Character Builder Lite

[EllisDee37]

(New version is up. Release notes on previous page.)

I'm pretty excited about 3.0.

I particularly like the text build files, which have a couple advantages. The text files store descriptions of abilities, so if a build gets deprecated on open it can (and does) tell you what got deprecated instead of just saying something like "So and so tree was reset." Also, when a tree gets a pass, the old binary files could easily end up pointing to completely different abilities than they were supposed to. Now storing names that won't happen.

Also with the leveling guide, if it gets deprecated for whatever reason, you can open the build file in notepad to see exactly what it used to be. (Assuming you don't save over it!)

Another feature I'm in love with is importing and exporting to/from the other planners. It only imports/exports information from the Overview, Stats, Skills and Feats screens; not Spells, Enhancements or Destinies. But those first four screens are the core of a build, and besides, both of the other planners have those cool graphical tree interfaces for enhancements and destinies. Even if you don't use CBL at all, it can still be used as a go-between to convert build files between the other two planner formats.

I spent a lot of time updating and improving the data integrity checks on startup, so if you manually edit a data file and don't set something correctly, you'll get a much better error message telling you exactly what's wrong. (Messages are still dumped to a text file and opened in notepad on startup.) It's no longer obsessed with Wail of Banshee, which pretty much every error claimed to be related to.

Similarly, I spent a lot of time updating and improving build deprecation on load, which took weeks and weeks. Now instead of dumping messages to a text file, an interactive screen comes up. My original vision was to have it let you correct issues to "un-deprecate" the build right there, ideally preserving the leveling guide. That didn't work out so great for enhancements, destinies and twists, but it turned out pretty nice for feats.

There's a lot of new features in terms of the user interface, but the vast majority of the time and effort working on 3.0 was this under-the-hood stuff: Data integrity checks, build file formats, and build deprecation.


Here's how a save file looks now, using the trusty Kensei Warpriest demo build:

[Overview]

Name: Kensei Warpriest
Race: Human
MaxLevels: 30

Class: Fighter
Class: Cleric

Level: 1	Fighter
Level: 2	Fighter
Level: 3	Cleric
Level: 4	Fighter
Level: 5	Cleric
Level: 6	Fighter
Level: 7	Cleric
Level: 8	Fighter
Level: 9	Cleric
Level: 10	Fighter
Level: 11	Cleric
Level: 12	Fighter
Level: 13	Cleric
Level: 14	Fighter
Level: 15	Cleric
Level: 16	Fighter
Level: 17	Fighter
Level: 18	Fighter
Level: 19	Fighter
Level: 20	Cleric


[Stats]

Preferred: Adventurer

;    Advn  Chmp  Hero  Lgnd  Tome
;    ----  ----  ----  ----  ----
STR:  10    16    16    16      
DEX:                            
CON:   6     6     6    10      
INT:   4     4     4     4      
WIS:   2           2            
CHA:   6     6     6     6      
;    ----  ----  ----  ----
;     28    32    34    36   

Levelup: 0	Strength
Levelup: 4	Strength
Levelup: 8	Strength
Levelup: 12	Strength
Levelup: 16	Strength
Levelup: 20	Strength
Levelup: 24	Strength
Levelup: 28	Strength


[Skills]

;         1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9  10  11  12  13  14  15  16  17  18  19  20  Tome
;        ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Balance:  2   2       2                                                                     
Bluff  :                                                                                    
Concent:      2   4       3   2   1   2   1   2   1   2   1   2   1   2   2   2   2   1     
Diplo  :                                                                                    
Disable:                                                                                    
Haggle :                                                                                    
Heal   :  4               1       3       3       3       3       3           2       3     
Hide   :                                                                                    
Intim  :                                                                                    
Jump   :  4                                                                                 
Listen :                                                                                    
Move Si:                                                                                    
Open Lo:                                                                                    
Perform:                                                                                    
Repair :                                                                                    
Search :                                                                                    
Spellcr:                                                                                    
Spot   :                                                                                    
Swim   :                                                                                    
Tumble :  2                                                                                 
UMD    :  4           2       2       2       2       2       2       2   2       2         


[Feats]

Standard: Heroic 1	Power Attack
Standard: Heroic 3	Weapon Focus: Slashing
Standard: Heroic 6	Great Cleave
Standard: Heroic 9	Empower Healing Spell
Standard: Heroic 12	Extend Spell
Standard: Heroic 15	Two Handed Fighting
Standard: Heroic 18	Greater Two Handed Fighting
Standard: Epic 21	Tactical Mastery
Standard: Epic 24	Overwhelming Critical
Standard: Destiny 26	Perfect Two Weapon Fighting
Standard: Epic 27	Heavy Armor Master
Standard: Destiny 28	Perfect Two Handed Fighting
Standard: Destiny 29	Dire Charge
Standard: Epic 30	Tactical Combatant

Legend: Legend 30	Scion of: Arborea

Race: Human 1	Least Dragonmark: Passage

Class: Fighter 1	Cleave
Class: Fighter 2	Stunning Blow
Class: Fighter 4	Weapon Specialization: Slashing
Class: Fighter 6	Improved Critical: Slashing
Class: Fighter 8	Greater Weapon Focus: Slashing
Class: Fighter 10	Improved Two Handed Fighting
Class: Fighter 12	Greater Weapon Specialization: Slashing

Class: Cleric 2	Domain: Strength Domain

Deity: Deity 3	Follower of: Sovereign Host
Deity: Deity 13	Deity Ability: Unyielding Sovereignty

Alternate: Legend 30	Scion of: Astral Plane


[Spells]

Spell: Cleric 1	Cure Light Wounds
Spell: Cleric 1	Nightshield
Spell: Cleric 1	Remove Fear
Spell: Cleric 1	Protection from Evil
Spell: Cleric 1	Divine Favor
Spell: Cleric 1	

Spell: Cleric 2	Cure Moderate Wounds
Spell: Cleric 2	Resist Energy
Spell: Cleric 2	Eagle's Splendor
Spell: Cleric 2	
Spell: Cleric 2	

Spell: Cleric 3	Cure Serious Wounds
Spell: Cleric 3	Magic Circle Against Evil
Spell: Cleric 3	Protection from Energy
Spell: Cleric 3	Prayer
Spell: Cleric 3	

Spell: Cleric 4	Cure Critical Wounds
Spell: Cleric 4	Death Ward
Spell: Cleric 4	Freedom of Movement
Spell: Cleric 4	


[Enhancements]

Tier5: Kensei

Tree: Kensei
Type: Class
Source: Fighter
ClassLevels: 12
Ability: Tier 0: Kensei Focus: Axes
Ability: Tier 0: Spiritual Bond
Ability: Tier 0: Strike with No Thought
Ability: Tier 0: Power Surge
Ability: Tier 1: Extra Action Boost (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 1: Weapon Group Specialization
Ability: Tier 1: Action Boost: Haste Boost (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 2: Tactics (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 2: Weapon Group Specialization
Ability: Tier 2: Ascetic Training: Conditioning (Rank 1)
Ability: Tier 3: Weapon Group Specialization
Ability: Tier 4: Opportunity Attack
Ability: Tier 4: Weapon Group Specialization
Ability: Tier 5: A Good Death: Melee
Ability: Tier 5: Weapon Master
Ability: Tier 5: One with the Blade
Ability: Tier 5: Deadly Strike: Deadly Strike
Ability: Tier 5: Keen Edge

Tree: Warpriest
Type: Class
Source: Cleric
ClassLevels: 8
Ability: Tier 0: Smite Foe
Ability: Tier 1: Divine Might (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 1: Toughness (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 2: Smite Weakness
Ability: Tier 2: Wall of Steel (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 2: Inflame (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 3: Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 3: Stat: Strength
Ability: Tier 4: Ameliorating Strike

Tree: Stalwart Defender
Type: Class
Source: Fighter
ClassLevels: 12
Ability: Tier 0: Toughness
Ability: Tier 0: Stalwart Defense
Ability: Tier 1: Improved Stalwart Defense: Durable Defense (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 1: Stalwart Defensive Mastery (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 2: Improved Stalwart Defense: Resilient Defense (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 3: Greater Stalwart Defense: Strong Defense (Rank 3)

Tree: Human
Type: Race
ClassLevels: 30
Ability: Tier 0: Human Versatility: Damage Boost
Ability: Tier 1: Dragonmark Focus: Orien (Rank 1)
Ability: Tier 1: Action Surge: Strength (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 1: Improved Recovery
Ability: Tier 2: Lesser Dragonmark: Dimension Door


[LevelingGuide]

Guide: Human Tier 0: Human Versatility: Damage Boost
Guide: Human Tier 1: Dragonmark Focus: Orien (Rank 1)
Guide: Human Tier 1: Improved Recovery
Guide: Kensei Tier 0: Kensei Focus: Axes
Guide: Kensei Tier 1: Action Boost: Haste Boost (Rank 1)
Guide: Kensei Tier 1: Action Boost: Haste Boost (Rank 2)
Guide: Kensei Tier 1: Action Boost: Haste Boost (Rank 3)
Guide: Human Tier 1: Action Surge: Strength (Rank 1)
Guide: Human Tier 2: Lesser Dragonmark: Dimension Door
Guide: Warpriest Tier 0: Smite Foe
Guide: Warpriest Tier 1: Toughness (Rank 1)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 1: Toughness (Rank 2)
Guide: Kensei Tier 1: Weapon Group Specialization
Guide: Warpriest Tier 1: Toughness (Rank 3)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 1: Divine Might (Rank 1)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 1: Divine Might (Rank 2)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 1: Divine Might (Rank 3)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 2: Smite Weakness
Guide: Warpriest Tier 2: Wall of Steel (Rank 1)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 2: Wall of Steel (Rank 2)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 0: Resilience of Battle
Guide: Warpriest Tier 2: Wall of Steel (Rank 3)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 2: Inflame (Rank 1)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 2: Inflame (Rank 2)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 3: Stat: Strength
Guide: Warpriest Tier 2: Inflame (Rank 3)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 3: Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 1)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 3: Inflame: Energy Absorption (Rank 2)
Guide: Warpriest Tier 4: Ameliorating Strike
Guide: Kensei Tier 0: Spiritual Bond
Guide: Kensei Tier 2: Weapon Group Specialization
Guide: Kensei Tier 2: Ascetic Training: Conditioning (Rank 1)
Guide: Kensei Tier 0: Strike with No Thought
Guide: Kensei Tier 3: Weapon Group Specialization
Guide: Kensei Tier 2: Tactics (Rank 1)
Guide: Kensei Tier 2: Tactics (Rank 2)
Guide: Kensei Tier 2: Tactics (Rank 3)
Guide: Kensei Tier 1: Extra Action Boost (Rank 1)
Guide: Kensei Tier 1: Extra Action Boost (Rank 2)
Guide: Kensei Tier 4: Weapon Group Specialization
Guide: Kensei Tier 1: Extra Action Boost (Rank 3)
Guide: Kensei Tier 4: Opportunity Attack
Guide: Kensei Tier 2: Ascetic Training: Conditioning (Rank 2)
Guide: Kensei Tier 5: One with the Blade
Guide: Kensei Tier 5: Keen Edge
Guide: Kensei Tier 5: A Good Death: Melee
Guide: Kensei Tier 5: Weapon Master
Guide: Kensei Tier 5: Deadly Strike: Deadly Strike
Guide: Stalwart Tier 0: Toughness
Guide: Stalwart Tier 1: Item Defense (Rank 1)
Guide: Stalwart Tier 1: Improved Stalwart Defense: Durable Defense (Rank 1)
Guide: Stalwart Tier 1: Improved Stalwart Defense: Durable Defense (Rank 2)
Guide: Stalwart Tier 1: Improved Stalwart Defense: Durable Defense (Rank 3)
Guide: Stalwart Tier 0: Stalwart Defense
Guide: Stalwart Tier 2: Improved Stalwart Defense: Resilient Defense (Rank 1)
Guide: Stalwart Tier 2: Improved Stalwart Defense: Resilient Defense (Rank 2)
Guide: Bank AP
Guide: Reset All Trees


[Destiny]

Destiny: Legendary Dreadnought
Ability: Tier 1: Legendary Tactics (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 1: Extra Action Boost (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 1: Stat: Strength
Ability: Tier 2: Momentum Swing (Rank 3)
Ability: Tier 2: Improved Power Attack
Ability: Tier 2: Stat: Strength
Ability: Tier 3: Lay Waste
Ability: Tier 3: Critical Damage (Rank 1)
Ability: Tier 5: Devastating Critical
Ability: Tier 6: Master's Blitz
Ability: Tier 6: Headman's Chop


[Twists]

Twist: Fury of the Wild Tier 4: Sense Weakness
Twist: Primal Avatar Tier 1: Rejuvenation Cocoon
Twist: Fury of the Wild Tier 1: Boulder Toss

To my testers, thanks much, and be aware that the beta version you tested is not compatible with what 3.0 turned out to be.

[Deivonte]

Just a heads up, on the new build for the character planner, Ninja Spy tree for Monk is missing the Ninjutsu Line of enhancements. on the Shintao tree is missing Reed in the Wind. There might be more, but that's all I saw.

[EllisDee37]

Just a heads up, on the new build for the character planner, Ninja Spy tree for Monk is missing the Ninjutsu Line of enhancements. on the Shintao tree is missing Reed in the Wind. There might be more, but that's all I saw.

They're there, but they require Fists of Light/Darkness, which may be "hidden" in the Monk channel on the feats screen.

[peng]

Excellent work as always. Would it be possible to allow the char builder to import tomes from the compendium?

Oh, and for those interested, you can edit the templates file to your own preferences.

[changelingamuck]

Thanks for the update.

Also, would it be possible to add the ability to plan out every epic destiny for characters in the planner--I mean, the ability to put points in each destiny and have them all be saved by the planner rather than only being able to plan out one destiny?

[EllisDee37]

Also, would it be possible to add the ability to plan out every epic destiny for characters in the planner--I mean, the ability to put points in each destiny and have them all be saved by the planner rather than only being able to plan out one destiny?

I would very much like to do this, to the point that it's been on my CBL wish list since the very beginning. As in, every time I think of a feature or finish implementing something, when I open up my notes to update the release notes I'm reminded that CBL does not yet but should support multiple destinies. (And twists to go along with them.)

Would it be possible to allow the char builder to import tomes from the compendium?

Yeah, that's definitely the direction it's heading, and I would have tossed it in if it was fast but I don't yet have a clear UI design in mind for connecting the two. Suggestions welcome, but I'll also be thinking about it.

Not really planning to work on any of the Lite tools for a bit, but I'm kinda leaning toward a Compendium update next, which would almost certainly involve letting you create builds based off compendium characters.

I was actually thinking about the underlying concept of characters and builds in the context of connecting the two, and the analogy I came up with that I like is: Characters (both in-game and in the Compendium) are people, and builds are like the clothes they wear.

Oh, and for those interested, you can edit the templates file to your own preferences.

Oh, yeah, I can totally make those user-configurable. That never occurred to me, actually, but for now, if you customize it, just save a copy somewhere so the next update doesn't overrwrite it.

[ElweSulk]

Bitdefender reports virus in this:

The file C:\Users\XYX\Downloads\2017-11-02_DDOLiteTools\Utils\ADQ.exe is infected with Gen:Trojan.Heur.VP2.nmW@aWwTxpd.The virus has been successfully blocked and your PC is now safe.

So was one of the previous versions too:
The file C:\Users\XYX\Downloads\2017-09-13_DDOLiteTools\Utils\ADQ.exe is infected with Gen:Trojan.Heur.VP2.nmW@aWwTxpd.The virus has been successfully blocked and your PC is now safe.

Can you re-check, clean and re-compile a new version that is clean?

[EllisDee37]

Bitdefender reports virus in this:

The file C:\Users\XYX\Downloads\2017-11-02_DDOLiteTools\Utils\ADQ.exe is infected with Gen:Trojan.Heur.VP2.nmW@aWwTxpd.The virus has been successfully blocked and your PC is now safe.

So was one of the previous versions too:
The file C:\Users\XYX\Downloads\2017-09-13_DDOLiteTools\Utils\ADQ.exe is infected with Gen:Trojan.Heur.VP2.nmW@aWwTxpd.The virus has been successfully blocked and your PC is now safe.

Can you re-check, clean and re-compile a new version that is clean?

It is clean; that's a heuristic false positive.

I've never dealt with Bitdefender but I will give it a shot to get them to stop hitting it with a false positive.

[LrdSlvrhnd]

I get this with Trend Micro as well; I generally just have to tell the program "Yeah, no, I really do want to open this" and it'll let me. Sometimes it takes a couple of hits, but then I'm usually good to go until the next update.

[Ares3T]

Great job you done here.
Keep up the good work.
Aasimar tier 2 Arcanum cost 2 ap per tier in game, ddowiki is incorrect.

[EllisDee37]

Great job you done here.
Keep up the good work.
Aasimar tier 2 Arcanum cost 2 ap per tier in game, ddowiki is incorrect.

Same for Sourge?

If you don't have access I can check on lamannia which should hopefully be opening this week.

[Ares3T]

Same for Sourge?

If you don't have access I can check on lamannia which should hopefully be opening this week.

Don't have Sourge, sorry.

[Tom.JonesJr]

Same for Sourge?

If you don't have access I can check on lamannia which should hopefully be opening this week.

I have it the same for both as 2 AP. In the DDOCharPlanner per prior release of Lamannia.

[ThomasHunter]

Hey, tried this out today - pretty cool!

One quick question - and no doubt a dumb one - but how could I print from the builder? There wasn't a "Print" on the menu!

Thanks!

[EllisDee37]

how could I print from the builder?

Go to Output => Forums, choose "Plain Text" from the Format dropdown, paste it into Notepad and print from there.

[ThomasHunter]

Very nice! I even then copied it into the forums which I hadn't done before and that was EASY!

Thanks!

[adrian69]

Planner and Wiki have tier 2 and 3 listed as 1 AP, but it is 2 AP each in game for Heroic Aasimar Race.

[EllisDee37]

Planner and Wiki have tier 2 and 3 listed as 1 AP, but it is 2 AP each in game for Heroic Aasimar Race.

Copy that, will change for next update.

I distinctly remember checking that last lamannia and being surprised it was so cheap. Not surprised they bumped it to the standard 2 AP.

[adrian69]

I wish I'd taken an image before I even removed the AP, but I was going to see what 12 racial AP would get a Halfling pure ranger. I chose Halfling>ranger>Dex Ranger Build>increased racial AP to 12 and Halfling tree was Stalwart Defender...Tempest already had one AP in it somehow. When I removed that, the Halfling tree went back to normal. Probably something to do with the dex option and 1 AP being generated into Tempest.


Update: My racial tree just seems to be the last tree I worked in until I switch to another tree and back.

[EllisDee37]

I wish I'd taken an image before I even removed the AP, but I was going to see what 12 racial AP would get a Halfling pure ranger. I chose Halfling>ranger>Dex Ranger Build>increased racial AP to 12 and Halfling tree was Stalwart Defender...Tempest already had one AP in it somehow. When I removed that, the Halfling tree went back to normal. Probably something to do with the dex option and 1 AP being generated into Tempest.


Update: My racial tree just seems to be the last tree I worked in until I switch to another tree and back.

I'm not sure I'm following what you mean. Are you talking about in the leveling guide or just regular enhancements?

And regardless which one you mean, are you saying when you select the Halfling enhancement tree, your list of enhancements is from a different tree than Halfling?