# Obsidian.md has an Encounter Builder! ![[images/Obsidian.md-has-an-Encounter-Builder.webp]] [Watch on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0oxXwQk7Mw) · 2:08 · Josh Plunkett · 2023-07-01 > [!info] YouTube Short (2:08), uploaded July 1, 2023. Written from the video's full English automatic captions (en-orig track via yt-dlp) plus video frames. The video has no description or chapters. It's a vertical phone recording of his monitor with a TikTok watermark and an "Encounter Builder within Obsidian.md" caption, so on-screen text is hard to read; names below are as legible as the frames allow. ## Outline - **0:00 - Hook.** "Did you know that Obsidian.md actually has an encounter builder built into it?" ![[images/Obsidian.md-has-an-Encounter-Builder-t0003.webp]] *Josh on camera with the "Encounter Builder within Obsidian.md" caption.* - **0:08 - Where it lives.** He's in his game-session note (something like "setting.md", as the captions hear it) with the **Initiative Tracker** plugin running. Clicking the little **hammer icon** at the top of the Initiative Tracker pane opens the **Encounter Builder**. - **0:20 - Pick the party.** The builder pulls in his party automatically (a "Select a party" dropdown set to Default). He ticks which characters will be in this combat, then the Encounter section lists the monsters already added (here goblins and a goblin boss), above a searchable monster list (Aboleth, Acolyte, Adult Black Dragon and so on). ![[images/Obsidian.md-has-an-Encounter-Builder-t0024.webp]] *The Encounter Builder: party checkboxes under "Players", the current encounter (Goblin, Goblin Boss) and the monster list below.* - **0:28 - Difficulty readout.** On the right is an **encounter challenge** panel showing how hard the fight will be, with Easy, Medium, Hard and Deadly XP thresholds for the selected party. - **0:35 - Add a monster.** He scrolls the list and adds a **silver dragon**. Scrolling back up, the dragon is now in the encounter, and the rating has jumped to **deadly** (the frame shows Difficulty: Deadly, 15,500 XP, adjusted 31,000). ![[images/Obsidian.md-has-an-Encounter-Builder-t0047.webp]] *The difficulty panel reading Deadly, with the Initiative Tracker encounter list and a Black Pudding statblock in the sidebar.* - **0:46 - Send it to combat.** One button adds everything to combat. The Initiative Tracker now lists the party and every monster with HP and AC, and he can start playing the combat. ![[images/Obsidian.md-has-an-Encounter-Builder-t0052.webp]] *The populated Initiative Tracker (15,500 XP, Easy-to-Deadly bar) with combatants such as Rodge Stagswift, goblins, Chance, Lae Lazno and the Goblin Boss, and a Goblin statblock below.* - **0:56 - Install Initiative Tracker.** It's the **Initiative Tracker** plugin by **Jeremy Valentine**. Go to Settings, then **Community plugins** (turn them on if you haven't), click **Browse**, search "initiative tracker" and install it. - **1:19 - Add Fantasy Statblocks.** He also recommends **Fantasy Statblocks**, also by Jeremy, which renders "all the cool stat blocks" the tracker uses. - **1:35 - Learn more.** Head to **www.ObsidianTTRPGTutorials.com**. Under Getting Started or **Plugin Tutorials**, there's a section on the fantasy plugins, including Initiative Tracker, with examples and all of his templates for it, which "should make your life easier." ![[images/Obsidian.md-has-an-Encounter-Builder-t0100.webp]] *ObsidianTTRPGTutorials.com, showing the Getting Started page and its plugin tutorial sections.* ## Things mentioned ### Obsidian plugins - **Initiative Tracker** (community plugin, free) by Jeremy Valentine: combat tracker with a built-in Encounter Builder, party selection and an XP difficulty calculator. Installed from Settings, Community plugins, Browse. - **Fantasy Statblocks** (community plugin, free) by Jeremy Valentine: renders monster stat blocks and supplies the bestiary the tracker draws from. ### Tools and websites - [ObsidianTTRPGTutorials.com](https://obsidianttrpgtutorials.com) (free): Josh's tutorial site, with Getting Started guides and Plugin Tutorials, including Initiative Tracker examples and templates. - **Obsidian** (free app): the note-taking app all of this runs in. - **TikTok**: the clip is a repost of his TikTok upload (watermark visible on screen). ### TTRPG systems and content - **Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition**: the encounter difficulty uses 5e-style Easy, Medium, Hard and Deadly XP thresholds and Monster Manual creatures. - Monsters on screen: **silver dragon**, **goblins**, **Goblin Boss**, **Black Pudding**, plus the monster list (Aboleth, Acolyte, Adult Black Dragon and others). - Party characters visible in his tracker (his home group, partly legible): Rodge Stagswift, Chance, Lae Lazno, Ariah Eran and others. ## Bios - **Josh Plunkett**: Australian game master and YouTuber who makes Obsidian TTRPG tutorials, runs ObsidianTTRPGTutorials.com and offers a ready-made Obsidian TTRPG vault through Patreon. - **Jeremy Valentine**: Obsidian community developer (GitHub handle valentine195) behind several TTRPG plugins, including Initiative Tracker, Fantasy Statblocks, Dice Roller and Leaflet.