PCGen Help - Adding an elven thinblade.

[Dark Jezter]

I've spent much of today trying to add the elven thinblade as a weapon to PCGen for an NPC I plan on building. Unfortunately, I can't figure out for the life of me how to add a new weapon to the equipment list.

The elven thinblade has the following stats:

One-handed
1d8 damage (1d6 for a small version)
18-20/x2 critical range
Finesseable
Exotic weapon.
I can't remember the weight, so I'll just say it weighs as much as a rapier.

So, basically it's a rapier that deals 1d8 damage instead of 1d6 damage, but it's balanced by the fact that you need to spend a feat to use it without taking a penalty.

Any PCGen gurus know how to add this?

 

[D'karr]

I've spent much of today trying to add the elven thinblade as a weapon to PCGen for an NPC I plan on building. Unfortunately, I can't figure out for the life of me how to add a new weapon to the equipment list.

The elven thinblade has the following stats:

One-handed
1d8 damage (1d6 for a small version)
18-20/x2 critical range
Finesseable
Exotic weapon.
I can't remember the weight, so I'll just say it weighs as much as a rapier.

So, basically it's a rapier that deals 1d8 damage instead of 1d6 damage, but it's balanced by the fact that you need to spend a feat to use it without taking a penalty.

Any PCGen gurus know how to add this?

What version of PCGen are you using? LST Files for older versions are much different. Does your version have a functioning "custom LST file editor". I mention functioning because there have been some version in which the file editor would not work properly, etc.

I prefer to edit the LST File directly but not many people are comfortable with this, that is why I ask the questions. Are you creating a custom campaign folder for your campaign changesor are you willing to make the changes directly to the PCGen files that come with your distribution? I'd recommend the first method, I've done the second method but everytime you change distributions your changes would be gone. Creating a campaign folder with your campaign specific changes is not hard but it is time consuming. Using the LST Editors is the easiest method but they don't work all the time.

 

[Dark Jezter]

What version of PCGen are you using? LST Files for older versions are much different. Does your version have a functioning "custom LST file editor". I mention functioning because there have been some version in which the file editor would not work properly, etc.

I prefer to edit the LST File directly but not many people are comfortable with this, that is why I ask the questions. Are you creating a custom campaign folder for your campaign changesor are you willing to make the changes directly to the PCGen files that come with your distribution? I'd recommend the first method, I've done the second method but everytime you change distributions your changes would be gone. Creating a campaign folder with your campaign specific changes is not hard but it is time consuming. Using the LST Editors is the easiest method but they don't work all the time.

My version of PCGen is 5.5.5.

As for creating a custom campaign foldier, maybe that's what I'll do. Although I'm really not adding anything more than that single weapon.

 

[Abraxas]

I'm having the same trouble with the same version of PCGen

I was originally editing the LST files directly. I can get the items to show up in the inventory purchasing screen but I can't get new exotic weapons to show up as an option when selecting an exotic weapon proficiency.

Then I created a custom campaign folder - and I still can't get new exotic weapons to show up.

Version 5.5.5 doesn't seem to have the custom LST file editor unless there's some trick to getting it to work I don't know of.

 

[D'karr]

Campaign Sourcebook

Very well. You seem to have the PCGen distribution that has the standard tags. I'll walk you through the steps needed to add the weapon to your campaign folder. You will need to create a folder inside your PCGen Data folder to make these changes.

Under your PCGen folder look for the following path - data\permissioned. Under the permissioned folder you will create your campaign folder. I'll call my campaign folder - Baledar (The name of my campaign world). My path will look like this - data\permissioned\baledar. So you'll have a path that looks like this - data\permissioned\YOURCAMPAIGNNAME. Try to keep your folder name as one word just to prevent unnecessary problems.

The next step is to create the 3 text files that will contain your campaign data. We are only creating these three because you're only creating a weapon. If you were adding deities, races, feats, etc., you'd create a file for each of those things.

The first will be called - baledar.pcc.
This file will tell PCGen which files to load whenever I select my campaign.

The second will be called - baledarweaponprofs.lst.
This file defines the type of weapon proficiency that a character needs to wield a specific weapon.

And the last will be called - baledarequipweapmelee.lst
This is the file that will contain your elven thinblade.

Create the three files using your campaign name instead of Baledar. Something like this YOURCAMPAIGNAME.pcc, YOURCAMPAIGNAMEweaponprofs.lst, and YOURCAMPAIGNAMEequipweapmelee.lst.

Now you need to edit your files.

I'll start with the easier files first. Open baledarweaponprofs.lst in a text editor such as notepad.

Type the following or copy and paste it. Make sure that the space between(Elven) and TYPE is a TAB, not a space. PCGen doesn't understand spaces too well. Everything in all caps must be in caps. Those are specific PCGen TAGS. The # sign designates a comment, meaning that that specific line is not read by PCGen. It is used for your own readability.

# EXOTIC
[size=2]# -- 1-handers[/size]
Thinblade (Elven) [size=2]TYPE:Exotic[/size]

Save and close baledarweaponprofs.lst. Next open baledarequipweapmelee.lst.

Once again type the following ALL IN ONE LINE or copy and paste from here. Make sure that any spaces before the TAGS are tabs and not spaces, I cannot stress that enough. You should also change the cost since I'm pretty sure that the weapon costs more than 20gp.

[size=2] 
 
Thinblade (Elven) OUTPUTNAME:Thinblade, Elven PROFICIENCY:Thinblade (Elven)  TYPE:Weapon.Melee.Exotic.OneHanded.Finesseable.Standard.Metal.Piercing.Sword COST:20 WT:2 CRITMULT:x2 CRITRANGE:3 DAMAGE:1d8 SIZE:M
 
[/size]

And to wrap it all up. You must now create a pcc file that tells PCGen to read your LST files.

Open baledar.pcc.

Type or cut and paste the following. Change anything that says baledar to whatever you've decided to call your campaign

[/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]CAMPAIGN:Baledar[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]RANK:2[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]GAMEMODE:DnD[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]GENRE:Fantasy[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]BOOKTYPE:Campaign Setting[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]#OPTION:[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]PUBNAMELONG:Baledar Press [/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]PUBNAMESHORT:BP[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]PUBNAMEWEB:None[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]SETTING:Dungeons and Dragons[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]TYPE:Baledar.Revised[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]SOURCELONG:Baledar Campaign Sourcebook[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]SOURCESHORT:BPCS[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]SOURCEWEB:htt:\\baledarpressandstuff.justkidding[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]ISD20:NO[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]ISOGL:NO[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]COPYRIGHT:My Copyright[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]COPYRIGHT:Their Copyright[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]INFOTEXT:My Campaign Rules and Additions[/size][/size][/size]
 
[size=2][size=2][size=2]#Basics[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]WEAPONPROF:baledarweaponprofs.lst[/size][/size][/size]
[size=2][size=2][size=2]EQUIPMENT:baledarequipweapmelee.lst[/size][/size]

I hope this helps you.

PCGen is a wonderful software tool and being able to undertand the LST files goes a long way to helping you customize it to your tastes.

BTW, if you ever change versions of PCGen all you have to do is copy your campaign folder to the permissioned folder and your data should be loaded as normal.

Word of caution. It does not happen often and it hasn't happened in a very long time but the Code Monkeys will change tags for PCGen if they find a way to tweak the program. You might want to look at the documentation for the latest tags in case this fix stops working for you.

Oh, I almost forgot. Once you've done your editing open PCGen. You will see a folder under the source material with your campaign name. Drill down into that folder and load your campaign as well as the PHB or SRD and any other source materials that you use in your campaign.

Good luck and welcome to the wonderful world of LST Editing.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I would just like to say thank you, D'karr. Your post was most informative, and helped me successfully add the weapon to PCGen.

 

[Abraxas]

It worked for me also.
Do all user created files have to go in the permissioned folder?
I also tried to input a two handed exotic weapon - the Fullblade - the only way I could get that to work was to enter it as a Fullblade and not as a Sword (Fullblade) . . . Oh and now the custom list editor works . . . strange.

Anywho, Thanks D'karr.

 

[D'karr]

It worked for me also.
Do all user created files have to go in the permissioned folder?
I also tried to input a two handed exotic weapon - the Fullblade - the only way I could get that to work was to enter it as a Fullblade and not as a Sword (Fullblade) . . . Oh and now the custom list editor works . . . strange.

Anywho, Thanks D'karr.

You are welcome. I'm glad it worked for both of you and that I could be of some help.

As far as I know the custom campaign files do not need to go in the Permissioned folder. In the past I've put them in the other folders under data. However, I don't recall ever putting them directly into the data directory. You can try it and see how it works.

As far as the problem with the Fullblade, I can't say why it didn't work for you. I just entered it just like I did the Thinblade and it worked just fine. You'd have to define it in the XXXweaponprofs.lst in the following manner.

[size=2] # EXOTIC 
# -- 2-handers
Sword (Fullblade) TYPE:Exotic HANDS:2
[/size]

Then in your XXXweapmelee.lst you'd have to add a line like this.

[size=2]
Sword (Fullblade) OUTPUTNAME:Fullblade PROFICIENCY:Sword (Fullblade) TYPE:Weapon.Melee.Exotic.TwoHanded.Standard.Metal.Slashing.Sword COST:75 WT:8 CRITMULT:x2 CRITRANGE:3 DAMAGE:2d4 SIZE:M

[/size]

I just tried it and it worked. Of course you want to change all the critical, damage, etc. to the correct numbers but it did work.

Remember that you must always add the weapon into the XXXweaponprofs.lst or the proficiency for that weapon will not appear even if you have added it to the equipment list.

Good luck in your future LST editing.

 

[Abraxas]

Thats looks exactly as I had it entered - oh well, I may have had a semicolon or space in there somewhere.

Thanks Again.