Queries About Custom Library Module Capabilities

[DingoSoulEater]

G'day guys.


I tried to find as much information as I could on the forums (and indeed, it answered many questions, making this post much shorter than it originally was); but some things I couldn't seem to find a definite, or at least helpful, answer to.


For context, I'm a DM running a long-term 3.5E D&D Game. Due to work, living arrangements, and Ye Olde Life; we've decided to begin discussing migrating to VTT's. Fantasy Grounds caught our eye to the point that we are all liable to buy it if it can suit our needs.


I understand that you can use modules to expand the existing material in the game, whether created or purchased. Unfortunately alot of the material used by my players is not covered with the pre-existing material. (Likely due to licensing). Things like the classes in the 'Complete' series, or extra feats, and so forth.

Thus, my remaining questions are this;


Can you add 'new' skills with only library edits, or must you delve into editing the ruleset itself?

Do custom created feats affect stats if set up properly in the module; or do they exist merely as placeholders in a feats listing?

If they do affect stats; are there limitations to what can be done? Can you use a custom feat for, say; extra spell slots, or changing what ability affects a skill?

Are classes such as the Favoured Soul (a cleric that casts spontaneously as a sorcerer does), or Shadowcaster (A class with a unique, tree-based spell progression) able to be made? Or at least emulated enough to avoid needing an out-of-FG resource?

Are there any public resources that I've missed for helping in learning how to do any of the above?


Thanks for reading!
- Dingo

[Griogre]

Thus, my remaining questions are this;

Can you add 'new' skills with only library edits, or must you delve into editing the ruleset itself?

Skills would be a ruleset change if you wanted every character to have that skill. However that is probably more work than it is worth because you can have the player right click on his skills and select Create and it will put in a blank line for the player to just type in the skill name, fill out the ranks and set the stat.


Do custom created feats affect stats if set up properly in the module; or do they exist merely as placeholders in a feats listing?

If they do affect stats; are there limitations to what can be done? Can you use a custom feat for, say; extra spell slots, or changing what ability affects a skill?

Feats don't affect stats. You would usually just adjust the stat manually in Misc and list the feat in the list of feats. The FG character sheet is mostly just a character sheet and like a character sheet in a face to face game you can pretty much write anything you want on the sheet. There isn't any rules checking. There is some automation but it is in almost all the vs. stuff, ie attack rolls, damage rolls and saves as well in a few places on the character sheet like stat mods are auto calculated and armor penalites if you enter the information.


Are classes such as the Favoured Soul (a cleric that casts spontaneously as a sorcerer does), or Shadowcaster (A class with a unique, tree-based spell progression) able to be made? Or at least emulated enough to avoid needing an out-of-FG resource?

You can make class like the Favored Soul or Shadow caster. This is because spell levels are set by the player as spontanous or forgotten and you enter the spell progression so those there would not be a problem with them since they effectively build the character class spell progression for their character up to their current level.


Are there any public resources that I've missed for helping in learning how to do any of the above?

Make sure you download and play around with the demo. Start the demo and experiment on the character sheet. You can't save anything in the demo, so anything your add will be lost once you shut down FG, but it might be worth while to take a character you have a question about and input parts of it to see how things work. You can then ask any other question that comes up.

The 3.5 user guide in the library can also be useful if you haven't read it: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/library/

[Trenloe]

Have a look at this thread: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=17203

It covers a few of things you are asking - basically the OP is asking how to make custom content for a character class not covered in the base rules/modules. It gets into effects which is your main way to cover most additions that you mention.