What do I need to buy to get cheapest sample of 5e char gen?

[callahan09]

I know I need to do the 30-day free trial of the Standard subscription.

After I have that and I'm signed in, it says it includes the 5e ruleset, so is that enough to create a character, or do I need to buy a character class? Or do I need to buy the Character Customization Pack? Do I need both the customization pack AND a class pack?

Is it possible for me to use Fantasy Grounds to create a full 5e character manually using my hardcover player's handbook to figure out and fill in the details, but it won't have any automation or anything, or can you absolutely not even create a character at all without buying something?

Edit: I see references to "D&D Basic Rules" as a requirement fulfillment option on a lot of modules, like Lost Mine of Phandelver. What is that? I can't seem to find it in the store.

[ddavison]

The D&D Basic Rules is the PDF that Wizards of the Coast released shortly after release. It is included now with all licenses, along with the SRD 5 content that Wizards of the Coast released a few months back (maybe 6 months?). You can create any character that you need, including home-brew or Unearthed Arcana classes and races, but you would need to manually set up the abilities as you level. The individual class packs provide more drag and drop leveling that supports automatic data entry for many of the abilities and features you get. Similarly, the SRD 5 content and Basic Rules do the same but for a limited subset of the full rules.

You can check out the wiki on building characters and I also highly recommend you take a look at the 5E Sample Campaign that comes with all the licenses, including the 30-day trial. It will help you set up many of these things.

Fantasy Grounds is not meant to be a character builder application, so most of the set up revolves around creating your character so that you can play it online using Fantasy Grounds.

Wiki on the 5E character sheet
https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/5E_Character_Sheet

Vidoes on making a 5E character
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nurEMR4JJeUCreating

[ddavison]

My recommendation would be to start a trial and don't buy anything else initially. You can test the basics of creating a character using the D&D Basic Rules and SRD 5 modules and then decide if you want the PC Customization Pack which contains all the races and non-class info from the PHB, along with a bunch of D&D portraits and then one or more classes that contain all the archetypes, domains and spells of the class you want to play.

[Trenloe]

The standard or ultimate license (30 dad trial, subscription or payment) comes with the 5E ruleset structure (character sheets etc.) and the D&D Basic Rules (https://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules?x=dnd/basicrules)library and the 5E SRD rules library. These are enough to get you started with base character generation. You can also enter details manually - but you will have to enter them all manually, there is no auto filling of data if you don't drag/drop entries from the library.

Activate the various libraries in the module activation screen. See this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nurEMR4JJeU At around 4:15 when Doug activates some PHB modules just activate the Basic Rules player module (and the 5E SRD if you like) and use those instead.

[callahan09]

Thank you for the fast responses, everyone! I don't actually particularly need the software to function as a character builder, I'm familiar with (and have plenty experience with) creating characters by hand from the rulebooks. I was just curious if I am able to create a character with nothing but a standard license (or free trial thereof). Drag and drop I'm sure makes things go really quickly, but it isn't essential for me as long as I can type everything in. I have already played with the demo a little bit, not the free trial but the demo, and it doesn't seem to be possible to actually create a 5e character in that, which is why I was asking how much different it is for the trial in terms of what I can do.

So I am still very confused about the Basic Rules. I know what the basic rules are in terms of WotC's website, they are the free rules to the game which can be downloaded, without necessarily every class or whatever, it's a subset of the rules, enough to play the game. I started with that, but I do own the full core rulebooks now as well. But in terms of Fantasy Grounds, is this something that USED TO BE a product, but is now included for free with all licenses?

There is a product on steam for $2.99 called "Fantasy Grounds - D&D Basic Rules and Theme".

That item doesn't seem to still be available at all on the FantasyGrounds website. My interpretation of what you're all saying is that this product is now included for free with all licenses, but if that's the case, then why is it still available for sale on the Steam store?

[Trenloe]

Correct - the basic rules used to be a product, but it is now included with all licenses other than the demo.

You can manually create a character in the demo (it just won't save between sessions unless you do it in manage characters). What wasn't working for you?

[ddavison]

Yes, it used to be stand-alone and now it is included. We turned it off on our site so it doesn't show up in the store anymore but can't do that on Steam.

The trial is fully functional and has more content than the Demo.

[callahan09]

Correct - the basic rules used to be a product, but it is now included with all licenses other than the demo.

You can manually create a character in the demo (it just won't save between sessions unless you do it in manage characters). What wasn't working for you?

Thanks for the clarification on that!

As far as what I can't seem to do in the demo, there are a number of things. I took a screenshot, but the forum won't let me post it.

The Speed box doesn't seem editable. Neither is AC, so I figured, OK, I'll add my armor in the equipment tab, but it doesn't seem to change the AC. I took a screenshot, but the forum won't let me post it.

AC is still 9 after creating that equipment item. And then there's feats, like the Fighting Style (Defense) feat for the fighter class at level 1, it confers a +1 bonus to AC while wearing armor. I don't see a way to give this to my character. I can manually add a feat, but it just seams to have a text field and no actual mechanics fields, so I can't make the game understand that it gives me +1 to AC, and again the AC field itself doesn't seem to be editable.

I was also kind of confused about how making items and dragging & dropping them works in this program. I added an item for my Greataxe to my inventory. Then I went to add it to my Weapons in the Actions tab as well, and dragging & dropping doesn't work so I had to add it manually there as well.

Any idea what's going on with these issues? Am I just missing something / not understanding, or is the demo not capable of doing these things, or what?

[Trenloe]

I think most of these issues are just getting used to the FG interface. Speed and AC are editable by clicking the magnifying glass icon to the left of the AC "shield" display.

You're correct that manually adding a feat doesn't automatically add a +1 to AC. I inferred this above when I said "You can also enter details manually - but you will have to enter them all manually". Add this as a Misc bonus to the AC in the window that opens when you click the magnifying glass.

Dragging dropping of weapons will only fully populate both the inventory and actions if they come from outside of FG. e.g. from the campaign "Items" list (down the right side of the desktop). So, you could drag the weapon from the inventory to the campaign items list, delete from the inventory and then drag back from the campaign items list - this will trigger the full drag/drop code. Or, just enter them both manually in the interface.

Also - remember that edit mode can be entered into by clicking the brown / icons *and* (this is a big one) a lot of functionality is available through context sensitive right-click menus, so keep using right-click to see what options are available to you.

[callahan09]

I think most of these issues are just getting used to the FG interface. Speed and AC are editable by clicking the magnifying glass icon to the left of the AC "shield" display.

You're correct that manually adding a feat doesn't automatically add a +1 to AC. I inferred this above when I said "You can also enter details manually - but you will have to enter them all manually". Add this as a Misc bonus to the AC in the window that opens when you click the magnifying glass.

Dragging dropping of weapons will only fully populate both the inventory and actions if they come from outside of FG. e.g. from the campaign "Items" list (down the right side of the desktop). So, you could drag the weapon from the inventory to the campaign items list, delete from the inventory and then drag back from the campaign items list - this will trigger the full drag/drop code. Or, just enter them both manually in the interface.

Also - remember that edit mode can be entered into by clicking the brown / icons *and* (this is a big one) a lot of functionality is available through context sensitive right-click menus, so keep using right-click to see what options are available to you.

OK, thanks, I am sort of getting the hang of it now. I don't really understand what you mean about copying items drag & drop, maybe I'll get to that later haha. Right now I've just signed up for the free trial so now I'm getting used to what is available in the "full license" version, and it's definitely a lot more / nicer than what the demo has, so I'm starting to see the pieces come together.

Some thing are a little odd, let me see if I can get simple answers on a couple things I've noticed already.

I created a new character and started dragging in the race, background, and class. I'm trying to recreate the Start Set noble fighter character, so I dragged in Human, Noble background, Fighter (level 1), in that order. Some quick oberservations:

1) I got a proficiency line item called "Tool: One gaming set". I opened up the SRD and went to the tools list, and there is an item called Playing Card Set, which I should give to this character for his gaming set proficiency. But it doesn't seem drag & droppable onto the proficiencies area? Are proficiencies with tools/equipment ever automatically utilized throughout the interface or is it something that I just have to keep track of my character's proficiencies and be sure and remember to apply them where they should be applied anywhere or when I do dice rolls?

2) The chat window says I get the Ability Score Increase trait when I add the Human race to the sheet, but in the Traits section of the Abilities tab, I don't see this trait listed. Is this expected behavior? Am I just supposed to know outside of Fantasy Grounds' hints & helpers what my ability scores should add up to by being familiar with manual character creation from the rulebook? That's OK if that's the case, but I just want to be sure I'm not missing or misunderstanding anything.

3) I also couldn't drag & drop languages from the SRD Languages section, so I manually typed them in. Then I tried selecting the dropdown language of "Elvish", one of the languages I gave my character, and typing some stuff in the chat window. It comes up in Elvish script, and says "Understood by: " (without listing my character's name, even though he should understand it, right?)

[Trenloe]

1) the Playing Card Set is an item to drag to the inventory. It is not a proficiency. Depending on what the proficiency is, you may have to add it as a new (custom) skill.

2) FG is not meant to be a complete 5E character creation tool, it has a lot of things to assist you but it can't always replicate every nuance of 5E characters - the developers aim for about 80% of automation, 100% is just not possible without a slew of developers. So, it is always good to know the rules. Having said that, FG will show the base race traits if you click on the shield (or dragon depending on the theme used) link to the right of the race entry on the character sheet. This opens up the race info window and if you scroll to the bottom of the window you'll see the racial traits listed.

Also, the order of character creation does matter if using the drag/drop libraries - make sure you follow the order (and instructions) from the 5E user guide in the Wiki: https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/5E_Character_Sheet

3) The language functionality (translations, "understands", etc.) only operates when there are player connected to the game and they have selected PCs.

[ddavison]

There is a link icon next to Human in the race field. Click on that and it will show all the traits and other special features of the Human race. Occasionally, traits also get dropped into the Abilities section.

For the playing card set, that should go into your inventory. You can manage proficiency on individual skills by clicking the star/proficiency icon next to the skill or in the armor definition section for AC. For a skill that is unique to playing cards, you can add a new Skill to the list if you want using the menu editing icon and then flag that as proficient there. That would apply for when you have proficiency for only a sub-set of a normal skill usage.

For languages, you can click on the campaign setting button (small gear) and then click on the Languages button to display a list of the languages. It will tell you who of the currently logged in players can understand it. If no players are logged in, it won't cycle through all the PC's available though since they may not be active in the campaign at the time. You can connect a copy of FG to localhost as a player to test it further.

[callahan09]

Thanks again for the answers! I'm sure I'll have many more, but I think I've managed to completely create the character sheet for my first character in here now. On to the Cleric next, which is a lot more complicated due to the spells, but thankfully the wiki seems to cover this pretty thoroughly.

[Zacchaeus]

When you dragged in the Human race FG will have automatically added one point to all of your ability scores. You are correct though in that it doesn't show up in the Traits section so you do have to be aware that when dragging in the race that you need to check what the actual ability score increases are. Most races will automatically add in the scores when you drag them in but in the case of the Human Variant for example you get a choice of what abilities increase so you need to manually add those in.

[callahan09]

When you dragged in the Human race FG will have automatically added one point to all of your ability scores. You are correct though in that it doesn't show up in the Traits section so you do have to be aware that when dragging in the race that you need to check what the actual ability score increases are. Most races will automatically add in the scores when you drag them in but in the case of the Human Variant for example you get a choice of what abilities increase so you need to manually add those in.

Oh, OK, thanks, I didn't even notice, I guess I wasn't really sure what to look for when I first pulled it in. But now that you mention it, I seem to recall that after I pulled it in all the ability scores were at 11 (I didn't set ability scores before bringing in the race/background/class value, but I am assuming that the default was 10 and that when I pulled over the Human race it set them all up to 11).

How do I do the variant version of a human, anyway? Is that something you need to own the Human class pack (or the full class core pack) in order to drag & drop to create? I know that I could do it by just manually reducing 4 of the ability scores and then picking a feat and an extra proficiency. But I was curious if there actually is a different option for the variant somewhere that doesn't automatically use the default ability score increase trait.

[Zacchaeus]

The human variant is found in the Complete Core Class Pack (the player's handbook by another name).