I realized it'd be super handy for me as a DM to be able to create a "Copy" of characters in my campaign (the option doesn't currently show, or I'm sure not finding it), thus avoiding either messing with the official character, or having to replicate it from scratch in order to experiment with alternate option choices.
If there's a way to do this that I've simply missed, and someone could point it out, 'twould be appreciated, thanks.
Because it is not your character and if the player wanted you to copy their character they can make a copy and add it for you so there is no need at all for you to be able to copy their characters.
Because it is not your character and if the player wanted you to copy their character they can make a copy and add it for you so there is no need at all for you to be able to copy their characters.
Except that you can copy it, you just have to take the time to create the character under your own account as the DM, since the DM can see the entire character. I've done exactly this as I have one player that occasionally can't make it and forgets to unassign his character so that one of the other players can run him while he is out.
Because it is not your character and if the player wanted you to copy their character they can make a copy and add it for you so there is no need at all for you to be able to copy their characters.
That's a valid point, and should I ever find myself playing in your campaign, I'll try to remember there is no need at all for you to have a copy.
Regarding my campaign(s) however: As it turns out, I'm the one who decides my need or lack thereof for a PC's character sheet. Still though, thanks.
If you are the DM in a Campaign you can view and edit any character sheet in your campaign. There is therefore no need to make a copy. If you want to see the character sheet, make changes, just click the View or Edit buttons.
Because it is not your character and if the player wanted you to copy their character they can make a copy and add it for you so there is no need at all for you to be able to copy their characters.
Except that you can copy it, you just have to take the time to create the character under your own account as the DM, since the DM can see the entire character. I've done exactly this as I have one player that occasionally can't make it and forgets to unassign his character so that one of the other players can run him while he is out.
Wouldn't it be easier to just click unassaign then assign it to the player? Then redo this when the character's owner comes back? Recreating the sheet seems like a lot of work and a very roundabout way for something you can already do with a few clicks of a mouse.
Except that you can copy it, you just have to take the time to create the character under your own account as the DM, since the DM can see the entire character. I've done exactly this as I have one player that occasionally can't make it and forgets to unassign his character so that one of the other players can run him while he is out.
Right on. That. Thank you.
Plus, I can tweak with alternate versions and/or any number of things that -- in this particular case -- save the real-life player time not currently available for such jacking around (myself TOO, if I didn't have to recreate the entire thing from scratch). Then we don't have to spend the session (and everyone's else's good time) doing [feces] I could've already done.
The possible reasons for doing so are legion, but the only one really required is: "It's my campaign, and I want to be able to make a copy of PC character sheets." Followed closely thereafter with, "I'm also paying money for this whole thing here, so that's also a pretty good reason to facilitate my being able to do my campaign my way."
Because it is not your character and if the player wanted you to copy their character they can make a copy and add it for you so there is no need at all for you to be able to copy their characters.
Except that you can copy it, you just have to take the time to create the character under your own account as the DM, since the DM can see the entire character. I've done exactly this as I have one player that occasionally can't make it and forgets to unassign his character so that one of the other players can run him while he is out.
Wouldn't it be easier to just click unassaign then assign it to the player? Then redo this when the character's owner comes back? Recreating the sheet seems like a lot of work and a very roundabout way for something you can already do with a few clicks of a mouse.
It would, but the player in question always seems to forget to do it, so I keep a copy of him on hand for that reason. When he remembers to unassign it is no big deal and when he forgets I add the copy to the game so someone else can control his character. He is fully aware that this happens. Wouldn't be right to do it without him knowing.
Except that you can copy it, you just have to take the time to create the character under your own account as the DM, since the DM can see the entire character. I've done exactly this as I have one player that occasionally can't make it and forgets to unassign his character so that one of the other players can run him while he is out.
Right on. That. Thank you.
Plus, I can tweak with alternate versions and/or any number of things that -- in this particular case -- save the real-life player time not currently available for such jacking around (myself TOO, if I didn't have to recreate the entire thing from scratch). Then we don't have to spend the session (and everyone's else's good time) doing [feces] I could've already done.
The possible reasons for doing so are legion, but the only one really required is: "It's my campaign, and I want to be able to make a copy of PC character sheets." Followed closely thereafter with, "I'm also paying money for this whole thing here, so that's also a pretty good reason to facilitate my being able to do my campaign my way."
Oh I agree it would be nice, is a pain to make sure that I have created my copy to match his exactly, but for now is a doable work around.
Exact same problem. I need to give a character to another player for a session, and the character owner is not able to unassign themselves (no internet access).
Not sure if this is still a relevant topic, but I just had this same problem, googled it, and ended up here.
I eventually found a workaround - which works for my needs of just getting a copy of a character that doesn't change as the player uses it (for use as a pregen for new players I run through the same adventure). But it may not addresses OP's situation, as by the sound of it you are wanting to be able to at any moment get a copy of the character as is, in terms of level/equipment/current HP etc...
I agree that as the DM of a campaign having the ability to copy a player's character sheet at any moment with a single click would be amazing, and am surprised that it is not an option. I'm guessing this is because different players have different content unlocked, but I feel like there are numerous ways they could address that - a pop-up that tells you you don't have the content, or at least making it possible for Master Tier DMs.
That said here is my workaround for getting a snapshot copy of a player's character.
1. Have the player join your campaign and unassign their character.
2. As the DM, temporarily claim their character.
3. While you have their character claimed it is added to your "Characters" page - go there and copy.
4. Go back to your campaign and unassign the character.
The player should now be able to reclaim their character, which will add it back to their "Characters" page, and you will also still have a copy of their character on your "Characters page" which you can then add to the campaign and unassign.
As I said this is obviously just a "snapshot" of a character sheet as it was when copied - which is all I needed. But if you are needing an updated copy it won't help much - I guess you could make a copy each level, so at least it's close to being a current copy for players to control when someone is absent. But yeah, they should definitely add a copy function.
I feel like people saying there's no reason to do this have missed the point entirely. Why isn't it an option to clone other people's characters in general?
I wanna run some evil doppelgängers against my players using their character sheets, how come I can't do that? I don't wanna mess with their own personal sheets and plan on throwing away the characters when they're done. Why isn't that an option?
Sometimes players lose access to the email address they created the Twitch account with. As a DM I would like to copy their character from their old account to their new one.
I'm the GM for a group of young teens, 12-15, and my next planned encounter will be for a group of NPCs with the exact same stats as the characters, but with different names and genders. I'd like to duplicate the characters in the same D&D Beyond campaign site, change their names, then add them to the encounter, where I get to access the duplicates without wrecking THEIR characters. I plan to have the 5 characters AND the five duplicates ALL in the Encounter Builder, and use it to run the fight. They're inexperienced with using spells effectively, so I'm going to use their duplicates to defeat them in a match taking place in the center of town, nobody dies, everything replaced afterwards except for bruised egos - gee, kinda like Maverick on that first day of training.
Thanks for the feedback, Eric. After reviewing all of the various ways to do this, my conclusion is that there is NO EASY WAY to do this. In the Encounter Builder.
For this, and ANY other one-shot encounters with a villainous clone (see Mirror of Opposition), I think the simplest way to resolve this is to use the "Add Character" feature in the Encounter Builder, which requires only the minimum of stats (initiative bonus, Max HPs, a few others). Then I'll print the pdf's of all the PCs and just play the OG way (being 73 years of age, I'm VERY OG). I can easily run all five characters with a combination of those "add character" slots in the Encounter Builder to know when my clone is up in the initiative order, and knock down their HPs when damaged, etc., using a... Hmmm.... a pencil?
Scott
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I realized it'd be super handy for me as a DM to be able to create a "Copy" of characters in my campaign (the option doesn't currently show, or I'm sure not finding it), thus avoiding either messing with the official character, or having to replicate it from scratch in order to experiment with alternate option choices.
If there's a way to do this that I've simply missed, and someone could point it out, 'twould be appreciated, thanks.
You can copy a character in My Characters, then you add a copy into the campaign page via the link.
I assume he means, as a DM, have the ability to copy one of the Players' characters in your campaign.
Precisely that -- thanks.
But thanks too, filcat, for the attempted assist!
Because it is not your character and if the player wanted you to copy their character they can make a copy and add it for you so there is no need at all for you to be able to copy their characters.
My Homebrew: Races | Subclasses | Backgrounds | Spells | Magic Items | Feats
Need help with Homebrew? Check out this FAQ/Guide thread by IamSposta
See My Youtube Videos for Tips & Tricks using D&D Beyond
Except that you can copy it, you just have to take the time to create the character under your own account as the DM, since the DM can see the entire character. I've done exactly this as I have one player that occasionally can't make it and forgets to unassign his character so that one of the other players can run him while he is out.
That's a valid point, and should I ever find myself playing in your campaign, I'll try to remember there is no need at all for you to have a copy.
Regarding my campaign(s) however: As it turns out, I'm the one who decides my need or lack thereof for a PC's character sheet. Still though, thanks.
If you are the DM in a Campaign you can view and edit any character sheet in your campaign. There is therefore no need to make a copy. If you want to see the character sheet, make changes, just click the View or Edit buttons.
My Homebrew: Races | Subclasses | Backgrounds | Spells | Magic Items | Feats
Need help with Homebrew? Check out this FAQ/Guide thread by IamSposta
See My Youtube Videos for Tips & Tricks using D&D Beyond
Wouldn't it be easier to just click unassaign then assign it to the player? Then redo this when the character's owner comes back? Recreating the sheet seems like a lot of work and a very roundabout way for something you can already do with a few clicks of a mouse.
My Homebrew: Races | Subclasses | Backgrounds | Spells | Magic Items | Feats
Need help with Homebrew? Check out this FAQ/Guide thread by IamSposta
See My Youtube Videos for Tips & Tricks using D&D Beyond
Right on. That. Thank you.
Plus, I can tweak with alternate versions and/or any number of things that -- in this particular case -- save the real-life player time not currently available for such jacking around (myself TOO, if I didn't have to recreate the entire thing from scratch).
Then we don't have to spend the session (and everyone's else's good time) doing [feces] I could've already done.
The possible reasons for doing so are legion, but the only one really required is: "It's my campaign, and I want to be able to make a copy of PC character sheets." Followed closely thereafter with, "I'm also paying money for this whole thing here, so that's also a pretty good reason to facilitate my being able to do my campaign my way."
It would, but the player in question always seems to forget to do it, so I keep a copy of him on hand for that reason. When he remembers to unassign it is no big deal and when he forgets I add the copy to the game so someone else can control his character. He is fully aware that this happens. Wouldn't be right to do it without him knowing.
Oh I agree it would be nice, is a pain to make sure that I have created my copy to match his exactly, but for now is a doable work around.
Exact same problem. I need to give a character to another player for a session, and the character owner is not able to unassign themselves (no internet access).
Not sure if this is still a relevant topic, but I just had this same problem, googled it, and ended up here.
I eventually found a workaround - which works for my needs of just getting a copy of a character that doesn't change as the player uses it (for use as a pregen for new players I run through the same adventure). But it may not addresses OP's situation, as by the sound of it you are wanting to be able to at any moment get a copy of the character as is, in terms of level/equipment/current HP etc...
I agree that as the DM of a campaign having the ability to copy a player's character sheet at any moment with a single click would be amazing, and am surprised that it is not an option. I'm guessing this is because different players have different content unlocked, but I feel like there are numerous ways they could address that - a pop-up that tells you you don't have the content, or at least making it possible for Master Tier DMs.
That said here is my workaround for getting a snapshot copy of a player's character.
1. Have the player join your campaign and unassign their character.
2. As the DM, temporarily claim their character.
3. While you have their character claimed it is added to your "Characters" page - go there and copy.
4. Go back to your campaign and unassign the character.
The player should now be able to reclaim their character, which will add it back to their "Characters" page, and you will also still have a copy of their character on your "Characters page" which you can then add to the campaign and unassign.
As I said this is obviously just a "snapshot" of a character sheet as it was when copied - which is all I needed. But if you are needing an updated copy it won't help much - I guess you could make a copy each level, so at least it's close to being a current copy for players to control when someone is absent. But yeah, they should definitely add a copy function.
I feel like people saying there's no reason to do this have missed the point entirely. Why isn't it an option to clone other people's characters in general?
I wanna run some evil doppelgängers against my players using their character sheets, how come I can't do that? I don't wanna mess with their own personal sheets and plan on throwing away the characters when they're done. Why isn't that an option?
Sometimes players lose access to the email address they created the Twitch account with. As a DM I would like to copy their character from their old account to their new one.
One of my players died. I'd like to keep a copy of their sheet, and possibly use the character in other campaigns as an NPC.
Ouch - sorry for your (& others') loss.
I'm the GM for a group of young teens, 12-15, and my next planned encounter will be for a group of NPCs with the exact same stats as the characters, but with different names and genders. I'd like to duplicate the characters in the same D&D Beyond campaign site, change their names, then add them to the encounter, where I get to access the duplicates without wrecking THEIR characters. I plan to have the 5 characters AND the five duplicates ALL in the Encounter Builder, and use it to run the fight. They're inexperienced with using spells effectively, so I'm going to use their duplicates to defeat them in a match taking place in the center of town, nobody dies, everything replaced afterwards except for bruised egos - gee, kinda like Maverick on that first day of training.
So, how can I do this?
Erik,
Thanks for the feedback, Eric. After reviewing all of the various ways to do this, my conclusion is that there is NO EASY WAY to do this. In the Encounter Builder.
For this, and ANY other one-shot encounters with a villainous clone (see Mirror of Opposition), I think the simplest way to resolve this is to use the "Add Character" feature in the Encounter Builder, which requires only the minimum of stats (initiative bonus, Max HPs, a few others). Then I'll print the pdf's of all the PCs and just play the OG way (being 73 years of age, I'm VERY OG). I can easily run all five characters with a combination of those "add character" slots in the Encounter Builder to know when my clone is up in the initiative order, and knock down their HPs when damaged, etc., using a... Hmmm.... a pencil?
Scott