How to disable avatar changing?

As title says. I handle quite a few NPCs in my games, some which I prepare ahead of time for reveals and I'd rather my avatar not suddenly changing into a certain character before the reveal is done or by me mistakenly clicking on "As". The options changed since I last had a game and I can't quite figure out where the option to disable that is now.

Hi Devily,  I am not sure I understand the issue here. Normally to switch avatar I have to click on As, then I have to select one.  This is not something that happens by accident.  How is this working differently for you?

As in, you know how your portrait changes to the picture of the character you play as? I want to disable that, so only your original portrait (your profile icon) is the one showing. If you're a DM, you may end up having dozens upon dozens of characters, thus rather than searching them by scrolling you often have to resort by typing the initials... initials that some other NPCs may have. Hence, if you type the wrong initials or your finger slips, you click enter, now your players are seeing a portrait they shouldn't.

If you don't mind having the chat posts without npc avatars, you could type with the /as command instead - that bypasses the need for changing the speaking as character entirely. For macros, you can do for instance /as "@{selected|character_name}" or /as "@{selected|token_name}", and you'll get the appropriate name in chat.

I don't remember there ever being an option to disable the changing of avatars. In my games I don't play with the avatars visible(*), but being able to change the "Speaking As" with a macro button or chat menu would be helpful even for adding flavor in the chat by having attack rolls appear as coming from an NPC vs. the GM. edit: And here's Tuo with the answer for that option :) (*) My players and I prefer to optimize the screen for viewing the map and we don't use video)

Devily said: As in, you know how your portrait changes to the picture of the character you play as? I want to disable that, so only your original portrait (your profile icon) is the one showing. If you're a DM, you may end up having dozens upon dozens of characters, thus rather than searching them by scrolling you often have to resort by typing the initials... initials that some other NPCs may have. Hence, if you type the wrong initials or your finger slips, you click enter, now your players are seeing a portrait they shouldn't. Yes, but that is still a manual change you make. If you don't use "As" the avatar doesn't change.  Or are you asking how to use "As" without changing the avatar?

I'm asking  how to use "As" without changing the avatar.

Unfortunately, no there is no way I know of. But, you can change the avatar display options. For example, Integrated Voice and Video does not accept avatar image changes. But unfortunately it does not display your avatar either iirc.  Alternately, you might have your group switch to Names Only and thus there are no avatar changes (for that user to see)

Would turning off avatars altogether be helpful? Of course, you would have to convince your players to do likewise.

I believe there is a script that causes Speaking As to switch to the selected avatar, but that would require a Pro subscription.

Nice catch keith, I forgot about that checkbox. 

Devily said: I'm asking  how to use "As" without changing the avatar. /as "Said-So Sensei" I already said this earlier in the thread.

Ha! Brilliant! I had entirely forgotten that command! I don't normally play by text. And of course, I completely missed your first post. Devily, will that suit your needs?

keithcurtis said: Would turning off avatars altogether be helpful? Of course, you would have to convince your players to do likewise. Does that changes the visual just for me or for my players too? As in, do they see me change avatars? I'm fine if the players change theirs.

Just for you. If they also change that setting, there would be no avatar to see. But I think Tuo's answer just above mine sounds like what you are looking for.