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Best Pathfinder Bestiary available for d20Pro?

Discussion in 'Pathfinder' started by Nilram the Grey, Jul 8, 2013.

  1. Nilram the Grey

    Nilram the Grey New Member

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    Is the sticky post on the Bestiary the best source for d20pro currently available? I'm asking because there seem to be a lot of mistakes in the data entered. I have only played around with 6-7 creatures and they all had fundamental errors. Don't get me wrong, it's a great starting point, but I'd be happy to buy a better solution if available. I also have really high quality artwork I purchased from Piazo in the past that I could use for all the tokens. I understand it is licensed and can't be freely distributed, but before I take the time to update artwork, I'd like to start with the best starting point possible.

    Finally, I saw major improvements to effects are planned for release 3.4. This would seem to require a major redo of the creature entries as they tend to have lots of effects. Should I just wait until then to try to build a full Bestiary? Maybe for now, I should just hand enter the creatures I need until after v3.4.

    Finally, is there any source for the other two official Pathfinder Bestiaries? Is there a group of building this stuff I could contribute to? Adding the NPC Codex would be nice as well.
     
  2. edwardcd

    edwardcd Administrator
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    Yes, the best source currently is the sticky post. It is a direct port from Hero Lab, so most of the data should be correct - just without automated abilities/special abilities/qualities and a strange way to deal with combat maneuver (STR mod with - STR vs using no ability score as the modifier).

    I would simply edit/modify the creatures you are going to use in your game as part of your game prep as overhauling the entire Bestiary all at once is quite the project. It's also currently a project in-house also using graphic resources that we have rights to use (non Paizo) and will eventually become available in the Marketplace when that project is complete (we should have both 3.5 and Pathfinder versions at some point in time).

    The question regarding updating a creature in version 3.3 vs version 3.4, I would edit the creatures you are going to use as part of your game prep. version 3.4 will not ruin your edits that you've done in version 3.3.

    There is not an "official" source for other Pathfinder Bestiary creatures. Though, I'm sure if someone starts posting progress with a ZIP file containing a few creatures that others will do the same :) And if enough people do this we will certainly provide an easier collaboration route, like we have done with the community based rule sets :)
     
  3. jmckid

    jmckid New Member

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    I am currently entering Bestiary 2 - once that is done I will go back and do Bestiary 1 properly.

    Importing from Hero Lab still leaves a lot of manual work to do. Some stuff simply does not import - and there are also errors in Hero Lab that need to be corrected with reference to the original bestiary publications.

    I am using paizo images for my own personal use - but I will delete the images from the data set and make publicly available once complete.
     
  4. ChrisRevocateur

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    My question is, what is the standard for considering a creature entered correctly and completely? What abilities are considered necessary to program, and which ones are considered too much of a hassle under the current way that d20Pro has abilities set up? HOW are different abilities set up?

    For example: Programming in an Angel, would the protection from evil aura be better served as being listed in the "notes" tab, or should the ability programmed in as an actual ability, which must be managed every turn with regards to who are allies and enemies, and who is within range of the angel's aura at a certain point in a round? Or because the ability comes from a common subtype, do you not even list it and just advise to reference the Angel subtype? Or what about abilities that come from basic type? Like darkvision, or other things that are often listed only in the creature types and not in the individual creature statblocks?

    Another example: How do you program in a ranger's favored enemy? Do you create a separate attack for each weapon corresponding to each favored enemy, or do you create an ability that adds the bonus to attack and damage even though that ability might only need to be applied for one attack in a round, then ended before the character attacks another creature that isn't a favored enemy. Or again, do you just put it in "notes" and expect the controller to manually add the bonuses on the attack window when attacking a favored enemy?

    Should you create abilities on a creature to represent the bonuses or special abilities that can be provided by the creatures feats or magic items, or even mundane items like masterwork lockpicks and such? Should you go as far as to put the description and/or rules text in the description area of every ability the creature has? If not, which ones should a person add that information to the description area of the ability?

    What all should be added in the notes tab? The creature's GM description and statblock extras for sure, but what about rules for that creatures type or subtype, or class, or even race? All of these can be important things when running a creature, depending on how it is being used by the GM, but to have all of it is to have a rather large Notes section on even simple creatures.

    Should abilities be used as counters as well, for things like ammunition or potions that a creature is carrying?
     

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