zeracool2k
June 17th, 2016, 03:07
So one cold April night I looked at my laptop clock, and realized I had spent almost one hour creating my campaign villain. "All that time for only one NPC," I thought. And I hadn't even made drafts of any of her lieutenants, nor the appropriate CR monsters for the encounters.
The "Creating a Monster" section from Chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master's Guide is not at all friendly, and looking for CR threshold values for proficiency, save DC, spells (which are in the Player's Handbook), and such, is a hassle. Even if you take a "similar" creature and start modifying the stat block from there, or use a "standard" creature, it is still tiresome. What if I want a CR 11 Orc Sniper? Or a CR 13 Kobold Lich? Where would I start?
That’s why I made the Unofficial D&D 5e NPC & Creature Workshop. The app lets you create an NPC stat block similar to those featured on the Monster Manual, so you can quickly set up NPCs or monsters from scratch, or use another creature as a base and then modify them from there watching the resulting creature in real-time. Bear in mind that the Workshop is a work in progress, although fully functional. I decided to post the v0.6 build today because my laptop had a stroke and seems to be agonizing, and if it dies I don't know for how long I'll be out of touch.
Please report any bug, typo or mistake that you find! You can also request new functionality, and I'll see what I can do. At the moment I'm on a pretty tight schedule, between work, postgraduate studies, two kids, dying laptop, and my gaming life... so I probably won't post functionality updates quickly, but I will, eventually.
Features:
The app is meant to build and modify NPCs with little effort, and allows you to append them to a par5e npcs.txt file of your choice.
Create and modify NPCs automatically, setting their senses, languages, vulnerabilities, resistances, immunities, spellcasting (with spells), traits, actions, and reactions, and an optional creature description.
View information relevant to the NPC's CR level, with recommendations.
Configure the workshop's source text files to add new information, such as new spells, races (complete with ability bonuses, languages, traits, etc. - actions pending -), damage types, etc.
Observations:
BACKUP YOUR TEXT FILES! From now on, if you make any changes to the Workshop's configuration text files, you have to back them up or you'll lose any modifications. Note that some of the files could have changed, so please check if your format is correct or the app will not work. Please report any bug you find, especially the "blank" interface bug!
Most core rulebook information is not included due to possible copyright issues (only stuff from the basic rules and public things is hard-coded). Most of the Workshop's options can be populated from text files, to avoid any copyright issue that could arise from included “hard-coded” stuff. Check the folders included with the app to see what can be modified.
Please, refer to the ReadMe file included with the app for information on some features that could be confusing.
Workshop's Versions
v0.6: First public test build.
UPDATE 1 (v0.7): Minor bug-fixes. Added read-from-file capabilities, so users can add and/or customize most options; NPC/creature descriptions; export to par5e npcs.txt file.
UPDATE 2 (v0.8): Major overhaul of the interface, to make it easier and faster (resource-wise) to read the configuration files. Added several additional files, including races, armors, and traits and actions. The inclusion of the Races allow to quicly set up a basic NPC of the given race. AC is now calculated based on a configuration file, so you can add any armors you want.
Any previous version can be downloaded from this dropbox link (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l69do2j49patgmz/AADsoEfv2XtMxQbSF4Yf47LXa?dl=0).
Pending Features
Languages
Add "understands XXX" functionality when changing Race.
Backgrounds
Populate backgrounds from text file
Add background skills, languages, etc.
Templates
Add templates (maybe as traits?)
Populate templates from text file
CR
Calculate Defensive CR, Offensive CR, and True CR
Check CR adjustment for AC, Backgrounds, Features, HP, Spellcasting, Vulnerabilities Resistances and Immunities
Vulnerabilities, Resistances, and Immunities
Add a "silvered" option for the weapon damages grid
Spellcasting
Add Innate Spellcasting
Add Innate Spellcasting (Psionics)
Individual spell lists (text files) for each class.
Actions
Make the Ability Bonus change based on the Background
Populate actions from text file (i.e. longsword, slimy, multiattack, etc.)
Limited Usage (x/day, Recharge [x - y][after short rest][after long rest])
Ammunition (2d4 thrown, 2d10 projectile)
Allow reordering of actions
Equipment
Add Equipment (weapons as Actions)
Legendary Actions
Add legendary actions
Lair Actions
Add lair actions
Regional Effects
Add Regional Effects
The "Creating a Monster" section from Chapter 9 of the Dungeon Master's Guide is not at all friendly, and looking for CR threshold values for proficiency, save DC, spells (which are in the Player's Handbook), and such, is a hassle. Even if you take a "similar" creature and start modifying the stat block from there, or use a "standard" creature, it is still tiresome. What if I want a CR 11 Orc Sniper? Or a CR 13 Kobold Lich? Where would I start?
That’s why I made the Unofficial D&D 5e NPC & Creature Workshop. The app lets you create an NPC stat block similar to those featured on the Monster Manual, so you can quickly set up NPCs or monsters from scratch, or use another creature as a base and then modify them from there watching the resulting creature in real-time. Bear in mind that the Workshop is a work in progress, although fully functional. I decided to post the v0.6 build today because my laptop had a stroke and seems to be agonizing, and if it dies I don't know for how long I'll be out of touch.
Please report any bug, typo or mistake that you find! You can also request new functionality, and I'll see what I can do. At the moment I'm on a pretty tight schedule, between work, postgraduate studies, two kids, dying laptop, and my gaming life... so I probably won't post functionality updates quickly, but I will, eventually.
Features:
The app is meant to build and modify NPCs with little effort, and allows you to append them to a par5e npcs.txt file of your choice.
Create and modify NPCs automatically, setting their senses, languages, vulnerabilities, resistances, immunities, spellcasting (with spells), traits, actions, and reactions, and an optional creature description.
View information relevant to the NPC's CR level, with recommendations.
Configure the workshop's source text files to add new information, such as new spells, races (complete with ability bonuses, languages, traits, etc. - actions pending -), damage types, etc.
Observations:
BACKUP YOUR TEXT FILES! From now on, if you make any changes to the Workshop's configuration text files, you have to back them up or you'll lose any modifications. Note that some of the files could have changed, so please check if your format is correct or the app will not work. Please report any bug you find, especially the "blank" interface bug!
Most core rulebook information is not included due to possible copyright issues (only stuff from the basic rules and public things is hard-coded). Most of the Workshop's options can be populated from text files, to avoid any copyright issue that could arise from included “hard-coded” stuff. Check the folders included with the app to see what can be modified.
Please, refer to the ReadMe file included with the app for information on some features that could be confusing.
Workshop's Versions
v0.6: First public test build.
UPDATE 1 (v0.7): Minor bug-fixes. Added read-from-file capabilities, so users can add and/or customize most options; NPC/creature descriptions; export to par5e npcs.txt file.
UPDATE 2 (v0.8): Major overhaul of the interface, to make it easier and faster (resource-wise) to read the configuration files. Added several additional files, including races, armors, and traits and actions. The inclusion of the Races allow to quicly set up a basic NPC of the given race. AC is now calculated based on a configuration file, so you can add any armors you want.
Any previous version can be downloaded from this dropbox link (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/l69do2j49patgmz/AADsoEfv2XtMxQbSF4Yf47LXa?dl=0).
Pending Features
Languages
Add "understands XXX" functionality when changing Race.
Backgrounds
Populate backgrounds from text file
Add background skills, languages, etc.
Templates
Add templates (maybe as traits?)
Populate templates from text file
CR
Calculate Defensive CR, Offensive CR, and True CR
Check CR adjustment for AC, Backgrounds, Features, HP, Spellcasting, Vulnerabilities Resistances and Immunities
Vulnerabilities, Resistances, and Immunities
Add a "silvered" option for the weapon damages grid
Spellcasting
Add Innate Spellcasting
Add Innate Spellcasting (Psionics)
Individual spell lists (text files) for each class.
Actions
Make the Ability Bonus change based on the Background
Populate actions from text file (i.e. longsword, slimy, multiattack, etc.)
Limited Usage (x/day, Recharge [x - y][after short rest][after long rest])
Ammunition (2d4 thrown, 2d10 projectile)
Allow reordering of actions
Equipment
Add Equipment (weapons as Actions)
Legendary Actions
Add legendary actions
Lair Actions
Add lair actions
Regional Effects
Add Regional Effects