Best Char Gen Utilities?

[LcKedovan]

Ok, so I've been out of the loop awhile and getting back on track with playing again soon. What Character Generator do you recommend as the best. Important for me as well is that I can use it for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

I know PCGen and eTools but haven't used the former in ages and the latter ever. Recommendations? Is it true that if I have the latest PcGen then the purchaseable Forgotten Realms datasets will only work with an older version 5.8.something?



-W.

 

[Edheldur]

I've used PCGen since I discovered it, and really like the 5.8 version although it's not perfect. And yep, the CMP datasets are only compatible with the 5.8 version.

 

[LcKedovan]

I've used PCGen since I discovered it, and really like the 5.8 version although it's not perfect. And yep, the CMP datasets are only compatible with the 5.8 version.

Any particular beefs or bugs about 5.8 I should watch out for if I pick it up? I hope they plan on porting the files to the newer versions. Shouldn't be too difficult if using a script and a standard format.

-W.

 

[kingpaul]

CMP only supports their datasets on 5.8.1. They were looking at porting over to 5.10.1, but then they had all kinds of ISP/DNS issues. They're still working out all those issues.

However, several users have said they've been able to get the CMP datasets to work on 5.10.1...but remember, that's not supported.

 

[Anurien]

Check out RPGXplorer 1.03 when it arrives in a few weeks.

 

[Edheldur]

Any particular beefs or bugs about 5.8 I should watch out for if I pick it up? I hope they plan on porting the files to the newer versions. Shouldn't be too difficult if using a script and a standard format.

There are no mayor bugs that I have noticed, although there are some minor bugs in the datsets (admitedly, they try to squash them as they found them, but still, there are some).

As far as I know, whenever a new PCGen version is officially adopted they start converting datasets so you can re-download them. Now, what I still don't know is what will happen with eTools and/or PCGen datasets when CMP release their new character generation tool (and I really, really, REALLY hope I don't have to re-purchase datasets).

Edited: Forgot to mention something. Adding homebrewed classes/feats/creatures or editing datasets classes/feats/creatures isn't really that hard once you get the hang of it.

 

[Mercule]

Check out RPGXplorer 1.03 when it arrives in a few weeks.

What's new in 1.03?

 

[DonTadow]

Ok, so I've been out of the loop awhile and getting back on track with playing again soon. What Character Generator do you recommend as the best. Important for me as well is that I can use it for the Forgotten Realms campaign setting.

I know PCGen and eTools but haven't used the former in ages and the latter ever. Recommendations? Is it true that if I have the latest PcGen then the purchaseable Forgotten Realms datasets will only work with an older version 5.8.something?



-W.

The only complete character generator I've seen is NPC Designer over at rpgattitude.com There's a lot of user content for it and a ton of content from the actual publisher.

 

[kingpaul]

Now, what I still don't know is what will happen with eTools and/or PCGen datasets when CMP release their new character generation tool (and I really, really, REALLY hope I don't have to re-purchase datasets).

CMP has said that there will be a window of time when you can freely convert your eTools or PCGen datasets over to RPGF datasets. When this window starts and how long has not been declared.

 

[kingpaul]

The only complete character generator I've seen is NPC Designer over at rpgattitude.com

I'm a bit confused by this statement. You can create characters with both eTools and PCGen.