I remember reading in one of your more recent issues a response to a letter in the "Prison Mail" section. The response was in regards to statblocks and you guys mentioned having a WotC Microsfot Excel program that allowed you to make them up quick and easy.
I want that Excel program!!!
Any way we (the subscribers) can download it or maybe the wonderful folks at WotC could make it available? Besides DMing, my favorite thing in D&D to do is make new monsters.
I remember this conversation and I think it may have been along the lines of "can't release it, 'cause it belongs to WotC." I could be wrong, though, so I'm gonna park my butt on this topic and watch eagerly for a response from our Paizo Overlords.
Senior Software Developer
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I think the thread you're thinking of is "Creating stat blocks for Dungeon", where James Jacobs explains:
Thanks for the offer, but I can't; they're not technically my spreadsheets to pass around.
I think the thread you're thinking of is "Creating stat blocks for Dungeon", where James Jacobs explains:
Thanks for the offer, but I can't; they're not technically my spreadsheets to pass around.
Hey thanks Gary. Perhaps I could get your address and the program could "accidentally" get onto my flash drive? No? Oh well, can't blame a DM for trying.
Would you guys happen to have any contact info with WotC? If the Excel statblock generator is pretty good for new monsters (as JJ said), I'd even be willing to pay for it.
As a side note, I've used this site for years when making new monsters. It just lacks some of the "polish" and other essentials to really flesh out a new monster:
http://www.kencyclopedia.com/kender/monstergenerator/Step1-GeneralDescripti on.cfm
Contributor
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Okay, so first off, this mysterious and powerful Excel file doesn't write out the statblock for you. It only does the math. You have to manually put in the numbers into all the slots yourself in a Word document. And believe me, that's the long part. :\
Secondly, we can't distribute it because it's owned by Wizards of the Coast and is not something they want to share. We get to use it (and I suspect some trusted freelance writers get to use it) because we have a long and very involved history with them and all of us have signed NDAs with both Paizo and Wizards of the Coast. :)
Hey thanks Gary. Perhaps I could get your address and the program could "accidentally" get onto my flash drive? No? Oh well, can't blame a DM for trying.
Ha! Nice try, but I think if you sent us a flash drive it would go something like this:
Cosmo: "Look, mail from Ogre_Bane."Editors: "What is it?"
Cosmo: "It's a flash drive."
Me: "Dibs!" *keeps flash drive*
;)
Would you guys happen to have any contact info with WotC? If the Excel statblock generator is pretty good for new monsters (as JJ said), I'd even be willing to pay for it.
Uhhhh... Heh. I guess you could try their customer service team? Good luck. ;)
As a side note, I've used this site for years when making new monsters. It just lacks some of the "polish" and other essentials to really flesh out a new monster:http://www.kencyclopedia.com/kender/monstergenerator/Step1-GeneralDescripti on.cfm
Hadn't seen that before - not bad. I just put my wife in there, and got:
This creature has not yet been play tested. (sez who?)This is not a kender type creature. (she'll be glad to hear that).
Okay, so first off, this mysterious and powerful Excel file doesn't write out the statblock for you. It only does the math. You have to manually put in the numbers into all the slots yourself in a Word document. And believe me, that's the long part. :\
Secondly, we can't distribute it because it's owned by Wizards of the Coast and is not something they want to share. We get to use it (and I suspect some trusted freelance writers get to use it) because we have a long and very involved history with them and all of us have signed NDAs with both Paizo and Wizards of the Coast. :)
Oh well. Like I said, I had to try. Anything to make developing new monsters easier. Thanks for the quick response.
Hey thanks Gary. Perhaps I could get your address and the program could "accidentally" get onto my flash drive? No? Oh well, can't blame a DM for trying.Ha! Nice try, but I think if you sent us a flash drive it would go something like this:
Cosmo: "Look, mail from Ogre_Bane."
Editors: "What is it?"
Cosmo: "It's a flash drive."
Me: "Dibs!" *keeps flash drive*;)
Well what can I expect? We are all gamers here.
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Contributor
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Oh well. Like I said, I had to try. Anything to make developing new monsters easier. Thanks for the quick response.
Yeah, I certainly don't blame you for that. ;D
Well what can I expect? We are all gamers here.
Yuppers. Very much a part of the "loot the body while nobody's looking" camp. ;)
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Director of Sales
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Ha! Nice try, but I think if you sent us a flash drive it would go something like this:
Cosmo: "Look, mail from Ogre_Bane."
Editors: "What is it?"
Cosmo: "It's a flash drive."
Me: "Dibs!" *keeps flash drive*
Yes. That is exactly how it would happen. Exactly. It would NOT happen like this:
Cosmo: "Look! Mail from Ogr... *ahem* I mean nothing."
Editors: "What?"
Cosmo: "Nevermind."
That happens all the time, only it's the players...
Dave: Hey! Where's my Mountain Dew?
Shane: *Burp* What Mountain Dew?
Dave: You eating my Kettle Chips?
Shane: They're yours? Sorry, man. Jay said we could share them.
Dave: %^&&***!!!!!