Character builder spreadsheet tool

elliotbay

Knight
Marshal
Hey all,

I've been working on a tool in Google Docs to help with keeping track of build on characters, and I think it's finally ready for public release. It's based on Matt's Alliance_Class_Compare.xls, but with a bunch more features.

Partial feature list:
  • Can enter build totals directly, or track your character's experience through event attendance, without the rounding errors that usually come with estimating by hand.
  • Color coding to let you know if you can buy an instance of the skill at hand
  • Damage sheet for easy reference
  • Race discounts, penalties, and restrictions accurately reflected
  • Prerequisites calculated
  • Spell pyramid validation
  • Check for skills that are contained within other skills
  • Check for more than maximum number allowed of a certain skill

Instructions:
  • Go to the spreadsheet at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoWf9Q4AODYLdEpIcklFbVZfVnZMWUZyckgwd21VZ1E#gid=0
  • In the Google Spreadsheet File menu, click "Make a copy..."
  • Keep track of each character's stats on a new copy
  • Choose your character's race and class first, as that will affect skill costs. Don't worry, you can always change them later
  • If you want to keep track of your character's experience through event attendance, and be able to predict how much build you'll get for a given event, you can use the Experience sheet, and put your initial XP at the top. If you just wish to type your build manually, you can ignore that sheet entirely, and use the "Build Override" field on the Build sheet.
  • Start entering skill purchases in the "#Purch" column.

I've tried to make it as intuitive as possible, so hopefully the rest is self-explanatory. Let me know in this thread if you have any questions, notice something that seems incorrect, or have a suggestion for improvement.

Here are some other notes that may help you out with usage:
  • Color codes are as follows: (Red: too many purchases, White: May not purchase, perhaps due to prerequisites or perhaps due to other reasons, Green: May purchase, Yellow: could purchase with more build.)
  • If you would like to access this offline (without needing an Internet connection), you can install Google Drive and the spreadsheet app with Chrome. As far as I can tell, you should be able to also download the file as a Microsoft Excel file and it should work, but I do not have Excel myself. Downloading it as an OpenOffice spreadsheet currently does not work.
  • Greyed-out fields are calculated values that will change depending on your inputs. Any cell with just a border around it is intended to be edited.
  • The Production sheet is just for reference, and is not used in any calculations.
  • The 7 columns in the middle of the Build sheet will show you how much build you would have free if you had any given class, as well as your body total, so you can make decisions about fluidly switching classes if you want.
Quick link to the spreadsheet itself

Changelog:
  • 1.0 - Initial public release
  • 1.01 - Switched places for Legerdemain and Herbal Lore. Thanks Jamie!
  • 1.02 - Rearranged build totals so they were correct for all classes. Thanks Brian!
  • 1.03 - Added prerequisites for crafting skills. Thanks again Brian!
  • 1.04 - Base damage for claws is now 2, according to ARB p59, rather than the chart on ARB p82. Thanks Matt!
  • 1.05 - Racial Proficiencies are now counted for the purposes of Proficiency prerequisites. Thanks Evan!
  • 1.06 - Half-cost skills now correctly rounds up. Thanks Kyle!
  • 1.07 - Weapon Master no longer contains ranged weapons, and Blacksmith is no longer reduced for High Ogres. Thanks Norman!
  • 1.08 - Gypsy Curse can now be purchased more than once. Thanks Roy!
  • 1.09 - Claws now counts as a weapon skill for the purposes of buying profs and whatnot. Thanks Sori!
  • 1.10 - Rogue primary school costs are now correct. Thanks Kyle!
  • 1.11 - Updated weapon and pyramid functions to be correct with the new Google Sheets. Thanks Cass!
  • 1.12 - Changed spell skill rows to be labeled based on your current primary school. Credit to Bilgewat3r for the suggestion.
  • 1.13 - Fixed helper colors associated with skill containment, and added a validation message if you overspend your build. Thanks Bilgewat3r!
  • 1.14 - Improved validation message when you have an invalid pyramid. Added wands to the damage helper. Credit to IMoriarty for the suggestion.
  • 1.15 - Changed base body from 6 to 10 and XP needed for level 2 to 0 based on https://www.alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/new-starting-build-and-body.35105/. Thanks to IMoriarty for the pointer.
  • 1.16 - Fixed bug where build costs were locked to Scholar. Thanks to IMoriarty for the initial report.
  • 1.17 - Changed Gypsy to Selunari. Thanks Krystina for pointing me in that direction.
To Update:
  • Follow the instructions above for creating a new spreadsheet.
  • Open your old spreadsheet in a new tab
  • Copy your data (anything unshaded with a border) from the old version to the new one
  • If the old version is 1.0, make sure your buys for Legerdemain and Herbal Lore are correct
 
Last edited:
looks like the costs for legerdemain and herbal lore are mixed up.
 
Huh, looks like I had the labels reversed on those fields. Fixed, and noted in the revision history. I checked against my other sheets for similar label mismatches, but didn't find any.
 
It occurs to me that some people might like to know when I've made a bugfix and updated the version. Right now, we're on 1.04, which includes a few bugfixes since the initial release. To update your own spreadsheet, go to the link above, copy a new spreadsheet for yourself, and copy over your data from the previous version.
 
Unless I am simply Doing It Wrong, it appears as though the spreadsheet does not include Racial Proficiency in its calculations for prerequisite satisfaction.
 
I was checking in to report the same.
 
I knew there was something about Racial Prof I was forgetting. New version: 1.05. Follow the instructions above to upgrade.
 
Half-cost Herbal Lore for Dryads doesn't round up - it costs 1.5 for a rogue, 2.5 for scout, etc.
 
KyleSchmelz said:
Half-cost Herbal Lore for Dryads doesn't round up - it costs 1.5 for a rogue, 2.5 for scout, etc.

Actually the database does round up Roue cost is 2 and Scout is 3
 
I realize you can't have half a build point. The spreadsheet doesn't round like it's supposed to.
 
Version 1.07 is now live. Follow instructions above to upgrade.
 
I absolutely love this and its been a real help to me as a newbie
 
I just started fiddling around with this, but it appears that gypsies cannot buy more than one instance of gypsy curse
 
I'm glad it's been helpful. Version 1.08 is now live, which fixes the Gypsy Curse issue.
 
This tool is great! Thanks for sharing it.
 
Version 1.09 is now live. It's not exactly what it says in the rule book, but I couldn't find any logistics person who would reject a build that had just claws and profs.
 
Very cool sheet, it's been making the rounds around the Denver chapter and everyone who has used it really likes it. One enhancement I made to my own copy was a Gobbies tracker which helps me track awards and what they were spent on.
 
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That would make sense, wouldn't it, as the original 15 BP don't net any extra body?

Unless you're saying that it is, in fact, factoring them when calculating body (a fighter would then start with 9 Body instead of 6).
 
My understanding is that they are not. All characters start with 6 Body, what changes is how quickly you gain it after your initial 15 build.
 
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