Deck Building Utilities (Update March 2008)

Since there are new versions for both major VtES beckbuilder utilities, the "Anarch Revolt Deck Builder" (ARDB) and the "Fragments of the Elder Library" (FELDB), since the last weekend, I have updated the download information for both tools:

Fragments of Elder Library Deck Builder ("FELDB")
Current Version: 2.4.1
Author(s): Balasz Kuno Kiss
Description: After the ELDB ("Elder Library Deck Builder") was no longer maintained, the ELDB's author David Andersion-Davila published the sources and FELDB was the result of the development with serious improvements over the old program.
Advantages/Disadvantages:

• Card List & Inventory
• complete card list with card texts
• almost complete collection of pictures of actual cards, but not always the latest version of the cards.
• basic ability to filter and sort cards, this could be better, especially when compared to the ARDB.
• card inventory can be kept, but needs to be used carefully when updating to the next version or expansion.
• Deck Building
• offers the basic functionality of deck builder
• includes some statistical information about the decks as well as card drawing simulation
• ability to store decks in native format (*.eld), as text (*.txt), HTML file (*.html) or for use with JOL (*.jol).
• Other Features
• several import/export options for decks and inventories
• usually the quickest update after an expansion has been released
• can update card database from White Wolf website (indirectly)
• URLs:
  
  • FELDB v2.4.1
  • VtES Card Images (up to LotN)
  • VtES Card Images (LotN & other missing)

Cost: free software
OS Platforms: Windows
Expansion Updates: about 1 to 2 weeks after an expansion has been released.
Expansions: all VtES expansions.
Latest Posting: 02/Mar/2008
Latest Changes (for version 2.4.1):

• typos in cardtexts have been removed
• fixed handling of decks including "Imbued"
• added pictures for "LotN" expansion

Anarch Revolt Deck Builder ("ARDB")
Current Version: Version 2 RC 6
Author(s): Francois Gombault / Graham Smith
Description: Layered Filters, multiple export functionality and a tidy interface are the top features of this program, somewhat newer than the FELDB it had a fresh start and gained soon popularity in the VtES community.
Advantages/Disadvantages:

• Card List & Inventory
• complete card list with card texts
• almost complete collection of pictures of actual cards, but not always the latest version of the cards. The card images are only working on Windows.
• great search & filter use, multiple, layered filters
• card inventory can be kept
• Deck Building
• offers the basic functionality of deck builder
• includes some statistical information about the decks as well as card drawing simulation
• ability to store decks in XML format (*.xml), as text (*.txt), HTML file (*.html) or for use with JOL (*.jol) or for posting to internet forums (*.phbBB).
• gives some advice on deck building based on the "Happy Families" theory
• Other Functionality
• can update card database from White Wolf website
• little utility for creating proxy cards
• URLs:
  
  • ARDB v2.6 for Windows
  • ARDB v2.6 for openSUSE
  • ARDB v2.6 for Fedora
  • VtES Card Images

Cost: free software
OS Platforms: Windows, OpenSuSe, Fedora, Mac OS X 10.3+(?)
Expansion Updates: about 2 to 4 weeks after an expansion has been released.
Expansions: all VtES expansions.
Latest Posting: 21/Feb/2008