New Character Builder from WotC!

[tentfox]

Yeah, it hasn't been working for many people the last few hours. Mudbunny said they are working on it.

I loaded it in IE (normally use Chrome) and it worked.

 

[delericho]

The character builder and adventure tools, as they were, became (quite literally) an invaluable tool in my DMing routine. The books were there simply for their fluff, and I learned to completely rely on the software to track all of the crunchy bits.

Yeah, I can go back and start reading the books for the crunchy bits and making characters the old fashioned way, but the more ... satisfying isn't the right word, but it's the closest my brain can currently supply, answer is probably to just stick with what we've got till we get bored with it, or something better comes along.

I'm in a similar position - I won't play 4e without the Character Builder (it represents the difference between "too complex" and "not too complex"). Especially since my DM uses all the options and all the latest updates, which means I cannot buy and use the books, as the version of the game we use isn't actually in print.

The long-term answer is to simply move to another system that doesn't have the mass of technical data to assimilate. In my case, that means 3e (it's no less complex, but 8 years of play helps a lot), but other options include Pathfinder, the new WFRP, or (perhaps better) an out-of-print game like AD&D, WFRP 2nd Edition, or the like.

I'm reminded by something that Monte Cook commented on once - he suggested that the best thing for the game might be to have a few, big, rigorously-tested books released infrequently, but that the best thing for a business would be a regular stream of releases (that necessarily would be many, smaller, and less well tested, if only due to pressures of time). WotC have adopted the latter model wholeheartedly, then fixed the "less well tested" problem with online updates, making us dependent on their electronic tools. Problem being that if something goes wrong with their tools, all that's left is a mess.

I just tried out the new CB for the first time- gack! Not worth the effort.

I'm very disappointed. My (annual) sub goes through like March I think; when it comes time to renew, I'll have to see how much it has improved.

If the current offering is not good enough, I would strongly advise contacting Customer Support and asking for a refund of the remaining months of your subscription. The worst they can happen is that they say "no".

If and when they sort this mess out, and improve the service back to a level you are willing to pay for, you can resubscribe. So there's no reason not to ask for a refund.

Bear in mind that WotC are a business. They won't show you any loyalty whatsoever - the moment it makes sense to "fire you as a customer", they won't hesitate to do so (and nor should they). So, you shouldn't show them any excessive loyalty either - if they produce something you're willing to pay for, then good. If not, you should cut your ties and not think twice about it.

 

[Grabuto138]

I'm in a similar position - I won't play 4e without the Character Builder (it represents the difference between "too complex" and "not too complex"). Especially since my DM uses all the options and all the latest updates, which means I cannot buy and use the books, as the version of the game we use isn't actually in print.

The long-term answer is to simply move to another system that doesn't have the mass of technical data to assimilate. In my case, that means 3e (it's no less complex, but 8 years of play helps a lot), but other options include Pathfinder, the new WFRP, or (perhaps better) an out-of-print game like AD&D, WFRP 2nd Edition, or the like.

I'm reminded by something that Monte Cook commented on once - he suggested that the best thing for the game might be to have a few, big, rigorously-tested books released infrequently, but that the best thing for a business would be a regular stream of releases (that necessarily would be many, smaller, and less well tested, if only due to pressures of time). WotC have adopted the latter model wholeheartedly, then fixed the "less well tested" problem with online updates, making us dependent on their electronic tools. Problem being that if something goes wrong with their tools, all that's left is a mess.



If the current offering is not good enough, I would strongly advise contacting Customer Support and asking for a refund of the remaining months of your subscription. The worst they can happen is that they say "no".

If and when they sort this mess out, and improve the service back to a level you are willing to pay for, you can resubscribe. So there's no reason not to ask for a refund.

Bear in mind that WotC are a business. They won't show you any loyalty whatsoever - the moment it makes sense to "fire you as a customer", they won't hesitate to do so (and nor should they). So, you shouldn't show them any excessive loyalty either - if they produce something you're willing to pay for, then good. If not, you should cut your ties and not think twice about it.

Your DM uses all the options. I assume by this you mean that your DM allows the players to use all the options. As far as I can tell (though I am far from an expert) most of the best builds are still a part of the original CB. Any non-essentials and non-Dark Sun build are still an option for you. Check the CharOpt board and make a kick-ass Ranger or something.

Come to think of it, since if you are subscriber you still have access to the Compendium. I made a Thief old-school style a few weeks ago using the Compendium.

I am curious, since you are a player and not a DM and you have decided to move to another system (that other system that has easy math or a character builder, I assume) have you already convinced your group to move these systems? Have they checked out Pathfinder's CB software?

Far be it from me to question Monte Cook's judgement. The orignal DMG and PH served me well for many years since I ignored most of the wonky rules and made up alot of as I went along. But for me, and I speak only for me, the greatest thing for 1e was 2e. The greatest thing for 2e was 3e. Etc.

Edit: If I remember correctly, and since I drink and have a terrible memory that is a big "if," a big gripe in the 3.x series of D&D was the fact that there were so many fiddly modifiers to attack and damage. Doing the math by hand is actually much easier in 4e since there are fewer way to add to the attack and damage bonuses. I know there are plenty of legitimate reasone why a person would prefer to stick with Pathfinder or 3.x. But "the math is too hard to do manually" is not a reason I am immediately willing to buy.

 

[delericho]

Your DM uses all the options. I assume by this you mean that your DM allows the players to use all the options.

Correct.

As far as I can tell (though I am far from an expert) most of the best builds are still a part of the original CB. Any non-essentials and non-Dark Sun build are still an option for you. Check the CharOpt board and make a kick-ass Ranger or something.

Not the point. At the moment, the old Character Builder fills that gap, for those people lucky enough to have access to it. But the game will move forward, with new books and (especially) revisions to the existing books. The old Character Builder will therefore become increasingly obselete.

Come to think of it, since if you are subscriber you still have access to the Compendium. I made a Thief old-school style a few weeks ago using the Compendium.

I won't be creating 4e characters manually. Period. As I said, the Character Builder was the difference between "too complex" and "not too complex".

I am curious, since you are a player and not a DM and you have decided to move to another system (that other system that has easy math or a character builder, I assume) have you already convinced your group to move these systems? Have they checked out Pathfinder's CB software?

I'm working on the former. If we switch, it will be to a less complex system, and so not one needing a Character Builder. It won't be Pathfinder.

I'm not interested in Edition Wars, so I'm not going to comment on the "Pathfinder CB software".

Edit: If I remember correctly, and since I drink and have a terrible memory that is a big "if," a big gripe in the 3.x series of D&D was the fact that there were so many fiddly modifiers to attack and damage.

You're correct that the math in 4e is less complex than in 3e (although it makes up for it with the micromanagement of powers and conditions). However, what mitigates the complexity of 3e is the system mastery I developed over 8 years of play. I've reached a point in my life where I'm just not interested in developing that mastery for 4e (or Pathfinder, for that matter). If I came to 3e 'cold', I wouldn't be interested in it either - it is only that system mastery that makes the difference.

With 4e, it was the Character Builder that makes the difference. Once that advantage is gone, so too is my willingness to play 4e.

 

[darjr]

Ask CS for a refund. I asked and received one back to September when I cancelled my sub.

 

[Herschel]

I was on it last night and it worked fine, importing characters and all.

 

[webrunner]

Your DM uses all the options. I assume by this you mean that your DM allows the players to use all the options. As far as I can tell (though I am far from an expert) most of the best builds are still a part of the original CB. Any non-essentials and non-Dark Sun build are still an option for you. Check the CharOpt board and make a kick-ass Ranger or something.

There is at least one thing in essentials virtually every player is excited about that isn't in the old cb: the new expertise feat rider bonuses.

There's no reason to take Implement Expertise: Staff when you can take Staff Expertise and get Weapon Expertise: Staff for free, plus a melee range bonus, plus immunity to opportunity attacks when casting spells.

 

[WayneLigon]

WOTC: ...And we're sure everyone will love the new 5E!

ENWorld Faction: Don't worry, everyone, it's not like WOTC chained all your old books and characters up and dumped 'em down a hole so you can't get to them anymore. You can still play the game you're used to!

Everyone Else: Ummmm...

 

[zoroaster100]

Speaking of the new Essential expertise feats versus the old expertise feats, I can't figure out why they are both co-existing in the new online CB. I wish they had done some clean up on the feats, and hope they do so soon. It's quite silly, and even a possible trap for new players, to have a CB which has a group of feats called expertise feats with Implement Expertise (Staff) and another feat in a different section of feats called Staff Expertise which does everything the other feat does plus more.

 

[rjdafoe]

Oh, yes. The calm and reserved reaction we saw from everyone when they announced Dark Sun and Essentials weren't going to be in September's CB update was a wonderful thing to see.

And the funny thing is - it was all so it could go in the Online CB. There was no excuse for not updating the "Classic" CB with what was supposed to be there.