Hopefully something that won't die quickly so you can be my meatshield.

I'm gonna just buff people, and then order them to attack.

Ok, so here is the deal on the charachter builder. This is the info we are missing:

Patch Notes - February 2009 Character Builder Update


Data Update

Data from the following published materials are new to the Character Builder this month:
• Online Magazines
• Dragon® Issues 371
• Dungeon® Issues 162
• Preview Content
• The Sorcerer, levels 1–3 (to appear in Player’s Handbook 2)
• The Warden, levels 1–3 (to appear in Player’s Handbook 2)

Feature Changes

• Journal Entries are now formatted to be more compatible with RPGA Session tracking sheets.
• In the Shopping Interface, redesigned the Auto-Pick functionality, into Auto Buy and Auto Add. Auto Buy will buy items from the user’s current Gold available. Auto Add will replace current gold and add level appropriate equipment as per the DMG guidelines.
• Both Auto Buy and Auto Add now include Magic Items.
• You may select a default save folder.
• You may rename equipped items and customize the weight, allowing you to add personal flavor to your equipment list.

Character Sheet Viewer Changes

• You may now print Journal Entries along with the character sheet.
• Added the ability to display and print basic Attack power cards. The default setting is to have them turned off.
• The “Rest” reset function in the Character Sheet Viewer now resets the Death Check and Magic Item Usage check boxes
• The Milestone functionality in the Character Sheet Viewer now updates Action Points and Magic Item Usage.

Interface Changes

• In the Campaign Settings interface, new Monthly data will be marked as Beta and appear on top of the list. All new data will remain marked as Beta until the next month’s update. Users can uncheck the Beta data checkbox.
• Campaign page checkboxes clearly show partial selection.
• UI improvements to the Equipment page of the Shop Tab.
• Separated the Rituals and Alchemical Formulas in the summary section.
• Miscellaneous UI changes throughout for more UI consistency.
• House Rule Ability scores should not make “next step” button unusable.

Miscellaneous Fixes and Updates

• Fixed landscape printing issue.
• Updated Veteran Armor text.
• Fixed power cards duplication occurring for spellbook’s spells.
• Fixed Blinding Smash issue resulting in a crash. All powers with no damage output are now behaving correctly.
• Updated Anarch of Syr empowered Aegis path feature.
• Fixed Staff of Corrosion and Staff of the Serpent bonus.
• Fixed Tiefling Deceptive Warlock using CON mod instead of CHA for Eldritch blast.
• Fixed Rimfire plate armor Dex bonus.
• Fixed Tempest Fighter technique.
• Fixed Battlerager Vigor damage bonus calculation issue.
• Fixed Prime Shot available for Warlocks.
• Fixed Recuperating Strike text cut off.
• Fixed Human Perseverance defenses bonus.
• Fixed taking a paragon multiclass without having a class-specific multiclass feat (or removing it after having made the selection) crashing the application.
• Updated Warhorse listed twice, with two different prices. The PHB Warhorse entry will now be flagged as Custom, and the Adventurer’s Vault content is the remaining entry.
• Fixed Feral Armor levels.
• Added Checking Jab power.
• Added Bards proficient with hide armor.
• Fixed Wandering Swordmage powers.
• Fixed Coronal Guard Silver Shield ability.
• Fixed Primal Vitality power as a Daily power.
• Fixed Escalating Assault requirement.
• Added Transfer Enchantment ritual.
• Fixed Shielding Retaliation power.
• Added Strikebacks.
• Fixed Kukri and Parrying Daggers to act as dagger for rogues.
• Updated Tune of Ice and Wind Daily Power range.
• Small Characters can now equip Shortbow
• Godlike Stature now allows equipping larger size weapons.


If you have not become a PAID D&D insider, then you get the following message when you try to update:

Improve your characters and campaigns with content, tools, articles, and applications you’ll find here at Dungeons & Dragons Insider. Every month, Dragon and Dungeon Magazines offer players and Dungeon Masters new material, options, encounters, and adventures. The D&D Compendium provides you with a searchable database of all the official material from every rulebook and every issue of the online magazines. The Character Builder will allow you to create and update characters quickly and easily. And a collection of Bonus Tools will help you spend less time prepping for your game and more time playing it.



So, thats the story.

Thoradin, Dwarf Invoker
Init +1 HP 28/28 Bloodied 14 Healing Surge 7 (0 used /8)
AC 16 Fort 13 Reflex 13 Will 15 Speed 5
Str 10 (+0) Con 14 (+2) Dex 12 (+1) Int 14 (+2) Wis 18 (+4) Cha 12 (+1)

still working on how to get the rest back out of the thing i typed it all into.

That character downloader is being a pain in the rearend.

====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======
Amanut Elanessë, level 1
Eladrin, Artificer
Build: Battlesmith
Background: East Rift

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 11, Dex 16, Int 20, Wis 10, Cha 8.

Starting Ability Scores
Str 10, Con 11, Dex 14, Int 18, Wis 10, Cha 8.


AC: 17 Fort: 11 Reflex: 15 Will: 12
HP: 23 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 5

TRAINED SKILLS
Stealth, Arcana, History, Heal, Thievery, Dungeoneering.

FEATS
1: Alchemist
1: Weapon Focus (Crossbow)

POWERS
1, At-Will: Magic Weapon (Preview)
1, At-Will: Thundering Armor
1, Encounter: Spike Wire
1, Daily: Caustic Rampart

ITEMS
Make Whole, Leather Armor, Arcane Implement, Wand, Adventurer's Kit, Explorer's Fire, Alchemist's Fire, Repeating crossbow, Antivenom, Thieves' Tools
====== Created Using Wizards of the Coast D&DI Character Builder ======


And so are born the Elanesse' Alchemetic Twins! (or EAT for short )

Myeah, full version isn't up to date either at the moment. I can create any of the classes but things from the player hand book 2 are not updated beyond level 3 nor are the feats. That being said it is pretty nice.

Also without paying you shouldn't be able to level above 3 on the stuff from the player handbook.

How much is the full version? Do you play outside of these forums?

Alright, I'm still experimenting with the character creation tools. It's like, City of Heroes character designer level fun. I've got five characters done so far and I understand what Daganev was talking about now, I'm pretty much paralyzed with indecision. :|

The restriction of joining someone's family and thus forcing me to pick a race really helped!

If you are not creating a character from the second PHB, just use the Java creator. Wonderful tool that is updated on everything before PHB II (if I'm not mistaken). Furthermore, striking Swordmage ahoy.

I guess I should ask this and restrict myself too. Should I be pacifistic, or not?

the downloadable character creation thing is refusing to work for me. I dunno what to do.

What problems are you having?

reboot your computer, go to the microsfot website and update your .net to version 3.5 sp1. It might take a couple reboots to get it to work.

I'm not sure how you can pull that off. However, playing someone who has no strenghts/abilities to do anything themselves, or making a supreme manipulator sounds like a really nice and fun idea, and I suggest going for it. Perhaps a bard, or an armchair warlord.

I did that and encountered another problem where it just shuts down every time I try to load it. I'll try out the java one, and hope I can figure it out.

Alright then, it is decided. Now to decide between my Warlord, and my Half-elf Bard which got that awesome Commander's Strike.

Edit: Man, its gonna be fun to go 'You, attack that nasty zombie while I stand waaaaaaaaay back here and direct you all. Go!'

The thing is, the Java one doesn't have the information that the WoTC one has. It has just names, but doesn't explain what those cool-sounding things do.