About the Character Generator
The Tinwatchman D&D 4e Starting Character Generator is a simple web application designed to help make the process of creating a 1st-level character easier. It allows you to select skills, feats, powers and – to a very limited extent – gear for your character, and then export your character's data as plain text.
Please keep in mind that this program is intended only as an assistant to character creation, not as an all-encompassing solution. You essentially must have a copy of the 4e Player's Handbook, published by Wizards of the Coast, on hand to be able to make any use of the application at all. Furthermore, not all aspects of character creation are represented or supported, nor will they be in the future. In the end, you’ll still have some pencil-and-paper work ahead of you…
…but hey, at least this way you’ll have something to start working from.
This application requires Adobe Flash Player 9. The plugin can be downloaded for free from Adobe.com. Dungeons and Dragons and the Player's Handbook are strictly © Wizards of the Coast, 2008.
Praise for the Tinwatchman Starting Character Generator
- “That was really cool. Thanks for the new tool. I was able to sit here with my GF and crank out an elven ranger for her in under 3 minutes. Awesome!”
- “A damn snazzy and nifty tool tinwatchman! I'm bookmarking this one for later.”
- “I like the clean, elegant style so far. No need for flashy stuff, but it doesn't look shoddy either, just clean. Like an iPod.”
- “As long as it provides all the basic options for starting characters, it's a godsend... or is that deitysend...”
- “I like this over the flash tools that DDI has… it is intuitive, easy to use, and nice clean design and interface.”
- “This is a great utility! Thanks for posting and sharing.”
Known Issues in the Current Release
- Windows users: please note when copying and pasting character data into Notepad using the “Copy Text to Clipboard” button that the line breaks won’t transfer. In other words, character data pasted into Notepad will come out as one long line, without any breaks. I'm still working on this issue. That said, character data seems to copy-and-paste into WordPad and other word processors without any trouble, so I'd use that instead.
- The following feats are not supported – in other words, while you’re able to take the listed feats for your character, the program does not add in the effects of those feats to the character data – meaning you just have to add in the feats’ effects manually without the program’s help.
All of the Multiclass feats– now supported as of version 0.25. Still trying to figure out how to handle Fighter Weapon Talent choice for “Student of the Sword” and pact choice for “Pact Initiate,” though.- Dwarven Weapon Training
- Eladrin Soldier
- Expanded Spellbook
- Linguist
- Skill Focus
- Skill Training
- Weapon Focus
- The Weapon Proficiency feat is partially supported at the moment. When you take the Weapon Proficiency feat, you will later have the option of choosing from a list of Superior Weapons that appears in the Gear section. There is currently no way to select an additional Simple or Martial Weapon via the Weapon Proficiency feat, other than adding in the weapon yourself manually.
Half-elves' Dilettante racial ability is not currently supported.– now supported as of version 0.25.- Impliments for wizards, warlocks, clerics, paladins and multiclass characters not currently supported.
- Spellbooks for wizards are not currently supported.
Version History
- Version 0.25, released 10-11-08
- “Create Printable HTML” button now added to Export section. Click it to gain access to a HTML page containing all of your character data!
- Support for Multiclass feats added! Skill choices and other options can now be filled out within the generator for the multiclass feats “Initiate of the Faith,” “Student of the Sword,” “Soldier of the Faith,” “Warrior of the Wild,” “Sneak of Shadows,” “Pact Initiate,” “Student of Battle” and “Arcane Initiate.”
- Added support for half-elf Dilettante racial ability.
- Added Healing Hands, Ritual Casting, Hellfire Blood and Two-Weapon Fighting feats (thanks again to Turloigh, sparrow and prankster_dragon for reporting them MIA).
- Statsfull script added; click under the stats in the sidebar to see a full breakdown of race, class and alignment choices by players.
- Due to a troublesome error in the printable HTML script, filling in the Character Name field (even with just random keyboard banging) is now mandatory. Apologies if this is an inconvenience for anyone.
- Fixed bug whereby user could repeatedly add racial bonuses to abilities by returning to the first page (thanks again to Suleman for pointing this one out).
- Version 0.24, released 9-27-08
- Added support for the Dragonborn Senses feat
- Clerics and paladins can now choose to leave their choice of deity blank, rather than having to select one of the deities mentioned in the PHB.
- Added support for Rogue Weapon Talent class ability
- Fixed a bug where user could move past the first section without naming a class (thanks again, Jayabalard)
Contact Information
Have a question? A complaint? A bug you want to report? Feel free to email me at chargen@tinwatchman.com.
