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Hero Lab Encounter Builder Feedback Thread

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I had an issue with a crash/error when I first launched the new Beta, which I used my snipping tool to make a .JPG of & send in.

Other than that I have encountered what I consider to be an issue...
All the EB seems to do is create a new user portfolio with whichever groups of monsters/NPCs I have selected. This leaves me with no clear way to turn them into an "encounter" without importing/merging with the portfolios for the PCs. Similarly if the PCs move from one encounter to the next quickly; it leaves me either having to take the time to rebuild them into the next encounter, or to take a lot of space duplicating the PCs in multiple encounters.
 
Michele said:
Hi frumple, does this fit your needs for setting a difficulty for the encounter?
Click to expand...



Michelle,

I guess what I am looking for is the option to set what my player's APL is, and then be able to select what type of encounter it is (easy, average [have average as default], etc.) and that give the CR. Now we set the CR and it gives us a range of APLs and what type of encounter it is from them.

Given that a party's APL doesn't change that often, it would be a more efficient way to set the CR.

If this is going to be to much of a hassle, just keep it in mind for a future release.

Thoughts?

frumple
 
plays2many_rps said:
I had an issue with a crash/error when I first launched the new Beta, which I used my snipping tool to make a .JPG of & send in.

Other than that I have encountered what I consider to be an issue...
All the EB seems to do is create a new user portfolio with whichever groups of monsters/NPCs I have selected. This leaves me with no clear way to turn them into an "encounter" without importing/merging with the portfolios for the PCs. Similarly if the PCs move from one encounter to the next quickly; it leaves me either having to take the time to rebuild them into the next encounter, or to take a lot of space duplicating the PCs in multiple encounters.
Click to expand...
You can quickly import PC's from the portfolio/encounter they were last in by using this:

Portfolio->Import Hero From Portfolio...

This allows you to only import the PCs from the saved portfolio. So save the encounter/portfolio they are leaving, open new encounter portfolio and then import them with the current stats that they were last saved with. Takes just a few clicks of the mouse.
 
To speed up scrolling through the long list of creatures, it would be nice if there was a search option to set the maximum CR that will appear in the list.
(I don't need the CR10-20 when working on encounters for a 5th level party.)
 
Michele said:
Hi mezme, for the time being, one way to get around this is to import the hero as an enemy, apply the template you want, reopen the encounter builder, choose a target CR, and check "include enemies in the portfolio in the total CR."
Click to expand...

Tried this, I would prefer applying the templates as i select creatures but that does the job. That feature is great for "what can I add to boos the CR by 2" situations.
 
Golkiwu said:
It would be nice to either have a way to select max HP for the entirety of the selected creatures in the Encounter, or have the Character Configuration options affect all creatures generated with the builder.
Click to expand...

Hi Golkiwu, that is an interesting suggestion! For the time being if there is a particular monster you use frequently, you can edit the stock version to have max HP, close and reopen the encounter builder, and select that modified creature from the encounter builder.
 
frumple said:
I guess what I am looking for is the option to set what my player's APL is, and then be able to select what type of encounter it is (easy, average [have average as default], etc.) and that give the CR.
Click to expand...
Hi frumple,
Thanks for the suggestion! We are looking into what the most common workflow is for selecting an appropriate CR.
 
Advanced searching (CR, terrain, race, class, frequency) is the first thing I'd like to see. Then the ability to apply templates. Complete stats and accurate info on the things to choose from would help test this better. I've run across one thing with no info at all and no matter the level of Pathfinder iconic, I always get the 1st level build.
 
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Michele said:
Hi frumple,
Thanks for the suggestion! We are looking into what the most common workflow is for selecting an appropriate CR.
Click to expand...

Personally, I don't mind the way you have it, but I would like Frumple's way more.

Set APL, set encounter difficulty, find monsters!
 
FurryQuandary said:
I'm having an issues with the Search feature. I think it seems to be searching on type, but not name. For example, if I search for Ogre, I get several monster, including an orgekin, but not an Ogre. If I search for Giant, I get several creatures with the Giant subtype, like an Ogre, but no Giants (as Hill, or Stone).
Click to expand...

This can happen if you do not have the package containing the creature. For example, the Stone Giant and the Ogre are both from the Bestiary.

Does the creature appear if you scroll down, rather than using search?

You can also change "Hide characters..." at the bottom to "Show all...". This will show you all creatures, even if you do not have their package.
 
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casiel said:
Is it possible to import .por files into the Encounter so that custom-created characters can be included in an encounter? That way we could add a Boss NPC to a group of monsters for an overall encounter.
Click to expand...

If you save *.por portfolio files in the Game System Data Folder, they will appear the next time you launch the Encounter Builder.

You can locate the Game System Data Folder through the Tools menu by selecting Explore Folders -> Game System Data Folder.
 
CorzatTheGray said:
You can quickly import PC's from the portfolio/encounter they were last in by using this:

Portfolio->Import Hero From Portfolio...

This allows you to only import the PCs from the saved portfolio. So save the encounter/portfolio they are leaving, open new encounter portfolio and then import them with the current stats that they were last saved with. Takes just a few clicks of the mouse.
Click to expand...

You could try doing this the other way around. First, build each encounter, and save each portfolio. Second, load the portfolio with the heroes.

Then as the heroes reach each encounter, load creatures from that encounter, and when the encounter is over, delete the imported creatures.
 
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Steve said:
You could try doing this the other way around. First, build each encounter, and save each portfolio. Second, load the portfolio with the heroes.

Then as the heroes reach each encounter, load creatures from that encounter, and when the encounter is over, delete the imported creatures.
Click to expand...

If I am understanding you correctly; I would create encounter portfolios for each encounter & as the PCs came up to them import each encounter into the main portfolio for the PCs?

**Edit to add**
On a separate note:
I have downloaded the Pathfinder data file multiple times from the link provided in the email & each time I get the message that the file is corrupt and can't be used.
 
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plays2many_rps said:
If I am understanding you correctly; I would create encounter portfolios for each encounter & as the PCs came up to them import each encounter into the main portfolio for the PCs?
Click to expand...
Correct. Then it's just house cleaning the previous encounter from the main PC portfolio before importing the creatures from the next.

Portfolio containing the PCs created before your group meets, combined with the various encounter portfolios created before hand and you're running your group through the adventure with only the main PC portfolio open, but with liberal use of the options found under the Portfolio-> button.

Import, run encounter, delete, repeat. All from the main PC portfolio.
 
As I'm playing around with the EB a little more, I have yet to encounter any bugs with what I've been doing, so that's good!!

After importing A LOT of stock creatures and several of my own unique characters, I'd like to see an option much like the "include enemies already in portfolio..." for the party's APL as well. Essentially this would be tracking the APL of all allies in the portfolio. So while keeping track of the "Enemies" side it would also keep track of the "Allies" side as well. Allowing an even more custom tailored encounter for the party. This might even allow for a target APL tracker/budget as well.

I'm envisioning on the left for the Allies a "Target APL" ticker, once ticked up, a check box to include Allies already in Portfolio and on the right side for the Enemies just what we have now with a CR ticker and check box. In the center the Encounter difficulty for various APL much as it is now and Current CR and Current APL tracker.

As it stands now, the Allies get no love in the EB. Once imported into the portfolio as an ally, the EB doesn't account for what is in the portfolio already in any way.
 
Thanks for everyone's feedback! A new thread will be opening shortly to mark the second encounter builder beta release.
 
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