D&D 5E Anyone using software combat tracking with 5e?

discoDM

Explorer
Curious if anyone is using software tools to manage combat in 5e. It looks like the 4e turn tracker would be pretty usable, but haven't tried it personally. Looking for a recommendation since Morningstar isn't available yet. DM Minion also has a 5e tool in beta, but I don't know much about it.
Thanks!
 

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Tormyr

Adventurer
I put together an Excel workbook that kept track of characters and their levels, monsters and their HP and AC and inititative. You could type in the damage dealt and it kept track of that too.
 

techno

Explorer
I am using Combat Manager for iPad. It is designed specifically for Pathfinder but the combat tracking also works great for 5e.
 

Craith

First Post
I wrote a tool for my personal use, which I am in the process of adapting to the Basic rules - a list of all PCsand npcs in the encounter, with Initiative, HPs and AC, with the selected entry showing the whole stat-block.
 

Thegn

Explorer
Just used the DMMinion beta tool on Saturday.. Worked great on my Windows 7 machine. Took a little effort to figure it out, but no problems experienced.


Curious if anyone is using software tools to manage combat in 5e. It looks like the 4e turn tracker would be pretty usable, but haven't tried it personally. Looking for a recommendation since Morningstar isn't available yet. DM Minion also has a 5e tool in beta, but I don't know much about it.
Thanks!
 

Sir Brennen

Legend
I bounce back and forth between RPG Buddy and Initiative Board, both iPad apps. I've used both for 3E games and for the GoDSC 5E game I'm currently running.

One thing I really like in RPG Buddy is the feature that let's you set up encounters ahead of time, so I use it for game prep, too.
 

Blue Phoenix RPG

Publisher/Designer
I have used all those on different platforms. So far to date without a doubt is Combat Manager as it works on all platforms. It is by far the easiest to use too and customizable. The Minion 5E program has a horrible user interface and requires too much clicking everywhere which slows down combat flow AND you have to create an "Adventure" profile and put encounters in it, etc. Combat Manager gives you that option but you're not forced into anything like that. Using CM with 5E I am simply deleting the +REF/FORT etc stat block or just leaving them as they're not needed and simply put in the max HP, AC, and Dex (Initiative) mods so I can track initiative. I don't modify all the detailed damage and power stats, for that I just look my PDF file or my Monster Manual. I have no hope for the official D&D program to come out anytime soon nor the 5e Minion, but the official product from WOTC at least looks interesting.

That all being said, if you want to create your own adventures AND/OR want a more in depth creation method an awesome program is Masterplan which is free and works great if you have a Windows-based tablet like me or laptop, etc. It does quite a bit of impressive stuff but my complaint with it is that you basically have to get REALLY detailed with it and create your own "Libraries" from scratch. It also hates to share or transfer these file from one computer to another although I'm guessing it's only a pain for the less technologically challenge folks out there.

I have sent emails to the creator of Combat Manager program and he's stated that there will NOT be a 5th edition version of it. So what I am going to do it simply create/edit/change the files as I go and wait for the official WOTC product. If that is not user friendly enough or whatever then I'll just build my own libraries with Masterplan. My problem with it though is that MP gets picky transferring files and it likes to put everything in a 4E format. If there was some to to disable having to choose what type of role the PC/NPC/Monster has like "Soldier" etc then I might be a bit more fine with it. That and a "fog-of-war" feature that really works.

For now I suggest others do what I'm doing and limp along with Combat Manager until something easy to use comes along that doesn't get its database yanked because WOTC doesn't have an OGL with 5th edition. I also use GIMP2 to display and markup maps etc. It's free, easy to use, and has a great fog-of-war feature. I use Dundjinni to make maps and Paint Shop Pro 7 (out-of-date-but-free) to edit and touch them up, etc. Hopes this helps anyone out there....
 



Xorne

First Post
I used to use the Combat Tracker from Fantasy Grounds II (VTT) at face-to-face games, because there were so many effects to track in 4E, and I could have prebuilt encounters.

I decided to just go back to old school in 5E, and so now I'm just using a magnetic white board from GameMastery with dry-erase markers (that have little foam erasers on the caps). There's so much less to track in 5E, I'm very happy with it. I also have NPC stat blocks paper-clipped to my DM screen.

Actually, here's my table.
 

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