Failing to roll Saves

[Dragontail]

Saves...
So I have a creature that is casting a spell and I need the PC's to save....

[SAVEVS:constitution (H)][DMG:8d8 cold]

but when i click the save portion (even with the target targetted) it just comes up 0

am I doing something wrong?

[Zacchaeus]

Have both pc and Nov been properly placed on the combat tracker and/or the map. Do other attacks work? How are you targeting?

[Dragontail]

Yes both the caster and the target are in the combat tracker (no map) and other attacks work. I clicked on the target icon and clicked on the picture of the target so that it shows on the combat tracker that I have X as a target

[Dragontail]

is it possible because the spell doesnt have a DC? or does it calculate that automatically?

[Dragontail]

Ok that was it...figured out in the body of the text how to add the DC and it seems to be working fine now!

[LordEntrails]

I've got the same problem with a module that I wrote and is many months old. Could you give an example of the fix so that I can resolve this in my cases too? Thanks in advance.

[Zacchaeus]

Include in the creatures 'Traits' Spellcasting or Innate Spellcasting. In the description use the following wording

The beastie is a 1st-level spellcaster. Its spellcasting ability is Wisdom (spell save DC 12, +4 to hit with spell attacks). The beastie has following cleric spells prepared:
Cantrips (at will): light, sacred flame, thaumaturgy
1st level (3 slots): bless, cure wounds, sanctuary

When such a beastie with such a description is placed on the CT the correct attacks, and Spell DCs should show up for each spell (that requires such things)

[Dragontail]

Well taht would be much easier then what I did lol I went into each discription and added the DC

[Dragontail]

After adding the spell to the creature I would look for, must make a STAT save, in the spell discription. I would then add DC 13 (in this case though you would put what ever your creatures would be) right before the stat name. Poof it worked

[Zacchaeus]

You don't need to add the actual spell to the creature (if I'm understanding you correctly). See the screen shot attached.

Note the spell description in traits and what happens when the NPC is dropped into the Combat Tracker.

[Dragontail]

So if I just type out the name it will auto load the spell for me?

[Zacchaeus]

So if I just type out the name it will auto load the spell for me?

Yes. It's a feature that Moon Wizard built into FG in the last update. If the spells are listed (either in Spellcasting trait or Innate Spellcasting) then FG will attempt to populate the Combat Tracker with the spells and set up all of the attacks, saves and damage for the spell as well as setting up as many of the effects that it can.

If you set up the stat block like I posted above and in the screenshot then the magic should happen.

[LordEntrails]

Thanks Zach, I will check what is in my module. Since I created a bunch of custom NPCs (things like goblin variants) and have creted encounters and added them to the encounters, am I going to need to update every encounter? My understanding is once I add them to the encounter it make a copy/instance of them and they are no longer tied to the entry in the NPC list. Is that right?

[Zacchaeus]

Thanks Zach, I will check what is in my module. Since I created a bunch of custom NPCs (things like goblin variants) and have creted encounters and added them to the encounters, am I going to need to update every encounter? My understanding is once I add them to the encounter it make a copy/instance of them and they are no longer tied to the entry in the NPC list. Is that right?

No you should be able to edit the NPC in the NPCs tab and any edits you make there will follow through into the encounters. Also if you do edit an NPC in one encounter then you will have effectively edited it for any encounter that the same NPC appears in.

Edit: Unless of course you populated your encounters by dragging directly from the Monster Manual and then edited the NPC in the encounter. If that's the case then you won't have a copy in the NPCs tab.

[Kontroar]

From the testing I just did, at minimum the following format must be used.

13924

I was curious how much syntax I would have to try and remember when creating new NPCs. :)


Is there a pdf, or wiki that has further information as to what syntax can be used in NPC stat blocks? I know the fantasy grounds wiki that I usually reference indicates that many of abilities and traits can be replicated from preexisting NPC blocks.

[Zacchaeus]

From the testing I just did, at minimum the following format must be used.


I was curious how much syntax I would have to try and remember when creating new NPCs. :)


Is there a pdf, or wiki that has further information as to what syntax can be used in NPC stat blocks? I know the fantasy grounds wiki that I usually reference indicates that many of abilities and traits can be replicated from preexisting NPC blocks.

No, but when I get the chance I'll update the NPC sheet in the 5e Wiki.

Your best bet at the moment is to have a look at how things are worded in the Monster Manual. The FG parser follows that when trying to decipher stuff.

[kylania]

Is there a pdf, or wiki that has further information as to what syntax can be used in NPC stat blocks? I know the fantasy grounds wiki that I usually reference indicates that many of abilities and traits can be replicated from preexisting NPC blocks.

This video contains that information for now:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uOdhB2GDoU

[LordEntrails]

No you should be able to edit the NPC in the NPCs tab and any edits you make there will follow through into the encounters. Also if you do edit an NPC in one encounter then you will have effectively edited it for any encounter that the same NPC appears in.

Edit: Unless of course you populated your encounters by dragging directly from the Monster Manual and then edited the NPC in the encounter. If that's the case then you won't have a copy in the NPCs tab.

Thanks again. My process was to drop from the NPC list/table and not the MM/SRD. But, can't guarantee that I never did at 3am... :)

[Dragontail]

I actually used various creatures from the MM to solve the problems. I think in some cases I might have missed a space or , but on the whole it worked.

[Dragontail]

Don't want to get in to exact info since some of my players read the forums and they haven't encountered him yet ��

[Nylanfs]

Is this Fluffy McFlufferson I've been hearing you talk about?

You know he's up to no good.
https://images1.tickld.com/live/29994.jpg

[Kontroar]

It definitely is an informative video with regards to the spellcasting. However, what was looking for was something that would be akin to the 'effects' page on the wiki.

For example, Blade Ward - cantrip, currently will parse into a NPC sheet. However, when added to the tracker it does not add in something like [EFF: RESIST: slashing, piercing, bludgeoning (D:1)]. I have spent some time looking, but I would not say that I have checked every creature in the MM with regards to finding a specific syntax match. (I have not found a creature that already has an ability that invokes a resistance once combat has begun either.) Typically, resistances would be programmed into the resistance field when the NPC is created.

I was basing that "EFF:" off of what I saw on other spells. Currently, I simply create the effect in the effects table and remember to drag'n'drop from there. I was simply curious if it could be programmed into a NPC stat block otherwise to be handy in the tracker. :)

[Zacchaeus]

You'll find here (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/wiki/index.php/5E_Combat_Tracker#DM_View_Action_Entry_Example) a list of the syntax which appears automatically when an NPC is added to the Combat Tracker and the wording in the start block is correct.

In the case of spells all that is added to the CT is things like the attack, damage and saving throws pertinent to that spell. It will also parse conditions like poisoned, unconscious etc. However these are not active effects as such; they are there as an aid to the DM when used in combat. So there is no syntax which you could write which would get a spell such as 'Blade Ward' to automatically work on an NPC. (It won't automatically work on a PC either - it still has to be applied manually)

[Kontroar]

Agreed, there currently is no way for 'Blade Ward' to be automated for DM or PC. My apologies if that was the impression I gave with regards what I was asking.

From what is indicated, there is currently no way to simply enter specific text statements into the stat block and have it parse into the tracker. In the case of 'Blade Ward', typing "After the spell is cast, the target is resistant to bludgeoning, slashing, and piercing." (Stat block) does not become [EFF: RESIST: budgeoning, slashing, piercing] (Combat Tracker).

The collection of creatures I reviewed today, the tracker entries are primarily parsed conditions with key phrasing. Such as, "is paralyzed" (Stat block) becomes [EFF: paralyzed] (Combat Tracker). There are a few unique entries as well, Bless and Sanctuary to name a couple. (Unless I'm missing something in the stat block that translates into the tracker entries they create)

Over all, I suspect the uniqueness of test strings within the context of spells makes it difficult to implement a more generic programming structure and requires more individual attention to each.

[Zacchaeus]

Yes, you are correct. To build a parser that would work out an effect for every spell would be a herculean task. As I said above what can be pulled out are things like conditions, attacks and saving throws. Remember the parser is only finding things like 'poisoned' and creating an effect from that word. So if in an NPC's stat block there appeared a sentence 'If this creature is poisoned it will die' then an EFF: poisoned will appear on the CT. Clearly it's not needed but you see where I am going. The parses isn't thinking ooh, this is an attack I'd better create an effect or ooh, that's not an attack I don't need an effect. It's just seeing 'poisoned' and creating the effect.

There are a fair number of spells which do create stuff on the CT but they, I believe, are specifically coded. Moon Wizard did some clever coding a while back to make almost every spell that could have an effect create that effect on the PC sheet and in the main on NPC sheets too. However it's not 100% and not generic enough as you say to pick up on everything.

[Kontroar]

I understand now. Thank you for the information. :)