Thinking of switching to Hero Lab

[Thajocoth]

Hey, I'm sure you're gonna get a lot of this real soon, but Wizards is making their builder web only. That's not really convenient. I see that Hero Lab is about $30. If I purchase it (for D&D 4e), what do I have access to? Do I need to keep my DDI subscription to keep it updated? Or do I pay you guys for it to update? Or what?

Does the system lack support for anything that's in the 4e rules (Including the essentials stuff)? Is there support for Artifact items?


I've read this paragraph:

"The 4th Edition mechanics data files are included with the Authoring Kit data package. They include only the 4th edition game mechanics, and no copyrighted content. A downloader is provided to allow you to download free content from D&D Insider, or subscriber content with the provision of a username and password. Note that some of the features described below require subscriber data to be used."

It isn't clear from that whether you're saying that it's a DDI username and password or a Lone Wolf one, and nothing else on that page clarifies it, which is why I'm asking these questions.

[Jay Ibero]

Originally Posted by Thajocoth

Hey, I'm sure you're gonna get a lot of this real soon, but Wizards is making their builder web only. That's not really convenient. I see that Hero Lab is about $30. If I purchase it (for D&D 4e), what do I have access to? Do I need to keep my DDI subscription to keep it updated? Or do I pay you guys for it to update? Or what?

Does the system lack support for anything that's in the 4e rules (Including the essentials stuff)? Is there support for Artifact items?


I've read this paragraph:

"The 4th Edition mechanics data files are included with the Authoring Kit data package. They include only the 4th edition game mechanics, and no copyrighted content. A downloader is provided to allow you to download free content from D&D Insider, or subscriber content with the provision of a username and password. Note that some of the features described below require subscriber data to be used."

It isn't clear from that whether you're saying that it's a DDI username and password or a Lone Wolf one, and nothing else on that page clarifies it, which is why I'm asking these questions.

Basically, if you have a DDI username and password, there is a downloader program which will use that to grab everything available off of the WotC compendium. So with that one can do what people were doing with the CB, paying for one month subscription every few months and getting bulk updates, rather than needing a constant DDI subscription. Hero Lab also has a much more developed system for entering in custom material, so if you just have the books but no DDI subscription you could enter it all manually (though that would take forever).

[Thajocoth]

Thanks a lot. I'm pretty sure I'll be purchasing Hero Lab soon then.

[cryptoknight]

Same here... as soon as the downloader works...

I want to see what one of my fully entered LFR characters will look like in print preview (knowing that even if I spend hours entering him or her I won't be able to save).

Provided I like the results... HB will be mine. And hopefully I'll be buying the SR4 ruleset when it comes out.. and probably Pathfinder as well.

[PagingMrHerman]

I found a sample of the power cards here: http://www.wolflair.com/hero_lab/ima...ard_output.pdf

[cryptoknight]

Yah... but the to hit bonuses and damages don't seem to look at if you have a weapon equipped or have stuff like iron arm bands of power or a feat that gives you a to hit bonus.

Is that stuff available on the cards? If not, how hard would it be to customize the 4e ruleset to do that with the ruleset builder?

[stamhaven]

I'm similarly considering switching from the CB to Hero Labs and my main concern is with how the character wrangler behaves at the table. In particular how it compares with Iplay4e and InCombat functionality. How does it display and track power uses, conditions, parties, monsters, initiative, defenses, HP, temp HP, etc. Is there a video or more detailed screen shot set somewhere of the 4e utilities? Also from the screen shots it looks like it doesn't do damage calculations and that sort of thing (sample power cards don't list it).

[SAbel]

I have had Hero Lab for 4E, 2 years now, and download the DDI info and Hero Lab just gets better all the time. It is a great character/GM tool and makes your game work better.

[Colen]

Stamhaven: There should be screenshots in the 4e section of our web site, here:

http://wolflair.com/index.php?contex...ge=4th_edition

If you want more information, the best way to get it is to simply download Hero Lab and give it a try in demo mode. You can load up one of the provided sample characters and see how everything works on the In-Play tab, Tactical Console, etc.