Pathfinder questions before purchase

[shoggothic]

Hello all,

I downloaded a full GM client of d20pro, saw your complimentary Hero lab software and from what I've read so far, I am very, very impressed. Before I get in too deep however, I had a few questions.

1) While I plan to initially use Hero Lab for Pathfinder, I wanted to know how feasible it would be to attempt to run a sci-fi/apocalypse setting (i.e. Gamma World d20) using the Pathfinder data set. Could I create new Feats, Skills, Equipment, Spells, built on the Pathfinder rules and using the Pathfinder data set or must something like Gamma World be completely built from the ground up using the Authoring Kit?

2) How difficult is it create new Feats, Skills, etc. for the Pathfinder data set, to be used in a Pathfinder game (i.e. a prestige class recreated from an older Forgotten Realms book for use in Pathfinder)?

3) What about recreating monsters from an older 3.5 book for use in Pathfinder, such as a proprietary (non-OGL) monster like a Beholder or a Mind Flayer?

4) Is the transition of data from Hero Lab to d20pro smooth, or are there patches/updates on the d20pro end that need to be added?

Thanks in advance for any assistance in helping me decide if this is the right program to enhance my game experience!

Regards,
Greg

[chava]

1-3) It requires a bit of getting used to the interface and very basic programming. I suggest downloading the demo and playing with it. You can't actually save anything that you make, but it gives you an idea of how the program works. Don't know if you are planning to Pathfinder per say, but the guys who wrote Modern for the Pathfinder ruleset also built a .user package for use with Hero Lab. (BTW, basic programming means that a programming dunce like me can figure it out provided that I can find a sample that is similar to what I want )

4) Not a clue I don't use d20pro

[Duggan]

You can save rules changes, or at least you can with Mutants and Masterminds so I assume Pathfinder would be the same, so it's not too difficult to mess with the editor while in demo mode. I've even done some patches for M&M 3E that way.

[shoggothic]

Thanks for the quick responses, I really appreciate it! I figured it would be intuitive and fairly easy to create and/or modify people, places, and things in HL, just wanted to hear it from some of the users first.

[djc664]

Since I use D20 Pro and the rest are pretty much answered, I'll stick to that.

4. As it relates to Pathfinder, as of this moment it is fairly smooth. The last two mid-version updates for both programs have specifically improved the flow between. It's not perfect, but it's making strong strides towards very nice.

To wit: Had you asked three months ago, I would have complained about having to add pictures to every imported creature twice... once in HL, then again after you imported into d20 Pro. Now, it just rolls right over! That made me soooo happy. Nothing like kicking 20+ NPCs/Monsters at a time and not seeing a bunch of blank outline portraits in d20Pro!

The biggest issues left that I've experienced as it relates between the two programs revolve around updating characters/NPCs/Monsters mid-stream from HL into D20 Pro and adding automated attacks in d20 Pro.

This isn't a huge deal, but can be annoying if you are the kind of GM that has PCs level whenever the XP says they do, whether or not you're in a dungeon / session / whatever. Trying to do that, especially during a game, is not as smooth as you might like it to be. This is partly because, unlike bringing in characters from between portfolios within HL, d20Pro doesn't have a path to replace a character's values with the new import... they always come in as a new creature.

This gets a little more aggravating when you have done extra things like adding special attacks (like Sword + Power Attack, or Different bow attack combinations that include Multi-attack, Deadly Aim, and Rapid Shot). Those "extra" attack options have to be remade on the new characters.

Now, the issues I bring up are primarily d20Pro's side of the table. Hero Lab's last couple updates fixed a bunch of what I would call the major issues between the two from HL's side. Both companies have people dedicated to making the link more robust, though, so I'm pretty confident that it's something that will see more improvements in the near future.

I also heard a somewhat reliable rumor that d20Pro will be bringing out a new major release (v3) at or near GenCon.... so I'm hoping that the GenCon Santa will fix those complaints above.