I just completed the email survey about potential new content for DnDBeyond but outside of a single "Other" option there were no questions about the Encounter Builder and its requested features. Looking at the changelog there has been 1 front-end update to the Encounter Builder/Combat Tracker a littler over 18 months ago: (https://www.dndbeyond.com/changelog#RollFromMonsterStatBlocksInTheCombatTracker).
It kills me that there's no way in encounter builder to add ally NPCs to individual encounters. That shouldn't be so hard, right? Basically just have a stat block switch sides!
This is so frustrating 😡 it's missing basic features (renaming stuff!) So it is quite unusable. The new maps feature could word wonderful with this tool but I think no one at beyond cares anymore.
There's potential in Encounter builder, and it is killing me that WOTC simply don't care about it. What about conditions, allies, additional enemy reinforcements, removal of dead enemies etc. It is so frustrating that it remains a half-baked feature.
Integrating the encounter builder with Maps would be nice, but I like being able to use the tools I need without the tools I don't. It's sad that the EB has been in Beta for years with no progress on, well, anything.
It really is a shame. Seeing how not even the low hanging fruit in terms of improvements have been touched in so long, I can only assume that the encounter builder will not be developed further. I wish Wizards would provide an API so the community could pick up the slack here, with proper integration. (I know, there's unofficial ways and a couple of JSON endpoints, but technically it's against TOS to use those, last time I checked. Also, a proper documented API would be better in any case.)
I can't save any encounters. I've gotten the same error message several times. I've logged out and logged back in, and I've even restarted my computer, so it isn't my end. Could this please get fixed?
Keeping this thread alive to hope it gains enough traction to draw staff attention. Encounter builder needs so many basic features:
Add/ remove creatures mid combat with a search function, not this manual entry stuff.
Add allied and neutral creatures/npcs to encounters without effecting the challenge of the encounter.
Lair/Environmental actions inserted into initiative.
A way to sort encounters into folders/sections for individual dungeons or adventures. The more you make, the less manageable it becomes to sort them and find what you need.
A notes section during combat so DM can quickly add details of the ever changing battlefield.
I'm sure there's plenty more issues people have come up with, but this is my personal starting point that I think should have been prioritised a long time ago.
I'll add that this isn't a knock on the devs and codemonkeys. I know that the Maps team has been providing some kind of Dev updates on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I don't feel like we've received any updates about overall features in a long long time.
I did see recently that the Encounter Builder has a pop-up that enumerates various enhancement options. There was feedback request for how important a given feature would be, and why. There’s only a handful which, if implemented, would increase its usability to me by magnitudes.
This gives me hope that new features are in the plan. I hope they understand that DnD is a tabletop game that brings people, literally, to the table. While VTT is great for remote play (esp during pandemics), if it turns into a video game, I’ll be abandoning.
I just completed the email survey about potential new content for DnDBeyond but outside of a single "Other" option there were no questions about the Encounter Builder and its requested features. Looking at the changelog there has been 1 front-end update to the Encounter Builder/Combat Tracker a littler over 18 months ago: (https://www.dndbeyond.com/changelog#RollFromMonsterStatBlocksInTheCombatTracker).
Will we be seeing any updates to this tool?
I feel like they are going to abandon the Encounter Builder and focus on their virtual table.
I would love to hear some updates on this too especially with maps releasing in alpha today.
Realy hoping Maps end encounter builder can be integrated with eachother
It kills me that there's no way in encounter builder to add ally NPCs to individual encounters. That shouldn't be so hard, right? Basically just have a stat block switch sides!
This is so frustrating 😡 it's missing basic features (renaming stuff!) So it is quite unusable. The new maps feature could word wonderful with this tool but I think no one at beyond cares anymore.
There's potential in Encounter builder, and it is killing me that WOTC simply don't care about it. What about conditions, allies, additional enemy reinforcements, removal of dead enemies etc. It is so frustrating that it remains a half-baked feature.
Yup. I'd love to automatically add lair actions and have trackers for lair actions and npc spell/ability usage.
It's beyond a nice to have now. I feel like other competative software has this functionality.
Integrating the encounter builder with Maps would be nice, but I like being able to use the tools I need without the tools I don't. It's sad that the EB has been in Beta for years with no progress on, well, anything.
It really is a shame. Seeing how not even the low hanging fruit in terms of improvements have been touched in so long, I can only assume that the encounter builder will not be developed further. I wish Wizards would provide an API so the community could pick up the slack here, with proper integration. (I know, there's unofficial ways and a couple of JSON endpoints, but technically it's against TOS to use those, last time I checked. Also, a proper documented API would be better in any case.)
As of a couple days ago I can't even save an encounter in the builder so it's completely useless now.
Gaming with oddly shaped dice since 1979.
I can't save any encounters. I've gotten the same error message several times. I've logged out and logged back in, and I've even restarted my computer, so it isn't my end. Could this please get fixed?
I'm running into the same problem. How am I supposed to run encounters?
Saving looks to be working for me.
It still doesn't really excuse the lack of updates (we'll be hitting 2 years next month).
Keeping this thread alive to hope it gains enough traction to draw staff attention. Encounter builder needs so many basic features:
I'm sure there's plenty more issues people have come up with, but this is my personal starting point that I think should have been prioritised a long time ago.
I'll add that this isn't a knock on the devs and codemonkeys. I know that the Maps team has been providing some kind of Dev updates on a regular basis. Unfortunately, I don't feel like we've received any updates about overall features in a long long time.
I did see recently that the Encounter Builder has a pop-up that enumerates various enhancement options. There was feedback request for how important a given feature would be, and why. There’s only a handful which, if implemented, would increase its usability to me by magnitudes.
This gives me hope that new features are in the plan. I hope they understand that DnD is a tabletop game that brings people, literally, to the table. While VTT is great for remote play (esp during pandemics), if it turns into a video game, I’ll be abandoning.