Spell Effects?

[antoneagle]

In looking at the spells in the Library, they dont seem to come with any of the appropriate effects.

For example, when I drag Bull's Strength from the Library onto a character sheet, the spell shows up just fine, but there is no effect attached to it. I can add an effect of course, but jeeze... what a lot of useless work! How do I get the effect attached to the spell.

Also, I have added the complete list of effects from this forum, and was wondering if there was a way to drag-and-drop an effect from the list, onto the spell, so that it attaches to the spell.

Thanks for any help.

[antoneagle]

Here's another question.

When I did into the XML file for the 3.5 SRD, I can easily find the spell information. For example, 1st level wizard spell... Color Spray. I can see the level, duration, etc. But no actions.

When I drag this spell from the Library window into a character sheet, it adds effect actions to the spell. Where does it get this information from? It's not in the library XML.

[Trenloe]

Here's another question.

When I did into the XML file for the 3.5 SRD, I can easily find the spell information. For example, 1st level wizard spell... Color Spray. I can see the level, duration, etc. But no actions.

When I drag this spell from the Library window into a character sheet, it adds effect actions to the spell. Where does it get this information from? It's not in the library XML.
There is code written into Fantasy Grounds that tries to parse the description of the spell and create relevant effects. Sometimes it works well, sometimes it works a bit and sometimes it doesn't work at all.

When you drag a spell to the spell class on the actions tab it is always a good idea to check what effects have been created and if they are correct.

[antoneagle]

Thanks.

I have come up with a work-around. I'm going to create characters that have all of a classes spells. For example I will create a character called "Wizard Spells", and give this character all the wizard spells.

Then, I will add all the correct effects.

Then when a player's character levels-up, I can temporarily load the "Wizard Spells" character, and drag the spells from them, to the player's character.

I will upload all these template characters to this forum when I am done.

[antoneagle]

As a side comment...

Why on earth would you create a list of stuff in a library that is in a different format that what you will need in a list of where you're going to use that stuff (in this case - the character's spell list).

That's just bad program design.

[Trenloe]

As a side comment...

Why on earth would you create a list of stuff in a library that is in a different format that what you will need in a list of where you're going to use that stuff (in this case - the character's spell list).

That's just bad program design.
Coming to Fantasy Grounds new you may think that it is bad design. But, effects is new functionality to Fantasy Grounds (I think it was 2.8 they were first introduced) and they are evolving with ongoing development. At this pint the library just contains the base OGL data - essentially what you'd see in the SRD/PRD, that can be readily imported from the respective website data. Perhaps the library might be changed in the future to include the effects...

[Trenloe]

I have come up with a work-around. I'm going to create characters that have all of a classes spells. For example I will create a character called "Wizard Spells", and give this character all the wizard spells.

Then, I will add all the correct effects.

Then when a player's character levels-up, I can temporarily load the "Wizard Spells" character, and drag the spells from them, to the player's character.

I will upload all these template characters to this forum when I am done.
Sounds like a good idea.

One thing to keep an eye out for - there is a flag in the PC XML ("parse") that when set to 1 it will reparse the spell effects when a spell is dropped in the spell class and/or the flag is set and the PC is reopened. This could result in your carefully created effects being wiped. So keep an eye out for that.

It is a "handy" piece of functionality for PCs created outside of FG (e.g. created in Hero Lab and converted via the FG character converter) as it forces the spells to be parsed and effects created the first time the PC is opened.

I think you'll be OK with your approach, but I thought I'd just mention it.

[Emrak]

Thanks.

I have come up with a work-around. I'm going to create characters that have all of a classes spells. For example I will create a character called "Wizard Spells", and give this character all the wizard spells.

Then, I will add all the correct effects.

Then when a player's character levels-up, I can temporarily load the "Wizard Spells" character, and drag the spells from them, to the player's character.

I will upload all these template characters to this forum when I am done.

I'll be looking forward to these char templates!! Are you making one for each magic class?

[antoneagle]

Yes. I already have Mage levels 0, 1, and 2, and Cleric 0, 1, and 2.

These are turning out really nice. I am adding effects for almost everything you would need.

Even spells that do not really have a specific "effect", but do have a short duration and might affect combat... I am giving them generic timer effects to automate tracking spell duration.

An example of this is Summon Monster I. I created an effect that gets added to the caster called "Summon Monster I timer..." and setup the duration appropriately. This way, the player can just cast the spell... and bam... it start to automatically track the spell duration.

Basically... I am going crazy with the effects. Love it. :-D