Dependency on Character Creation Apps?

[Retreater]

I am running for two groups who are 100% dependent on character creation apps. (I'm not saying that you cannot play the systems without the apps - just that they're both complicated enough that the character sheets are very hard to parse by people who do not live and breathe RPGs.) [If you're curious, we're talking D&D 4e and PF2.]

For the 4e game, this becomes tedious when I have 5-6 character sheets to manage, updating them and printing them every couple sessions. (I'm the only one with an installed Character Builder program. And really the only one who understands character creation or advancement.)

For the PF2 game, it's less intrusive because at least the resources are freely available. Still, if we need to level up, that's the end of the session. Stop, load up Pathbuilder, look through hundreds of options, figure out how to apply what you want on the character sheet. Then audit to make sure everyone's got the specified amount of magic items and treasure.

This is supposed to be fun, right? I have to manage everyone's characters while creating adventures, running the sessions, etc. It's a lot of work.

Guess I'm just ranting. But these games feel more like work than a hobby.

 

[DragonLancer]

We primarily play Pathfinder 1st edition and most of us use Herolab, and that works fine. I find phone apps like Pathbuilder are not that helpful as they generally aren't intuitive.

Although, reading through your post again, are the players not keeping track of their characters themselves?

 

[Retreater]

Although, reading through your post again, are the players not keeping track of their characters themselves?

There are two groups.
1) The PF2 group: Mostly. I mean, everything is done on Pathbuilder and the character sheets are stored on Foundry. I don't think anyone could actually level up their character (or build a new one) without these tools. As long as those are still active, I guess we're fine.
2) The 4e group: No, I manage everything. They don't have their own books - which are OOP. They don't have the character software.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I would find this unacceptable.

I have a few true newbies on my D&D Beyond account, but they have used those characters a total of four times between the three of them. I could not, and would not, let it turn into an ongoing thing with regular leveling up, etc.

 

[payn]

PF2 is like half a step more complicated than 5E. Im not sure why a character builder is necessary?

4E makes more sense because its out of date and folks are not used to it anymore.

 

[Retreater]

PF2 is like half a step more complicated than 5E. Im not sure why a character builder is necessary?

All the options in one place, better organized than the book or character sheet?

 

[payn]

All the options in one place, better organized than the book or character sheet?

AoN?

 

[Retreater]

AoN?

I don't find it especially helpful for character creation or leveling up. It's more like an encyclopedia.

 

[payn]

I don't find it especially helpful for character creation or leveling up. It's more like an encyclopedia.

Hmm, interesting. I find its level categories to be the bees knees of RPG resource. Its all level bucketed with a simple click away. As a technical writer I marvel at it. Of course, Im a battletech player which has nothing like it and some of the worst written reference manuals known to humanity... so maybe easy to please?

I do think PF1 gave Pathfinder a bad rep. One that PF2 does not deserve. In addition, if there are apps that does any of the work at all, folks are gonna lean on them.

 

[cbwjm]

For the PF2 game, it's less intrusive because at least the resources are freely available. Still, if we need to level up, that's the end of the session. Stop, load up Pathbuilder, look through hundreds of options, figure out how to apply what you want on the character sheet. Then audit to make sure everyone's got the specified amount of magic items and treasure.

It's been ages since I've looked at PF2 so I'm curious, why do you need to audit the magic items on the characters?