¶ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This document is a collection of most of the FAQs for the specific feature’s specific guidances, along with some overview documents. It is suggested to use search Control+F to search for specific content.
However; please be reminded that additional resources exist to give greater information;
- 📖 5eTools Website User Guide
- 💾 5eTools Install Guide
- 📋 Website Features (sortable by platform; feature subject)
- 5etools Known Issues
¶ General Questions
¶ How do I request Support? It’s not working or working poorly. What do I do to fix that?
If feel you have an issue that is not answered in this document, or the 5etools Known Issues page, if you are an end user you will want to start by doing the 5etools Troubleshooting, then following its guidance provide the report to the 5eTools Discord Server
If you are developer and
- have identified a bug or flaw, you’ll likely want to either just report the issue (see the end of the 5etools Troubleshooting guide) or submit an
issue, or PR to the Git. - have a question about the design and/or its functions jump on the 5eTools Discord Server and make your request in the
#5etools generalchannel
¶ Why can’t I see content on a page?
When you load a page for a section of the data in the code/site. While the navigation of the page and filter loads, the content of the site fail to load.
or
The site loads but specific information you are seeking is not showing up such as
- I cannot find treasure, or Modern/Futuristic weapons
- I cannot find a specific Named Creature or NPCs from an adventure
- I cannot see/find a +3 halberd
- I cannot find a race noted as NPC race
- I cannot find a sidekick or reprinted Class
etc.
This most often occurs because the browser has problem / conflict with cache.
The code of the site uses local client storage to hold the index/content of the site so that searches are run locally instead of serverside (and thus burdened by traffic).
The other scenario could be that your filters are limiting what you can see. To limit the lists from displaying content that has been largely considered to detailed, unnecessary duplication, or esoteric enough to avoid it cluttering the display (by default).
Review the 5etools Troubleshooting guide, gathering the requested information and documenting how to reproduce, or correctly document the error.
- Check the homepage landing page and the bottom and see if you are using the most recently version of the site code (See Changelog to check for what is the current version).
- While on the site try pressing CTRL and F5 at the same time. Hopefully doing that a few times resolves that for you.
If those don’t resolve your issue, you’ll want to check the 5etools Troubleshooting guide to see how to test, hopefully resolve, and then submit a support ticket on the 5eTools Discord Server.
For Filters make sure you’ve reviewed your filter’s settings, searchign for any elements IN RED, and try clicking on them to turn them blue or grey.
If that doesn’t work hold the SHIFT and click on reset in the filter page.
¶ I have a great idea! How can I get my idea in the code?
We call those suggestions.
Suggestions are modifications of the site’s look, workflow or functionality.
Suggestions are recorded and voted on by the community inside the 5eTools Discord Server. If the idea is popular it has the possibility of becoming a feature the developer considers in a future release.
Suggestions are handled by using the pinned message’s format in 5eTools Discord Server #5etools suggestions channel.
While not required, if you are going to ask someone to do work its appreciated if you
¶ How do I report an error (missing content or typographical)
From time to time the 5etools code has an unfortunate issue which were missed during development and testing.
See the Solution tab for how to report it.
Go to 5eTools Discord Server #typos channel (not the #issues channel) and post the location of the typo/mistake, the specifics about the typo and what is the accurate replacement of the content in question.
Example
In Rise of Tiamat, the silver ewer and four goblet in Chapter 3,
are missing from the site's items
¶ Is there a version of this for Pathfinder/Starfinder/ or other game?
Lots of a other game systems exist which it would be great if their content was possible to be used and referenced like 5eTools. Many people ask about such for systems like Pathfinder, StarWars 5e, Starfinder, Call of Cthuhlu, Earthdawn, Savage Worlds, GURPS, Advanced D&D 5e, or the like. It is possible to create that, but its also not going to be done FOR YOU, or rather it requires you and others to do some heavy lifting.
If that’s not of interest, then that is where this question ends for you.
If you do feel you would be willing to put in the work, it is possible to customize the site code (limitedly) and its content.
You will need someone familiar with Javascript, several people willing to do data entry, and some testers.
- Pathfinder2 eTools is one such project
- StarWars 5e was abandoned as the main content updates too frequently
¶ Site Content
¶ Why can I not see content on page for (One or more of : feat, spell, item, class, race, etc)?
Any content here will go into the first tab…
The code is built as a PWA (Progressive Web App).
The site is designed to function with the majority of the data loading to the client, it doesn’t use a backend database.
As a result site/code updates require your client has to update to the new version of the site’s information. Ideally, the webbrowser would NOT keep a little
The nature
The solution is to follow the 5etools_Troubleshooting. This walks you through three progressively more invasive stages of flushing the cache/localstore information,
- CTRL + F5
- Flush and Forced Reload
- Delete Localstore
(The last step will remove local storage for site settings, any customization or homebrew.)
¶ How do I add my personal <adventure; class/subclass; creature; feat; item; race/subrace; spells; variant rules> (eg. Homebrew) to the site?
If you have every wanted to add a customized creature; your modified version of a Monk subclass; new magical items or weapons; your homebrew rules; or if you’re looking to distribute your content to the site; Roll20 and Foundry in one step.
You can learn how to do homebrew. See the Solution/Workaround Tab.
This is what the Homerew: Getting Started section is all about.
¶ How do I backup my 5etools site settings?
Before you flush site cache or delete localstore, you likely want to make sure you’ve either saved the files specifically, or exported those settings.
There are three main locations for savings content.
- State Files
- Homebrew Builder
- DM Screen
- Pinned List
- Filters
¶ Site State:
Under Utilities; Choose to Save State to File
(A site save state includes the configuration settings. It will be saved as 5eTools.json to your local drive.)
State Files are complete backups for the site setting and dataset. They may not be compatible with site versions significantly newer then when the state file was generated.
You are advised to backup frequently.
¶ Homebrew Builder
Under Utilities choose the Homebrew Builder option
Move the mouse to left top of the screen, to expose the Menu Menu
Check Mode -> Spells
If there are names listed at the bottom (see below); Click the Download Spells as JSON button and save the file.
If the button is not there; or no files are listed you do not have a custom homebrew loaded, proceed to the next step
¶ DM Screen
Under Dungeon Master choose the DM Screen option
Move the mouse to left top of the screen, to expose the Menu Menu
Choose either Save to File Save to file or Save to URL button and save the file.
If you save to file it will be saved as dm-screen.json to your local drive.
If you save to URL it will be copied to your clipboard (you’ll want to paste it into a text/email/note for you to reference later.)
¶ CR Scaling
¶ Why is the CR Scaling results so weird (too low)?
Working with the CR Scaling feature. The spells do not seem to be scaling up with the CR increase, nor do the spell slots or damage of those spells.
Damage dealt becomes potentially a one hit kill scenario when increasing the CR significantly.
When scaling down the resistances, likewise do not drop to a significantly lower threshold for CR.
The DMG’s guidance for how a CR rating works, has some pretty broad/vague rules for defense and offensive abilities. When you put them into practice, they work - sorta - but as the CR scales upward the more obvious the problem is with the DMG’s formula.
There are no set guidances and maths behind most of the DMG’s guidance on CR modifications.
Try to not modify the CR of a creature by +/-4 steps in the CR. If you do, you might wind up with a creature with a single attack that deals 320+ damage and a AC of 24+. To make it more functional, you should manually review and adjust the creature by adding additional attacks or traits, or reducing or removing such - see the Homebrew Builder for creatures for targeted shifts.
¶ Renderer Demo
¶ How does this thing work? What does it do?
- It just returns a blank screen?!
- It won’t show my item/feat/trap/hazard/vehicle/book… custom JSON
- What does “Invalid JSON! We recommend using JSONLint” mean?!
These are common questions or complaints from those attempting to undestand how the Renderer Demo page works.
The questions and concerns arise from a misunderstanding of the purpose for the page.
Renderer Demo is NOT a full homebrew testing page.
I cannot be, that’s what the homebrew manager does, as there are homebrew elements that require different displays (Class - with the class table; Background - with the tables; etc)
Trying to get a full data sets (for as an example “items []”: are not supported to render directly, instead you’ve just defined data versus asking it to render a portion of that data. You’ll need to remove the leading declaration and its brackets [ ] to see entries.
¶ If you are getting getting an 'Invalid JSON! We reccomend using JSONLint" response…
Your JSON code is failing at validation. This often means
- you have a missing element to open or close a entry. --> all
{ }&[ ]need to be paired - an extra or missing
,--> the last line of an entry, if no additional data follows shouldn’t have a comma, if more data will follow, it needs the comma.
It’s primarily used for reference, to give insight on how the JSON entries are formated and what tags are possible on the site. It allows you to plan on how to implement the content you wish to add, or modify it in the way you intend.
It is more of an interactive style guide, and as such is best used as that.
With testing for larger homebrew handled as discussed in GettingStarted.
Review the rendered content and find the action/element you’d like to include within your own homebrew; in the left-hand panel, CTRL+F and search for a text string from that rendered element. Read the converted description, review the code in which its function is defined and used, then attempt to build your own using that section as a foundation to work from.
¶ Encounter Builder
¶ Why don’t low CR Creatures effect the Threat Value of Encounters I build?
The site/code encounter builder from 5etools doesn’t match what is produced by Kobold Fight Club. (subtext: 5etools is “wrong”)
Per the DMG, When the Party’s average level/threat potential is significantly higher, creatures of CRs under certain ratio to the player’s average threat are not to be factored into the encounter.
YES, Kobold Fight Club does NOT do that.
HOWEVER; the rules of the DMG, state that such are not to be included, despite the fact that 1000 CR 1/2 creatures would likely be deadly to many higher level creatures, just by virtue of the rule of natural 20’s hitting/criting.
This is variance of approaches between developers.
Both have their value. 5etools tries to keep to RAW stricture where possible so that questions about fairness or accuracy are not really a factor in support questions.
In this, Kobold Fight Club has a great solution that many enjoy, and 5etools keeps to the strict adherance to WoTC rules provided in the DMG.
¶ Dice Roller
¶ How do I roll for Criticals with the Dice Roller?
If you are using the site while running an adventure with its Dice Roller
Pressing Shift while you click on link to hit will roll for critical damage.
¶ Initiative Tracker
¶ Can I run the Initiative tracker Locally (offline)
When attempting to run the site in offline/developer mode, or within a network that is severly restricted for what sites it can call.
The Initative tracker doesn’t work.
Sometimes people that want to run the full site locally off line, this is an issue.
It requires (a) a LAN, (b) you running a PeerJS server on that LAN, and © tweaking some locally hosted version of 5etools code to point at your personal PeerJS server.
This feature, as the site code is designed to have no backend, requires a backend element to coordinate the initative tracker’s handshake and notifications between client computers. As such a 3rd party satellite server is used.
it is possible to run this server locally as well, it was not included as its more complicated than many would feel comfortable doing.
-
You will need a PeerJS server setup locally. (see its documentation how to setup)
-
You will need go into the 5etools code
js/utils-p2p.jsto change. This segment
class PeerVe extends Peer {
constructor (role) {
super();
over to
class PeerVe extends Peer {
constructor (role) {
super(CryptUtil.uid(), {host: "localhost", port: 9000, path: "/myapp"});
where your local PeerJS installation is on the
localhostunder port:9000
(Where the host/port/path are as specified in the README on that server’s GitHub repository.)
¶ I get the message that the js files from jsdelivr.net couldn’t be loaded. anyone else got that problem too?
While attempting to access the site or more often specifically access the Initative Tracker feature, the browser may respond with the above error and refuse to establish initative tracking between you and your GM/Players.
That means the CDN is being blocked, likely by your provider. You may wish to check on that. If you are attempting to run the site-local, and offline you may need to download the components locally.
<script type="text/javascript" src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/combine/npm/[email protected]/dist/jquery.min.js,npm/[email protected]/dist/js/bootstrap.min.js,npm/[email protected]/droll.min.js,npm/[email protected]/dist/list.min.js,gh/weixsong/[email protected]/elasticlunr.min.js,gh/ajaxorg/[email protected]/src-min/ace.js"></script>
<script>
window.jQuery || document.write('<script src="local_path_of_file"><\/script>');
</script>