Here’s a few ways to improve and simplify your experience on Roll 20:
UPDATED AND REWRITTEN:
As a game creator –
Make sure the name and tags are clear so your players know what game they are joining. You can choose the type of sheet you want to use, and I would suggest setting the character name to templates to on. Examine all the other settings and choose what is best for your game. Once that’s saved, go in to your game.
The cog above the chat window (top right of the screen) will have your Roll20 settings. As As the game creator, you can turn off the video and voice for everyone, which will save a lot of time and hassle if you are not using this feature (it uses a lot of bandwidth and can interfere with other chat programs). Only the game creator can shut it off globally, otherwise players have to shut it down themselves. Go to the cog and make the following changes:
As a player who is joining a new campaign:
- Turn the volume down
- Unclick “enable background chat beep”, this noise is irritating, especially on streams
- Change “video and voice” broadcast and receive to “nothing” (unless you are using these for your game or the GM has unset this already).
- Under “Chat Avatars” change the selection to “names only” to save space on the screen
- On your sheet – go to the cog on the sheet (next to ‘spells’). Change “add character name to templates” to ON if this has not already been set. This way, your sheet will appear with your character’s name when you roll and you do not need to change your Roll20 nickname.
- To add a new item in the “equipment” box at the bottom of the sheet (below ‘attacks and spellcasting’), go to the “compendium” (above the chat, the circle with the i inside) and search for your item. Drag the item name in to the box.
- To add new spells – Just like adding equipment, search and drag the name in to the new slot and it will auto-fill. Double check that it is in correctly, some spells have some minor errors. If the spell you want is not in the compendium, check the Grimoire and fill it in manually. Make sure you have everything filled in.
- When putting in your hit dice, do not add your con mod, the program will do it for you (above ‘hit dice’ it should say 6d6, not 6d6+2 for example)
- Double-click the chat window to make it pop out
- If you click on your character sheet, notepad, or any other item, and then double-click on the name, the sheet will minimize and fade in to the background. You can double-click it again to open it up.
- Roll20 can do math! Type your formula into the chat box and press enter. Use the [ symbol twice before, with no space, and the ] symbol with no space afterward with your formula in between.
Use + for plus, – for minus, * for multiplying and / for dividing, again with no spaces.
- In the chat window you can type /r 2d20+6 to roll, or choose the dice option in the menu on the left side
- To easily roll D&D 5e character attribute stats, copy and paste this code: [[4d6kh3]] [[4d6kh3]] [[4d6kh3]] [[4d6kh3]] [[4d6kh3]] [[4d6kh3]]
- To add or subtract HP quickly, click your token, and then click the circle your HP is in (in the image example below, it’s the red). It will open a small box above the circle, in which you can type +5 or -12 (for example) then hit enter, it will automatically add or subtract that amount from your total HP.
- Go to the “collections” tab right next to the cog. These can be edited any time, and you can make your own for personal use. Ask the DM for your game if you’d like some made for your party. As a DM, you can make macros for commonly used rolls like healing potions and make them available to all players.
- Having difficulty getting Roll20 to load? First check that you have done all the above steps (especially the first four). If that doesn’t help, head to Roll20’s “Solving Technical Issues ” page. The DM does not have control over Roll20, so please bring issues you might be having to Roll20’s forums .
- Sometimes you will see a red box telling you your connection to the server is slow or disconnected. Be patient and it will resolve itself.
Any suggestions or requests? Any tips you’d like to add? Let me know!
Ivaebhin 