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SGI
01-28-2009, 07:29 PM
People who have played Tabletop RPGs (especially GMs) know that tracking everything can be an absolute mongrel. So I decided that it would be ideal to have a list of utilities that people get to help them in their RPing. Feel free to reply and add your own programs.

initiativetool (http://www.rptools.net/index.php?page=downloads) [Java based] [Freeware]
This tool is absolutely amazing. It is essentially a java based combat tracker. But I also use it as a huge character database. You can save encounters which allows the DM to pre-roll initiative and save a heap of time at the start of combat.

It is a little sketchy to use when you first begin, but after a few minutes of practice, this baby is a great time save. And it also is useable in D20 3.5, Savage Worlds, Heroes and GURPS.

Autorealm (http://www.gryc.ws/autorealm.htm) [Windows] [Freeware]
This is probally my favorite piece of mapping software for interiors (I never really got into Dungeon Designer). It's very easy to use and intuitive. And the price is right.

Campaign Cartogropher (http://www.profantasy.com/products/cc3.asp) [Windows] [Price Varies]
This is probally the best exterior mapper I've ever used. It has great icons and is very powerful. It is easy to use a variety of plugins and may or may not be worth the price depending on how serious you are with mapping. I haven't had a chance to use version 3 yet though, but it certainly looks nice.

So if you have any pieces of software, we on this hallow forum would love to hear about them.

Manhattan_Project_2000
01-29-2009, 06:40 PM
http://pcgen.sourceforge.net/01_overview.php

PCGen for the win. The only downside is that D&D 3.5-wise it is only has the OGL classes included, and editing classes either by hand or with the built in creator is full of suck and fail.

SGI
01-30-2009, 06:56 PM
PC Gen is absolutely wicked. Unfortunately, since just about every iteration of D20 I've ever run has been D20 Modern that has been heavily modified (Modern Players Companions and the Blood and Fists series are so loaded with win it's funny) would mean before I could even give it a proper test drive I'd have to edit all the classes and feats.

And I'm pretty sure I lack the patience to do that. Although I'd love to have a Firearms and Fedoras PC Gen kit.

D20 Modern HTML System Reference Document (http://ca.geocities.com/spike_fightwicky/d20modernsrd/srdhome.html) [HTML] [Freeware]
Now that I have an EEEPC, I love using HTML 'Sites' as rules companions. 90% of my DMing is now electronic. There are tonnes of HTML D&D 3.5 SRDs out there, but very few for D20 Modern. This one has all the rules for D20 Modern, D20 Future, D20 Menace Manual and the Urban Arcana campaign setting. Best of all, since the site is on Geocities (hello exceeding daily bandwidth limits), it is also fully downloadable.

Manhattan_Project_2000
01-30-2009, 07:08 PM
Since you brought it up, here's an D&D 3.5 OGL SRD that's awesome and also downloadable. http://www.d20srd.org/

SGI
01-30-2009, 07:12 PM
I love D20 SRD.org, except that it's 10 bucks to download. I prefer d20srd.org for viewing online because it has a much superior layout.

For those who are cheap here is another D20 3.5 SRD (http://www.systemreferencedocuments.org/35/sovelior_sage/home.html) [html] [Freeware] worth downloading. Just like D20 SRD.org it covers the three core books plus the OGL of Unearthed Arcana.