Pathfinder Community Packs

[Silveras]

Originally Posted by Merion

Well, my main tool I work with is Realm Works and it's fantastic! Improved my gamemastering at the table immensly. Just when it came to combat, I always came back to pen and paper to track initiative and damage.
But there are these HereLab Portfolio snippets in RW that kept enticing me. So I thought, maybe this can help me have the basic monster info and initiative and hit points in one place without having to track stuff on paper while consulting several browser tabs with the d20pfsrd.
So this is how I will start using HL and see if it simplifies things at the game table.

I have used the Tactical Console to run combats for a PBeM game, where it was immensely helpful.

Integration with Realm Works allows you to prepare an Encounter Portfolio (all the necessary enemies) and, with the touch of a button, add the contents to a running copy of HeroLab (one with the PC portfolios already loaded, typically).

Tactical Console Pros

• Tracking current hit points/damage
• Easily add conditions (such as Dazzled, Dazed, Paralyzed, etc.)
• Easily track spells used
• Track initiative order (Ready actions don't work 100% as described in the rules, but pretty close)
• Automatically assigns some conditions ("Flat-Footed" at the start of combat, "Unconscious" or "Staggered" at appropriate hit point values)
• Auto-refreshes as the underlying creatures change, and changes the underlying creatures as you work

Tactical Console Cons

• Does not apply effects (damage or conditions) to multiple creatures at once
• Does not have access to all In-Play tab content
• Crowded, and cannot be re-sized horizontally
• Does not recognize "Dead" status automatically
• Does not handle partial surprise situations, and the auto-assigned "Flat-Footed" status cannot be manually cleared for appropriate creatures.

From the Tactical Console, each entry has a button which will switch to the main HeroLab window and select that creature, which you will need to do occasionally to see the details of Special Abilities and the like. As the levels become higher, this needs to be done more often.

If your Players are tracking their own hit points and resources (spells, charges, potions, etc.), then the Tactical Console's access to do so will be of less value to you. If you usually track such things yourself and "true up" occasionally with the players, this will be of more value to you, I expect.

As for the Shrieker... the official version has no hit points, armor class, or attacks... there is literally nothing in it for the Tactical Console to keep track of. It is literally a short block of text that does not even get a CR. The Tricky Owlbear version is probably based on the 3.x MM version. It is such a simple creature that it should require (I think) only a Race entry and a single Race Special (the Shriek ability) to be made. That is why I said it would be a good first project in the Editor ... because I don't think there would need to be anything more elaborate (such as Eval Scripts or additional Tags).

[Merion]

Originally Posted by Silveras

I have used the Tactical Console to run combats for a PBeM game, where it was immensely helpful.

Integration with Realm Works allows you to prepare an Encounter Portfolio (all the necessary enemies) and, with the touch of a button, add the contents to a running copy of HeroLab (one with the PC portfolios already loaded, typically).

Tactical Console Pros

• Tracking current hit points/damage
• Easily add conditions (such as Dazzled, Dazed, Paralyzed, etc.)
• Easily track spells used
• Track initiative order (Ready actions don't work 100% as described in the rules, but pretty close)
• Automatically assigns some conditions ("Flat-Footed" at the start of combat, "Unconscious" or "Staggered" at appropriate hit point values)
• Auto-refreshes as the underlying creatures change, and changes the underlying creatures as you work

I'll probably use the trackers for initiative , used spells (for enemies), damage and to look up any special abilities of monsters I don't know by heart.
And of course the mentioned ability to prepare the encounter portfolio beforehand and push it to the tactical console from RW.

Originally Posted by Silveras

Tactical Console Cons

• Does not apply effects (damage or conditions) to multiple creatures at once
• Does not have access to all In-Play tab content
• Crowded, and cannot be re-sized horizontally
• Does not recognize "Dead" status automatically
• Does not handle partial surprise situations, and the auto-assigned "Flat-Footed" status cannot be manually cleared for appropriate creatures.

From the Tactical Console, each entry has a button which will switch to the main HeroLab window and select that creature, which you will need to do occasionally to see the details of Special Abilities and the like. As the levels become higher, this needs to be done more often.

If your Players are tracking their own hit points and resources (spells, charges, potions, etc.), then the Tactical Console's access to do so will be of less value to you. If you usually track such things yourself and "true up" occasionally with the players, this will be of more value to you, I expect.

As for the Shrieker... the official version has no hit points, armor class, or attacks... there is literally nothing in it for the Tactical Console to keep track of. It is literally a short block of text that does not even get a CR. The Tricky Owlbear version is probably based on the 3.x MM version. It is such a simple creature that it should require (I think) only a Race entry and a single Race Special (the Shriek ability) to be made. That is why I said it would be a good first project in the Editor ... because I don't think there would need to be anything more elaborate (such as Eval Scripts or additional Tags).

The con luckily don't matter much, I'll probably keep track of these things myself. Also I don't track the stats of my players, I trust them to do that themselves. I've gotten quite good at judging the health of characters by the look of confidence or worry on the players face

Thanks everyone for the helpful answers, but I think we should stop here, before we derail the thread completely ;-)
I'll surely be back here or in another thread once I tried it in a live game. Probably next week.

[Zaknaefin]

I have the adjustments, but either I am not finding the correct one or it does not yet exist.

I am trying to hide one of the Bonus languages. In this example, I am trying to get rid of/hide Elven for a Half-Elven character.

Is there an existing Adjustment that will do this? I believe I have tried everything "Language" searchable.

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by Zaknaefin

I have the adjustments, but either I am not finding the correct one or it does not yet exist.

I am trying to hide one of the Bonus languages. In this example, I am trying to get rid of/hide Elven for a Half-Elven character.

Is there an existing Adjustment that will do this? I believe I have tried everything "Language" searchable.

Nope no adjustment to do this currently. Sorry...

What you can do as a work around is change your character into a NPC (Press CTRL-K). Then on the background tab to the right of "Race:" is a wrench tool icon called "Customize". Click that and select "Customize Racial Language". This removes both common/elven. So add back common and whatever language you know.

Turn the character back into a PC.

[djc664]

Having the same error as another two pages back; getting an error and can't open the portfolio: "Thing Extension fStunnPin - thing fStunnPin not defined"

My friend has had this error since two week ago, but I had not had a chance to properly troubleshoot until now.

1. Removed app from storage settings.
2. Restarted iPad (Air 1 or 2, if I recall. Will double check)
3. Downloaded Hero Lab - did not enter license information, but did sync to dropbox.
4. The portfolio opens, but with different messages for the Community package missing with Hero Lab open as character sheet only.
5. Download the Community package, portfolio opens just fine with no error.
6. Activated the license for Hero Lab to level up the character, and then I cannot open it at all with the error at the top of the post.

v1.6 as well.

We do not have the Pathfinder Unchained license. This is a 14th level portfolio that has been used with this iPad since level 4 or so over a year, and had not had this issue prior.

Any thoughts?

[ShadowChemosh]

Originally Posted by djc664

Having the same error as another two pages back; getting an error and can't open the portfolio: "Thing Extension fStunnPin - thing fStunnPin not defined"

My friend has had this error since two week ago, but I had not had a chance to properly troubleshoot until now.

1. Removed app from storage settings.
2. Restarted iPad (Air 1 or 2, if I recall. Will double check)
3. Downloaded Hero Lab - did not enter license information, but did sync to dropbox.
4. The portfolio opens, but with different messages for the Community package missing with Hero Lab open as character sheet only.
5. Download the Community package, portfolio opens just fine with no error.
6. Activated the license for Hero Lab to level up the character, and then I cannot open it at all with the error at the top of the post.

v1.6 as well.

We do not have the Pathfinder Unchained license. This is a 14th level portfolio that has been used with this iPad since level 4 or so over a year, and had not had this issue prior.

Any thoughts?

HERE is the post from Colen that the issue is specific to the iPad app software. The next release that is coming "soon" will fix this. Nothing I can really do I am sorry to say. The issue is in the app itself.

The only thing I can think of to do is try and see if 1.5 or 1.4 has the issue and if not I could post up a link to rollback. Hey we are in luck I still have these old versions on the server.

iPad v1.05
iPad v1.04

Follow the steps in FAQ#1 to delete the current pack off your iPad. Then in Safari click the above links to download the file. Then click "open in" and select "HL App". Hopefully the older version will get you at least working in the mean time....

Sorry about this....

[Zaknaefin]

Nope no adjustment to do this currently. Sorry...

What you can do as a work around is change your character into a NPC (Press CTRL-K). Then on the background tab to the right of "Race:" is a wrench tool icon called "Customize". Click that and select "Customize Racial Language". This removes both common/elven. So add back common and whatever language you know.

Turn the character back into a PC.

Worked like a charm. Thanks for the workaround.

[Maidhc O Casain]

I ran into a bug - I think - with the Unchained Monk Zen Archer archetype. Not sure if it's in the archetype itself or in the way it interacts with the Feat Tax house rules from World is Square, though.

I made a 7th level Unchained Monk, Zen Archer archetype. It spells out in the class abilities that Way of the Bow (Weapon Focus and Weapon Specialization) are granted, and what they replace. But the feats don't actually appear in the feat section and the character is not getting the bonuses for them.

I'm attaching the portfolio in case that will help.

[Colen]

Originally Posted by ShadowChemosh

HERE is the post from Colen that the issue is specific to the iPad app software. The next release that is coming "soon" will fix this. Nothing I can really do I am sorry to say. The issue is in the app itself.

The update to fix this is in approvals with Apple, so it'll be out as soon as they review it. Hopefully that'll be today!

[djc664]

Originally Posted by Colen

The update to fix this is in approvals with Apple, so it'll be out as soon as they review it. Hopefully that'll be today!

Yay! Thank you both!