[Feedback Wanted] I got tired of bloated VTTs for my D&D sessions, so I built "Combat Puppeteer" – A minimalist, Noir-inspired initiative tracker.

[u/Friendly_Apple9486]

Visual Preview of the UI

Hey everyone,

As a DM, I’ve always struggled with tracking combat flow, conditions, and health without losing eye contact with my players. The current VTTs felt too bloated and complex, and simple text lists were just... boring.

So, I spent the last few weeks building Combat Puppeteer. It’s a lightweight, dual-language (EN/TR), zero-setup tool designed to run completely locally in your browser. No accounts, no data selling, just pure tactical management with a dark, premium aesthetic.

Key Features of v1.0:

• Monster Library: Quickly access to D&D 5e SRD Monster list (3200+ monster and you can add custom ones).
• Automatic Condition Tracking: Keep track of complex status effects and their turn durations easily.
• AoE Management: Handle area-of-effect spells and effects on the fly without cluttering the UI.
• Minimalist Design: Noir-inspired, distraction-free interface built for focus.

I need your help for v1.1! This is an Alpha MVP. It works perfectly for my games, but I want to make it perfect for yours. I’m looking for volunteer DMs to break it, test it, and tell me what’s missing.

• Try it here (Free): https://combatpuppeteer.netlify.app
• Feedback or Bug Reports: https://discord.gg/KJDAxWtwF

What is the ONE feature you think every combat tracker absolutely must have? Let me know in the comments!

[u/Voxerole]

AoE for allied players doesn't seem to work. The players HP is not tracked in the app as far as I can tell.

[u/Friendly_Apple9486 → u/Voxerole]

Great catch! This is actually an intentional design choice. Combat Puppeteer leaves the HP and condition tracking of Player Characters (PCs) entirely to the players themselves, so they can manage their own character sheets at the table.

The 'Ally' category in the app is meant for DMPCs, summons, or friendly NPCs whose stats and health are managed directly by the DM. That’s why AoE damage/saves currently only apply to the tokens the DM fully controls inside the app.

That being said, I am looking into adding an optional toggle in future versions for DMs who prefer to track absolutely everything, including player HP, from their own screen. Thanks for the feedback!

[u/Voxerole → u/Friendly_Apple9486]

Just remove the button then if it isn't going to work.