Messageboard Golem
First Post
By Glenn Dean, Staff Reviewer d20 Magazine Rack
Sizing Up the Target
E-Tools v1.2 is an electronic aid for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game released by Wizards of the Coast and updated by Code Monkey Publishing. E-tools is available as a $30 download from CMP; this review is of the version with CMP’s v1.2 patch added (the patch will be available as a free download from the CMP website).
First Blood
Once upon a time, the Dungeons & Dragons® 3.0 Rules were released. The new rules included compact disk with a character generator program to demonstrate the new rules, with the promise that eventually a fully functional, all-encompassing gaming program called MasterTools would be available to meet every gamers needs. Time passed, and MasterTools failed to appear. It passed from developer to developer, languishing despite gamer demands, until eventually a slightly reduced version called E-Tools was released. Gamers were overjoyed – until they tried E-Tools, and discovered it was full of errors and bugs. Wisely, Wizards of the Coast hired Code Monkey Publishing, developers of the popular PCGen application, to come in and fix E-Tools, so that gamers would again be happy. This review is of the new, patched version of that software – now ready for your game.
This version of E-Tools is designed to run on a PC running Windows 98 or better, with a Pentium II/200Mhz or better processor, 64 MB RAM, 40 MB hard disk space, a CD-ROM drive, and Internet Explorer 6.0 or better. The program may be purchased on CD from Wizards distributors, or purchased directly as a download from Code Monkey Publishing.
CMP fixed over 150 bugs and rules errors to bring out the v1.2 patch. In the process, they also gained the rights to produce the data sets that will eventually provide full support for all Wizards of the Coast products for E-Tools, including the upcoming revised rules (commonly referred to as D&D 3.5).
Installation goes fairly quickly – it actually takes longer to install the patch than the base program. Once run, a brief splash screen is followed by the full program window, which displays a nice new graphics collage that includes the D&D logo, a skeleton, a Red Dragon, and a beholder. The window is full resizable and switchable – unlike the original character generator included with the Player’s Handbook. E-Tools is a completely different program than that original demonstration.
So what does E-Tools consist of? Essentially, it provides four tools in each of two options: a character editor/generator, a monster editor/generator, a treasure editor/generator, and a table editor/generator. The editors allow creation of the character, monster, etc from scratch with the user in control of every option; the generators randomly create a character or the like, and then allow the user to make modifications using the editor. There are some additional, smaller tools, as well: a race creator that allows custom creation of a user-specified character race; a house rules editor; which allows for the entry and/or modification of feats, skills, deities, treasures – virtually all of the E-Tools data – to fit your home campaign; and a dice roller. Between the data sets, tables, and help files, virtually the entire text of the core rulebooks is contained in E-Tools.
There are seven main elements in the menu – File, Editors, Generate, Tools, Links, Toolbars, and Help -- all of which can be accessed from either drop-down menus, or configured as buttons using the Toolbar control. File allows loading and saving of all data – either user generated, or core rules elements (use this to load a standard NPC from the DMG, for instance, or a generic monster). Importing databases is also accessed from the File menu. The Editor and Generate menus run the Character, Monster, Treasure, and Table editor/generator; Tools handles the Race Builder, House Rules editor, and Die Roller. Links provides internet access to the CMP website or the Wizards of the Coast website through your browser. Help allows for search of the help files by keyword or index list; the core rules text elements are in the Help section of the program.
Character Editor/Generator
The character editor is used to create any character or creature (monsters included) that have class levels –PC, NPC, or prestige classes. Character creation follows the basic steps from the rulebook. The first screen allows for selection of race, alignment, and one or more class levels (you could add all 20 if you like – though you can’t add prestige class levels until the feat, skill, and other requirements are met; building a prestige-classed character requires a slower process of core classes first, then prestige classes – though the process is facilitated a bit by a “requirements” checker that highlights accomplished prestige class requirements). Once the base race, class, and alignment are set, there’s not return to this screen – to change them, you’ll have to start over from scratch. Note that the core classes from the PHB and DMG are the only ones supported right now, until the data sets are released.
The next screen brings up an entire menu of options that you can switch between in creating the character – Stats, Bio, Features, Skills, Feats, Languages, Purchase, Equip, God & Domains, Funds, Schools, Spells Prepared, Notes, XP & Level Up, DM Notes, Stat Block, and a File menu which allows saving, exporting, or printing of the character file. These menus can be accessed in any order – to see the character sheet you’ll have to use print preview, but checking data is fairly easy using the Stat Block page, which brings up a window that can be used for cut and paste operations.
Stats shows the character’s essential stats (initiative, saves, AC, hp, and attack rolls) along with all of the modifiers used to computer them. The character’s sex is selected here, and ability scores are rolled – with the option of a variety of methods to include random rolls or point buy (though the DM Notes allows a DM to check the number of rolls used to generate a character’s stats or hit points). Multi-classed characters actually have multiple options in their class field (one for each class possessed) – this becomes important when assigning skill point for multi-classed characters or selecting spells – you have to repeat the process for each class the character possesses.
Features allows for viewing of class and racial features, as well as any special qualities or attacks the character has (particularly for monstrous characters – note that they start with their full monster abilities, and don’t follow the monster progressions in Savage Species). Skills allows for assignment of skill points (separately for each class) and shows total skill modifiers as well as class/cross-class skills. Feats does the same, allowing selection of feats, and only allowing selection of those feats for which the character meets prerequisites – though there is nothing to prevent you from taking the same feat multiple times (say, three iterations of Armor Proficiency: Heavy). It is possible to override prerequisites if you choose.
The Languages menu allows selection of bonus languages based on Intelligence and skill points; be advised that if you create a character at higher than first level, you can’t select his bonus languages – the program only allows that for first level characters. Purchase and equip handles all the mundane equipment in the book, as well as magical items. The equipment must first be purchased in that menu, then equipped in the next menu for the effects to appear in the stat block. One nice feature is that weapons may be equipped in multiple combinations, with the appropriate modifiers appearing in the stat block or on the character sheet. Most magical items – there are some exceptions – will have their effects figured in to stat blocks; items not on standard lists can be custom made on the purchase screen, then purchased and equipped (this feature allows scrolls and potions of any type to be made, and note there are no rules checks on these items – you can create a vorpal mace if you so desire). If you don’t have the money for a purchase, the Funds menu allows manipulation of character wealth (or turn it off entirely, and get everything for free – the program “grays out” items you can’t afford).
Clerics can select their God & Domain abilities from the database, subject to their alignment restrictions. All spellcasters the use the spell screen to choose spells known (as appropriate) and spells prepared – to include domain spells, schools prohibited by specialists, and specialist bonus spells. These print out in stat blocks and character sheet as lists of spells known/prepared. One fault of the system, however, it that it doesn’t identify cleric domains in stat blocks, nor does it identify specialist wizards as such – all wizards are wizards; you only recognize specialists by the “+1” in their “Spells per Day” line on the stat block.
Free text for background, appearance, and the like can be added on the Notes page. The XP page allows experience points to be added; when sufficient XP for a new level are accumulated, the “Level Up” button becomes active, and you can add another class level, and make further character adjustments. For GMs, note that this is the only way to create prestige-classed NPCs: you have to meet the requirements with a basic character, then assign XP to level the character up enough to add prestige class levels, which is a slow, frustrating process.
The newly created character can be printed out on a standard D&D character sheet. The sheet looks quite nice – but the printing system works through Internet Explorer. I had difficulty getting the sheet to fit on the page; eventually by reducing the margins to the minimum I was able to get the sheet to print without cutting any portions off. Spellcasters get a nice cheat sheet of their spells prepared and known printed with the character sheet, that includes brief spell summaries as well -- a nice touch for a spellcasting character.
The character generator performs these tasks with a click of the button – select a race, class, level, and alignment, and the program automatically generates an NPC based on a default ability array, equips him/her/it with the equipment appropriate to the character’s level, and incorporates everything into the stat block. This is a great tool for GMs to save time in NPC generation; unfortunately, it doesn’t work for multi-classed characters, characters with NPC levels, or prestige-classed characters. To build them, you must generate them as a lower level character first, then switch to the character editor to make the appropriate changes, or add character levels – but eventually you can create the character you want, as customized (or not) as you desire.
Monster Editor/Generator
The monster editor works very similarly to the character editor, only for creatures from the monster manual without class levels. The generator creates a generic monster from the manual, which may be advanced a number of hit dice. The monster editor can then be used to adjust ability scores, skills, feats, equipment, and the like – or continue to advance the monster by hit dice. Ironically, generic monsters who advance by class level can’t be created with the generator (use the character generator and assign them a class) – but they can be created using the monster editor. It’s actually a real pain to generate a bunch of plain orc warriors, since it can’t be done randomly (though orc fighters can be created).
Treasure Editor/Generator
The treasure editor/generator allows for the creation of specific of random treasures. Specify a level of the treasure and it can be created randomly from the treasure tables, and edit it as desired, or create it completely from scratch. You can add coins, gems/jewelry, mundane, or magical items to any treasure combination, and then cut/paste from the “Treasure stat block” into the adventure you’re writing. The treasures are full customizable – you can create unique magical items, to include those with intelligence or curses (though there are no artifacts in the database).
Table Editor/Generator
The table feature is one that I wouldn’t have thought to include, but that proves quite useful. The table generator allows access to any random table in any of the three core rulebooks, and allows the user to roll up a result from them. For example, you can roll up a random town by accessing the appropriate DMG tables. The table editor is even more interesting – it allows you to create random tables that could include just about anything. It takes some experimentation to get it to work, but with a little practice you can create a table that might allow for random determination of a room’s contents – various monsters, treasures, traps, or other items from random tables.
Other Features
The other features -- aside from the Die Roller, which is fairly self-explanatory – allow for increased customization of your database. You can build a custom race, complete with all modifiers and special abilities/qualities, to include in your campaign – you’ll have to do this to use some of the racial variants from other sources, for example. The House Rules option allows you to create custom feats, skills, gods, domains, spells, magic items, or goods – or modify those in the existing database. This is a powerful tool for campaign customization that is very easy to use, but be careful – since there’s no “restore” feature to fix your unwanted mistakes. Incidentally, CMP also hosts a free third-party database editor on its site, that has a feature that can be used to back up your database, or to create custom classes and class abilities – it’s a shame this feature isn’t part of the base program.
Overall, E-Tools has a very large number of features, with lots of options for customizing PCs, NPCs, monsters, and assorted dungeon dressing.
Critical Hits
The good news is that Code Monkey has taken what was a marginal product and made it into a usable one. E-Tools contains the essential tools that people who are strictly players of the game will find useful – the ability to create and manage characters level-by-level, with the entire range of options and rules in the core products just a mouse click away.
For GMs, E-Tools puts a number of useful tools together into a single product. I’m primarily a GM, and use five different software tools when preparing my adventures. Three of them – a treasure generator, a town generator, and a monster database – E-Tools easily replaces, and provides even greater functionality with the ability to generate data off of any table in the DMG. As to the other two – a character editor and NPC generator – E-Tools may yet replace them as well. E-Tools’ ability to generate fully-equipped NPCs, with complete spellbooks and appropriate magical equipment, with it all incorporated into a correct stat block, is a definite boon, since those are all tasks I perform manually.
I consider myself fairly proficient with the rules, but E-Tools was still able to teach me a thing or two – I’d see a modifier that didn’t make sense (like a –2 to a Craft skill), pull out the rulebook, and usually discover a synergy I wasn’t aware of before (like not equipping a set of proper artisan’s tools results in a penalty to Craft skills). Those minor details have been built in, so you don’t have to worry about them.
GMs and players who like to operate off of laptops, without any printed material will likely also find E-Tools to their liking, especially with the additional rulebook text. Though it isn’t yet a complete campaign management tool, when CMP releases the additional data sets that cover the remaining WOTC D&D products – and especially the 3.5 rules set – E-Tools may yet become the must-have game management tool. Unfortunately, it’s not there yet.
Critical Misses
The bad news is, though a significant number of bugs were squashed, a number of rules implementation errors remain. Armor stacking bonuses don’t function properly, for example – armor bonuses from regular armor and bracers of armor will stack, as will the bonuses from amulets of natural armor and a creature’s natural armor. The skill system has a few errors (like fighters with Alchemy as a class skill). Some information still needs to be errata’s, like the price on boots of striding and springing; other magic items like bracers of archery don’t provide their input to stat blocks where most magic items do. Code Monkey does have a handle on these remaining errors and they will be fixed – but it will probably require one more patch, with the waiting time associated. Luckily, the remaining errors are fairly few, and can be worked around.
There are a number of features that E-Tools is lacking, however, and these are unlikely to be fixed, as they are limitations built into the original programming structure that CMP inherited. The program doesn’t have the ability to handle templates, for example, despite how common and useful a tool these are – you still have to do this work by hand, and implementing it in E-Tools would require a major software re-write. Printing through Explorer will stay, as annoying a feature as that is. Random generation of multi-classed NPCs will also remain beyond the reach of the program – GMs will have to do this work the hard way, by building multi-classed NPCs from scratch. As to other great features – mapping software, campaign management tools, combat tracking software – they aren’t a part of E-Tools, and probably will never be.
E-Tools does have a few irksome usability problems, too, but some of these are on their way to being fixed. Right now, the program lacks any sort of tutorial, and the help files are structured like a Microsoft help program – which is to say they need their own help software. Users who are experienced with the rules won’t have a program with this, but a relative newcomer to the game will have some difficulty learning the system at first. CMP is working on updated help files that may be ready when the final 1.2 patch is released, though some of the DMG and MM help will likely end up in a follow-on patch.
Error recovery is something to watch out for when using the program. Once you level a character, data from the previous level is locked – no issue for a player managing a single character, but a pain for a GM trying to create a high-level NPC when you realize you just screwed up a feat requirement at a low level, and can’t go back. The House Rules tool can be both a blessing and a curse in this regard – it’s easy to delete core data, since the program doesn’t warn you against it, but you can add it back in manually (I managed to delete Corellon Larethian from the deities list while playing around, for example, but just decided the elves didn’t need a deity that much – restoring the original database took a full reinstall!).
Screen color and font choices are a bit poor for long-term usability as well. The light colored text on a black background makes the graphics look really good, but over time causes a bit more eyestrain than black-on-light text would, and the interface settings aren’t user-configurable. Some of the colors make highlighting to cut/paste text, or reading some of the text boxes virtually impossible when they’re faded out due to lack of contrast. [Note to software developers: red text on a black background is never a good choice if you’re looking for a user-friendly interface design!]
Coup de Grace
Unfortunately for all of the parties involved in the development of E-Tools, the timing on this product is just poor. It absolutely had to be fixed to do justice to the purchasers of the original product – it looks like CMP has done that for the most part, and will continue to provide good support. For those continuing 3.0 rules-based campaigns, the tool is useable as of this patch. For planning to switch to the 3.5 rules set immediately, you’ll probably want to wait until the 3.5 data set is available to purchase E-Tools if you haven’t already, so you can get the new data sets as well as any updated patches. Given CMP’s attitude toward the product, though, that future looks pretty bright.
Right now, E-Tools contains the essential information from the SRD, plus a fair amount of flavor text from the core rulebooks – so most of the information is essentially open content, though not labeled as such. Some errors in rules implementation remain; while a capable product, there are competitors that accomplish similar tasks, in some cases more effectively. Right now, players will likely be more satisfied with the product than GMs, given the implemented feature set, but that may improve with future releases. Current owners of the product should be very happy with the 1.2 patch; the value of the product to new owners will increase as more data sets come available.
To see the graded evaluation of this product and to leave comments that the reviewer will respond to, go to The Critic's Corner at www.d20zines.com.
Sizing Up the Target
E-Tools v1.2 is an electronic aid for the DUNGEONS & DRAGONS® game released by Wizards of the Coast and updated by Code Monkey Publishing. E-tools is available as a $30 download from CMP; this review is of the version with CMP’s v1.2 patch added (the patch will be available as a free download from the CMP website).
First Blood
Once upon a time, the Dungeons & Dragons® 3.0 Rules were released. The new rules included compact disk with a character generator program to demonstrate the new rules, with the promise that eventually a fully functional, all-encompassing gaming program called MasterTools would be available to meet every gamers needs. Time passed, and MasterTools failed to appear. It passed from developer to developer, languishing despite gamer demands, until eventually a slightly reduced version called E-Tools was released. Gamers were overjoyed – until they tried E-Tools, and discovered it was full of errors and bugs. Wisely, Wizards of the Coast hired Code Monkey Publishing, developers of the popular PCGen application, to come in and fix E-Tools, so that gamers would again be happy. This review is of the new, patched version of that software – now ready for your game.
This version of E-Tools is designed to run on a PC running Windows 98 or better, with a Pentium II/200Mhz or better processor, 64 MB RAM, 40 MB hard disk space, a CD-ROM drive, and Internet Explorer 6.0 or better. The program may be purchased on CD from Wizards distributors, or purchased directly as a download from Code Monkey Publishing.
CMP fixed over 150 bugs and rules errors to bring out the v1.2 patch. In the process, they also gained the rights to produce the data sets that will eventually provide full support for all Wizards of the Coast products for E-Tools, including the upcoming revised rules (commonly referred to as D&D 3.5).
Installation goes fairly quickly – it actually takes longer to install the patch than the base program. Once run, a brief splash screen is followed by the full program window, which displays a nice new graphics collage that includes the D&D logo, a skeleton, a Red Dragon, and a beholder. The window is full resizable and switchable – unlike the original character generator included with the Player’s Handbook. E-Tools is a completely different program than that original demonstration.
So what does E-Tools consist of? Essentially, it provides four tools in each of two options: a character editor/generator, a monster editor/generator, a treasure editor/generator, and a table editor/generator. The editors allow creation of the character, monster, etc from scratch with the user in control of every option; the generators randomly create a character or the like, and then allow the user to make modifications using the editor. There are some additional, smaller tools, as well: a race creator that allows custom creation of a user-specified character race; a house rules editor; which allows for the entry and/or modification of feats, skills, deities, treasures – virtually all of the E-Tools data – to fit your home campaign; and a dice roller. Between the data sets, tables, and help files, virtually the entire text of the core rulebooks is contained in E-Tools.
There are seven main elements in the menu – File, Editors, Generate, Tools, Links, Toolbars, and Help -- all of which can be accessed from either drop-down menus, or configured as buttons using the Toolbar control. File allows loading and saving of all data – either user generated, or core rules elements (use this to load a standard NPC from the DMG, for instance, or a generic monster). Importing databases is also accessed from the File menu. The Editor and Generate menus run the Character, Monster, Treasure, and Table editor/generator; Tools handles the Race Builder, House Rules editor, and Die Roller. Links provides internet access to the CMP website or the Wizards of the Coast website through your browser. Help allows for search of the help files by keyword or index list; the core rules text elements are in the Help section of the program.
Character Editor/Generator
The character editor is used to create any character or creature (monsters included) that have class levels –PC, NPC, or prestige classes. Character creation follows the basic steps from the rulebook. The first screen allows for selection of race, alignment, and one or more class levels (you could add all 20 if you like – though you can’t add prestige class levels until the feat, skill, and other requirements are met; building a prestige-classed character requires a slower process of core classes first, then prestige classes – though the process is facilitated a bit by a “requirements” checker that highlights accomplished prestige class requirements). Once the base race, class, and alignment are set, there’s not return to this screen – to change them, you’ll have to start over from scratch. Note that the core classes from the PHB and DMG are the only ones supported right now, until the data sets are released.
The next screen brings up an entire menu of options that you can switch between in creating the character – Stats, Bio, Features, Skills, Feats, Languages, Purchase, Equip, God & Domains, Funds, Schools, Spells Prepared, Notes, XP & Level Up, DM Notes, Stat Block, and a File menu which allows saving, exporting, or printing of the character file. These menus can be accessed in any order – to see the character sheet you’ll have to use print preview, but checking data is fairly easy using the Stat Block page, which brings up a window that can be used for cut and paste operations.
Stats shows the character’s essential stats (initiative, saves, AC, hp, and attack rolls) along with all of the modifiers used to computer them. The character’s sex is selected here, and ability scores are rolled – with the option of a variety of methods to include random rolls or point buy (though the DM Notes allows a DM to check the number of rolls used to generate a character’s stats or hit points). Multi-classed characters actually have multiple options in their class field (one for each class possessed) – this becomes important when assigning skill point for multi-classed characters or selecting spells – you have to repeat the process for each class the character possesses.
Features allows for viewing of class and racial features, as well as any special qualities or attacks the character has (particularly for monstrous characters – note that they start with their full monster abilities, and don’t follow the monster progressions in Savage Species). Skills allows for assignment of skill points (separately for each class) and shows total skill modifiers as well as class/cross-class skills. Feats does the same, allowing selection of feats, and only allowing selection of those feats for which the character meets prerequisites – though there is nothing to prevent you from taking the same feat multiple times (say, three iterations of Armor Proficiency: Heavy). It is possible to override prerequisites if you choose.
The Languages menu allows selection of bonus languages based on Intelligence and skill points; be advised that if you create a character at higher than first level, you can’t select his bonus languages – the program only allows that for first level characters. Purchase and equip handles all the mundane equipment in the book, as well as magical items. The equipment must first be purchased in that menu, then equipped in the next menu for the effects to appear in the stat block. One nice feature is that weapons may be equipped in multiple combinations, with the appropriate modifiers appearing in the stat block or on the character sheet. Most magical items – there are some exceptions – will have their effects figured in to stat blocks; items not on standard lists can be custom made on the purchase screen, then purchased and equipped (this feature allows scrolls and potions of any type to be made, and note there are no rules checks on these items – you can create a vorpal mace if you so desire). If you don’t have the money for a purchase, the Funds menu allows manipulation of character wealth (or turn it off entirely, and get everything for free – the program “grays out” items you can’t afford).
Clerics can select their God & Domain abilities from the database, subject to their alignment restrictions. All spellcasters the use the spell screen to choose spells known (as appropriate) and spells prepared – to include domain spells, schools prohibited by specialists, and specialist bonus spells. These print out in stat blocks and character sheet as lists of spells known/prepared. One fault of the system, however, it that it doesn’t identify cleric domains in stat blocks, nor does it identify specialist wizards as such – all wizards are wizards; you only recognize specialists by the “+1” in their “Spells per Day” line on the stat block.
Free text for background, appearance, and the like can be added on the Notes page. The XP page allows experience points to be added; when sufficient XP for a new level are accumulated, the “Level Up” button becomes active, and you can add another class level, and make further character adjustments. For GMs, note that this is the only way to create prestige-classed NPCs: you have to meet the requirements with a basic character, then assign XP to level the character up enough to add prestige class levels, which is a slow, frustrating process.
The newly created character can be printed out on a standard D&D character sheet. The sheet looks quite nice – but the printing system works through Internet Explorer. I had difficulty getting the sheet to fit on the page; eventually by reducing the margins to the minimum I was able to get the sheet to print without cutting any portions off. Spellcasters get a nice cheat sheet of their spells prepared and known printed with the character sheet, that includes brief spell summaries as well -- a nice touch for a spellcasting character.
The character generator performs these tasks with a click of the button – select a race, class, level, and alignment, and the program automatically generates an NPC based on a default ability array, equips him/her/it with the equipment appropriate to the character’s level, and incorporates everything into the stat block. This is a great tool for GMs to save time in NPC generation; unfortunately, it doesn’t work for multi-classed characters, characters with NPC levels, or prestige-classed characters. To build them, you must generate them as a lower level character first, then switch to the character editor to make the appropriate changes, or add character levels – but eventually you can create the character you want, as customized (or not) as you desire.
Monster Editor/Generator
The monster editor works very similarly to the character editor, only for creatures from the monster manual without class levels. The generator creates a generic monster from the manual, which may be advanced a number of hit dice. The monster editor can then be used to adjust ability scores, skills, feats, equipment, and the like – or continue to advance the monster by hit dice. Ironically, generic monsters who advance by class level can’t be created with the generator (use the character generator and assign them a class) – but they can be created using the monster editor. It’s actually a real pain to generate a bunch of plain orc warriors, since it can’t be done randomly (though orc fighters can be created).
Treasure Editor/Generator
The treasure editor/generator allows for the creation of specific of random treasures. Specify a level of the treasure and it can be created randomly from the treasure tables, and edit it as desired, or create it completely from scratch. You can add coins, gems/jewelry, mundane, or magical items to any treasure combination, and then cut/paste from the “Treasure stat block” into the adventure you’re writing. The treasures are full customizable – you can create unique magical items, to include those with intelligence or curses (though there are no artifacts in the database).
Table Editor/Generator
The table feature is one that I wouldn’t have thought to include, but that proves quite useful. The table generator allows access to any random table in any of the three core rulebooks, and allows the user to roll up a result from them. For example, you can roll up a random town by accessing the appropriate DMG tables. The table editor is even more interesting – it allows you to create random tables that could include just about anything. It takes some experimentation to get it to work, but with a little practice you can create a table that might allow for random determination of a room’s contents – various monsters, treasures, traps, or other items from random tables.
Other Features
The other features -- aside from the Die Roller, which is fairly self-explanatory – allow for increased customization of your database. You can build a custom race, complete with all modifiers and special abilities/qualities, to include in your campaign – you’ll have to do this to use some of the racial variants from other sources, for example. The House Rules option allows you to create custom feats, skills, gods, domains, spells, magic items, or goods – or modify those in the existing database. This is a powerful tool for campaign customization that is very easy to use, but be careful – since there’s no “restore” feature to fix your unwanted mistakes. Incidentally, CMP also hosts a free third-party database editor on its site, that has a feature that can be used to back up your database, or to create custom classes and class abilities – it’s a shame this feature isn’t part of the base program.
Overall, E-Tools has a very large number of features, with lots of options for customizing PCs, NPCs, monsters, and assorted dungeon dressing.
Critical Hits
The good news is that Code Monkey has taken what was a marginal product and made it into a usable one. E-Tools contains the essential tools that people who are strictly players of the game will find useful – the ability to create and manage characters level-by-level, with the entire range of options and rules in the core products just a mouse click away.
For GMs, E-Tools puts a number of useful tools together into a single product. I’m primarily a GM, and use five different software tools when preparing my adventures. Three of them – a treasure generator, a town generator, and a monster database – E-Tools easily replaces, and provides even greater functionality with the ability to generate data off of any table in the DMG. As to the other two – a character editor and NPC generator – E-Tools may yet replace them as well. E-Tools’ ability to generate fully-equipped NPCs, with complete spellbooks and appropriate magical equipment, with it all incorporated into a correct stat block, is a definite boon, since those are all tasks I perform manually.
I consider myself fairly proficient with the rules, but E-Tools was still able to teach me a thing or two – I’d see a modifier that didn’t make sense (like a –2 to a Craft skill), pull out the rulebook, and usually discover a synergy I wasn’t aware of before (like not equipping a set of proper artisan’s tools results in a penalty to Craft skills). Those minor details have been built in, so you don’t have to worry about them.
GMs and players who like to operate off of laptops, without any printed material will likely also find E-Tools to their liking, especially with the additional rulebook text. Though it isn’t yet a complete campaign management tool, when CMP releases the additional data sets that cover the remaining WOTC D&D products – and especially the 3.5 rules set – E-Tools may yet become the must-have game management tool. Unfortunately, it’s not there yet.
Critical Misses
The bad news is, though a significant number of bugs were squashed, a number of rules implementation errors remain. Armor stacking bonuses don’t function properly, for example – armor bonuses from regular armor and bracers of armor will stack, as will the bonuses from amulets of natural armor and a creature’s natural armor. The skill system has a few errors (like fighters with Alchemy as a class skill). Some information still needs to be errata’s, like the price on boots of striding and springing; other magic items like bracers of archery don’t provide their input to stat blocks where most magic items do. Code Monkey does have a handle on these remaining errors and they will be fixed – but it will probably require one more patch, with the waiting time associated. Luckily, the remaining errors are fairly few, and can be worked around.
There are a number of features that E-Tools is lacking, however, and these are unlikely to be fixed, as they are limitations built into the original programming structure that CMP inherited. The program doesn’t have the ability to handle templates, for example, despite how common and useful a tool these are – you still have to do this work by hand, and implementing it in E-Tools would require a major software re-write. Printing through Explorer will stay, as annoying a feature as that is. Random generation of multi-classed NPCs will also remain beyond the reach of the program – GMs will have to do this work the hard way, by building multi-classed NPCs from scratch. As to other great features – mapping software, campaign management tools, combat tracking software – they aren’t a part of E-Tools, and probably will never be.
E-Tools does have a few irksome usability problems, too, but some of these are on their way to being fixed. Right now, the program lacks any sort of tutorial, and the help files are structured like a Microsoft help program – which is to say they need their own help software. Users who are experienced with the rules won’t have a program with this, but a relative newcomer to the game will have some difficulty learning the system at first. CMP is working on updated help files that may be ready when the final 1.2 patch is released, though some of the DMG and MM help will likely end up in a follow-on patch.
Error recovery is something to watch out for when using the program. Once you level a character, data from the previous level is locked – no issue for a player managing a single character, but a pain for a GM trying to create a high-level NPC when you realize you just screwed up a feat requirement at a low level, and can’t go back. The House Rules tool can be both a blessing and a curse in this regard – it’s easy to delete core data, since the program doesn’t warn you against it, but you can add it back in manually (I managed to delete Corellon Larethian from the deities list while playing around, for example, but just decided the elves didn’t need a deity that much – restoring the original database took a full reinstall!).
Screen color and font choices are a bit poor for long-term usability as well. The light colored text on a black background makes the graphics look really good, but over time causes a bit more eyestrain than black-on-light text would, and the interface settings aren’t user-configurable. Some of the colors make highlighting to cut/paste text, or reading some of the text boxes virtually impossible when they’re faded out due to lack of contrast. [Note to software developers: red text on a black background is never a good choice if you’re looking for a user-friendly interface design!]
Coup de Grace
Unfortunately for all of the parties involved in the development of E-Tools, the timing on this product is just poor. It absolutely had to be fixed to do justice to the purchasers of the original product – it looks like CMP has done that for the most part, and will continue to provide good support. For those continuing 3.0 rules-based campaigns, the tool is useable as of this patch. For planning to switch to the 3.5 rules set immediately, you’ll probably want to wait until the 3.5 data set is available to purchase E-Tools if you haven’t already, so you can get the new data sets as well as any updated patches. Given CMP’s attitude toward the product, though, that future looks pretty bright.
Right now, E-Tools contains the essential information from the SRD, plus a fair amount of flavor text from the core rulebooks – so most of the information is essentially open content, though not labeled as such. Some errors in rules implementation remain; while a capable product, there are competitors that accomplish similar tasks, in some cases more effectively. Right now, players will likely be more satisfied with the product than GMs, given the implemented feature set, but that may improve with future releases. Current owners of the product should be very happy with the 1.2 patch; the value of the product to new owners will increase as more data sets come available.
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