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Monster Question

B

bmccord

New member
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
 
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.
 
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)?
 
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.
 
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?
 
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.
 
Could be a nice future product though, seperate from but intergrated with HL. A combat system to track a fight. Just a thought.
 
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?
 
mbouk, could you elaborate? How does that differ from adding a new blank character to your portfolio? Once added, you can use adjustments to set the number of HP it has and the initiative bonus.
 
Trying to put some monsters in. Took the Stirge in MM - Creature Types and have been trying to make a Siv from the Monsters of Faerun. Took the abilities, subtracted 10 like it seems was done with the Stirge. Everything else is fairly easy to add. But ran into a problem when it came to Saves. The numbers in book for the Stirge are nothing like those in the program. Also, I can delete Special Abilities, but couldn't find any of those abilities in the Special tab in the editor. Where do I find them to add some?

So here is a Siv:
HD: 1D8
Init: +1(Dex)
Speed: 40ft., swim 20ft
AC: 13 (+1 Dex, +2 Natural)
Attacks: Siangham +1 melee, or net +2 ranged, or sling +2 ranged
Face/Reach: 5ft. by 5ft/5ft
Special Qualities: Water walking, resistant to cold
Saves: For +2, Ref +1, Will +0
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 10,Wis 10, Cha 9
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +3
Feats: Exotic Weapon Proficiency (net), Exotic Weapon Proficiency (siangham)
CR 1
Medium-Size Humanoid (Aquatic)

So..most of this I can put in..Abilities will be like 0s, Dex +2, Cha -1
Most things I can fill in, but wonder if aside from putting in numbers, if there's anything else I need to worry about editing.
I've basically just been making a new portfolio, pick the race, and leave it as is just to use it in the Tactical program
 
Something I've noticed having to tweak some are the Skills. Even though with a different monster had only a +1 to all the skills, simply subtracting 1 from the total I wanted to have didn't work. In the case of a Small creature with Hide there seemed to be a bonus coming from somewhere, is this calculated automatically?
Also, how can I get HP without putting a level on the monster?
 
I can't seem to get the Skills right, nor the HP correctly done with Hit Dice.
Here's what I'm trying to work on.

Slaymate:
Small Undead
Hit Dice: 4D12
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20'
Armor Class: 16 (+1 Dex,+1 size, +4 natural)
Base Attack: +2
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3+1)
Space/Reach: 5'/5'
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', undead pale aura, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 12, Con -, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: Hide +8, Listen +7, Move Silently +8, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Lightning Reflexes
Challenge Rating: 2
Advancement: 5-8 HD (Small)

So I can pretty much get everything just plugged into the "Race" boxes available..
I tried giving it 2 Skills per level and put in 4D12 as it's Hit Dice Info, and 4 as it's Bonus Hit Dice, still the skills come out wrong even with the skills I'm granted.
I've been using this because I saw it in the Stirge and other classes..
hero.child[kSpot].field[kInnate].arrayvalue[index] += 1

Anyone care to give me some direction please? Most of the stats seem to work well, but are there any quirks in certain stats?
 
So I just kind of put Hit Dice Info as 1 and Bonus Hit Dice as 1. It gave me 4 Skill points, so I put 1 in each and than put
#skillbonus[kHide] += 2
#skillbonus[kListen] += 3
#skillbonus[kSpot] += 3
#skillbonus[kMoveSil] += 6
And that got the skills right. Put a -1 bonus feat and just did the "bonus feats" button. Also put in the Base Attack Bonus as +1 to get the +2 it's supposed to have.
Seems like it is working, but wish there wouldn't need so much tweaking. I'd really like to have the ability to put them into the Tactical program to record and help combat flow.
 
I think I've got it figured out. Though I have a few questions.
Do I always need to manually input the HP?
Why, when I put in a HitDie, say 4D12, the program does not calculate or show that HD? I have been just putting in 1 for HD. HD should only matter for next level? I also put in 1 Bonus HD, do I need to do this?
What is the programs default amount of skill points? It seemed like with 0 Skill points I'd get 4 when 1HD was put into the program. And I'd almost always have to input a #skillbonus in the eval script to match what data I have in a source book.
 
To have a default HP number for the race you can set the rHPStart field.

The field "Hit Dice Info" is only for display, there is no mechanical effect of it, but the field "Bonus Hit Dice" determines the number of feats and skill points the race gets from racial HD. You only need to put 1 bonus HD if the race does not rely on class levels. If the first class level replaces the racial HD (as with goblins, dwarves elves and many other standard humanoid) leave it blank.

Racial skill points are set by the "Skill Points per Level" field. If your race has 2 Bonus racial HD, and you enter 4 in the Skill Points per Level field (as they are Undead HD) then the race will get (4+Int Mod) * 5 skill points.

Don't do the #skillbonus to adjust the bonuses as though the creature had skill ranks. Those will not count for prereqs and whatnot. What you want to do is add Innate skill ranks that are automatically added with the race.

Make an eval script on your race with a Phase First and Priority 5000. Add this script:

var index as number
index = field[cClsIndex].value

hero.child[kListen].field[kInnate].arrayvalue[index] += Whatever#
hero.child[kSpot].field[kInnate].arrayvalue[index] += Whatever#

The Skillbonus macro should be used for racial bonuses to particular skills.
 
Adding to this thread a bit on Monster Creation..

I've noticed an odd error when Importing a character from the Other Races.stock file. Particularly from the Lizardfolk character, there is a "Special" that is a Racial Skill Bonus (rLiSkills) that seems to not given any of the skill bonuses (I couldn't find anything in the Eval Script)
Could this have something to do with Importing it to a Portfolio rather than simply inserting it into the Tactical Window?
Edit: Forgot to mention I've been looking in the srd_monstrous.dat file

Also, there seems to be many orphaned items from the Other Races file.

Lastly, I was curious as to how the program calculates Challenge Rating / ECL?
I imagine it has something to do with the HitDie I put in when creating the race, but would like to know the method to get a definite CR end result.
 
Lawful_g said:
Don't do the #skillbonus to adjust the bonuses as though the creature had skill ranks. Those will not count for prereqs and whatnot. What you want to do is add Innate skill ranks that are automatically added with the race.

Make an eval script on your race with a Phase First and Priority 5000. Add this script:

var index as number
index = field[cClsIndex].value

hero.child[kListen].field[kInnate].arrayvalue[index] += Whatever#
hero.child[kSpot].field[kInnate].arrayvalue[index] += Whatever#

The Skillbonus macro should be used for racial bonuses to particular skills.
Click to expand...

I cant seem to get this to work, I keep getting the following error. Has the code been changed since this was posted?

Attempt to acces out-of-bounds array index '-1' for arry field 'kInnate'
---
Attempt to acces out-of-bounds array index '-1' for arry field 'kInnate'
 
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