D&D 5E (2014) Recommended apps and software

[Ricochet]

I haven't participated much in the forums for the last several months, although I've been playing lots of D&D 5th Edition.

Any interesting apps or software available now for 5e? I have the spells apps for Android, and the Orcpub character builder is pretty cool. Anything else worthwhile out there for either GMs or players?

I'm missing a good statblock / monster list for Android, and maybe something like Pathfinder Master Tools, in particular.

 

[MNblockhead]

Fantasy Grounds and Rolld20 have 5e licenses. You can get the monster manual and adventure paths in those tools if you want to run your game from a VTT.

Hero Labs supports the SRD and the community has filled in most of the gaps.

RealmWorks now has 5e as a format option for campaigns, which means it is ready to take in 5e-compatible content, but they won't have 5e content available when the Content Market is released.

 

[Ricochet]

Thanks for the summary, MNblockhead!

No smartphone software at all for 5e worth checking out?

I know the Fight Club app was out for iOS at one point and looked promising.

 

[designbot]

Fight Club 5th Edition and Game Master 5th Edition for iOS are both being actively updated, and they're pretty great. They include all the content available under the OGL, and multiple community projects have translated all the other core books into XML files that can be imported into the app. (The best source I've found is @FightClubXML, who updates their files very quickly every time Unearthed Arcana is released.)

Some people seem to like Fifth Edition Character Sheet for iOS and Android, but I can't get past the gross UI.

A member here has created an nice app for DM's called Encounter+ that has some unique features, like encounter difficulty calculation and custom initiative options. That's also iOS only. I think both of those apps can import the same XML format.

And, of course, there's the web-based Kobold Fight Club, which is great for setting up encounters, and more mobile-friendly than it used to be.

For tracking notes and displaying maps, I backed InfinitasDM on Kickstarter, but haven't actually used it yet… again, the UI is a little weird. I have used 3D Virtual Tabletop, which is pretty cool, though a little clunky at times as well. Those are both available for iOS, Android, PC and Mac.

 

[Ze_Azrael]

I have found this spell app to be incredibly useful. It has everything from PHB and EE and it allows you to add custom spells (so you can add the missing SCAG cantrips or your own spells). This is the resource I use most often and it makes tracking or looking up spells in the middle of a game so easy.

I've seen a few apps for Druids and Summoners like this one, though I don't personally have much experience with them, they look useful enough.

As a DM I like this Monster Builder tool that lets you fairly easily (after you get used to the UI quirks) create custom monsters in the same pretty format as the MM.

The Donjon website has a lot of tables and random generators that are nice for quickly looking things up or spinning up some trinkets/NPCs/treasure/etc.

 

[monsterworkbench]

Monsterworkbench.com is an all in one free PC desktop tool that has pretty much everything you are asking for and is Free.

 

[Ricochet]

I can't wait to try these out! Will post my impressions in a while.

No iOS in my home though. A shame since those apps look well-polished. I'm actually surprised the D&D crowd is more into Apple than the more "free-to-program" Android.

 

[MNblockhead]

Thanks for the summary, MNblockhead!

No smartphone software at all for 5e worth checking out?

I know the Fight Club app was out for iOS at one point and looked promising.

I don't use apps on my Smartphone for running or playing in games. But if you include iPad, you should look at the iPad version of HeroLab for creating and playing your character.

 

[Ricochet]

I find Herolab somewhat cumbersome and unnecessary for 5e. Besides, no iOS software in my home. Thanks for the suggestion though!

 

[Ricochet]

So I've been trying out some of these.

Monster Workbench has a lot of potential, and I see there's an app now too. Lots of quick generation and a cool throwback sort of feel to it!

The Monster Maker is a great tool - just fantastic. Good for private AND professional use imo.

I've used Donjon for years. Just seeped in great ideas.

Still no Fightclub for Android as far as I can tell.

I've also been using the Magic Set Editor to make initiative cards to hang on my GM screen, and making NPC cards that fit in M:TG sleeves. Works well for visual aids at the table.

Also been using Facebook for my Out of the Abyss campaign - simply a closed group where GM AND players can put things up there.

Beyond D&D will satisfy a lot of my needs too - the character generator runs great already.

Thanks all for the responses in this thread!