Pathfinder Battles

I really like using Hero Lab to manage the pathfinder PCs. However, it would be great to have a system similar to windows folders to organize the monsters and add them to the battle console as needed, one encounter at a time. The way it currently is it seems like it is all monsters in the current portfolio or none. Am I missing something?

Have you tried using the "Import Hero From Portfolio" option in the portfolio menu (this is available from the main Hero Lab window or within the Tactical Console) - you can put the monsters your PCs will encounter in a specific location into a single portfolio, and then when that combat starts, import the contents of that portfolio. Once that encounter is done, you can delete the monsters that are no longer needed, and leave the PCs where they were.

This is what I started to do ~ the other advantage being you can transfer the combat gear from the losing npcs/monsters directly to the PC that wants it.

I will try that. It would be better I think to have a folder like structure on the far right side of Hero Lab and allow you to pick and choose PCs/Monsters that will be part of the current battle. Maybe one of the PCs is locked up and the others are trying to rescue him? Just unselect him and he will not be part of the battle console. I hope the developers make this change, it would add so much to Hero Labs ease of use.

You can unselect someone from the tacticle console. there is a button to remove the char from combat.

with the tactical console you can set up battles ahead of time and save them as a single portfolio, then you can import all of the creatures at one time. I do this for the party, all the chars are in a portfolio call Whole Party. one click and they are all loaded into HL.

But i might be missing a bit of the functionality you are looking for.

Yes. Well hopefully they will update Hero Lab to include what I am asking for. I think we would all find it easier to manage the PCs/NPCs/Monsters and the encounters with an update to Hero Lab.

ok, but i am still not sure what feature you are looking for.

If I am "reading between the lines" correctly, what DGRM44 is looking for is a tool for running battles for the table.

I get the sense that DGRM44 thinks that HeroLab is good, but as a GM's tool for running battles it needs some additional features. He'd like to be able to have ALL the creatures in one Portfolio, and pull just the ones needed for a battle into it without needing to manage multiple files.

The problem is, HeroLab is *primarily* a creature editor, not a GM's tool for running battles. The Tactical Console gives you initiative management and the ability to update each creature.. but it lacks several GM-oriented features (like the ability to select multiple creatures and to apply a condition or damage to them all at the same time).

If I am understanding the request correctly, I think the answer is going to be along the lines of... HeroLab is NOT a Virtual TableTop tool. It is a data manager for Creatures, and the export to D20Pro is there to give the GM a means to transfer the battle to a "more robust" VTT tool than the Tactical Console and Dice Roller.

Agreed that HL is not a Battle tool, its great for characters.

But the ability to put multiple creatures into one portfolio exists already. while d20pro is a nice product, and would help to show a combat, i find it difficult to use and the docimentation is lacking. JUst getting a map to display is an effort and i still havent figured out how to just move peices around the board. I wish it were easier, i would use it all the time.

Maybe the solution is a greater intgration between d20pro, HL and the new RealmWorks. it would be sweet to import all maps and encounters directly into d20pro. i know the Mindgene guys are busy though and this is probably a ways off.

chiefweasel said:

But the ability to put multiple creatures into one portfolio exists already.

Click to expand...

Agreed.. what I think the OP is looking for, though, is the ability to have all the creatures in one Portfolio while simultaneously being able to select only a few to include in the Tactical Console when a battle begins.

Hero Lab is SO CLOSE to being able to manage battles including all the damage and effects on its own...along with my battlemat and painted miniatures of course! I am just requesting that the developers connect the final few dots that will allow all of us to run Pathfinder battles very smoothly using Hero Lab.

Silveras said:

Agreed.. what I think the OP is looking for, though, is the ability to have all the creatures in one Portfolio while simultaneously being able to select only a few to include in the Tactical Console when a battle begins.

Click to expand...

Yes, and the more I use it the more I realize there a handful of other features that need to be added to move it from 4 stars to 5 stars.

Dgrm44 said:

Yes, and the more I use it the more I realize there a handful of other features that need to be added to move it from 4 stars to 5 stars.

Click to expand...

Instead of others and myself conjecturing as to what you want in greater detail. Do you mind actually giving us greater detail. Like for instance do you want battlemat positioning? do you want to be able to show actual portraits of the creatures and the like? Right now everyone is pretty much just guessing otherwise unless you fill in the details and I mean by that greater detail then you have before in this thread?

I am compiling a list to post here. I have been using HL to create all the PCs and Monsters, but only recently started using it to manage the battles. I will post the list today, but may add to it as I use the tactical console more moving forward.

I can say that I do NOT want a battle map within HL. I use my own battle map and my own miniatures and my group is not a fan of virtual tabletops. However, managing hit points and current effects within Hero Lab is a GREAT help...a few tweaks and it will be perfection!

Here is my tactical console improvements wish list so far:

Allow hero names to be edited from in the tactical console.

Everything within the Adjust Tab of the main window should be availabe as a button shortcut within the tactical console as many of these effects can happen during combat and effect heros immediately.

All short term effects (15 Minutes or less) should be automatically tracked by the tactical console as to the round when they should end and alert the GM that they have now ended.

For all longer term effects that were in place (i.e. Mage Armor) before the combat began, it should give the GM the option to set the number of rounds it will last or set Unlimited rounds.

Integrate the Tactical Console within the Main Window, perhaps during combat replacing the Dashboard with the tactical Console. This way we will not have to flip back and forth between the console and the main window.

Allow the heros on the dashboard to be put into Folders similar to windows explorer. We could then name the folders whatever we wanted for instance: Hero Folder, Encounter 1 Folder, Gravesite Gobblins Folder, etc etc. Then allow us to either select an entire folder or individuals from within the folder or even several folders before launching the tactical console so that only the selected heros will be included in the console for the battle. This would help us keep all our our upcoming encounters neatly organized in one HL Portfolio without all the importing and deleting.

Also allow us to add unselected heros from other folders to the battle after it has begun.

When we remove a hero from battle remove it completely from the tactical console.

Dgrm44 said:

Also allow us to add unselected heros from other folders to the battle after it has begun.

When we remove a hero from battle remove it completely from the tactical console.

Click to expand...

Portfolio menu...Import Hero From Portfolio

and

Portfolio menu...Delete Hero


Most of these have been suggested previously, and are already on the to-do list. I'll keep all of these in mind for the future, and thanks for your suggestions.

Would you please expand on what you mean by a folder system? How would this differ from using the "Import Hero From Portfolio" option, which opens Windows Explorer to let you find the file you're looking for.

Mathias said:

Would you please expand on what you mean by a folder system? How would this differ from using the "Import Hero From Portfolio" option, which opens Windows Explorer to let you find the file you're looking for.

Click to expand...

If all your Heros were already IN hero lab and available on the dashboard then you would not have to import and export. But instead of having a long long list of heros on the dashboard you could organize them under "headings" or "folders" or whatever you want to call it. As long as these sections are collapsable so that you don't have the long long list of heros. Then next to each hero and folder would be a check box for selecting either an entire folder and all of its contents OR the invididual heros within them to appear in the Tactical Console.

Mathias, How soon before most of these improvements are included in Hero Lab? Rough Estimate?

They're on the to-do list.

6 Weeks before Gen Con is not a time that new things can be scheduled (or rather, not a time when the existing duration countdown and TacCon improvements projects can be done or even have their schedules discussed)

Hopefully after Gen Con these can be addressed. It sure would take Hero Lab to another level for GMs.