DnD Insider

[Rhinox]

With the launch of the 4th edition of Dungeons and Dragons, Wizards rolled out something called DnD Insider, promising tools for both player and GM to make gaming life easier and more fun.

I was excited at first, then I realized that everything even remotely cool was 'coming soon' and that Wizards was going to charge for all these services. Major disappointment.


But now, things have changed. Wizards has launched several of their tools to make gaming life easier and the current flagship is the 'DnD Character Builder'.

Updated monthly, this tool has rules for all races available, all current weapons, armor, feats, skills, everything. You can add in homebrew rules to suit your taste of make 'legal' characters that can be used in tourneys.

One of the really cool things is, after you make your character, you can print it off along with power cards detailing all the powers your character has, so no more flipping through the library keeping track of what you can do!
(of course, this also means you don't have to buy the power card packs Wizard is selling!!)


There are other tools available, the monster compendium, encounter creater, power detailer, et al, but right now I am geeking out over the character builder itself. It just makes life so much more simple!

Can't wait for the dungeon mapping program to come online. Man, I want that.


Anyway, what do y'all think? Anyone even playing 4th ed aside from Ashes and me?

[Pants-less Bard]

I'm playing 4E, but assumed that you had to pay for all of that stuff. Can you clarify, Rhinox, is the character builder free?

[Rhinox]

The character builder demo is free. It'll let you make characters levels 1 through 3. For the full version (basically levels 4 through 30) you need to subscribe.

Subscriptions are $8 a month or 3 months for $20 or a year for $60.

[Rhinox]

Just put in my character from Ashes' game. Turns out I'd missed a thing or two and now my character is better than ever!!!!

[Skyshadow]

i tried 4E several times over last winter break and while i did like it*the sword mage class was awesome*. im happy with the dnd ruleset i have now and unless 3.5 books become as rare as rubies i dont see a switch over. the dungeon mapping tool sounds cool though.

[ambrose]

Sort of defeats the purpose of simplifying the system, doesn't it?

[ashes]

what do you mean? This system is pretty simplified.

[Rhinox]

yeah, they've streamlined the hell out of it. Lot less complicated, though I fear the tradeoff is a lot less individuality, but I digress. I've had that fight before.

An added bonus, you can send your characters as files now, including backstory and journal entries and others can read them/use them as NPCs. Very nice.

I think I'm going to start a thread later with some of my characters with their files so y'all can DL em and use them to cause havok, if you like.

[Rhinox]

wow. had no idea the Allspark held such hate for 4th ed.

[chrysalis]

I'm still playing by the 3.5 version and probably will for while. I started a game in April of 2008 on this version and we are still going strong in the campaign. Plus, Navarre DMs and he has the 3.5 version.

[Ayeima]

there is alot of hate for 4.0, but i guess thats a argument for another day....I have a friend playing in a 4.0 campaign and loves it....I have the phb, dmg and mm, (which my friend is borrowing) he says its pretty interesting.

I tried reading the PHB but with my OCD meds it makes reading difficult which sucks balls, the rest of my group refuses to play 4.0....course they also refuse to play the new White wolf vampire too, they dont like change they much unless they step back to older rules like Shadowrun 4.0 did

[chrysalis]

I don't have anything against 4.0, I just don't want to spend the money on it when I have all of the 3.5 stuff.

[Ayeima]

I don't have anything against 4.0, I just don't want to spend the money on it when I have all of the 3.5 stuff.

Thats another reason people dont like 4.0

[Rhinox]

http://rapidshare.com/files/243517915/M ... dnd4e.html

This is my first attempt at making a druid. He's 10th level, guardian spirit, cross class feated with a shamanic companion spirit, and a full ritual book.
Totally and completely legal for tourney play, not to mention making a damn scary NPC.


Ashes, DL him and take a look. He's my next character in Q's game. Given the screwups I did with my first character, I'm thinking of asking to sub him out so I can rework my fighter concept.