Monster Builder -> FG2

[mattcolville]

Let's imagine I have a custom monster created using the Monster Builder. Is there an "easy" way to bring him into FG2, without entering all his data in manually?

[Fot5]

Yes, you can use the parser. You'd just put the stat block into the NPC data file and create a module with the parser. When you activate that module in the parser, the monster will appear under the NPC menu. You can also use the parser to put groups of monsters together into encounters.

[mattcolville]

Yes, you can use the parser. You'd just put the stat block into the NPC data file and create a module with the parser. When you activate that module in the parser, the monster will appear under the NPC menu. You can also use the parser to put groups of monsters together into encounters.

Ok, I can probably do that. I just managed to add a weapon manually. I have no experience creating new files, only scraping the compendium. So unless there's some reason not to, I'd just add this to an existing file and reparse. Would that make sense?

Any advice on how to translate this;


Knight of the Eye Level 3 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 150
HP 47; Bloodied 24
AC 19; Fortitude 16; Reflex 15; Will 14
Speed 5
Initiative +5
Perception +1

Standard Actions
m Longsword (weapon) • At-Will
Attack: +10 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the knight’s next turn.
r Dagger (weapon) • At-Will
Attack: Ranged 5/10; +8 vs. AC
Hit: 1d4 + 5 damage.
M Stealthy Smite • Recharge 5 6
Requirements: Must have combat advantage against target.
Attack: +10 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 9 damage, and the target falls prone.
Triggered Actions
Punitive Radiance • Encounter
Trigger: When the knight hits with a melee attack.
Effect (Free): The attack deals 1d6 extra radiant damage, and the target grants combat advantage until the end of the knight’s next turn.
Knight's Shove • At-Will
Trigger: When a creature marked by the knight shifts.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The knight makes a longsword attack against the triggering creature. If it hits, the target falls prone.
Str 16 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 11 (+1)
Con 15 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 12 (+2)
Alignment unaligned*****Languages Common
Equipment plate armor, light shield, longsword, dagger x2

Just to pick a random example, into this;

Fire Bat Level 5 Skirmisher
Medium elemental beast (fire) XP 200
Initiative +8 Senses Perception +8
HP 60; Bloodied 30
AC 20; Fortitude 15, Reflex 20, Will 13
Resist 10 fire
Speed 2 (clumsy), Fly 8
m Fiery Touch (standard, at-will) ? Fire
ZZX +6 vs Reflex; 1d6+4 fire damage, and ongoing 5 fire damage (save ends).
M Fiery Swoop (standard, at-will) ? Fire
ZZX The fire bat shifts up to 4 squares and can move through occupied squares as it moves. It makes a melee basic attack against any creature whose space it enters. The fire bat cannot attack a target more than once in this fashion, and it must end its movement in an unoccupied square
Alignment Unaligned Languages -
Str 6 (0) Dex 19 (+6) Wis 12 (+3)
Con 12 (+3) Int 2 (-2) Cha 7 (0)

Just to pick another example, would be helpful! :D I don't know what ZZX is for except it seems obviously a marker for something. Also "?" ? UNKNOWN.

Reckon I can probably figure it out. Be nice if the parser could just accept pasted-in text from the Monster Builder, but I have some idea what a nightmare that would be. :D

[Zeus]

NPCs for the most part only require a small amount of markup. Other content sometimes doesn't require markup at all just a cut n paste job e.g. a PC power.

Approach for converting MM3 formatted NPC stat block to Parser NPC format.


Replace the bullets with a ?
Remove the ***** on the Alignment line
Add the Parser tag ZZX on the 2nd line of each attack/power


or add the example below to the modules npc.txt file and try a parse.



Knight of the Eye Level 3 Soldier
Medium natural humanoid XP 150
HP 47; Bloodied 24
AC 19; Fortitude 16; Reflex 15; Will 14
Speed 5
Initiative +5
Perception +1
Standard Actions
m Longsword (weapon) ? At-Will
ZZX Attack: +10 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 5 damage, and the target is marked until the end of the knight’s next turn.
r Dagger (weapon) ? At-Will
ZZX Attack: Ranged 5/10; +8 vs. AC
Hit: 1d4 + 5 damage.
M Stealthy Smite ? Recharge 5 6
ZZX Requirements: Must have combat advantage against target.
Attack: +10 vs. AC
Hit: 1d8 + 9 damage, and the target falls prone.
Triggered Actions
Punitive Radiance ? Encounter
ZZX Trigger: When the knight hits with a melee attack.
Effect (Free): The attack deals 1d6 extra radiant damage, and the target grants combat advantage until the end of the knight’s next turn.
Knight's Shove ? At-Will
ZZX Trigger: When a creature marked by the knight shifts.
Effect (Immediate Interrupt): The knight makes a longsword attack against the triggering creature. If it hits, the target falls prone.
Str 16 (+4) Dex 14 (+3) Wis 11 (+1)
Con 15 (+3) Int 10 (+1) Cha 12 (+2)
Alignment unaligned Languages Common
Equipment plate armor, light shield, longsword, dagger x2

[Fot5]

Yeah, what you suggest makes sense. Unless you plan to import an entire book's worth of new monsters, it would be easier just to add the stat block to the npc data file for whatever module you want to put the new monster into. Note that doing this will not fill in any of the other information that you see on a monster entry (e.g., lore, tactics, encounters, pictures, tokens). You'd need to add that information to the npc fluff file. You can probably figure out what would need to go into that file from your existing fluff file. If you run into any problems, you can post the fluff entry here, and someone can point out where you've made a mistake.