I think it would be good to add a list of tools people use to create epic builds somewhere on this forum. I personally use Kamiryn's CharacterBuildCalculator which can be found at: Click Here

What other tools do people use for their builds?
Quote: Posted 07/03/06 18:37:25 (GMT) -- MykBaker

What other tools do people use for their builds?

My brain (and the NWN client just make sure I made no mistakes )!
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"We keep our Feast of Feasts, sure of our bourne,
Our aims self-same:
The Guest of Guests, friend Zarathustra, came!
The world now laughs, the grisly veil was torn,
And Light and Dark were one that wedding-morn." What's wrong with doing it by yourself? it's better, like a little effort, and it will be most rewarding because you did the build by yourself. If you need assistance to make your own builds how will you assist another person when he asks for advice, giving him the tool? excuse me, but I think it's a bad idea.

Anyway, a tool as a testing stuff could get its uses, but I wouldn't trust it. Good point, I suppose I should learn how to do it myself.

I actually use a combination of the spreadsheet and the grimore and verify as I go. I should learn to do the calculations though, that would help me understand better.
Quote: Posted 07/03/06 21:21:26 (GMT) -- MykBaker

Good point, I suppose I should learn how to do it myself.

I actually use a combination of the spreadsheet and the grimore and verify as I go. I should learn to do the calculations though, that would help me understand better.

Making a powergamer build is all about the calculations, frankly.
_________________
"We keep our Feast of Feasts, sure of our bourne,
Our aims self-same:
The Guest of Guests, friend Zarathustra, came!
The world now laughs, the grisly veil was torn,
And Light and Dark were one that wedding-morn." I don't use them fancy-schmancy tools all you young 'uns have cooked up! I do it the old-fashioned way with a pencil and my brain!

I start with a concept and then decide what classes will best achieve what I have in mind. Then I put a preliminary build down on paper (or in Notepad). After that, I start to tweak the levels and where I take certain feats, skills, and class levels. Once I've got it down to my satisfaction, I build it in a leveller (Novice to Epic) and see if it works out as I wrote it. If all goes according to plan, I test it, then post it or file it away (if it seems less than satisfactory).
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This signature will self-destruct in 5 seconds... Initially I started making the build right on the game, using DebugMode simple XP command, since I have no leveler Mods, and writing down what was coming up, but recently, I only use the game to test the builds, after using the grimoir I could start calculating saving throws, as they baffled me before, now I can write a build pretty fast.

Learning the feats is a must IMO, for example, before entering the guild I admit I had never seen Self-Concealment, as I never met the pre-requisites, so I couldn't make a build with it previously.

Edited By Thaxll'ssyllia on 07/04/06 04:35

I build out of a concept or an rp-idea usually, or post an old build I have used somewhere. I scribble it down on paper in a mess of notes then test it, usually in the -Novice to Epic-. Then I also put it up and read more numbers from the CBC, like saves, bardsong, spell-slots etc. and use that for copy/pasting to save time.

Then when I post the build i sometimes forget to copy all my finished text and when I click post the site has auto-logged-off and everything is lost, like the build I tried to post yesterday. It will show itself in the future though, without making the same mistake for at least a little while. I conceive a build and its general layout in my mind then I start Kamiryn's CBC and get all the details sorted out nicely, afterwards I level up and test the build in a test module at least.

Some of my builds do not get posted the moment they are ready and tested, I like to take them out for a ride before posting them on the guild's boards. More than once this meant that someone else posted something so very close to what I had done already I didn't need to post mine anymore


Cheers,
Kail
Quote: Posted 07/04/06 16:20:09 (GMT) -- Kail Pendragon

Some of my builds do not get posted the moment they are ready and tested, I like to take them out for a ride before posting them on the guild's boards. More than once this meant that someone else posted something so very close to what I had done already I didn't need to post mine anymore

They're spying on you
_________________
"We keep our Feast of Feasts, sure of our bourne,
Our aims self-same:
The Guest of Guests, friend Zarathustra, came!
The world now laughs, the grisly veil was torn,
And Light and Dark were one that wedding-morn."
Quote: Posted 07/03/06 23:53:18 (GMT) -- Cinnabar Din

I don't use them fancy-schmancy tools all you young 'uns have cooked up! I do it the old-fashioned way with a pencil and my brain!

I start with a concept and then decide what classes will best achieve what I have in mind. Then I put a preliminary build down on paper (or in Notepad). After that, I start to tweak the levels and where I take certain feats, skills, and class levels. Once I've got it down to my satisfaction, I build it in a leveller (Novice to Epic) and see if it works out as I wrote it. If all goes according to plan, I test it, then post it or file it away (if it seems less than satisfactory).

darn-skippy! i just use a text editor, with the occasional reference from the wiki or grimoire. coming up with something original is the hardest part. that is where the search engine comes in. other than that, its all up in my head (scary that it stays there, actually).

-cs Right, the search engine, sometimes I use it and start making class combinations to find out what hasn't been done and has potential, most of the time ending with nothing or even 3 prestige classes

Hey, but if you make a story for your build, no tool will ever help you, and it ends much more cool and original IMO.
Quote: Posted 07/04/06 16:40:31 (GMT) -- FinneousPJ

Quote: Posted 07/04/06 16:20:09 (GMT) -- Kail Pendragon

Some of my builds do not get posted the moment they are ready and tested, I like to take them out for a ride before posting them on the guild's boards. More than once this meant that someone else posted something so very close to what I had done already I didn't need to post mine anymore

They're spying on you

Damn, I knew it!


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Looking for a realm of adventure? Check out World of Greyhawk, you won't regret it. I use the CBC by Kamiryn and the Grimoire.

The Shifter FAQ on Click Here is a must read for any shifter.

Agreed that you should have a good character concept ahead of time, but those three resources (and the game itself) are the only things I find usefull. I use: notepad (windows standard text editor), my poor sleep deprived brain, my heavily annotated mannuals (the class skill and saving throw list at the back of the HotU mannual are accurate and easy to read), the 2DA files, the toolset, the NWNwiki (for things I can't find in the 2DAs) and the character building mod I made waaaaay back. For shifters (the few times I look at them or make suggestions) I use Zelle's Shifter Guide.
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Two wrongs don't make a right but three lefts do.

Edited By Mithdradates on 07/17/06 19:57