# Sortable Monster Manual index spreadsheet with built-in encounter calculator -- v1.2



## withak (Jun 11, 2008)

This spreadsheet will make finding the right monster for your encounter a snap! Sort by name, level, role, size, origin, type, keywords, and even Monster Manual entry and page number.

Sorting instructions: On the _Monsters_ tab, select columns A through AO and choose "Data -- Sort...". To sort by level and then by monster name, choose _Level_ and _Monster_ from the drop-down lists. The "default" sort order is _MM Entry_, _Page_, _Monster_.

The spreadsheet contains many hidden columns which are aggregated into others for easier display. For example, the _Elite_, _Solo_, _Basic Role_, and _Leader_ columns are aggregated into the _Role_ column. These hidden columns are still usable for sorting, however. For example, if you want to sort by monster size, choose _Size_. The _Size_ column will remain hidden, but the _Size, Origin, Type, Keywords, Race_ column will show the sorted order.

The Elite, Solo, Leader, and various keyword columns actually contain binary values (0 or 1) so to sort on these columns, you will want to select "Descending" in the sort dialog box to get the 1s to show up at the top of the list.

*New in v1.1* is a built-in encounter calculator. On the _Encounter Calculator_ tab, enter party level and size, desired encounter level, and select monsters from the drop-down lists. (The sort order of the drop-downs will reflect the sort order on the _Monsters_ tab.) Indicate how many of each monster you want, and adjust as needed to get the right mix.

The blue "Custom" fields will allow you to enter custom monsters, NPCs, traps, hazards, and obstacles. Indicate the level, etc. of these custom entries just as you would the standard monsters.

The Encounter Difficulty and the advice that occasionally pops up in the Notes column is based off of my interpretation of the "Step-by-Step Encounters" sidebar on DMG p. 56. My interpretation may well be wrong, as the text for that is a bit on the fuzzy side.

The Estimated Encounter Level figures out by how much the budget for the next-lowest encounter level was exceeded, and adjusts it by a proportional fraction.

v1.2 now available. Changes:
 Pseudodragons are now Small instead of Tiny, per WotC errata
 Monster type dropdowns fixed
 Automatic alphabetical sort of monster names in dropdowns fixed
 Notes column restored
 Various minor fixes and error-handling

This spreadsheet was created in OpenOffice.org 2.4 and exported to Excel 97/2000/XP format. Both formats are available.


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## mflayermonk (Jun 11, 2008)

Thank you withak, very useful file. Also thank you for the open document source files.


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## the Jester (Jun 11, 2008)

Oooh, cool, I was just thinking how useful something like this would be! Thanks!


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## Darkthorne (Jun 11, 2008)

Withak,
Would you mind if I tweaked this to build a monster encounter form? (based off of # of players & ave party level?) And I'll repost it here.
Thanks


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## withak (Jun 11, 2008)

Darkthorne said:
			
		

> Withak,
> Would you mind if I tweaked this to build a monster encounter form? (based off of # of players & ave party level?) And I'll repost it here.
> Thanks



I put together a quick encounter calculator (here) and my next move was going to be to combine the two. You're welcome to do whatever you like with either sheet.


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## Darkthorne (Jun 11, 2008)

Sweet, Thanks. I'll see what I can cobble together


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## Dizlag (Jun 11, 2008)

withak,

Very slick spreadsheet!  Thanks for doing this!

Dizlag


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## Roger (Jun 11, 2008)

This is super-Elite.  Thanks.



Cheers,
Roger


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## EvilBlackKitty (Jun 11, 2008)

Thanks Withak! Now I have a handy list of monsters I can use to munch on your Weezard. 

EvilBlackKitty


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## Aluvial (Jun 11, 2008)

Hi all...

I've added a column from the other excel sheet that had the XP on it to this spreadsheet.  

I fixed all of the names in the other, so all the xp should be correct.

I don't have Open Office.

I've renamed the file version as 1.1

Aluvial


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## Darkthorne (Jun 11, 2008)

*Files Merged*

Withak,
Thanks. I worked with the 2 files you had and created this:
4E Encounter Calc


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## withak (Jun 12, 2008)

v1.1 has been uploaded. I have integrated the encounter calculator into the index. Feedback is much appreciated.


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## PrecociousApprentice (Jun 12, 2008)

This is a great database, but I think that I came into this conversation a little late. I have been working on a modification of this database in another thread. That thread had an encounter calculator, and while there are some interesting ideas here that I might have to steal, the sorting function I wrote for the other thread works a little slicker than this one in my opinion. I like the idea of encounter notes from your file, but there were none that I could find. You should play with what we have done with this database in this thread.

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=4287910#post4287910

Then you might like to modify it again. Collaborative work is super fun, and we often get back something way better than we originally thought we would. I would like to see what becomes of my mod of someone elses mod of your file.


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## withak (Jun 12, 2008)

PrecociousApprentice said:
			
		

> This is a great database, but I think that I came into this conversation a little late. I have been working on a modification of this database in another thread. That thread had an encounter calculator, and while there are some interesting ideas here that I might have to steal, the sorting function I wrote for the other thread works a little slicker than this one in my opinion. I like the idea of encounter notes from your file, but there were none that I could find. You should play with what we have done with this database in this thread.
> 
> http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?p=4287910#post4287910
> 
> Then you might like to modify it again. Collaborative work is super fun, and we often get back something way better than we originally thought we would. I would like to see what becomes of my mod of someone elses mod of your file.



Unfortunately, your mod removes quite a bit of functionality from the original spreadsheet, namely the ability to sort on the hidden columns. For example, I can't sort on Size, or Origin, or the presence of various keywords.

Text should show up in the "Notes" fields when monsters are selected that are either far too easy or far too hard for the calculated encounter level. I might have messed up some of the logic there.


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## PrecociousApprentice (Jun 12, 2008)

I agree that the database that I modified had less functionality, I just like the way I went about the sorting problem for the encounter calculator better. That is why I posted back here so that maybe what I wrote would get integrated with the original without me having to do it. I am lazy after all.


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## withak (Jun 12, 2008)

PrecociousApprentice said:
			
		

> I agree that the database that I modified had less functionality, I just like the way I went about the sorting problem for the encounter calculator better. That is why I posted back here so that maybe what I wrote would get integrated with the original without me having to do it. I am lazy after all.



Okay, now I get what you're saying.  If I have time, I'll work your sorting mechanism back into mine to see how I like it.


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## withak (Jun 12, 2008)

It figures this would happen. The spreadsheet gets featured on the main page, and then I find all sorts of problems...

I inadvertently deleted the formulae that are supposed to be in the "Notes" column on the Encounter Calculator. These are supposed to tell you when you have a monster that's way too easy or way too hard for the encounter level you have selected.

In the ODS version, the monster drop-downs will not reflect the sorted order on the Monsters tab, as advertised; this is because the "sort choices in ascending order" option is checked in the Data -- Validity dialog box. (Not sure of the exact wording, but that's the gist of it.) A quick fix is to select all of the monster name dropdown cells and uncheck that box. (The XLS version will not have this problem, because Excel does not have this particular feature.)

Also, Wizards has released errata (already! amazing) for the core books. The only change needed to the database is that Pseudodragon should be Small, not Tiny.

All of these changes will show up in the next version.


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## Darkthorne (Jun 12, 2008)

Withak,
My only suggestion I posted here.


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## withak (Jun 12, 2008)

Yay, yet more problems...  Thanks, Malefax, for pointing out the latest one: monsters besides the first one always show up as Standard.

I'll upload a new, fixed version as soon as I can.


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## withak (Jun 13, 2008)

v1.2 uploaded.


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## Aluvial (Jun 13, 2008)

withak said:
			
		

> v1.2 uploaded.



Wow, I really wished you had used my XP addition....   It really allowed me to sort on the fly, rather than have to hunt and peck through the list to find the "right" challenge....

Oh well....

Aluvial


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## withak (Jun 13, 2008)

Aluvial said:
			
		

> Wow, I really wished you had used my XP addition....   It really allowed me to sort on the fly, rather than have to hunt and peck through the list to find the "right" challenge....
> 
> Oh well....
> 
> Aluvial



Hm, I knew I was forgetting something. I'll add that in v.1.3.

I also got a request for being able to set party size to less than 4.


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## Dacileva (Jun 14, 2008)

Great spreadsheet!

One thing I might suggest adding (I did this for my own copy of it) for future extensibility and individual customization:

I renamed the MM Entry column "Entry", added a column before that labeled "Source" (and fill with MM1 for everything here), then hid both of those plus Page, and added a "Reference" column concatenating those three.  That way, I can extend it with other things, like keterys' and The Jester's creations/updates, or monsters published in Dragon or other books I want to use.


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## soulcatcher78 (Jun 15, 2008)

Fantastic!  Thank you for sharing this with us.


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## Aristotle (Jul 16, 2008)

First. Very cool resource. I wish I had a better grasp of Excel. A lot of the proposed enhancements to the encounter generator portion sound like added value. I look forward to seeing what ultimately gets added.



Dacileva said:


> Great spreadsheet!
> I renamed the MM Entry column "Entry", added a column before that labeled "Source" (and fill with MM1 for everything here), then hid both of those plus Page, and added a "Reference" column concatenating those three.  That way, I can extend it with other things, like keterys' and The Jester's creations/updates, or monsters published in Dragon or other books I want to use.



I basically did the same. I definately intend to use monsters from magazines and future supplements. Might as well support them now.

I'm also looking at adding a similar set of fields for miniatures, or at least a notes area behind each entry; so I can track which mini I intend to use for each entry, how many I have, and which bag/bin it is stored in.


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## jaldaen (Jul 26, 2008)

Thanks a bunch this is great!


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## dammitbiscuit (Aug 1, 2008)

This is easily the most useful fan creation that made it into the Pick. Thank you very much for your hard work and error-checking - I haven't spotted one!


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## itliaf (Aug 17, 2008)

*Random Monster Generator*

Hey Withak.

Great work on this archive.  It should be really handy for all my game planning from here on out.

I used your original database to construct a random monster generator sheet.   It uses the ratios for role and level ratios set out in the DMG on p 194, to match up role with level (say Artillery 14) and chooses a random monster that fits the criteria for each slot.  I had to setup up an extra hidden column on the main page, and a monsters Elite and Leader tags are not considered. I also made the changes suggested by dacileva in order to accomodate new monsters.

As is, there are too many monsters in some places and too few in others to make the randomizer all that useful for constructing entire encounters.  There are some simple mods that can fix this:
1. Filter the monster list down to monsters within a certain theme
2. Once you have a narrow themed list that fits your need, expand it by adding an Easy (level-2) Normal(level) and Hard (level+2) version of each monster.  You can also double/triple monsters you think should be exceedingly common in your adventure site.  

The file is in Excel 2007.  It does rely on the randbetween function in one column, but i think this can be safely replaced with int(rand()).  I honestly am not sure.  Any Feedback would be great.


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## pmbruner (Dec 30, 2014)

I look forward to testing your spreadsheet


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