Monster Question

[bmccord]

I'm pretty new to D&D and also to Hero Lab so I hope my question isn't too silly.

I have went through Hero Lab, and I pretty much understand it. While looking at the TacCon, I noticed that I can add monsters to the portfolio and then use them in the TacCon, not all monsters are included.

For instance, I click on "Import Stock Hero" under the Portfolio menu, and I can find different creatures, characters, and monsters to import and use on the Tactical Console, but some I can't find. Case in point is a Black Dragon. Can't find it at all.

So, I can only assume that the entire SRD Monster List is not included in the data files.

So, here is my question, is there any plans to include the remaining monsters from the SRD in the data files? Or is someone working on data files that include those things? What is the best option here for using things that are missing?

I look forward to the help.

Thanks

[Mathias]

It's something we'd like to do, but it's a long way off, I'm afraid. In general, the only monsters that have been added are those that are humanoid (mostly those that have a level adjustment, meaning they might have use as a PC), or are a familiar/companion.

Adding them would be a matter of creating a new race in the editor for each monster (and for dragons, likely a race for each age stage), and then creating a character using that race. Take a look at the editor documentation (the help menu in the editor), and press new (copy) on the bottom left and study some of the existing races and see how they're assembled. Then, I'll be happy to answer any specific questions you have.

[bmccord]

Thanks for your answer.

Ok, let me ask a different question then. Seeing as how it can be pretty complicated to do all of that, if you wanted to run a campaign and you wanted to use the Tactical Console for your battle management, how would you (in the simplest way possible) stage the party up against something that isn't in the data files (for instance a black dragon)?

[Mathias]

The way I mentioned. However, don't worry about the racial specials (other than some of the universal specials like darkvision or low-light vision, which are easy to add because you don't have to change anything).

What you want to start with is the ability score modifications (if the number is odd, subtract 11, if even, subtract 10, and enter those values into the appropriate slots), then the hit dice, then the size, then create a new character with your new race and use that to figure out what the save and BAC modifiers need to be (compare your character to the official stats, and you'll be able to figure out what needs to be added to make them match, or go to the Dragon type (pg 308 in my copy of the MM), and figure them out), and add those to the appropriate slots. At this point, your dragon has hit dice/hit points and an initiative score, and can go into the TacCon. Next go to the weapons (just claw/claw/bite for now - they're the ones it will use most often). At the bottom of the "Reference Information" link within the help file it tells you how to create a natural weapon. Now, you also have the attack bonuses and damage for the dragon's attacks. When you have more time, you can go on to the other attacks and the special abilities. Unfortunately, the dragon's spellcasting ability is going to be beyond a user at this point - I apologize for that.

[Lawful_g]

Is that because of the issue with adding natural spellcasting?

I remember I was making a race that had spellcasting as a 4th level sorceror, but the solution given by rob/colen was to bootstrap the sorceror class or tab (which also applied saves and BAB). This threw things out of whack when adding more sorceror levels. For example, instead of adding +2 to will saves for first level, it only advanced the existing save by one level...

Anyway... I guess my question is, will this be fixed soon?

[Mathias]

No, it won't be fixed soon - this involves quite a bit of work, and is encountered very rarely. It will probably be part of the update that adds better support for non-humanoid monsters, but I have no idea when we'd get to that update.

[Lawful_g]

k. Good to know.

[chiefweasel]

Could be a nice future product though, seperate from but intergrated with HL. A combat system to track a fight. Just a thought.

[Lawful_g]

It already exists as part of HL. Good clean fun that.

[mbouck]

How about a feature to add a monster directly to the TacCon that isn't part of your Portfolio. In this case I just want to use the TacCon to track initiative order and maybe hit points and conditions -- that's it. Seems like that could be pretty doable, no?