Draw Steel General Thread [+]

[Distracted DM]

Trying to decide between using the Foundry or Codex VTT implementations... does anyone have experience with them?

 

[AdmundfortGeographer]

No experience with either, but if it helps an immediate choice, in a recent twitch stream demo-ing Codex one of the developers in chat mentioned that while all the classes were done to the 1st level, not all monsters were yet entered in.

 

[zakael19]

I've been using Owlbear Rodeo because I like the lighter the better and it's been working aight.

Edit: the extension for DS! in it is now able to pull from the compendium for adversary profiles, but I haven’t tried that yet.

 

[CommodoreKong]

Trying to decide between using the Foundry or Codex VTT implementations... does anyone have experience with them?

Normally I use Foundry but I decided to give Codex a try. Codex does a good job of automating the system - like popping something up when a player or GM can use a reaction or showing how far a push can go.

 

[ffanxii4ever]

Trying to decide between using the Foundry or Codex VTT implementations... does anyone have experience with them?

If you're not already familiar with Foundry (just in general, not for Draw Steel, obviously), and would be starting new with either, I'd go with Codex. Between the automation and the fact that it will definitely get everything that is released by MCDM, it's got a lot going for it.

However, if you are already familiar with how Foundry runs, the implementation of Draw Steel is pretty good, and has definite benefits (don't need to install another program, modability, players don't need an install either, just a browser). The one thing with Foundry is that I believe it will only have whatever is opened up for everyone to use, so if additional sourcebooks don't have the same licensing (not sure if that is the right word), they may not get built into the system.

Personally, I am planning on using Foundry since it is what I know, Codex isn't fully out yet, and my plan is to run using my digital RPG map (it's just a TV mounted flat in a case, so we can use it like a map) for my in-person group, which does have one player that is remote.

 

[SteveC]

I loaded the Foundry module for Draw Steel and it is pretty solid, but it's starting. From their Features section, it sounds like the Creatures from the monster book are in there, and the classes are completed up to level 3. I suspect you'll see that get added to until it's finished.

I haven't tried the "official" VTT yet, but I have heard good things. I've also heard that character data isn't filled in yet, so that's also a work in progress.

If I were to run the demo via VTT, I would try Foundry for it, for whatever that's worth.

 

[Distracted DM]

Yeah I DM regularly on FoundryVTT so I was looking at that, but because I host with Forge I can't have different Foundry versions going on separate games The LU A5E system hasn't updated to v13 yet, and the latest DS! version (the important one) is only v13. So I'm toying around with DS! Codex now. It's only for a one-shot, so we can test out the system

I couldn't get self-hosting working with Foundry, Verizon seems to present a couple extra issues that I couldn't overcome which is what happened when I first got Foundry and tried to self-host years ago.. which is how I ended up with Forge

 

[Reynard]

So, how are your games going? How many sessions have you had? How is play over time? How easily are folks picking it up? That sort of thing.

 

[gnarlygninja]

I'm currently running The Delian Tomb, this is my first time with the finished rules. My group is still mostly struggling with the rules but that's a them thing (they struggle with the rules of every system I have ever played with them). One player is really surprising me this time though, she's usually the worst player at the table because she isn't paying attention, but playing on VTT she locked in and probably is the most efficient player. When they came across a trap, she immediately just jumped over it while the other players wasted about 10 minutes trying to figure out how to deal with it.
I'm really enjoying how they've laid out this adventure.

 

[Distracted DM]

We did a one-shot to test it out tonight, using the Codex VTT, I ran the "Road to Broadhurst" 'conventure,' as they call it. I think the biggest non-technical issue I had is that it felt very "gamey." I'm so accustomed to running games with 5e/A5E in a continuous way, that jumping from vignette to vignette is jarring. It's definitely a mindset thing, though- 'cuz on the other hand, I really liked how the combat worked! It's also the case that I've been running 5e for so long now that going to something else similar-yet-different is very uncomfortable, for multiple reasons