Standard Stat Blocks for Tool Builders

[andargor]

I wonder if there is a "standard" stat block format that has been established? I know WoTC has some stat blocks with slight variations.

The reason I ask is that I know some tools, such as DM Genie, can import monsters or characters directly from a stat block.

Since a common XML format (which would be ideal) seems difficult to nail down, couldn't tool builders agree on a stat block standard that is aligned with WoTCs format?

For example, I wonder if those tools could load the example Force Dragon below.

Thoughts?

Andargor

Very old force dragon; CR 39; Colossal dragon (force); HD 60d12+1,140; hp 1,530; Spd 60 ft., fly 300 ft. (clumsy); AC 81 (-8 size, +20 deflection, +59 natural), touch 22, flat-footed 81; Base Atk +60; Grp +102; Atk +79 melee (4d8+26/19-20, Bite); Full Atk +79 melee (4d8+26/19-20, Bite) and +79 melee (4d6+13/19-20, 2 Claws) and +78 melee (2d8+13/19-20, 2 Wings) and +79 melee (4d6+39, Tail Slap); Space/Reach 30 ft./20 ft. (30 ft. with bite); SA Breath weapon (70 ft. cone of force 45d12, DC 59), crush 4d8+39 (DC 59), frightful presence (DC 60), tail sweep 2d8+39 (DC 59); SQ Blindsense 60 ft., blur, damage reduction 25/epic, darkvision 120 ft., displacement, forcecage, immunity to sleep and paralysis, keen senses, resilient sphere, spell resistance 48, spells (caster level 27th), wall of force; AL N; SV Fort +51, Ref +32, Will +52; Str 63, Dex 10, Con 49, Int 50, Wis 51, Cha 50

Skills and Feats: Appraise +40, Bluff +40, Concentration +82, Craft (alchemy) +40, Diplomacy +83, Disable Device +40, Escape Artist +63, Gather Information +40, Heal +40, Hide +4, Intimidate +83, Jump +46, Knowledge (all) +83, Listen +85, Move Silently +20, Open Lock +20, Search +83, Sense Motive +83, Spellcraft +40, Spot +85, Survival +40, Tumble +20, Use Magic Device +83; Alertness, Blind-Fight, Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Empower Spell, Flyby Attack, Great Cleave, Hover, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Critical (claws), Improved Critical (wings), Improved Initiative, Improved Spell Capacity, Improved Sunder, Maximize Spell, Power Attack, Snatch, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (claw), Weapon Focus (tail slap), Wingover

 

[XCorvis]

There appear to be 4 major formats:

d20 - the community standard
Core - the one listed in the DMG (page 129, apparently)
Chronicle - the format for submissions to Wizards/Dungeon
Guild - RPGA format

Here's a comparison: http://d20statblock.thyle.net/standard/examples.html

I found some info on the d20 statblock at that site, but the website is partially broken. Looks like it was mirrored or something and the links weren't updated properly. Anyway, here's a direct link to the style guide:
http://d20statblock.thyle.net/standard/styleguide.html

 

[andargor]

There appear to be 4 major formats:

d20 - the community standard
Core - the one listed in the DMG (page 129, apparently)
Chronicle - the format for submissions to Wizards/Dungeon
Guild - RPGA format

Here's a comparison: http://d20statblock.thyle.net/standard/examples.html

I found some info on the d20 statblock at that site, but the website is partially broken. Looks like it was mirrored or something and the links weren't updated properly. Anyway, here's a direct link to the style guide:
http://d20statblock.thyle.net/standard/styleguide.html

Interesting variations in format. I understand that the d20 statblock was developed with more "detail" in mind (e.g. ECL and skill ranks).

I wonder what tools support which format(s)?

Andargor

 

[dream66_]

Those statblocks are out of date though...

The modern 3.5 statblocks include Grapple and BAB just for an example.

 

[DMFTodd]

Standard Stat Block

In the early days of 3.0, someone lead an effort to have a standard stat block (Charles Greathouse?). Several publishers said they'd use it, some of them actually did. There didn't seem to be enough interest in it though and it appears to have disappeared. The website used to be d20statblock.org.

DM's Familiar does import stat blocks. I used the D20 Standard that was around at the time. You'll find templates for E:Tools and PCGen on my website that creates this stat block for whatever that is worth.

The idea of a standard stat block is appealing, the follow-up through doesn't seem to be worth the effort to the publishers though.

 

[andargor]

In the early days of 3.0, someone lead an effort to have a standard stat block (Charles Greathouse?). Several publishers said they'd use it, some of them actually did. There didn't seem to be enough interest in it though and it appears to have disappeared. The website used to be d20statblock.org.

DM's Familiar does import stat blocks. I used the D20 Standard that was around at the time. You'll find templates for E:Tools and PCGen on my website that creates this stat block for whatever that is worth.

The idea of a standard stat block is appealing, the follow-up through doesn't seem to be worth the effort to the publishers though.

Ok, I'm toying with the idea of making a stat block normalizer which would both recognize a particular format (or one derived), and output different specific formats.

I have nothing queued for that in the short term, but there are other tools I'm thinking about that may need such a thing for interoperability purposes with other tools out there. I'll keep all that in mind.

Andargor

 

[barsoomcore]

Please don't make it Windows-only?

I would LOVE a parser that reads in text stat blocks and spits out xml, for example. Even just a Perl script would be useful for me.

I know, I know, I should just write myself. With all that spare time I've got.