ShaunM42
commented
3 years ago These seem more like discussion items but as there's no discussion here?
Precursor:
I'm here after reading Don Farland's post regarding the github project. I've been using his compendium for a little while, providing Don with a bunch of corrections to errors and typos I'd found as a way of trying to contribute, and then using it as a base for my own modification due to a few issues that didn't suit my use of it.
I was very interested in what's happening here, but at the moment can't see me using it rather than continuing to update my own compendium with new data (or taking updates from here and modifying them). It could be that many of the issues raised here won't be able to change if the project is going to automatically pull data from 5eTools.
There are a few things below that fall into the category of "wouldn't it be nice if FC5 had this, but at least there's that workaround".
Re Suggestions:
1/ Re class features as feats: I also dislike these as feats rather than spells. Yes, they are neither... but they are far more accessible under spells for the referencing reasons you mentioned.
2/ Re items: I was surprised to read this and then looked for myself. Seems crazy not to include bonuses as modifiers within the item. I'm curious as to why this is. For my own use, I've also included the rarity and attunement details as the opening line in my item descriptions (helpful in AL, and just helpful in general).
3/ Re automatic trackers: I'm genuinely surprised these aren't in here (or are they coming?). I.e. at barbarian 2?
<autolevel level="1">
<counter><name>Rage</name><value>2</value><reset>L</reset></counter>
</autolevel>4/ Re text for class features: Agreed (but if people are here then presumably they're savvy enough to do this themselves?).
5/ Re new spells, etc.: Limitation of the app? Nice to have but people here are savvy enough to handle that themselves?
Re Corrections:
3/ Is duplication is going to be an issue for everything with multiple sources, when compiling from multiple sources? For my own edits and updates to Don's compendium I went with the latest source text and added the additional source at the bottom of the description.
First, I want to say how immensely grateful I am for all the work you have put into this! Here are some suggestions and corrections for your consideration:
Suggestions:
The new format of putting class features like Invocations and Maneuvers into the Feats list makes sense, since those features never really were spells (though I did like using the spellbook as a quick reference for these abilities). The problem is that they severely clutter that list up and make it much harder to look through the feats to make a selection. I also really liked being able to see at a glance if a feat offered a particular stat increase. I understand why the multiple versions were taken away, but I would like to offer an alternative formatting idea that I have applied to my own list: Artificer Initiate Athlete (Str/Dex) Bountiful Luck By using a before the names of feats you force them to the top of the list, leaving all the class features sorted neatly at the bottom. You can also add the parenthetical (Str/Dex) next to feats that grant ability bonuses to show that it could grant a bonus to either stat.
In a previous version, items had modifiers automatically attached to them. +1 armor already had a +1 to AC modifier on the item. I don't know why this was removed, but I really miss that. Would this be something that could be re-added in a future update?
I like the addition of automatic trackers built into the classes, but none of these seem to be populated with anything currently. Was this a feature that was always meant to be blank or is the intent to add common trackers like Second Wind automatically? It would be nice if they came already set up. (You couldn't do these for Subclass features, since the trackers are in the Level and not Feature section, but things that belong to the base class like Rage, Channel Divinity, etc. could be added)
The text for most of the class features that are now stored in the feats list are ambiguous: "Battle Master: Maneuvers - The maneuvers are presented in alphabetical order." There's no instruction to go add it manually by editing your character and finding them in the feats list, which itself would be tough for less savvy users to figure out. It would be nice to have a popup menu for these like the feats list you get by choosing no ability score increase.
It would also be nice to have something in the level up page that told you plainly if you got to choose new spells and how many you could get. Yes, this info is contained in the chart and referenced in the classes Spellcasting feature, but it's just annoying to dig through, and would be particularly helpful for classes that have a few levels where they don't new get spells, like Sorcerers and Bards. For learned spell classes, something like "Choose 1 new spell. You may choose an additional spell if you remove a spell from your known spells list." would be helpful. For classes that just choose from their full spell list (Artificer, Cleric, Druid), they could be told that they should add all of the spells for the level they are now able to cast.
Corrections:
The Warlock spell slot progression seems to have gotten messed up, In a recent version it was great. It tracked the correct number of spell slots at the correct level and recharged on a short rest. Now, every level in the compendium shows no spell slots at all, just the cantrips.
I very minor detail: When selecting a Warlock patron, the titles of each patron's first class feature is inconsistent. The Archfey, Celestial, Undying, and Fathomless use "Otherworldy Patron: The Archfey" while the others are like "The Fiend: Expanded Spell List."
Edit: