Creature List

(Go back to Main Window ) This help topic is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Gaming License v1.0a .

This is the list of all creatures (PCs, NPCs, or monsters) in the current encounter, along with some of their stats. You can also edit a stat by clicking on it (ACM, ACR and Notes cannot be edited). Right click a creature for more options (it opens the Creature List Popup Menu , or use the Main Window Menus ) The most useful information for each creature is displayed in the following columns:

Creature List

Order: A green arrow points to the creature who's turn it is to act. Also, if the creature is delaying, the letter D is shown; R for a readying creature, and I for an inactive creature.

En.: An 'X' in this box indicates that the creature is an enemy (fighting the PCs). A blank box means the creature is a friend (on the same side as the PCs).

HP: The current number of hit points for this creature.

AC: The character's current AC, modified for conditions.

In some cases you will see two values here, for example, 15/19. These are the effective AC versus Melee attacks and the effective AC versus Ranged attacks, respectively. This is equal to the creature's current AC (taking into account losing its Dexterity bonus, and spells) to which is subtracted an attacker's bonus to attack. This modification comes from conditions. For example, according to the official rules, someone attacking a prone character gets +4 to his attack roll when in Melee. In DM Genie, the attack rolls are made without a need to specify the target first. Hence, the effective AC versus Melee allows you to know whether an attacker has hit the prone creature, without having to specify the target on every attack. This makes it much easier to track attack bonuses, because they are always the same no matter who the target is. For example:

John is prone (attackers get +4 melee, -4 ranged). His regular AC is 15. His AC versus Melee attacks is 15-4 = 11, and his AC versus ranged weapons is 15+4 = 19.

William is not under any conditions. His AC is 15, so his ACM is 15 and his ACR is 15 also.

Robert makes an attack with a Longbow and gets a 17. If he was trying to hit John, he missed, because John's AC versus ranged weapons is 19. If he were trying to hit William, then he would hit.

This system simplifies attack rolls, and also means that a creature's statistics are a constant – that is, they do not change depending on the creature attacked. This makes combat simpler, since only a creature's own conditions will affect its statistics

Note: These stats are not a part of the regular third edition rules, but are provided here for convenience in making attack rolls.

Init: Abbreviation for Initiative. This is the creature's total initiative roll.

Rd: Abbreviation for Round. This is the round in which the creature is - normally this will be the same for all creatures in the encounter.

Notes: This displays the list of conditions or conditions from spells currently affecting this creature.

Display Options

The options for displaying the creatures are described in Creature List Display Options . The width of the columns is adjustable using the mouse on the grid lines between the headers.

When creatures are sorted by initiative, you can move a creature in the play order by dragging and dropping it onto another creature - it will then act just before that creature; its initative will be adjusted to match.

Display Colors

The colors for the text and background of each creature, depending on status, are set using the Options Dialog (File menu -> Options -> Colors tab).

Displaying Two Lines

You can display each creature as two lines in the creature list by using the Options Dialog (File menu -> Options). This is useful if you have a small screen resolution and want to shrink the creature list without losing information.

Tooltips

As you move the mouse over a creature in the creature list you will see a balloon pop up that gives you some vital stats for that creature. If you do not want to see the tooltips you can remove them from the Options Dialog .





Documentation for DM Genie and Player Genie, page CreatureList. Copyright © Mad Scientist Studios, 2006.
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