CBLoader and part files

I'm just wondering how many people here are still using the old offline character builder in conjunction with CBLoader and if any of you have done anything with your own custom .part files.

For example, we use the following .part file to modify the inherant bonuses check box so that in addition to Enhancement bonuses it also adds the basic feat bonuses (+1 per tier) to attacks, damage and NADs, a +1 feat bonus to AC in paragon (normally via Armor/Shield Specialization) and the masterwork armor bonuses to AC (i.e. added in automatically to the armors like Essentials has it instead of needing special materials).

----------

<D20Rules game-system="D&amp;D4E">

<RulesElement name="Inherent Bonuses" type="Internal" internal-id="ID_INTERNAL_INTERNAL_INHERENT_BONUSES" source="Core">
<rules>
<statadd name="Inherent Power Bonus" value="+1" requires="2 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Power Bonus" value="+1" requires="7 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Power Bonus" value="+1" requires="12 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Power Bonus" value="+1" requires="17 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Power Bonus" value="+1" requires="22 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Power Bonus" value="+1" requires="27 level" />
<statadd name="attack rolls" value="Inherent Power Bonus" type="Enhancement" />
<statadd name="damage rolls" value="Inherent Power Bonus" type="Enhancement" />
<statadd name="Inherent Defense Bonus" value="+1" requires="4 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Defense Bonus" value="+1" requires="9 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Defense Bonus" value="+1" requires="14 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Defense Bonus" value="+1" requires="19 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Defense Bonus" value="+1" requires="24 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Defense Bonus" value="+1" requires="29 level" />
<statadd name="AC" value="Inherent Defense Bonus" type="Enhancement" />
<statadd name="Fortitude Defense" value="Inherent Defense Bonus" type="Enhancement" />
<statadd name="Reflex Defense" value="Inherent Defense Bonus" type="Enhancement" />
<statadd name="Will Defense" value="Inherent Defense Bonus" type="Enhancement" />
<statadd name="Inherent Feat Bonus" value="+1" requires="3 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Feat Bonus" value="+1" requires="11 level" />
<statadd name="Inherent Feat Bonus" value="+1" requires="21 level" />
<statadd name="Fortitude Defense" value="Inherent Feat Bonus" type="Feat" />
<statadd name="Reflex Defense" value="Inherent Feat Bonus" type="Feat" />
<statadd name="Will Defense" value="Inherent Feat Bonus" type="Feat" />
<statadd name="attack rolls" value="Inherent Feat Bonus" type="Feat" />
<statadd name="damage rolls" value="Inherent Feat Bonus" type="Feat" />
<statadd name="AC" value="+1" type="Feat" requires="11 level" />
<statadd name="MWCloth" value="+1" requires="16 level" />
<statadd name="MWCloth" value="+1" requires="26 level" />
<statadd name="Armor Class" value="MWCloth" type="Armor" wearing="armor:cloth" />
<statadd name="MWLeath" value="+2" requires="1 level" />
<statadd name="MWLeath" value="+1" requires="16 level" />
<statadd name="MWLeath" value="+1" requires="26 level" />
<statadd name="Armor Class" value="MWLeath" type="Armor" wearing="armor:leather" />
<statadd name="MWHide" value="+3" requires="1 level" />
<statadd name="MWHide" value="+1" requires="16 level" />
<statadd name="MWHide" value="+1" requires="26 level" />
<statadd name="Armor Class" value="MWHide" type="Armor" wearing="armor:hide" />
<statadd name="MWChain" value="+6" requires="1 level" />
<statadd name="MWChain" value="+1" requires="6 level" />
<statadd name="MWChain" value="+1" requires="11 level" />
<statadd name="MWChain" value="+1" requires="16 level" />
<statadd name="MWChain" value="+1" requires="21 level" />
<statadd name="MWChain" value="+2" requires="26 level" />
<statadd name="Armor Class" value="MWChain" type="Armor" wearing="armor:chain" />
<statadd name="MWScale" value="+7" requires="1 level" />
<statadd name="MWScale" value="+1" requires="6 level" />
<statadd name="MWScale" value="+1" requires="11 level" />
<statadd name="MWScale" value="+1" requires="16 level" />
<statadd name="MWScale" value="+1" requires="21 level" />
<statadd name="MWScale" value="+2" requires="26 level" />
<statadd name="Armor Class" value="MWScale" type="Armor" wearing="armor:scale" />
<statadd name="MWPlate" value="+8" requires="1 level" />
<statadd name="MWPlate" value="+1" requires="6 level" />
<statadd name="MWPlate" value="+1" requires="11 level" />
<statadd name="MWPlate" value="+1" requires="16 level" />
<statadd name="MWPlate" value="+1" requires="21 level" />
<statadd name="MWPlate" value="+2" requires="26 level" />
<statadd name="Armor Class" value="MWPlate" type="Armor" wearing="armor:plate" />
</rules>
</RulesElement>

</D20Rules>

----------------

I've got other ones that do everything from errata (ex. Monastic Disciple was missing the two Flurry of Blows from HotEC), re-sorting (ex. moving all the early fighting style feats out of general Heroic-tier and into the Fighting Styles tab or re-labeling all the older feats that also appear in Essentials, like Toughness, so that they'd appear in the Player Essentials tab), Homebrew class fixes (ex. changing the Bladesinger 'Encounters as Dailies' into straight Encounters) to all new options (ex. the "Attuned to Nature" grants any primal class access to a few of the primal attunements from HotFeywild).

So if anyone has any .part files they'd like to share, or are just looking for help in how to make your own, I figured this might be a good place to discuss it.

Im using it but I am too dense to upgrade it myself, so I am just using what others have done. There are several things missing, such as the Vamp class and certain powers here and there, but I imagine it will get fully completed if/when they take down the old tools. It works in a pinch but it isnt ideal; not until all of the data makes it in.

I've had the vampire class for ages and the themes from the most recent Dragon just got added last week.

Are you running version 1.3? That version has an auto-update file that checks for updates every time CBLoader starts and downloads/installs them (though the changes won't take effect until the next time you launch it).

That said, if you need any particular part files, shoot me a private message with your e-mail address and I can shoot them to you. Likewise, if there's some particular homebrew bit (elements from your fanzine for example) that you'd like to have, I can probably code it without too much trouble.

Chris24601 wrote:

I've had the vampire class for ages and the themes from the most recent Dragon just got added last week.

Are you running version 1.3? That version has an auto-update file that checks for updates every time CBLoader starts and downloads/installs them (though the changes won't take effect until the next time you launch it).

That said, if you need any particular part files, shoot me a private message with your e-mail address and I can shoot them to you. Likewise, if there's some particular homebrew bit (elements from your fanzine for example) that you'd like to have, I can probably code it without too much trouble.

Thats very generous and nice of you. Thanks. I havent had to use the CB recently but I will likely take you up on some advice. I have version 1.3. On one cpu, it seems to automatically check for updates, but it still had a couple of things missing, like the Vampire and the Wizard power "Arc Lightning" and couple of Battlemind things. Very strange, I know. On my other cpu, no matter how many times I uninstall and reinstall it, it just hangs on the CB loader black screen and launches the last "official" version without ever updating. I have left it on for an hour to be sure and nothing happens. If you have any idea what might be causing that, let me know.

One of the most common problems depends on whether you're using a 32 or 64 bit operating system. the 32 bit uses the Character Builder folder while the 64 bit uses the Character_Builder_full_p folder. If you install the cbloader into the wrong folder it will try to run the wrong version for your OS and won't work. That's the first thing I'd check.

The second thing to check is that, while the newer versions of CBloader (v1.2+) can run from their own directory, I've always had better luck with my 64-bit systems when I put all the CBloader files and the Custom folder directly into the "character_builder_full_p" directory and just run it from a shortcut to cbloader.exe in the "character_builder_full_p" directory.

I have to look into what files I have here. I still have my DDI subscription so I use that builder because I like the final character sheet so much better. It's good to know that people have the resources out there.

Thanks for all this it was very helpful. I've got what I need up and running. 
TjD

A great tool but it would have been even nicer if the original had planned to allow us to put in our own custom content (hacking XML isnt the cleanest method even if one is techy)

I've got a version of the Cbloader that auto-loads in the .part files (my custom folder in the Character Builder is blank) anyone know how to remove that? Also...I can't seem to find the real nice updated WOTC .part file anymore which is annoying. I hope someone has archived all these bits and bops somewhere so that when Wizards dumps 4e entirely people who still want to play/use the Builder can.

Most likely its blank because you've got the version of cbloader that runs from a separate folder. Look at the properties for your cbloader shortcut to see where it is and you'll find the parts and index file (which tells it what to check for) in there.

The people who've been updating the parts split them into about 30 different files a while back because a single file with all the new/eratta'd WotC content was impractical to edit/update. There is no single updated WotC file anymore.

Oh joy....that'll be fun to hunt down. Speaking of hunt down, I haven't seen anything about the Loader for sometime. I know they used to be on Something Awful but seem to have vanished since then.

Shouldn't be too bad... its just a right click for properties on your CBloader icon to get the directory... that directory will have its own Custom folder where the .part files are.

The CBloader guys moved to [url= http://code.google.com/p/cbloader/] http://code.google.com/p/cbloader/[/url] and even have their own wiki for how to code for it.

I'd seen the wiki and found it pretty bare bones. Ahh well good to know at least some of it is still around and kicking.

Anyway, on topic of .part files, I had at one time a homebrewed "striker" build for the Artificer. Sadly I can't find the .part files now. The programming of adding powers isn't too bad and is really pretty simple. What I want to do is something more complex, though I haven't figured out how to do it yet.

Is there a way to program in a feat/theme that a character could take that would switch all their AED powers to a different stat? I am thinking basing it on the "granted" powers from a Theme that uses the highest base stat might work, but I'm not too sure. I want to do this for a homebrew rule I'm cooking up for 4e and having it supported "officially" would be awesome.

Hmmm... I would like that myself, I think the Bard class has something for changing powers gained via multiclassing or similar perhaps looking at that might give a clue.

The Half-elf Dilettante feats do some modifying as well. My problem is finding/isolating those .part files and cracking them open. That process alludes me at times, especially the opening of the individual .part files. I can get some files to open but not all of them. Some of the stuff (Half-Elf and Bard) seems to be original to the Character Builder and I have as yet to find that coding. It shouldn't be that hard to code I would think once you have a baseline to go from.


Basically what I want to do is something similar to "Ladders" from Ultramodern4, but using the current Theme base idea. You pick a class and Theme. Class gives role and a set of powers, Theme gives power swaps and allows for tweaking of Main Stat (Fighter picks X Theme, uses Int or Con as main stat for example). Right now I just have the idea, but I won't go further if I can't get it working in the CBloader. Well I will....that just makes it far easier.

Well, the best way to open them is with Notepad or Wordpad as internally they are just ASCII documents with no formatting. I've looked into the Adept Dilettante feat and here's the coding for it;

<RulesElement name="Adept Dilettante" type="Feat" internal-id="ID_FMP_FEAT_2871" source="Dragon Magazine 385" revision-date="8/27/2010 12:20:43 PM">
<Category> ID_INTERNAL_CATEGORY_MULTICLASS,ID_INTERNAL_CATEGORY_CLASS-SPECIFIC_MULTICLASS </Category>
<Prereqs> Half-Elf; ~MULTICLASS or Unlimited Multiclass or CountsAsClass(Dilettante) </Prereqs>
<print-prereqs> Half-Elf </print-prereqs>
<specific name="Tier"> Heroic </specific>
<specific name="Short Description"> Use Con, Wis, or Cha modifier with Dilettante power </specific>
<specific name="Special"> This feat counts as a class-specific multiclass feat for the class from which your Dilettante racial trait power comes. </specific>
<specific name="type"> Multiclass </specific>
<specific name="Associated Power Info" />
<specific name="Associated Powers" />
<rules>
<grant name="[Dilettante]" type="CountsAsClass" />
<textstring name="dilettante:key ability" value="Con,Wis,Cha" />
<grant name="ID_INTERNAL_MULTICLASS_MULTICLASS" type="Multiclass" />
</rules>
You can use your Constitution, Wisdom, or Charisma modifier to determine bonuses to attack rolls and damage rolls with the power you chose for your Dilettante racial trait instead of the ability modifier that power normally uses.
</RulesElement>

The key portion for changing interactions in the builder is the <rules> section and the relevant line seems to be <textstring name="dilettante:key ability" value="Con,Wis,Cha" /> with "dilettante" being the internal name for whatever dilettante power was chosen and the ":key ability" being the switch to change the key ability to the highest of the stats listed under "value=".

So now I just need to find the internal name for class powers and ,if such an internal name exists, it should be possible to code something like the ladders that you wanted.

change the ending of your part file to .xml and notepad++ applies color coding and makes it a little easier to tell if you are making a formatting mistake.

Yeah, I've been able to open some before without having to change the coding. That looks promising though. So we just need to figure out how it references powers through Dilettante. I guess one other easy, though extremely painful way would be to just rewrite every power.

Worst case scenario wouldn't be every power, but would need every power's internal ID number and, in non-coding terms an if/then statement with "if this feature is enabled then change key attribute for power X to ability y... repeat thousands of times. My hope is to find a "class power" tag akin to the "dilettante" one somewhere in the code. Any examples of class features or feats that also do an attribute swap for one or more powers you can think of would help me nail down possibilities.

Been tied up (teaching middle school is so fun) but I did a search through stuff and found the following powers/feats/items that modify the stat you use for an attack.

Daring Blade-Bard PP Cha for all martial powers
Combat Virtuoso-Bard again, use Cha for any swapped powers (this looks to be the most promising)
Adept Dilettante
Bracers of Mental Might


Rather amazing how few things modify the stat used for a power. I would also take a look at things like Intelligent Blademaster and the Melee Training X feat since those might provide some guidance as well.

Those help a lot actually. Here are the relevant bits of rules code along with a few others I dug up...

<textstring name="martial,melee:key ability" value="Charisma" />
<textstring name="multiclass:key ability" value="cha" />
<textstring name="dilettante:key ability" value="Con,Wis,Cha" />
<textstring name="melee basic:key ability" value="Strength,Charisma" />
<textstring name="ranged basic,thrown:key ability" value="dex" />

This gives us enough to cobble together the basic coding for what you'd want to do.

<textstring name="[WHAT IS BEING CHANGED]:key ability" value="[ABILITY SCORE TO BE USED]" />

Daring Blade shows us that it can be keyed to extremely broad categories... specifically to the power keywords of martial and melee as shown here...

<textstring name="martial,melee:key ability" value="Charisma" />

Therefore to apply a different key ability to a group of powers you'd simply need to find a keyword those powers shared, or use multiple strings. Probably the easiest way to code such a thing would be as follows...

<RulesElement name="Any Ability Score Homebrew Feat" type="Feat" internal-id="CDJ_FEAT_01" source="Home Game" revision-date="10/8/2013 11:48:00 PM">
<specific name="Tier"> Heroic </specific>
<specific name="Short Description"> Use your highest ability for all powers </specific>
<specific name="Special" />
<specific name="type" />
<specific name="Associated Power Info" />
<specific name="Associated Powers" />
<rules>
<textstring name="martial:key ability" value="Str,Con,Dex,Int,Wis,Cha" />
<textstring name="arcane:key ability" value="Str,Con,Dex,Int,Wis,Cha" />
<textstring name="divine:key ability" value="Str,Con,Dex,Int,Wis,Cha" />
<textstring name="primal:key ability" value="Str,Con,Dex,Int,Wis,Cha" />
<textstring name="psionic:key ability" value="Str,Con,Dex,Int,Wis,Cha" />
<textstring name="shadow:key ability" value="Str,Con,Dex,Int,Wis,Cha" />
</rules>
Whenever you use a power with the martial, arcane, divine, primal, psionic or shadow keywords, you may use your highest ability score in place of the score normally used for the power.
</RulesElement>

New to cbloader also, but it doesn't seem to update for me either (loads in .part files manually, which is good, but no auto-updating). I think because of this I'm also missing classes (such as the Vampire mentioned earlier here).

Are there any hints/tips to getting the updating working, and is the auto-updating still operational? I've seen some links about getting the part files from cbloader.com but the site doesn't appear to be operational anymore.

Any friendly nudges in the right direction would be very much appreciated

Sounds like you're missing the .index file.

You can find it at http://code.google.com/p/cbloader/ as a download called UpdatePackager.

I hope that helps you out.

Hi,

Thanks for the reply!

I had a look at the UpdatePackager and it seems like it's for people who are creating their own part files and doesn't contain the .index file. I found a few .index files around the place (WotC.index), which all reference cbloader.com (which appears to be down).

Is there a more up-to-date .index file than that, or would be it possible to get a .zip of the most up to date .part files by chance? .

Thank you once again!

Chris, the info from Daring blade looks perfect for what I want...at least in someway. It doesn't look like I can really hit it for specific weapons, but at the very least I can do what you did with the highest ability score/certain ability scores. I want to make them themes, but the feat works well to tinker with.