November 16th release for Web-based Character Builder

[jelmore]

That "standard" 4e character sheet looks like a tax form, and any time I've given it to new players, they've found it confusing. The power cards also have a terrible layout, so I hope those are dramatically improved as well.

I managed to squeeze much of the "crunch" onto a single landscape page + power cards; I don't need a space on my character sheet to record mannerisms, appearance, etc.; I can save that stuff in a text file (or Evernote, or Obsidian Portal wiki page, etc.)

One of the tricks with power cards is accounting for all of the options: martial powers can change based on the weapon being wielded, implement powers can change based on the implement equipped, etc.

 

[Tazawa]

Hands up if you're a DM and approve and manage character sheets using builder.

That would be me. I've now lost that ability due to having an old non-Intel mac and an old crappy PC laptop that won't run Silverlight. Not to mention that the character files aren't exportable.

 

[Mr. Wilson]

I have a player who used the CB to track his character stats, hp, powers used etc during play. I'm not stringing CAT-5 cable or setting up yet another wireless hub just so we can access the CB during play.

On the upside, since we can still use the CB current to October (or whenever the last update was), there is really no point in buying any more hardcovers*, so I guess I've got that going for me.

*Our general rule of thumb is "If you're going to use something from a book, buy the book so I can see how it works".

Bingo. All five of my players use the CB to track their sheets during play. I use the compendium to run all my monsters and look up rules. This new direction actually negatively effects myself and my group right now.

We haven't had a character printed off in almost a year. We save the characters to a local folder on a server so that it's always there, even if a player misses a session.

It is possible in the future, the online CB may be as useful, but right now it is a straight downgrade for my group and I, as far as I can tell.

 

[tuxgeo]

For those who are just looking for actual WotC responses to questions in the thread, I have taken a serious SAN hit and will be going through the thread for you.

Whoops! Browser Settings Incompatible

You owe me.

BIG!!

Magnificent job, Mudbunny. I'd give you posrep for that, but I've already been apprised that I have done so too recently.

Your summary has given me a link to a post by PaoloM responding to another person who asks whether WotC owns our online characters. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one wondering about that.

 

[Vicar In A Tutu]

Just a question: In my group, I pay for DDI-subscription, and the other players use my password to download updates. The important thing is that they (the players, I'm the DM) don't spend any money. I'm not sure they would. Will this new version of the character builder allow for us to continue like we have before: I pay for it and 4 other people use it?

 

[Mr. Wilson]

Technically, what you propose is against the Terms of Service for the character builder.

My understanding is that you could update the characters in the new DDI online version, but I doubt you could have 5 seperate computers logged in at the same time.

 

[Vicar In A Tutu]

Technically, what you propose is against the Terms of Service for the character builder.

My understanding is that you could update the characters in the new DDI online version, but I doubt you could have 5 seperate computers logged in at the same time.

I'm not necessarily looking to have 5 computers logged in at the same time. What is important to me, is that my players have the ability to use the character builder that I subscribe to.

 

[Jack99]

^^
You do realize that what you are doing is illegal, right? Which is why you probably won't get a straight answer.



As a side note, has the been any word about the MB? Will they keep updating that for now?

 

[Vicar In A Tutu]

^^
You do realize that what you are doing is illegal, right? Which is why you probably won't get a straight answer.



As a side note, has the been any word about the MB? Will they keep updating that for now?

Oh, I didn't know that it was illegal. Well, in theory, would it be possible for a completely horrible criminal to share his subscription to the character builder with other players?

 

[Walking Dad]

The biggest issue I have with no longer having an offline CB is the amount of errata. Building a character becomes very difficult if you not only look through your book (I like it this way), but also all your Dragon magazines for the feats and powers here and there and re-checking everything with the big errata pdf, that is not sorted after classes, powers and races, but only after book. Looking if a single warlord power has been errated is quite difficult. You have not even the classes bookmarked.

Yes, the compendium has the updated rules, too, but it is also online only

---

Oh, I didn't know that it was illegal. Well, in theory, would it be possible for a completely horrible criminal to share his subscription to the character builder with other players?

Maybe. But if one of them is locked in, you are not able to access any DDI content yourself. Or posting on their boards, or anything.