I looked into Foundry, but the power of Fantasy Grounds is just too much. It is for me still the best platform. If foundry integrates as much automation as I can get in Fantasy Grounds I might make the switch.
The #1 automation that FG has and Foundry does not is the book content, which Foundry does not have. There are ways to import the content but it is not seamless and it relies on things like adding extensions to chrome, which not everyone wants to do (I try to avoid them myself, so I forgo some of the automation).
Everything else is automated in Foundry, from line of site to range calculations to to-hit and damage etc.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
The #1 automation that FG has and Foundry does not is the book content, which Foundry does not have. There are ways to import the content but it is not seamless and it relies on things like adding extensions to chrome, which not everyone wants to do (I try to avoid them myself, so I forgo some of the automation).
Everything else is automated in Foundry, from line of site to range calculations to to-hit and damage etc.
The automation I am referring to and what sold me on it was in my first time playing in an AL game on FG. This sequence of events happened.
I was able to target 3 members of the party with ctrl-click on their tokens and cast bless with a single click on the spell, and have it automatically apply to them.
The dragon we were fighting then used a breath weapon on us. The DM did this by just ctrl-click on each token, then clicking to use the breath weapon. It automatically rolled our saving throws. It automatically rolled the d4 for bless. It automatically included the paladin's aura for everyone that was in it.
The DM then rolled the damage by clicking a single button. It automatically applied half damage for a successful save, applied half damage for resistance, and applied no damage for evasion. Oh and then it automatically applied the damage, and then automatically rolled a concentration check for my bless, that failed and automatically removed bless from everyone.
At this point I was sold, it rolled 6 saves, including a bunch of ad hoc modifiers, rolled damage and applied it, and rolled concertation checks, all with 2 clicks. I checked out foundry and I found nothing even close to this, has it been improved recently?
I can't completely compare the automation of 5e FG vs. Foundry. I'm currently trying out Foundry for another system. But, I'm pretty sure it's going to be at least close. There are hundreds of add-on modules, and probably half of them are for 5e. There are some very minor things covered in the addons. Click on this link and start scrolling, it takes a while to reach the bottom: Foundry Modules. Here's an example of just one module made by fans, scroll down for examples and vids : https://github.com/RedReign/FoundryVTT-BetterRolls5e
That being said, some groups may not want that kind of automation. Play styles can vary. I've used VTT's primarily for a digital tabletop. I primarily play person to person, so we still like rolling dice, fiddling with a real character sheet, etc. When a player can't be present, then my VTT becomes a digital tabletop and a dice roller.
2. The dragon we were fighting then used a breath weapon on us. The DM did this by just ctrl-click on each token, then clicking to use the breath weapon. It automatically rolled our saving throws. It automatically rolled the d4 for bless. It automatically included the paladin's aura for everyone that was in it.
For example, I don't think I want this kind of automation. I have no problem with the VTT rolling dice when I or a player clicks one. But resolving the entire thing in one click is probably not for some of us. I want to say, "Joe and Nancy roll saves" then have them click to do it. I want to say, "Mike you get to apply your Bless, roll now". Mike then clicks the d4. That's more player interaction and input. Too much automation means players sit there longer as a witness then as a participant.
Just one opinion of course!
Cost was also a deciding factor on FG vs. Foundry for me. I paid $50. My players can join for free. FG players also have to pay, unless I shelled out $150 for an ultimate license.
I can't completely compare the automation of 5e FG vs. Foundry. I'm currently trying out Foundry for another system. But, I'm pretty sure it's going to be at least close. There are hundreds of add-on modules, and probably half of them are for 5e. There are some very minor things covered in the addons. Click on this link and start scrolling, it takes a while to reach the bottom: Foundry Modules. Here's an example of just one module made by fans, scroll down for examples and vids : https://github.com/RedReign/FoundryVTT-BetterRolls5e
That being said, some groups may not want that kind of automation. Play styles can vary. I've used VTT's primarily for a digital tabletop. I primarily play person to person, so we still like rolling dice, fiddling with a real character sheet, etc. When a player can't be present, then my VTT becomes a digital tabletop and a dice roller.
2. The dragon we were fighting then used a breath weapon on us. The DM did this by just ctrl-click on each token, then clicking to use the breath weapon. It automatically rolled our saving throws. It automatically rolled the d4 for bless. It automatically included the paladin's aura for everyone that was in it.
For example, I don't think I want this kind of automation. I have no problem with the VTT rolling dice when I or a player clicks one. But resolving the entire thing in one click is probably not for some of us. I want to say, "Joe and Nancy roll saves" then have them click to do it. I want to say, "Mike you get to apply your Bless, roll now". Mike then clicks the d4. That's more player interaction and input. Too much automation means players sit there longer as a witness then as a participant.
Just one opinion of course!
Cost was also a deciding factor on FG vs. Foundry for me. I paid $50. My players can join for free. FG players also have to pay, unless I shelled out $150 for an ultimate license.
The number of games where people forgot to add a modifier then remember a round later and are like I should have made my save. Or the times we forget to roll concertation for ongoing effects has been countless. That alone makes it worth for me.
But resolving the entire dragon attack in under 10 seconds by with making dozens of rolls, is so amazing. Clicking a button to roll some dice isn't fun for me. Keeping the action moving is what is fun.
You can automate that in Foundry... but I don't. I have my players make their individual rolls and such. I just use the template to tell me who is in the AOE radius.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I totally get wanting to automate all of that rolling, especially if the system can automatically handle situational modifiers like Bless. For me, I think it would make D&D feel a bit too much like a video game. I think I prefer making my rolls myself, even when it's digital vs physical. There's just a more visceral reaction to the success or failure that way. Yes, you'll have those situations where a player forgets to add a bonus or penalty that they should've, but unless you've got a player who does that CONSTANTLY, some gentle reminders should get the job done. Especially in a system like Foundry(or others that may have similar functionality) that makes it easy to apply a one-time or temporary modification to a roll.
I totally get wanting to automate all of that rolling, especially if the system can automatically handle situational modifiers like Bless. For me, I think it would make D&D feel a bit too much like a video game. I think I prefer making my rolls myself, even when it's digital vs physical. There's just a more visceral reaction to the success or failure that way. Yes, you'll have those situations where a player forgets to add a bonus or penalty that they should've, but unless you've got a player who does that CONSTANTLY, some gentle reminders should get the job done. Especially in a system like Foundry(or others that may have similar functionality) that makes it easy to apply a one-time or temporary modification to a roll.
I just find it interesting that so many people enjoy the rolling, even when all you are doing is virtual rolling. That is easily the worst part of the game for me. I hate doing tedious tasks that get in the way of roleplaying. I love that I don't even have to look at the AC for creatures or hit points for creatures or roll saves for them, all that stuff is automated. It frees my mental energy up for interacting with the players and roleplaying. To me reminding a player to roll a 1d4 for bless or reminding them to make a concentration check are not player interactions, those are things that get in the way of the game.
But if that is the part of the game you enjoy, more power to you.
I totally get wanting to automate all of that rolling, especially if the system can automatically handle situational modifiers like Bless. For me, I think it would make D&D feel a bit too much like a video game. I think I prefer making my rolls myself, even when it's digital vs physical. There's just a more visceral reaction to the success or failure that way. Yes, you'll have those situations where a player forgets to add a bonus or penalty that they should've, but unless you've got a player who does that CONSTANTLY, some gentle reminders should get the job done. Especially in a system like Foundry(or others that may have similar functionality) that makes it easy to apply a one-time or temporary modification to a roll.
I just find it interesting that so many people enjoy the rolling, even when all you are doing is virtual rolling. That is easily the worst part of the game for me. I hate doing tedious tasks that get in the way of roleplaying. I love that I don't even have to look at the AC for creatures or hit points for creatures or roll saves for them, all that stuff is automated. It frees my mental energy up for interacting with the players and roleplaying. To me reminding a player to roll a 1d4 for bless or reminding them to make a concentration check are not player interactions, those are things that get in the way of the game.
But if that is the part of the game you enjoy, more power to you.
I think it's the illusion of agency. If you're rolling, then it's you who succeeds or fails, not some sterile computer telling you. And yes, I think it applies even when you're rolling digitally.
I just find it interesting that so many people enjoy the rolling, even when all you are doing is virtual rolling. That is easily the worst part of the game for me.
I love rolling dice. All my players do. All my friends always did. Best part about D&D is the strangely shaped dice that all have different purposes. We liked Champions, too... though they just used D6, you rolled a LOT of them (3 to hit, as many as 12-14 for damage!). People walked around with dice pouches stuffed full of dice. Several of us would roll dice when not called for, just in the middle of other play, because we liked rolling dice. (Then there was the one guy who would just keep rolling 3d6 until he got a 3, and then ask, "Can I use that for my next to-hit roll?" -- no, of course not, but he always asked.)
One really fun thing with Foundry is... the die roll animation is a mod, not built in, and the animation is just for flavor. The roll is the roll, RNG-generated. But yet one of my players, who knows this full well, still will say, in response to the animation, "Oh it was so close to a 20... if only it had stayed there!"
There is no "staying there." The RNG produced a number, say 11, and the animator then animated the die to land on an 11. There is no "almost" like with a real die when it hangs on a number and then just ever so slowly clicks over to another one. It's just for show. But he still treats it like a real physical die roll. For him it's part of the fun.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I love my clickety clacks, and I like blaming them for bad rolls, putting them in my dice jail (yes, I have a dice jail) and switching them out to "change my luck".
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
I totally get wanting to automate all of that rolling, especially if the system can automatically handle situational modifiers like Bless. For me, I think it would make D&D feel a bit too much like a video game. I think I prefer making my rolls myself, even when it's digital vs physical. There's just a more visceral reaction to the success or failure that way. Yes, you'll have those situations where a player forgets to add a bonus or penalty that they should've, but unless you've got a player who does that CONSTANTLY, some gentle reminders should get the job done. Especially in a system like Foundry(or others that may have similar functionality) that makes it easy to apply a one-time or temporary modification to a roll.
I just find it interesting that so many people enjoy the rolling, even when all you are doing is virtual rolling. That is easily the worst part of the game for me. I hate doing tedious tasks that get in the way of roleplaying. I love that I don't even have to look at the AC for creatures or hit points for creatures or roll saves for them, all that stuff is automated. It frees my mental energy up for interacting with the players and roleplaying. To me reminding a player to roll a 1d4 for bless or reminding them to make a concentration check are not player interactions, those are things that get in the way of the game.
But if that is the part of the game you enjoy, more power to you.
If you find rolling tedious, then perhaps D&D 5e isn't the rpg for you. A more narrative driven story based rpg might be better suited for the style of game you enjoy.
The integration with beyond is even better now. I stop buying stuff on roll20, everything on beyond. Foundry is the best VTT
So I am looking into Foundry but currently all my players use Beyond D&D for character sheets and I have purchased books, etc... everyone talks about the integration but I have yet to see how it works beyond the first "import".. Once a character has been imported are they linked.. if you update one it updates the other... or at the very least anything updated in Beyond gets pushed down to Foundry? How does it work longer term... aka I want my players to level up, use items, skills, feats, etc purchased in Beyond and not just a single one off copy into Foundry. When they level up, new feats, spells etc should be available in Foundry. Can someone please tell me how it works longer term.
There are chrome extensions that will allow people to do things like roll in D&D Beyond and it shows up in Foundry. I am not a player so I don't know the details but one of my players uses the extension. There is a module in Foundry that lets the DDB rolls show up "all pretty" in the Foundry chat.
And updating the character sheet between Foundry and DDB is not that hard. You just press a button for each character sheet. I let my players do it themselves.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
There are chrome extensions that will allow people to do things like roll in D&D Beyond and it shows up in Foundry. I am not a player so I don't know the details but one of my players uses the extension. There is a module in Foundry that lets the DDB rolls show up "all pretty" in the Foundry chat.
And updating the character sheet between Foundry and DDB is not that hard. You just press a button for each character sheet. I let my players do it themselves.
Thanks for the reply... yeah currently I am using the same extension to roll the dice in Roll 20 from Beyond... however I was considering paying for Roll 20 but then Foundry looks a better option... I guess if each session or each time they go up a level they can relink... or if it works like Roll 20 I guess they just need a character in Foundry so they have a token to control... though I have seen Foundry has like short cuts which I assume build off the foundry character sheet... if it is just pressing a button to refresh then that sound fine.
This thread has been tremendously informative. I've played a few sessions on Roll 20 (one so far using the DnDB extension which elevated the gameplay imo) so hearing that FVTT will work this way once we get it setup right is a relief. I hope to set up a local game with some mates from work and none of them are particularly gamers or techies, so having a system that 'just works' is what I'm really aiming for. It sounds like it'll be a few long days for me getting everything working initially, but I look forward to the far side of that hill. For $50 bucks (I think it came out to near $70 in my local currency) I think it's a steal.
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I looked into Foundry, but the power of Fantasy Grounds is just too much. It is for me still the best platform. If foundry integrates as much automation as I can get in Fantasy Grounds I might make the switch.
The #1 automation that FG has and Foundry does not is the book content, which Foundry does not have. There are ways to import the content but it is not seamless and it relies on things like adding extensions to chrome, which not everyone wants to do (I try to avoid them myself, so I forgo some of the automation).
Everything else is automated in Foundry, from line of site to range calculations to to-hit and damage etc.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Just imported all of Tasha's Cauldron into Foundry...straight from Fantasy Grounds!
The automation I am referring to and what sold me on it was in my first time playing in an AL game on FG. This sequence of events happened.
At this point I was sold, it rolled 6 saves, including a bunch of ad hoc modifiers, rolled damage and applied it, and rolled concertation checks, all with 2 clicks. I checked out foundry and I found nothing even close to this, has it been improved recently?
I can't completely compare the automation of 5e FG vs. Foundry. I'm currently trying out Foundry for another system. But, I'm pretty sure it's going to be at least close. There are hundreds of add-on modules, and probably half of them are for 5e. There are some very minor things covered in the addons. Click on this link and start scrolling, it takes a while to reach the bottom: Foundry Modules. Here's an example of just one module made by fans, scroll down for examples and vids : https://github.com/RedReign/FoundryVTT-BetterRolls5e
That being said, some groups may not want that kind of automation. Play styles can vary. I've used VTT's primarily for a digital tabletop. I primarily play person to person, so we still like rolling dice, fiddling with a real character sheet, etc. When a player can't be present, then my VTT becomes a digital tabletop and a dice roller.
For example, I don't think I want this kind of automation. I have no problem with the VTT rolling dice when I or a player clicks one. But resolving the entire thing in one click is probably not for some of us. I want to say, "Joe and Nancy roll saves" then have them click to do it. I want to say, "Mike you get to apply your Bless, roll now". Mike then clicks the d4. That's more player interaction and input. Too much automation means players sit there longer as a witness then as a participant.
Just one opinion of course!
Cost was also a deciding factor on FG vs. Foundry for me. I paid $50. My players can join for free. FG players also have to pay, unless I shelled out $150 for an ultimate license.
The number of games where people forgot to add a modifier then remember a round later and are like I should have made my save. Or the times we forget to roll concertation for ongoing effects has been countless. That alone makes it worth for me.
But resolving the entire dragon attack in under 10 seconds by with making dozens of rolls, is so amazing. Clicking a button to roll some dice isn't fun for me. Keeping the action moving is what is fun.
You can automate that in Foundry... but I don't. I have my players make their individual rolls and such. I just use the template to tell me who is in the AOE radius.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I totally get wanting to automate all of that rolling, especially if the system can automatically handle situational modifiers like Bless. For me, I think it would make D&D feel a bit too much like a video game. I think I prefer making my rolls myself, even when it's digital vs physical. There's just a more visceral reaction to the success or failure that way. Yes, you'll have those situations where a player forgets to add a bonus or penalty that they should've, but unless you've got a player who does that CONSTANTLY, some gentle reminders should get the job done. Especially in a system like Foundry(or others that may have similar functionality) that makes it easy to apply a one-time or temporary modification to a roll.
I just find it interesting that so many people enjoy the rolling, even when all you are doing is virtual rolling. That is easily the worst part of the game for me. I hate doing tedious tasks that get in the way of roleplaying. I love that I don't even have to look at the AC for creatures or hit points for creatures or roll saves for them, all that stuff is automated. It frees my mental energy up for interacting with the players and roleplaying. To me reminding a player to roll a 1d4 for bless or reminding them to make a concentration check are not player interactions, those are things that get in the way of the game.
But if that is the part of the game you enjoy, more power to you.
I think it's the illusion of agency. If you're rolling, then it's you who succeeds or fails, not some sterile computer telling you. And yes, I think it applies even when you're rolling digitally.
I love rolling dice. All my players do. All my friends always did. Best part about D&D is the strangely shaped dice that all have different purposes. We liked Champions, too... though they just used D6, you rolled a LOT of them (3 to hit, as many as 12-14 for damage!). People walked around with dice pouches stuffed full of dice. Several of us would roll dice when not called for, just in the middle of other play, because we liked rolling dice. (Then there was the one guy who would just keep rolling 3d6 until he got a 3, and then ask, "Can I use that for my next to-hit roll?" -- no, of course not, but he always asked.)
One really fun thing with Foundry is... the die roll animation is a mod, not built in, and the animation is just for flavor. The roll is the roll, RNG-generated. But yet one of my players, who knows this full well, still will say, in response to the animation, "Oh it was so close to a 20... if only it had stayed there!"
There is no "staying there." The RNG produced a number, say 11, and the animator then animated the die to land on an 11. There is no "almost" like with a real die when it hangs on a number and then just ever so slowly clicks over to another one. It's just for show. But he still treats it like a real physical die roll. For him it's part of the fun.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
I love my clickety clacks, and I like blaming them for bad rolls, putting them in my dice jail (yes, I have a dice jail) and switching them out to "change my luck".
Any time an unfathomably powerful entity sweeps in and offers godlike rewards in return for just a few teensy favors, it’s a scam. Unless it’s me. I’d never lie to you, reader dearest.
Tasha
We never had a dice jail...
As a player, I would probably have one. As a DM, the rolls are the rolls. I don't care if I have a run of bad luck as DM.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
If you find rolling tedious, then perhaps D&D 5e isn't the rpg for you. A more narrative driven story based rpg might be better suited for the style of game you enjoy.
There are diceless games out there, if one dislikes making die rolls.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
The integration with beyond is even better now. I stop buying stuff on roll20, everything on beyond. Foundry is the best VTT
So I am looking into Foundry but currently all my players use Beyond D&D for character sheets and I have purchased books, etc... everyone talks about the integration but I have yet to see how it works beyond the first "import".. Once a character has been imported are they linked.. if you update one it updates the other... or at the very least anything updated in Beyond gets pushed down to Foundry? How does it work longer term... aka I want my players to level up, use items, skills, feats, etc purchased in Beyond and not just a single one off copy into Foundry. When they level up, new feats, spells etc should be available in Foundry. Can someone please tell me how it works longer term.
There are chrome extensions that will allow people to do things like roll in D&D Beyond and it shows up in Foundry. I am not a player so I don't know the details but one of my players uses the extension. There is a module in Foundry that lets the DDB rolls show up "all pretty" in the Foundry chat.
And updating the character sheet between Foundry and DDB is not that hard. You just press a button for each character sheet. I let my players do it themselves.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Thanks for the reply... yeah currently I am using the same extension to roll the dice in Roll 20 from Beyond... however I was considering paying for Roll 20 but then Foundry looks a better option... I guess if each session or each time they go up a level they can relink... or if it works like Roll 20 I guess they just need a character in Foundry so they have a token to control... though I have seen Foundry has like short cuts which I assume build off the foundry character sheet... if it is just pressing a button to refresh then that sound fine.
This thread has been tremendously informative. I've played a few sessions on Roll 20 (one so far using the DnDB extension which elevated the gameplay imo) so hearing that FVTT will work this way once we get it setup right is a relief. I hope to set up a local game with some mates from work and none of them are particularly gamers or techies, so having a system that 'just works' is what I'm really aiming for. It sounds like it'll be a few long days for me getting everything working initially, but I look forward to the far side of that hill. For $50 bucks (I think it came out to near $70 in my local currency) I think it's a steal.