Access Your Dungeons & Dragons Character From Any Browser

[Greg Tito]

Access Your Dungeons & Dragons Character From Any Browser

One of the greatest tools for playing Dungeons & Dragon just got even easier with the new web-based Character Builder.

When the 4th Edition of Dungeons & Dragons launched its Character Builder in 2009, I was amazed at how much it streamlined the experience of making a character. Instead of poring through various books which may or may not have orange Cheetos stains or pages soaked in soda, all of the options were presented to you in a clear and concise way. I spent more time making cool character decisions instead of worrying if I added all the numbers correctly. Despite how awesome it was to use, the Character Builder did have a few problems: It was a downloaded application that only worked on Windows machines, it had to be updated with new content every month, and if I saved my character on my home PC, there was no way to access it in a pinch on my laptop. Now, all those problems have been fixed with Wizards of the Coast launching the new web-based Character Builder today.

While it's great that Mac users can now use the Builder too, I'm more interested in saving all of my characters on Wizards' servers. Not only will this make accessing and printing my character easier, I'm sure it will be revealing for Wizards to track what kind of characters gamers are making and make sure that they are producing content for those characters.

Wizards has also redesigned the user interface for the Builder, allowing you to spend as little or as much time as you want to make a character. I'm not super-excited that the tool now hammers the MMO-like character roles down your throat from the onset, but I appreciate that you can now quickly cobble a character together if you are pressed for time.

Any character that you made with the old Builder can be easily imported into the new web-based one. I just checked that process with a character from my lunchtime campaign and it works flawlessly. I could print out the character in just a few minutes, and I noticed that the new character sheet presents the information in a much cleaner and more attractive manner.

The only downside is that there's no free preview like the old version offered, you must have an active D&D Insider account (around $10/month) to open the application, but Wizards says they'll be implementing a preview soon. And if you were attached to the old Builder, Wizards says that it will still work, but it will no longer update with new content.

Chris Youngs over at Wizards spent some time recording a video tour of the new Character Builder if you want to take a look.


Also, as of today, the Character Builder is up to date with all of the Essentials materials that have been released over the last few months, including the Dark Sun [http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Fantasy-Roleplaying-Game/dp/0786956291/ref=pd_sim_b_6] campaign materials.

The announcement was enough for me to plunk down my CC and grab that D&D Insider account that I've been considering. After testing out the Character Builder, it's totally worth it.

Now, to make Kaft-Ka, my Thri-Kreen Druid/Shaman hybrid...

Permalink

 

[Koeryn]

...So this is only for that cruddy Genero-WoW-on-paper game they're calling D&D?

Pass.

 

[Fr]anc[is]

...So this is only for that cruddy Genero-WoW-on-paper game they're calling D&D?

Pass.

This. Also I'm positive this thing couldn't handle 1/5th of the craziness the guys on the character optimization boards could do in their sleep.

 

[BabySinclair]

The only problem I have with it is its mandatory $10/month charge. The thing I liked about the last one was that I could update it once every few months and save money while still being able to access my characters. There are also several features that are missing but for now I'll try it out.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Now, to make Kaft-Ka, my Thri-Kreen Druid/Shaman hybrid...

See if you can get the Martial Arts profile added before Christmas, then you can have:

"We Thri-Kreen of Orient are."


[sub]I thank yew[/sub]

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

...So this is only for that cruddy Genero-WoW-on-paper game they're calling D&D?

D&D is World of Warcraft on paper? Do you have any idea how much fail that's just accomplished?

 

[Greg Tito]

anc[is]
This. Also I'm positive this thing couldn't handle 1/5th of the craziness the guys on the character optimization boards could do in their sleep.

The Builder can handle any combination of class, race, feats and powers so it will be able to recreate anything that those guys could legally do.

Not that I condone powergaming.

 

[Caliostro]

...So this is only for that cruddy Genero-WoW-on-paper game they're calling D&D?

Pass.

Heyyyooo, troll alert.

 

[cobrausn]

...So this is only for that cruddy Genero-WoW-on-paper game they're calling D&D?

Pass.

Heyyyooo, troll alert.

You're not battling the troll properly. They regenerate from sharp or pointed sarcasm. Use more acidic vitriol next time.

 

[Greg Tito]

You're not battling the troll properly. They regenerate from sharp or pointed sarcasm. Use more acidic vitriol next time.

Or, as the saying goes, Kill It With Fire!

 

[Celtic_Kerr]

anc[is]

...So this is only for that cruddy Genero-WoW-on-paper game they're calling D&D?

Pass.

This. Also I'm positive this thing couldn't handle 1/5th of the craziness the guys on the character optimization boards could do in their sleep.

Probably. If I rolled my character too high, it wouldn't be a challenge or fun, so I would make a quirk in my character that levelled him out, I doubt this could accoutn for that

 

[Slaanax]

Now, to make Kaft-Ka, my Thri-Kreen Druid/Shaman hybrid...

See if you can get the Martial Arts profile added before Christmas, then you can have:

"We Thri-Kreen of Orient are."


[sub]I thank yew[/sub]

Ha, I remember that Dragon Magazine the quote was from!

 

[Misho-]

...So this is only for that cruddy Genero-WoW-on-paper game they're calling D&D?

Pass.

Well in this case although I have to agree, D&D 4th Edition was the reason I quit D&D (that and that all my friends grew up got married and now have different and difficult schedules).

But 4th Edition feels more like a MMORPG than the tabletop pen an paper game of old. I mean there's even tanks and aggro controllers and stuff now... But still I wish there was a character creator like this for 3.5/3rd or even 2nd edition (advanced), and if there is please do tell

 

[DaxStrife]

Not much of an improvement, really. I checked the site and apparently they took down the old, downloadable character builder program, so you don't even get the bare-bones free version anymore.

 

[blalien]

I might buy a one month subscription to give it a try. I wouldn't become a regular subscriber unless everybody in my group could subscribe and save their characters in one cloud.

 

[hyzaku]

But 4th Edition feels more like a MMORPG than the tabletop pen an paper game of old. I mean there's even tanks and aggro controllers and stuff now... But still I wish there was a character creator like this for 3.5/3rd or even 2nd edition (advanced), and if there is please do tell

And yet the DM can still, as as always been the case, ignore the resilient guy in plate and go hit the squishy casters. There is no "forcing an enemy to attack you" mechanic, i.e. a taunt, nor is there any kind of "aggro" mechanic in 4e. There are powers that make the DM consider who he should attack called a "mark" that imposes a penalty for attacking any other than the character that applied the mark. The effect of the mark differs between the classes that can apply it, but the DM can completely ignore the mark and just have his monsters take the penalty, or in some cases the monsters can be out of range of the marker and avoid most of the penalty altogether, and just hit whoever he wants.

Just because similar terms are used does not mean the mechanics are the same. I've seen a lot of people dismiss 4e without fully understanding the mechanics behind the game. Many people did this when 3e came out too with much the same whining about how WotC ruined D&D. Most whining is just people who don't want to play something different than what they have been playing, though the reasons for such differ from person to person.

I resisted changing to 2e, but played it anyway. I hated converting to 3e, but ended up playing it for years too. I didn't like having to relearn D&D again with 4e but I've come to love it for many reasons. 4e may not be for everyone, but D&D in general is not for everyone. Everyone has that one edition they really love more than any other. Despite the flaws in each edition I've found things to love about each one too. I just wish people would stop complaining about which edition is best and just play the one they like.

 

[Misho-]

But 4th Edition feels more like a MMORPG than the tabletop pen an paper game of old. I mean there's even tanks and aggro controllers and stuff now... But still I wish there was a character creator like this for 3.5/3rd or even 2nd edition (advanced), and if there is please do tell

And yet the DM can still, as as always been the case, ignore the resilient guy in plate and go hit the squishy casters. There is no "forcing an enemy to attack you" mechanic, i.e. a taunt, nor is there any kind of "aggro" mechanic in 4e. There are powers that make the DM consider who he should attack called a "mark" that imposes a penalty for attacking any other than the character that applied the mark. The effect of the mark differs between the classes that can apply it, but the DM can completely ignore the mark and just have his monsters take the penalty, or in some cases the monsters can be out of range of the marker and avoid most of the penalty altogether, and just hit whoever he wants.

Just because similar terms are used does not mean the mechanics are the same. I've seen a lot of people dismiss 4e without fully understanding the mechanics behind the game. Many people did this when 3e came out too with much the same whining about how WotC ruined D&D. Most whining is just people who don't want to play something different than what they have been playing, though the reasons for such differ from person to person.

I resisted changing to 2e, but played it anyway. I hated converting to 3e, but ended up playing it for years too. I didn't like having to relearn D&D again with 4e but I've come to love it for many reasons. 4e may not be for everyone, but D&D in general is not for everyone. Everyone has that one edition they really love more than any other. Despite the flaws in each edition I've found things to love about each one too. I just wish people would stop complaining about which edition is best and just play the one they like.

True dat but I wasn't complaining really My time for complaints is long past, since the first time I tried 4th edition up until now... I understand your point completely but it sounds you are just defending 4th edition over big factors like personal taste... I any case I just had one big huge question for you sir...

WotC? What's that? I'm not that much of an expert on D&D history to recognize that one, please do tell

 

[anyGould]

I'll probably be sticking with the old version of the Builder, for a few reasons
- the new web-based version is markedly slower to use: both in response (because everything is going over the web) and in the additional steps to use (you can't just pick a class now; first you have to pick a role (or pick "all roles"), then you can pick a class; this handholding is all the way through, turning one step into two or three each time).
- while saving your characters in the cloud is neat, they've removed the ability to save them locally, breaking apps (like i4e) that work with your character files.
- while it won't be an issue while I have an up-to-date subscription, I get to keep access to all my characters on the old builder; the moment you fail to renew, the new builder locks you out completely.

Sadly, it feels like a downgrade to me. Luckily, with the new Essentials line, it doesn't look like they're releasing anything for the original classes anytime soon anyway, so I'm not missing out on much.

 

[anyGould]

I resisted changing to 2e, but played it anyway. I hated converting to 3e, but ended up playing it for years too. I didn't like having to relearn D&D again with 4e but I've come to love it for many reasons. 4e may not be for everyone, but D&D in general is not for everyone. Everyone has that one edition they really love more than any other. Despite the flaws in each edition I've found things to love about each one too. I just wish people would stop complaining about which edition is best and just play the one they like.

I mentally file 3.5 and 4e as different games. 4E is the action movie of RPGs - everyone is badass, you're not really bad at anything, and everything you do has a cool name. 3.5 is slightly "grittier" - you don't get titles for all your attacks, you are often actively *bad* at some things. (And then there's a host of far more gritty games out there beyond that.)

I still play both, depending on the group and the mood we're going for.

 

[Amalith]

Or better yet you use one of the many free online character sheet sites. Not only do you get to avoid the dissapointing D&D insider (maybe one day they'll get more than the remnants of two formerly great D&D magazines and an updated version of E-Tools), but you can also apply your House Rules or Player-Created content with ease.

Or, better yet, keep your character sheets on Google Wa... oh, right.

Sure, you don't get the eTools convenience, which I admit I used a lot for a while (My DM still does for most NPCs), but I find it's better to use a character sheet or *gasp* lined paper to create my characters. It ends up being more fun, and I end up liking my characters more that way.

I still haven't played 4e, but that doesn't make this any less applicable.