The question as to whether or not a program is accurate in its number crunching is a pretty valid concern. Even if it comes accurate with its core information, and you extend it with your home rules, or splat book additions, you need to have confidence in your own modifications.
Here's what I do with RolePlayingMaster:
- You can press a "Modifiers" button to show you every modifier that concerns the selected character/creature. This includes any racial, class, feat, other ability, equipment and magic that applies. If you choose to use the computer in-game, it can also include current spell effects or conditions (flatfooted, cowering, prone etc).
- By default the modifiers list is grouped by the attribute they effect (AC, Str, Dex, Will etc). It shows the full details for any modifier, including the reason for it and its stacking rules.
- The Attacks window has a special screen giving you the breakdown for any affects on the attack and the damage.
- Doing an in-game action (such as an attack or skill check), also gives you the full breakdown.
- An options tab gives you the ability to set your choices for things such as "Power Attack", "Expertise", or "Rapid Shot" choice, so you can have your calculations take the appropriate choices into account.
- Options that may not apply are listed as well. Many modifiers only apply under certain circumstances, and are easily "lost" in your standard statblock. RPM lists them as available, and in-game, you can turn them on, if appropriate. An example would be a dwarf's enhanced Spot ability when related to stonework, or perhaps the dwarf's racial bonus when attacking a goblinoid creature. This will *occassionally* apply, but you can always see its existence in the computer, and click it "on" if appropriate in a particular spot check, or attack.
- RPM has a "fast mode" and "review mode" so you can control whether or not you get to review the numbers at every stage.
The question of calculting a character/creature is has a lot more to it than a statblock calculation can feasibly cope with..
Statblocks don't typically take into account the options you choose as with feats above. For example, when did you last see a statblock showing a monk's attack, which indicated whether the Monk BAB was being used (not an obvious choice with a multi-classed monk), and whether the option for "Flurry of Blows" was taken, giving a penalty for an extra attack?
Numbers easier by hand? If you even know all the variations for large creatures equipping light weapons and wielding weapons 2-handed for an extra strength bonus, or variations for natural weapons - will you always remember to apply them?
Computers can certainly help, even if you don't trust the numbers. If nothing else, having something that can bring everything to a list for your review, showing the stacking types and rules, is extremely helpful. Combine this with generators that sensibly put entire encounters together, then allow you to chop and change race and class selections, and you're on a huge time winner.
The main issue for me would be that the program doesn't just "magically work out the numbers in a black box", and not let you see how they were put together.
Regards,
