This has probably been asked numerous times but how do you guys at dungeon create stat blocks for creatures in your games? I mean do you do it clerically or do you use a generato? If so which one and is it available to the masses?
Creative Director
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This has probably been asked numerous times but how do you guys at dungeon create stat blocks for creatures in your games? I mean do you do it clerically or do you use a generato? If so which one and is it available to the masses?
We generate the stat blocks by hand for the most part, although we do use Microsoft Excel to calculate skill points at times. For new monsters, we use an excel spreadsheet as well. But the majority of the work is still done by hand; I've yet to see a stat-block generator that is both trustworthy in its rules application AND easilly adaptable to build stat blocks for the endless variety of NPCs that pop up in adventures.
This has probably been asked numerous times but how do you guys at dungeon create stat blocks for creatures in your games? I mean do you do it clerically or do you use a generato? If so which one and is it available to the masses?
Everyone has their own method for generating stat blocks. Personally, I can't do it unless I have a pencil and a piece of paper. For whatever reason, I just can't think through it properly any other way. James uses Word, although I know he has an Excel spreadsheet he uses for the more complicated ones. Neither of us use a generator.
Cheers, guys. I've been a bit disappointed with the generators that are around as well. I guess I wanted confirmation from those in the know that the pen is mightier than the microchip. :)
We generate the stat blocks by hand for the most part, although we do use Microsoft Excel to calculate skill points at times. For new monsters, we use an excel spreadsheet as well. But the majority of the work is still done by hand; I've yet to see a stat-block generator that is both trustworthy in its rules application AND easilly adaptable to build stat blocks for the endless variety of NPCs that pop up in adventures.
Hmm. Any chance that some of these Excel spreadsheets you mention were created and/or inspired by me? If you're using HeroForge or the monster-generator I made a few years ago, a brief mention in the Prison Mail or editorial section would be greatly appreciated.
And, if not, would you consider giving them a look, despite the shameless plug?
I've toyed with the idea of creating a NPC generator, but the sheer amount of options available is just headache-inducing. I went for option 3 and made a website to upload stat blocks to.
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Creative Director
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The spreadsheet I use for building new monsters was actually developed at WotC for internal use; I'm not sure who built it, but it certainly lacks the polish and ease-of-use that HeroForge does. The spreadsheet I use to calculate NPC skill points is even more primitive—I built this one myself, and it's little more than a bunch of addition macros.
I have used HeroForge for my own PCs before though, but I prefer to hand-generate character sheets these days. Partially because it's nostalgic and feels more "real" to me, and partially becasue I end up using a lot of options from non-open sources or house rules, which tend not to play well with statblock generators that utilize only the SRD. That said... I haven't checked out HeroForge lately; if it's easy to customize to house rules or incorperates all the additional non-SRD material already I might have to check it out again.
Heroforge is okay, but it's the little mistakes that are in it that drive me batty. My wife puts up with it and will spend hours using the program to make pretty character sheets, which I could care less about (I use a crude homemade Word based character sheet)
I recently bought E-tools and it's also okay--it's mainly useful for the $6 upgrades that include the assorted non-SRD sourcebooks. They just released the spell compendium upgrade and that is really nice.
However, I don't use it for my characters. I use it for quickly generating stat blocks of commonly encountered creatures and generic NPCs....it's useful enough for that and saves a lot of time, but it's also buggy enough to make me not trust it 100%. Mainly, I like it because it has a program extension that allows me to export every stat block in the new stat block format introduced last year and copy them on to 4x6 cards, which makes the program worth the money to me.
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Hey guys,
Along that line of thinking: When you actually import them into the mag (via InDesign or whatever layout program you use), do you already have the stat blocks typed up or do you just build them in the layout program? Also, does Paizo have a template (via Word) that it uses pre-page layout?
I've toyed with the idea of creating a NPC generator, but the sheer amount of options available is just headache-inducing. I went for option 3 and made a website to upload stat blocks to.
I love you...
I've toyed with the idea of creating a NPC generator, but the sheer amount of options available is just headache-inducing. I went for option 3 and made a website to upload stat blocks to.
I've used it bunches of times and love it. Great job! And kudos to all of the numerous contributors as well.
Lilith's site is one of the best DM resources on the 'net--glad you discovered it, Greg.
I love you...
*blushes*
Dank yew! If there's any suggestions you have about the site, don't hesitate to contact me concerning it. I may not be able to get to things right away, but I'll do my best.
I have used HeroForge for my own PCs before though, but I prefer to hand-generate character sheets these days. Partially because it's nostalgic and feels more "real" to me, and partially becasue I end up using a lot of options from non-open sources or house rules, which tend not to play well with statblock generators that utilize only the SRD. That said... I haven't checked out HeroForge lately; if it's easy to customize to house rules or incorperates all the additional non-SRD material already I might have to check it out again.
There is a Yahoo! group that has taken my original work, grabbed it in a pair of meaty fists, and run with it like a shoplifter. They've added a lot of features, and included a great deal of non-SRD material as well.
I just really hope that providing a link to them won't get them in any sort of trouble with WotC, 'cause I'm the one who started the whole mess in the first place.
http://games.groups.yahoo.com/group/Hero_Forge/
On another note, I'm working on a new version of HF, though it's strictly on my spare time and inclination (and, I must admit, there's been little of one or the other lately). I intend on making it a LOT easier to customize, among other things.
The spreadsheet I use for building new monsters was actually developed at WotC for internal use; I'm not sure who built it, but it certainly lacks the polish and ease-of-use that HeroForge does.
Want me to take a look at 'em, see if I can improve on them? If it'll help save you guys a little more time and make your stat-blocks more accurate, I'd be happy to oblige.
('Cause, seriously, I'm still finding little numerical errors in stat-blocks. Problem with me recopying them for my reference before a game is that I end up redoing all the math in my head. I've lost count how many critters out of the Monster Manual are off by a few skill points, or didn't take into account size modifiers or the like.)
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Creative Director
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Want me to take a look at 'em, see if I can improve on them? If it'll help save you guys a little more time and make your stat-blocks more accurate, I'd be happy to oblige.
('Cause, seriously, I'm still finding little numerical errors in stat-blocks. Problem with me recopying them for my reference before a game is that I end up redoing all the math in my head. I've lost count how many critters out of the Monster Manual are off by a few skill points, or didn't take into account size modifiers or the like.)
Thanks for the offer, but I can't; they're not technically my spreadsheets to pass around. That said, we generally use these spreadsheets only for new monsters, not for the majority of the statblocks in the magazine itself. The spreadsheet is pretty accurate; when errors occur it's often because we mistype something or change something later on to the stat block and the change has some minor effect elsewhere in the stats.
In any event, errors will always appear in stat blocks, especially in a magazine. It's just a matter of fact when you have so many stat blocks and so little time to check them all. And in the end, I very much doubt that skill points being off by a few points or other minor errors to a stat block are really going to be noticable in play. For that matter, stat block errors, I would think, would PALE in comparasion to errors that just occur naturally during the course of play (such as incorrectly applied grapple rules or forgotten penalties from range increments or whatever).
Is Paizo interested in a stat-block-checker intern?
Yeah, what he said. I'd be happy to double-check your math on those. You wouldn't even have to pay me extra, just the going rate-per-word you normally pay. (Heck, even a portion of that would work.)
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I've toyed with the idea of creating a NPC generator, but the sheer amount of options available is just headache-inducing. I went for option 3 and made a website to upload stat blocks to.I love you...
And I want to have your babies....;-P
Seriously, though, I did receive a lovely e-mail from Lilith herself, inviting me to use her wonderful stat-block bank.
Although I have only browsed, and have yet to use any of the entries (having already melted my brain writing my major NPCs the long way, or using home-brew races of my own devising), I think that personal touch is impressive. (I swear I will add some of my creations to the list, though my players complain I'm a killer-DM bastard, so it's at your own risk...).
Add to this, the fact she still manages to find time to produce her own art, and she really is a remarkable woman.
She'd better be appreciated, or I'm swimming that Atlantic to sort you all out! (Then to take her to my fortress and kill a yak for her supper...)
Why am I reminded of the scene from Red vs Blue?
"You can fix Sheila?!?!...I love you."
:) Thanks for the praise, Snorter!