virtual tabletop? I ask because I think everyone is wondering how character sheets will be linked to online play. If the emphasis is going to be on third-party VTTs, adding native export to those platforms would certainly add value to the purchase.
I agree. Would be nice if you can change the value yourself after you haggle.
That works too.