Irda Ranger
First Post
Can I run the character creator without being online or having a Twitch account?
D&D 5E Are You Planning on Subscribing to D&D Beyond
Can I run the character creator without being online or having a Twitch account?
S
Sunseeker
Guest
No. Frankly there isn't enough material to warrant it, and my groups play in person.
If 5E had the level of material the 4E had, or 3E had, I'd totally be subbing.
If 5E had the level of material the 4E had, or 3E had, I'd totally be subbing.
Satyrn
First Post
At the moment the answer is no.
I'd think it'd be usable offline with the future apps that are supposed to be usable offline . . . if they really are usable offline.
It might be possible the offline use doesn't require an account, but then that would certainly mean you're only working with the basic rules so you're not getting much of a character creator - and that's a real point: the character creator won't be very useful to you if you aren't buying content.
Mercule
Adventurer
Maybe. I've been trying to use the Compendium at the table and it's gone pretty well. I'm heading towards burnout on something, and I need to decide whether it's D&D, in general, or just published adventures. I suspect the latter, so I'm likely to pick up the core three books during the initial week of sales and see where things go. If nothing else, I'll have a digital copy of the rules that I can access easily from my phone, which is cool and I've spent $60 on stupider things (Kickstarter games I haven't yet played). That's why I set aside a "fun money" allowance for myself.
Otherwis, well... I don't know, right now. I've been using Obsidian Portal for a campaign wiki and rather like it. It's got a few bugs and inconsistencies in layout that make me open to moving to a different platform -- especially one that would truly integrate character management for my players. But, the current "campaign manager" section of DDB is a complete joke. It's pretty much just a couple of fields you could use to throw up a blurb about your campaign. I want an actual wiki. That's supposed to be in the "coming soon" department.
My actual number one interest is to have an encounter manager, which they say is in the works, just not part of the initial launch. So, that's a second thing that I'd want as part of my subscription that I won't be getting at launch.
Beyond those, I'm not entirely sold that the character manager will work for my group. Here are the PCs:
1) Human Fist Monk -- Pretty good fit. The only issue is that he took variant human with the Mobility feat, which isn't part of the Basic rules. Again, should be available at go live (assuming I buy the PHB).
2) Aasimar Devotion Paladin -- So close. I can't build this one, pre-release, either. This time, I need the DMG. Should work on August 15th, though.
3) Half-elf Moon Druid -- Mixed bag.. I can't build it with the pre-release rules, though, because Circle of the Moon isn't there. If I buy the PHB on release, it should work, except... he's using one of the UA cantrips, which they haven't been 100% clear about how/if they're going to support UA material. I could enter it in as home brew, so, not the end of the world.
4) Aasimar Favored Soul -- Will not be possible at release. Again, UA content may or may not be supported. If so, which of the Favored Souls would it be? We actually don't like the latest and are using the prior version. Curse has said they'd like to support home brew sub-classes, but it's not at the top of the list (or something to that extent). So, this player (the second most likely to give them money) might be able to use the tool by the time the campaign ends. Bummer.
5) Human UA Ranger -- Nope. Won't work. There's the open question about UA content, which could make it golden. Otherwise, they've said they don't plan on supporting custom character classes anytime in the foreseeable future. So, absolutely no solution in sight for this character.
While I could handle more than half of the PCs at launch (I don't actually feel bad about the cantrip), I've already got a character creator that works for all the PCs (MPMB's sheet). The lure of the DDB character generator is to have a unified tool for all my players that allows me to see their characters, should they miss a session and/or integrate directly into the (TBD) combat tracker. It this point, my fully table-top, paper-loving group can't even print the sheets off (which, I think, is supposed to be available at launch).
You could even say that I've got an exceptional group make-up, except that it really isn't. At least, not for my group. The Mystic has gotten some interest from folks, too, as has other UA content. I tend to use Eberron for my games. Without the ability to create custom races, classes, and feats, there's no way for anyone to play an Artificer, warforged, kalashtar, or dragonmarked character within the tool. I'd also like to know how the home brew content will work for settings. Can I enter my own deities, nations, etc.? If I do step away from Eberron, I'd definitely want to be able to share that sort of thing.
So, there's potentially too much unknown around the whole thing, for me. Which is too bad, because I was something of an early booster for it.
Otherwis, well... I don't know, right now. I've been using Obsidian Portal for a campaign wiki and rather like it. It's got a few bugs and inconsistencies in layout that make me open to moving to a different platform -- especially one that would truly integrate character management for my players. But, the current "campaign manager" section of DDB is a complete joke. It's pretty much just a couple of fields you could use to throw up a blurb about your campaign. I want an actual wiki. That's supposed to be in the "coming soon" department.
My actual number one interest is to have an encounter manager, which they say is in the works, just not part of the initial launch. So, that's a second thing that I'd want as part of my subscription that I won't be getting at launch.
Beyond those, I'm not entirely sold that the character manager will work for my group. Here are the PCs:
1) Human Fist Monk -- Pretty good fit. The only issue is that he took variant human with the Mobility feat, which isn't part of the Basic rules. Again, should be available at go live (assuming I buy the PHB).
2) Aasimar Devotion Paladin -- So close. I can't build this one, pre-release, either. This time, I need the DMG. Should work on August 15th, though.
3) Half-elf Moon Druid -- Mixed bag.. I can't build it with the pre-release rules, though, because Circle of the Moon isn't there. If I buy the PHB on release, it should work, except... he's using one of the UA cantrips, which they haven't been 100% clear about how/if they're going to support UA material. I could enter it in as home brew, so, not the end of the world.
4) Aasimar Favored Soul -- Will not be possible at release. Again, UA content may or may not be supported. If so, which of the Favored Souls would it be? We actually don't like the latest and are using the prior version. Curse has said they'd like to support home brew sub-classes, but it's not at the top of the list (or something to that extent). So, this player (the second most likely to give them money) might be able to use the tool by the time the campaign ends. Bummer.
5) Human UA Ranger -- Nope. Won't work. There's the open question about UA content, which could make it golden. Otherwise, they've said they don't plan on supporting custom character classes anytime in the foreseeable future. So, absolutely no solution in sight for this character.
While I could handle more than half of the PCs at launch (I don't actually feel bad about the cantrip), I've already got a character creator that works for all the PCs (MPMB's sheet). The lure of the DDB character generator is to have a unified tool for all my players that allows me to see their characters, should they miss a session and/or integrate directly into the (TBD) combat tracker. It this point, my fully table-top, paper-loving group can't even print the sheets off (which, I think, is supposed to be available at launch).
You could even say that I've got an exceptional group make-up, except that it really isn't. At least, not for my group. The Mystic has gotten some interest from folks, too, as has other UA content. I tend to use Eberron for my games. Without the ability to create custom races, classes, and feats, there's no way for anyone to play an Artificer, warforged, kalashtar, or dragonmarked character within the tool. I'd also like to know how the home brew content will work for settings. Can I enter my own deities, nations, etc.? If I do step away from Eberron, I'd definitely want to be able to share that sort of thing.
So, there's potentially too much unknown around the whole thing, for me. Which is too bad, because I was something of an early booster for it.
LordEntrails
Hero
I think this is really the key part for me, uncertainty. We just don't know yet. And I'm not willing to invest in what might be, been burned/disappointed too many times.
Is that because you don't allow the aasimar from Volo's or just because you prefer the example one in the DMG?
They've said we will be able to create custom races, classes and feats, just not yet (not sure if before launch or after). Don't know about deities or nations but I'm not sure how that factors in anywhere since it's got nothing to do with rules. Did you mean domains and backgrounds? I'm not sure about backgrounds or domains, but I'm happy to assume, given the evidence and dev comments, that it'll be allowed either at launch or some time after.
Mercule
Adventurer
It's because I don't own Volo's Guide. Didn't even know one wss in it. Would love to hear the difference.
Unless something had changed, they said they'd like to facilitate sub-classes, but full classes are unlikely. If something did change, great.
The stuff around deities and such us because I'd like to be able to post a setting wiki for my players to reference. Has nothing to do with crunch, whatsoever. Just what I want in the campaign manager.
It's both better and worse.
Better in terms of being more interesting and complete, with three sub-races. Worse in terms of having one exceptionally overpowered ability in all subraces. One of them does half the character's level in radiant damage to all creatures within 10 feet of the character, every turn, for 1 minute ON TOP of being able to add the character's level in radiant damage to one attack OR spell, per turn.
Other than that having to nerf that, it's definitely the more interesting option.
Ah, I wasn't aware that they'd clarified that distinction.
Yeah, fluff-wise the campaign manager needs a lot of work. From what they've said, though, I'm quietly confident that it'll end up being worthwhile.
Irda Ranger
First Post
Okay, so my vote remains a "Nope" then.
That would be cool. I look forward to seeing that development. (But I'm not holding my breath)
That's the crux of the issue. If you need an account to run software, you don't really have any control. The only reason to build software that way is so they can control who uses the software, and it's within their power to turn off your account or just shut down the servers that verify account credentials.
As long as that's the case I won't be paying for anything. I buy RPGs. I don't rent them.
Satyrn
First Post
Yeah, I know.
I think eventually we're gonna have to force our governments to create and maintain a sort of archive where we can store and access our online property when the providers fail to do so. Or something like that
