Some questions: restricting options, house rules, etc

[Vicar In A Tutu]

I've been toying with the idea of only allowing essentials stuff in my next campaign. Obviously, I have to run this by the players (if they don't want to, it's business as usual). Fact is, I really like essentials. Especially that it provides a few classes that are easy to play. Anyway, seeing as I'm always the DM, I know very little about the online character builder. I'm wondering if I can do the following with the character builder

1) Allow only character options from the two essential books + relevant Dragon articles (new cleric build, etc) and any books released after essentials (upcomming Heroes of Shadow). Can I click on specific buttons, choosing "enable sources", for example deselect all and easily selecting Heroes of the Fallen Lands, Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms, Dungeon #, etc?

2) Can I add feats, powers and items that I make myself?

3) Bonus question: How is the list of errata for Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms? Will there be a reprint with the errata included (seeing as they are "essential" books and should always be available on the shelves), or will I get the feeling sooner or later that the books are "obsolete" because of more and more errata?

 

[Saracenus]

At this time there is not the level of customization you are looking for. You can build your PCs with the following restrictions:

1. Quick Essentials Auto Build (It guides you like the Essentials Player's Guides)
2. Custom (Choose One of the Following)
   • D&D Encounters (whatever the current season is running)
   • D&D Home Campaign (open the fire hose, everything is there)
   • Forgotten Realms (No Eberron or Dark Sun)
   • Eberron (No FR or Dark Sun)
   • Dark Sun (No Divine Classes, No FR or Eberron)

I haven't explored the campaign specific custom choices much so I don't know all of the core stuff that is toggled off in them (though Dark Sun does not allow Divine Classes).

I hope this helps,

 

[Vicar In A Tutu]

At this time there is not the level of customization you are looking for. You can build your PCs with the following restrictions:

1. Quick Essentials Auto Build (It guides you like the Essentials Player's Guides)
2. Custom (Choose One of the Following)
   • D&D Encounters (whatever the current season is running)
   • D&D Home Campaign (open the fire hose, everything is there)
   • Forgotten Realms (No Eberron or Dark Sun)
   • Eberron (No FR or Dark Sun)
   • Dark Sun (No Divine Classes, No FR or Eberron)

I haven't explored the campaign specific custom choices much so I don't know all of the core stuff that is toggled off in them (though Dark Sun does not allow Divine Classes).

I hope this helps,

Thanks. This was a bit disapointing. Do you know if they are going to improve the character builder's ability to disallow certain sources, and implement better house rule capabilities? Also, how much errata is there currently for the two essentials heroes-books? Will there be reprints with included errata?

 

[SSquirrel]

They have more customizations options listed in the known issue page over at the official D&D site. If it allowed campaign specific additions (such as if you decide to run a Dark Sun campaign where you are re-discovering the gods and thus allow Divine characters) or self-created items, he would allow it. Currently he doesn't allow anything that is essentials only b/c the rest of the group is running the offline CB and don't have access to the same stuff.