battle simulation software?

[evilbob]

I've looked around online and found many different RPG ultilities that are designed to help run games - things that have features like connecting people to one another online, chatting functions, reference material lookups, etc. - but what I'm interested in is just a simple battle simulation program. ...Something that creates a sandbox with parameters I specify and that can keep track of more of the mundane details for me. The main use of this software would not be to facilitate sessions, but to create an endless variety of one-shots designed to playtest certain characters in battles.

Ideally you could set up the parameters of several different characters and monsters and then run the groups against each other and see how it played out. I'm not even talking about a program that runs it all for me, either - it doesn't need any AI or scripting at all. I'd just like something I can quickly set up, adjust parameters on the fly if I choose, and that will keep track of all the minor details for me without the headache.

Has anyone heard of anything like this? Or, do any of the aforementioned RPG utilities have strengths that could be used this way?

 

[DMFTodd]

Combat Management

Nothing specifically designed for that but I'd think you could use any of the combat management programs to do it (DM's Familiar, Roleplaying Master, DM Genie). DM's Familiar is mine so I'll talk about that:

You can setup PCs/Monsters easily and then put them on the combat board to do the battle. The combat board does all of the dice rolling for you so things would go very quickly. It's easy to pop open a PC/monster and adjust the stats to try things a different way. You could even use the combat board to boost the pc/monster abilities if you want (add a couple points to str, give a bonus to hits, increase saves) to test things out.

 

[azhrei_fje]

As DMFTood pointed out, pretty much all of the tools will do this. He described DMF, so I'll describe DM Genie.

It's essentially as he described: create a group with PCs and opponents in it, then start taking actions. There's a button for making each attack separately (as per BAB) or to make things really quick, hit Ctrl-W and a full attack action is completed. (I think I got the right keystroke; you'd need to check the accelerator listed on the menu to be sure.)

It'll keep track of spell durations as well, so buff spells that last rounds (like prayer) will automatically add bonuses/penalties to the critters in the encounter, and those modifiers will go away automatically. In addition, you'll get a combat log (as RTF) that you can review later, if needed. I use the combat log, with some editing, as our campaign play log and I file them away. Sometimes I'll post them on our private web site, but I'm usually too lazy.

HTH.