HeroLab

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Anyone use this program? I've been burned by Redblade in the past, but am always optimistic that there will be a good character generator (especially if it can handle templated monsters) for D20.

 

[kingpaul]

Anyone use this program? I've been burned by Redblade in the past, but am always optimistic that there will be a good character generator (especially if it can handle templated monsters) for D20.

From reading their boards, I don't think they can handle templates yet, but that's in the works.


PCGen can currently handle templates though.

 

[2WS-Steve]

For me, more significantly than templates, it doesn't handle monsters yet. Neither does RPGXplorer.

Metacreator, DM Genie, and PCGEN do handle monsters and templates.

I've been planning on putting together a comparison of all the character creators I own and posting it here to the boards.

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Have you tried HeroForge at all? They just released a major version that has a lot of new options (including better ability to customize).

The problem is, the new version is kind of a bear loading, at least on older machines (and, the biggest drawback, to me, is that characters saved with older versions have to be completely reworked for the new one. )

 

[catsclaw227]

I'm personally a huge fan of DM Genie. All the complaints GMs have about tracking the myriad bonuses, conditions, etc can simply go away with DM Genie.

It is quite flexible and incredibly customizable. And there are yahoo groups to support templates, classes, monsters, feats, etc.

For pure character creation, I imagine that PCGen is better, but for actual play in game, DM Genie is awesome. I can't imagine DMing without it.

 

[meomwt]

Have you tried HeroForge at all? They just released a major version that has a lot of new options (including better ability to customize).

The problem is, the new version is kind of a bear loading, at least on older machines (and, the biggest drawback, to me, is that characters saved with older versions have to be completely reworked for the new one. )

HeroForge is now a useful tool, it can go Epic and it has some templates. I need to look at some of the other options and play with them yet. I like it, it's a great tool.

 

[kingpaul]

For pure character creation, I imagine that PCGen is better, but for actual play in game, DM Genie is awesome. I can't imagine DMing without it.

Have you tried the GMGen plug-in of PCGen for ingame? I haven't because no one in my group has a laptop. I know some of our users have, and they like it.

 

[Mercule]

Have you tried the GMGen plug-in of PCGen for ingame?

Ditto. It's one of the major reasons I decided to invest my time and energy into PCGen (I've got a lot of house rules that require data editing). The initiative tracker, encounter generator, and xp calculator are fantabulous aids.

 

[catsclaw227]

Ditto. It's one of the major reasons I decided to invest my time and energy into PCGen (I've got a lot of house rules that require data editing). The initiative tracker, encounter generator, and xp calculator are fantabulous aids.

I like DM Genie because of the vbscript capabilities. Items, Feats, Classes and other functons can be scripted with a fairly nice object model.

 

[acon360]

I have to, once again, ditto the DM Genie comments...I just wish it had a better GUI. This is it's only downfall, but then again that is a lot of functionality that I'm asking to be made into a better UI.