Spell management for iOS devices

[CalistonTB]

I've had some success going paperless in my games with various apps for my iPad and iPhone (cutting down the table clutter is awesome), but I've run into a snag. I've just replaced a character that died (lousy Finger of Death..) with a Wizard, and I haven't been able to find anything that satisfactorily manages my spellbook. I think that maintaining it in a text document is going to be too painful. I tried the Spellbook app, but it only has SRD spells and you can't add more. It also has no way to adjust spells prepared at higher levels due to metamagic, etc.

Has anyone found anything?

[Kudaku]

Personally I find that the Spellbook app works well for me, but it doesn't have every spell included and as you mentioned it struggles with metamagic feats. Finally it can be tricky to add domain spells to your lists.

Searching through the app store I found SpellBookMaster, which (according to the blurb) lets you update the app via the PF/3.5 SRD and import your own spells via text files. However it's incredibly expensive for an relatively simple app (about €8 here) so I haven't tried it out for myself.

[CalistonTB]

That initially scared me off too. Has anyone tried it?

I may have to go back to pencil and paper like some kind of Neanderthal...

[Eldonauran]

There's an app called 'DnD Sheets' that I use and it handles spells quite well. Anything outside of core, you have to add in manually but it allows you, at a quick glance, to see the bulk of the spell's information and a tab you can press to add any notes or the complete spell description, as you need.

I'm converting all my character sheets into that App. It is very useful.

[CalistonTB]

I heartily agree, that's the app I use for character management and it's handled everything else I've wanted it to do. My issue with how it handles spell lists for characters that prepare spells is that it only maintains a single list. That's ok for spells known, but it's not optimal for your spells prepared. Again, I could maintain my spells known list in a separate text file, but I'd prefer something that can do both.

Is there really nothing like this out there?

Well, there's an easy win for anyone able to program apps for iOS.

[Duke of URL]

Quick and dirty work-around -- there are "shopping list" programs out there, some free. All you have to do is list your prepared spells as "shopping list" items, and clear them as they're used.

A kludge, but it should work.

[CalistonTB]

Thats kind of amazing... I love the idea, I'm going to try it out on Friday and I'll post a reply to this thread about if it worked or not.

[PairO'Dice Lost]

You know, I've been looking for a new programming and/or D&D project to occupy my time; this looks like a nice way to combine the two. Not that I can guarantee that I'll write up such an app any time soon, but it would be a good future project.

What features would your ideal D&D spell list management app have? So far, I'm seeing a good built-in list of spell names, a way to easily add new spells, and easy handling of metamagic. Spell descriptions obviously couldn't be built in for any spells outside the SRD, but a feature to add in any non-core spell descriptions you use could work. Anything else?

[CalistonTB]

For prepared spellcasters, you should be able to feed your "slots" into the app (eg 4 1'st, 4 2'nd, 3 3'rd, etc), and then fill those slots with spells. Lower level spells should be able to be loaded into higher level slots (due to metamagic etc), but not vice versa. You could combine the functionality of the existing Spellbook app to pull spell descriptions, but that might not be necessary.

So basically, Spell slots start empty, you fill them, they grey out as you cast them. Could include a button called "New Day" that clears your slots (or gives you the option of clearing slots). Maybe include an option to save spell selections (that way the PC could have a Social list, Combat list, Travel list etc).

That's off the top of my head. Any other brainstorms out there?

[Allanimal]

That's off the top of my head. Any other brainstorms out there?

Clerics, for example, can choose from a complete spell list while wizards have only what's in their spellbook. So you need to be able to mark "known" spells, and then when filling the slots, an option to choose only known spells or from the whole list.

Keep it general, because there is probably a dragon magazine class or a homebrew class that does things unlike everything else.

Don't have static lists - there are so may ways to cast as class X but get a spell from class Y's list.