Options for casting spells at higher levels 5E

[MartianXi]

Just wondering if anyone can suggest quicker ways to cast spells at higher levels in FGU for 5E ruleset.

Currently I've gone to the trouble in the action tab to create separate buttons in each tier of spell for each level of use. This is time consuming however, especially when casters are switching out spells, and it fills up the spell tiers with too many repeating spells.

I had considered adding extra damage actions to the base level spells for each level of spells usage. Not sure if this works or not and again seems it would require extra time to setup with each spell change.

I had read also you can right click to add a die when dragging damage from chat to a token, but my players haven't been in the habit of dragging and dropping damage and have been assigning targeting then casting. Also they tend to rush a bit and have so many things to toggle on or off, it just seems simply to have a button ready to go.

How do other DM's handle this?

[Zacchaeus]

Left click on the damage hold and drag and right click to add more dice and then drop on the target token on the map or CT is the easiest and cleanest way to do it.

[anathemort]

I use bratch9's Advanced Spell Damage extension (https://www.fantasygrounds.com/forums/showthread.php?61703-extension-Advanced-Spell-Damage-Extension-casting-spells-at-higher-level). I've also used xelab's Combat Automation (https://www.dmsguild.com/product/347021/Fantasy-Grounds-Combat-Automation) with good results but couldn't get past some other extension incompatibilities.

[Tabarkus]

Also, you don't have to drop the increased damage dice on the token if you already have a target(s) selected; all you have to do it drop the increased damage roll into the chatbox and it will assigned to your selected target(s). I find it easier to do this than trying to drop it on a specific token, as I tend to select my target(s) prior to my turn.

[Zacchaeus]

Also, you don't have to drop the increased damage dice on the token if you already have a target(s) selected; all you have to do it drop the increased damage roll into the chatbox and it will assigned to your selected target(s). I find it easier to do this than trying to drop it on a specific token, as I tend to select my target(s) prior to my turn.
Indeed, and this would be the best method where there are multiple targets.

[MartianXi]

Thanks... that seems to work ok. Still have to figure out a workaround for our life domain cleric... every level of heal adds another die and an extra hit point on top of that... guess we'll have to adjust the modifier before rolling for those?

I'll check out the spell damage extension too...

[dogfisc]

At risk of greatly expanding your actions list, you could try adding a new effect entry for the spell with the correct die and bonus for each level. That can also help with casting something like Magic Missile on multiple targets, so e.g. with a 3rd level slot you could do 1d4+1 to one target and 2d4+2 to another, just using the correct damage effect for each.

I’ve not played 5e, but this works in PF1e, and the 5e character sheet seems to support it in a similar manner.

[Zacchaeus]

Thanks... that seems to work ok. Still have to figure out a workaround for our life domain cleric... every level of heal adds another die and an extra hit point on top of that... guess we'll have to adjust the modifier before rolling for those?

I'll check out the spell damage extension too...

You can add a HEAL effect with whatever bonuses apply to the basic heals and apply that before rolling the healing dice.


At risk of greatly expanding your actions list, you could try adding a new effect entry for the spell with the correct die and bonus for each level. That can also help with casting something like Magic Missile on multiple targets, so e.g. with a 3rd level slot you could do 1d4+1 to one target and 2d4+2 to another, just using the correct damage effect for each.

I’ve not played 5e, but this works in PF1e, and the 5e character sheet seems to support it in a similar manner.

For mutl-targetting you don't need extra lines since you only roll the damage dice once. So for Magic Missile hitting different targets you'd roll the damage dice without a target once. And then drag that result from chat and drop it on each target.

[Cyrian]

Adding additional actions for the higher-level damage or heals is what I do for 5E. It does expand the actions tab, but I typically keep all of my spells minimized unless I'm using them. This also avoids using any extensions.

[MartianXi]

Adding extra damage/heal actions seems like a good way to go as well and when a character switches spells out it only takes a few seconds to add another action. I'll check in with my players and see which way suits them them best.

It would be nice to be able to add some descriptive text into the damage field in each action for clarity.

[Mytherus]

Honestly I just add buttons for the higher level spells. I’m a little ocd with my character sheets though I guarantee you I spend more time filling out my sheet than I’d guess 85% of most people do. But the reward is very efficient during a game, I find everything easily no added work because I coded everything beforehand.