Effective cost of HeroLab Pathfinder?

[Merion]

Hi there,

I currently use only Realmworks and am quite happy with it. Now I'm thinking about getting HeroLab for the creation of NPCs on one hand and for running encounters on the other.

But when I look at the pricing I get a little dizzy. First of all, the whole site is quite crowded and hard to comprehend. Secondly it seems like I have to invest a lot of dollars to be able to create Characters with more than just basic classes.

Even if I say I just need the AGP and the bestiaries in addition to the basic rulebook package, I'll spend 40$ in addition to the HL basic price of 30$ and still have the feeling I will fall short in comparision to my players who use at least the ultimate series and a few other books.

I'm not sure if it is worth it or if I should just stick to pulling stuff from the srd and managing my encounters with a pencil and a piece of scrap paper.

So from a HL newb to the pros:
What do I really need and is it worth it for someone who will basicaly use it as an extension to RealmWorks?

 

[Exmortis]

Hi there,

I currently use only Realmworks and am quite happy with it. Now I'm thinking about getting HeroLab for the creation of NPCs on one hand and for running encounters on the other.

That's exactly how they were meant to be used, and they are very complimentary to each other for this.

But when I look at the pricing I get a little dizzy. First of all, the whole site is quite crowded and hard to comprehend. Secondly it seems like I have to invest a lot of dollars to be able to create Characters with more than just basic classes.

It is, I assume you play PF, they have fallen into the TSR trap as of late, and release massive book for the smallest of possible details or additions. I am awaiting the new "explore the pebble on the side of the road" GM book.

Even if I say I just need the AGP and the bestiaries in addition to the basic rulebook package, I'll spend 40$ in addition to the HL basic price of 30$ and still have the feeling I will fall short in comparision to my players who use at least the ultimate series and a few other books.

As GM your kind of behind the eight ball so to speak. Unlike your players, they can buy just what their character wants/uses, your stuck buying it all. I have a possible solution for you below.

I'm not sure if it is worth it or if I should just stick to pulling stuff from the srd and managing my encounters with a pencil and a piece of scrap paper.

It is worth it, bottom line. Even our cheapskake GM who I swore would reuse everyone else's discarded pencils, praised its value as a GM once he finally jumped in. He was the last of the group to do so.

So from a HL newb to the pros:
What do I really need and is it worth it for someone who will basicaly use it as an extension to RealmWorks?

OK here is what I suggest.

Start by using it as encounter builder only. Here is how:

Present:
Buy the base product and the MM supplements only.
Use the base classes to make level 1 dummies of your group.
Create your encounters via HL and for the combat manager use the level 1 dummies.
Let players run their own characters as they do now.
Use dice to roll initiatives and manualy enter it in for encounters.

Future:
Buy the character addons as you can afford them.
Once you can, you can start having players email, or local copies of their characters, based on your HL.

Benefits:
Keeps your outlay initially lower.
Allows you to buy as you need/can afford.
Budgeting is easier.
Integrate the use of both slowly into your gaming.


This is how I would do it now, if I was in your shoes.

 

[Merion]

Good advise, thank you!

I will probably take that route and see what I really need and to what extent I'll use it. My goal ist to have less work at the gaming table, not end up with more ;-)
This is why I gave up with using any soundscapes for now, as syrinscape is to expensive for my gaming budget and all the free ones are too much work and disturb the flow of the game more by distracting me than adding to the game experience.

 

[Farling]

Don't forget about the class purchase pathway, releasing all the rules from the core rulebooks for a particular class.

For adventure paths, you can purchase the ready-made encounter libraries, rather than buying the individual bestiaries.

 

[Tarmor]

Remember that your initial purchase of HL gets you one core package. The bestiaries can be bought as a bundle to help lower costs. For a standard Pathfinder game that's all you need to make characters and run encounters.
If your players are using all the different books that get put out for for the game, then yes it gets expensive if you want to use HL to support every character, feat, item, etc.
If you can work with the editor then you may find that you can use that to add one or two things from a book/package you don't have.
My opinion is that it worth it - but only buy what you really need!

 

[Exmortis]

Don't forget about the class purchase pathway, releasing all the rules from the core rulebooks for a particular class.

For adventure paths, you can purchase the ready-made encounter libraries, rather than buying the individual bestiaries.

As a player that's a great route.

As GM the issue lies in encounters what use player races/classes are varied not a single type.

What the OP will run into is, wanting to make an encounter with three or four classes not monsters. That's why I would suggest going the full book route, but over time as they can afford.

We all have a budget to live within, the secret is to maximize its value to your gaming with out have to skip coffees to do it. No one wants to play under a GM that has missed their coffee.

 

[CorzatTheGray]

My group, luckily, got onboard in 2011 and we've only been "keeping up" with new releases rather than jumping in at this later stage of the life of Pathfinder. To drop all at once what we have over time would definitely be daunting.

After we bought into the base package, it was just a matter of figuring out what we were actually using to catch up on initially. From there we have slowly gotten to the point where we weigh whether or not we NEED the new release for the characters we are playing and go from there.

Weigh whether or not you'll actually be playing in a game that will use the mecahics from any of the big hardbacks before buying as they are the big ticket items.

APG? Yep... buy it
Ultimate [whatever]? Yep... buy it
Occult? Nope not using them... don't buy it.
Horror? Nope not using them... don't buy it.
Mythic Characters? Nope...
etc, etc...

The mechanics from the Campaign Setting or Companion Lines? Just get the ones that have books that are actually being used and you might get a couple other books you're not using material from, but at $5 for 3-4 books it'll be ok.

Like Exmortis said... worry about what you NEED first, then get into what you WANT as budget allows.