The PFR is really good. I think it's like $1 a book.
I also use Good Reader and I think it works pretty well.
Pretty much what Nawtyit said, PFR for rules searching (and the quick hidden D20 roll, awesome feature there, simply two-finger-tap anywhere), GoodReader for the AP-volumes and Bestiaries (to show the players the pictures of the things they are fighting).
Other than that: I want to try using DM Minion for a fight, but haven't managed to really get into that.
There is Hazzah iPad/iPhone and 3D Virtual Tabletop as VTT options, Hazzah should already work to distribute the VTT to the other players, 3D Virtual Tabletop has/promises browser integration as well as Android compatibility, if you need any of that.
[edit]Linkified
iBooks works fine, as does Adobe Reader. I also get good use out of...
PFR - a rule reprint app. Costs money, but you can get almost all the hardback books for $2 a pop.
Spellbook - though it hasn't been updated recently. All the basics are there, but if you are playing a serious spellcaster look for one that updates more often.
InitiativeBoard - Just what it sounds like.
Hero Lab - Love it on my computer, love it on my iPad. I get more use from it than anything else. WARNING! It is not cheap. As new material is released by Paizo they update the program, but not all the updates are free. But as a DM it is great for keeping up with my bad guys.
I use the ipad spreadsheet app Numbers to make my own character sheets. I enter formulas to automatically change, attacks, skills, AC, CMB/CMD, skills, etc. on the sheeet when I advance in level, an ability scores changes, get a new magic item, etc. It can be a bit of a pain to set up because of the customization required for each class, but I like it when its done.
Ciaran Barnes: Couldn't you do that easier with a Google doc spreadsheet?
The Google Drive app lets you mark sheets for offline usage.
For the books, I've found that the regular adobe pdf app works for most of the time. It has trouble with very large files (the inner sea world guide pdf jumps immediately to mind) so I'm not entirely sure that all the core books will work or not. I mostly use it to carry all the little primers and other add-ons.
For spells, there are two apps. "Spellbook" uses the PRD as reference and has all the core stuff. It carries some but not all of the add-on material. It cost a buck, so it's a good way to get the basics quickly.
"SRD Spellbook" uses the SRD, and has just about every spell. It also has a 'create your own spellbook' feature that allows you to check custom spells or anything the SRD might have missed. Think you have to create the spellbook on your computer first though and download it to your pad. (I haven't had a need to use the feature yet.) I've spoken with a few folks who got the app for free or cheap in the past, but currently it's $8 or $9. Still totally worth it, IMO.
There's a neat app called "Summoner" that has all the monsters from Summon Monster and Nature's Ally spells. It makes playing my summon heavy characters a snap, and it's great for GMing or quick-loaning to someone across the table. It's a bit buggy- it has features to look up abilities and other details but the features don't seem to work on my version- but it's still a fantastic app that you'll get a lot of use out of. I don't remember how much it is, but it's cheap.
As Ben Mathis said, there's a Hero Labs app that is all kinds of awesome. The app is soley designed for 'in play' reference of a character that you've already created on your computer with Hero Labs. The iPad app and all updates to the app are free, but they're useless without the Hero Labs computer program. The computer program itself is pricey but worth it if you create a lot of characters (or know that you're into the hobby for the long haul and will be using this stuff for years). Anyway, the app itself is awesome for in-play stuff - much better than the in-play tab on the Hero Labs program - and is one of the best apps that I've ever seen.
I've just recently picked up the Combat Manager app. It's designed for GMs, but I've already gotten a lot of use out of it just from the in-built ability to look up feats and rules. It has a lot of other features that I haven't gotten to yet, but most of them have to do with GMing. It's one of the pricier apps (5 bucks? 7?) but seems like it'll be worth it once I start using all of it.
TheOGL part of the books can be found in a App that cost around 34 DKK ( i think 6 $) it is updatet and have a ok search function. I dont remember the name but it is a White logo with a Black dragon siluette.
Edit:PFRPG rd is the name.
I think his question is not what reader to use for pdf, but how to get the rules in a pdf format without buying them all over again (he has the books). Is that correct?
I am more than willing to rebuy my whole collection in pdf, but I'm a complete noob with a tablet and don't know where to start/what to download.
Oh! Yeah, let me second HangarFlying. You're going to need a free unzipping program to open anything you buy. Paizo zips all their stuff.
HangarFlying, I didn't realize iBooks could take incoming PDF's. I'll have to try that.
Good reader and Herolab are my main stays for the iPad. They work great for me. I haven't played with any of the combat apps yet.
PFRRG is a nice reference app I use while playing or DMing.
Enjoy the iPad.
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HangarFlying, I didn't realize iBooks could take incoming PDF's. I'll have to try that.
Yeah:
1) Go to the "My Downloads" page and select the file you wish to download (may have to hit the link a second time after personalization).
2) After a few moments (or minutes depending on your connection), the screen will switch to a gray screen with an "Open in..." link. If you have an unzip app installed, you will also have a link for that. In my case, it says 'Open in "iZip"'.
3) After you hit the link, the iZip app opens and will ask if you want to extract all files. Normally, I just hit ok unless I'm importing an AP chapter because I don't do the interactive maps on the iPad.
4) After the file unzips, select the relevant PDF file.
5) At the bottom, select "Open In" and then select "iBooks".
Obviously, iBooks needs to be installed (can't remember if the iPad comes with it already installed). If you use something other than iZip, I'm sure the steps are similar.
I have iAnnotate for my iPad (which was purchased by my employer) and it works great. Can create bookmarks, add notes, highlights, etc. Note that this is just for reading said documents, not for actually getting the books.
Also, a good idea is to get something like Dropbox. Dropbox allows you to share files between all your devices (phone, laptop, desktop, iPad) and it will work seamlessly with a combination of iOs, Android, and PC devices (like I have).
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I use an app called downloads for getting the files from Paizo. I love it. It gas a free version and a paid version. Get the free one and you can then later open the files you get with it in another app or one if the seven files the free version allows you to maintain itself. I bought the paus version for very little and have no regrets but you can get by on the free version and open the PDFs in a better PDF reader.
I love the free version of PDF-notesas my app if choice for PDFs. I can type text by various sizes, put on sticky notes as a small symbol that can be enlargecd, freehand write, highlight with several different colors, underline, box and circle stuff. Allfor free!
I also love both PFRPG rd nd Summoner. I cannot strees how highly I recomend the PFRPG rd for anyone into the game. It us only around $3 and every few months updates the new hardbacks at no additional charge whatsoever, how can you beat that? You cannot.
Wow. PDF Notes sounds perfect for running a mod from my pad without having to print it. I'll check it out. PFRPG too.
Well, GoodReader does all that:
It has a browser built in, so you can download the files directly from any website,
it can unzip the files from Paizo,
you can organize them within the app in folders you can create, and
it lets you anote the pdfs.
(And as far as I can tell, it still is able to handle larger pdfs, faster than the Adobe Reader app.)
I know that sounds like an ad, yet still for me, GoodReader does it all.
Ciaran Barnes: Couldn't you do that easier with a Google doc spreadsheet?
The Google Drive app lets you mark sheets for offline usage.
I don't know, I've never used Google Docs. What is inherently different about it that would be easier than a well-supported spreadsheet application?
I didn't know Numbers, but now that I looked, I'd guess you've got a Mac?
Then the point is really moot now.
I load all of my PDFs into iBooks and it works fine. I use the free version of iZip (I think that's what it's called) to unzip the downloads.
If you already have the PDF on your computer, open iTunes. Under Files. select Add File to Library, then open the PDF.
After you connect your iPad, in iTunes, select on the iPad, then select Books. You can either select Sync All or Sync Selected - under Selected, you can select which epubs, pdfs, and purchased books you want on the iPad.
This is also how you can download and install epub format books on your iPad.
To view them, open the iBooks app on your iPad.
I didn't know Numbers, but now that I looked, I'd guess you've got a Mac?
Then the point is really moot now.
I have an ipad, so my Numbers is an app. It doesn't do 100% of what the full software does, but it does more than I need it to. When you really get down to it, the reason I use this instead of an actual character sheet is that I like to arrange the layouts to suit my tastes. My group thinks (knows) that I'm ridiculous.
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There's a neat app called "Summoner" that has all the monsters from Summon Monster and Nature's Ally spells. It makes playing my summon heavy characters a snap, and it's great for GMing or quick-loaning to someone across the table. It's a bit buggy- it has features to look up abilities and other details but the features don't seem to work on my version- but it's still a fantastic app that you'll get a lot of use out of. I don't remember how much it is, but it's cheap.
It was a great app until IOS7, then it became buggy and lost some usability. If you don't own, don't buy.
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A little tip.
When you buy the PDF most of the books (especially the larger rule sources or splatbooks) have a smaller file size. They are just as readable, and the pictures don't really take a hit either. With the ISWG I find it much less liable to lock up my iPad when I use the smaller file size.I do this for every file I xfer to iPad. And yes it is much easier on my back. :)
+1
Yep, the bigger sized books have a LITE option.same here
The Lite version of the ISWG was what crashed my adobe reader app. I didn't even try the bigger one. ;)
I downloaded goodreader and PFRPG last night. They're $5 each. I haven't poked around much, but at first glance they seem to live up to the talk.
It was a great app until IOS7, then it became buggy and lost some usability. If you don't own, don't buy.
Ahhhh. This explains why I vaguely remember those features working. Hopefully they'll fix it. Even if they don't, it's still the quickest way to look up the monsters. Especially for those like myself who connect to the Net strictly by Wifi. Do you know of any apps that can accomplish the same thing without the bugs, Sammy?
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Not an app, but I bought the Player's Aid II: Monster Summoning Cards (and PAIII for Nature's Ally) off Paizo. I just have the PDF docs on my iPad and open the files when I summon (alternately, I just print out the sheets if I want a hardcopy).
I have an app called Character Folio I use for table play. I like it a lot.
I have an app called Character Folio I use for table play. I like it a lot.
character folio is really thin on rules support. I am desperately looking for something that gets updated with new feats, classes etc and doesn't cost a fortune. He'll even a fillable PDF that loads on the IPad would be great.
Isn't the ISWG "Lite" file size actually bigger than the regular version?