What is the BEST char gen software available?

[Dragonblade]

So I'm looking for some software that will allow me to easily create PCs and NPCs of multiple classes and even high levels. Complete with an easy tool for equipping items (including magic items) and assigning spells.

I'd also like the final character sheet to include all bonuses from all equipment, feats, levels, and class abilities for all classes not only factored in, but also broken down with parentheses next to the final total bonus. For example, "Attack +10/+5 (Ftr6 +6, Barb1 +1, Str 14 +2, Mwk Swd + 1)".

Next I'd like the character sheet to come with a spell book sheet that lists all the spells the character knows with a summary of the spell description and all bonuses pre-calced based on the appropriate caster level).

I'd also like the ability to base characters off of all the SRD monsters. In other words, the ability to make a Cleric/Rogue Storm Giant for example. I'd also like the ability to create my own preset templates that could include an existing class/feat combo.

For example, I want to be able to create a template for an "Archer". That template would contain 10 fighter levels with appropriate Archery related feats and gear all preselected and factored in. Then when making my NPC, I just slap on the Archery template that I created onto an existing monster or humanoid race and BAM!, with a couple of mouse clicks I now can churn out drow archers, human archers, or even gnoll archers without having to rebuild each NPC from scratch. All bonuses and CR etc. all pre-calced for me. And if I want to I can then customize further or slap on another template, etc.

Is there any PC/DM generation/utility software on the market that can easily handle all of my requirements?

 

[Dragonblade]

Hero Lab looks promising. Especially since they will also offer M&M support soon.

Can someone in the know inform me as to how well it handles creating preset class templates, breaking down bonuses on char sheets, and allowing multi-classed characters of high levels. And by high level I mean up to level 99. And by multi-class, I mean at least 4 different classes. More classes is better especially when designing my own class templates.

 

[kingpaul]

So I'm looking for some software that will allow me to easily create PCs and NPCs of multiple classes and even high levels. Complete with an easy tool for equipping items (including magic items) and assigning spells.

PCgen can do this. We have Epic support as well.

I'd also like the final character sheet to include all bonuses from all equipment, feats, levels, and class abilities for all classes not only factored in, but also broken down with parentheses next to the final total bonus. For example, "Attack +10/+5 (Ftr6 +6, Barb1 +1, Str 14 +2, Mwk Swd + 1)".

We roll up the bonuses so you can see where they come from. If you look at the attack block on the Preview tab, you'll see the total BAB (doesn't break down classes individually) and the stat bonus. Then in the weapon block will have the total bonus (but not any bonuses from mw or wpn focus).

Next I'd like the character sheet to come with a spell book sheet that lists all the spells the character knows with a summary of the spell description and all bonuses pre-calced based on the appropriate caster level).

There are numerous output sheets that you can select for this, and PCGen will calculate the various variables based upon your level.

I'd also like the ability to base characters off of all the SRD monsters. In other words, the ability to make a Cleric/Rogue Storm Giant for example. I'd also like the ability to create my own preset templates that could include an existing class/feat combo.

We have all the SRD monsters included, and you can create your own templates (or anything else for that matter).

For example, I want to be able to create a template for an "Archer". That template would contain 10 fighter levels with appropriate Archery related feats and gear all preselected and factored in. Then when making my NPC, I just slap on the Archery template that I created onto an existing monster or humanoid race and BAM!, with a couple of mouse clicks I now can churn out drow archers, human archers, or even gnoll archers without having to rebuild each NPC from scratch. All bonuses and CR etc. all pre-calced for me. And if I want to I can then customize further or slap on another template, etc.

Ah, that kind of template. I believe you can with the fairly recent "kit" overhaul that occurred. However, I haven't played with it, so can't speak with certainty.

Is there any PC/DM generation/utility software on the market that can easily handle all of my requirements?

PCGen...and its free.

 

[Dragonblade]

Sounds like PC Gen has come a long way from when I saw it a year ago. I'll have to check it out. Any other recommendations from anyone?

 

[Anurien]

Try RPGXplorer, a couple of things here we don't handle yet (we will in time) and it's ....not free

 

[Mercule]

Sounds like PC Gen has come a long way from when I saw it a year ago. I'll have to check it out. Any other recommendations from anyone?

PCGen really has had some subtle, but potent, improvements in the last couple of years. Plus, there's a lot it can do that isn't immediately obvious, but an experienced user can do fairly easily.

 

[Thad Enouf]

PCGen really has had some subtle, but potent, improvements in the last couple of years. Plus, there's a lot it can do that isn't immediately obvious, but an experienced user can do fairly easily.

Yes, the software has come a long way. There were/are some memory issues but as a whole, it's worth a lot more than it costs.

 

[Dragonblade]

I should mention that I don't care about cost (within reason). As long as the software is easy to use and can make my gaming life easier, I'll consider that worth paying for.

 

[mosat]

PCGen can handle all of the requirements you set forth. However there is learning curve involved as some of them would require you to create your own data files to implement.

The concept of an Archer template which would grant class levels, feats and equipment for an Archer can be done in PCGen with Kits which were greatly enhanced in the 5.10 release. We use them primarily for Default Monsters but we also have a Kit set which grants random treasure based an the SRD treasure tables. Kits can be used to grant anything, your Archer package is no problem but you would need to create it with a text editor, it can't be made in the program itself.

Another feature under development in the current Alpha release is random NPC generation. This gives you the option to generate random characters of any races and classes loaded in PCGen.

 

[labyrinth]

Hero Lab looks promising. Especially since they will also offer M&M support soon.

Can someone in the know inform me as to how well it handles creating preset class templates, breaking down bonuses on char sheets, and allowing multi-classed characters of high levels. And by high level I mean up to level 99. And by multi-class, I mean at least 4 different classes. More classes is better especially when designing my own class templates.

Adding classes is quick and easy with Hero Lab. You can do it within a pretty simple editor. Depending on what you're trying to accomplish with your classes, you might might need to write a few lines of script code to do "special" stuff. However, I've always been able to simply copy something that already exists (e.g. a special ability) and modify an id or two. So it's pretty darn easy.

Handling multiple classes works easily within Hero Lab. I think you run into a user-interface limitation when you add a sixth class, but I've personally never seen more than four classes in any game I've played in, so the current limit of five ought to plenty for most folks. And since it's just a UI limitation, fixing it shouldn't be too hard.

For breaking down bonuses on character sheets, you get the all the usual elements for the attack, saves, armor, etc. I'm not sure what you mean beyond that. One thing that sounds really promising is the ability to create your own custom character sheets with Hero Lab. Apparently, the character sheets use the exact same scripting mechanism (and language) as the rest of the application, so it should be easy to customize things to your heart's content. Alas, it hasn't been exposed yet, since they haven't documented it yet. But they said that it's due out soon (next month, I think they said).

As for 99 levels, I have no idea. Based on how the data files are structured, adding a new class adds a fair bit of material to manage for a character, but adding a new level adds almost nothing. So I can't imagine Hero Lab getting bogged down with high-level characters, but that's based on what I've seen from the outside in creating data files. For a concrete answer, you might want to check with the guys who write it over at www.wolflair.com.

Hero Lab doesn't have the monster data in yet, but I can't envision that being very hard for them to add at this point. They've outlined how to add your own custom templates on their forums, and it's actually quite easy to do already. It's going to be interesting to see how they plan to make it easier.

I've started using Hero Lab on my laptop at my games. You can enter all the in-game effects, let the software do all the calculations automatically, and then delete the effects when they wear off. It even does nifty stuff like give you checkboxes to indicate when your barbarian becomes enraged and then exhausted, applying all the calculations automatically. I ran three instances of Hero Lab at the same time, one with my character and two with the characters of other players in our group. Except for when we all wanted to look at stuff at the same time, it worked like a charm. I've got a feeling the rest of my group is going to be hooked soon after today's game.

Personally, I love the "Specials" tab, since it gives me a summary of all the situational special abilities of my character so I don't forget to use an ability. Otherwise, I invariably remember about an ability just AFTER I actually needed to use it. I'm not talking about a laundry list of all my character's feats and abilities, 75% of which are fixed and always apply. I'm talking about a cherry-picked list of just the abilities that apply in special situations, so I only have to scan through a list of 8-10 abilities instead of wading through 40 abilities.

I'm definitely hooked on Hero Lab's intuitive UI and all the cool stuff it can do. Give it a close look before making your decision on what tool to use. You won't be sorry.