diff --git a/rpg-docs/Model/Character/Characters.js b/rpg-docs/Model/Character/Characters.js
index 7e83729b..eed8b734 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/Model/Character/Characters.js
+++ b/rpg-docs/Model/Character/Characters.js
@@ -257,8 +257,16 @@ var attributeBase = function(charId, statName){
 };
 
 if (Meteor.isClient) {
-	Template.registerHelper("charCalculate", function(func, charId, input) {
-		return Characters.calculate[func](charId, input);
+	Template.registerHelper("characterCalculate", function(func, charId, input) {
+		try {
+			return Characters.calculate[func](charId, input);
+		} catch (e){
+			if (!Characters.calculate[func]){
+				throw new Error(func + "is not a function name");
+			} else {
+				throw e;
+			}
+		}
 	});
 }
 
@@ -311,15 +319,15 @@ Characters.calculate = {
 	attributeValue: memoize(function(charId, attributeName){
 		var attribute = Characters.calculate.getField(charId, attributeName);
 		//base value
-		var value = Characters.calculate.attributeBase(attributeName);
+		var value = Characters.calculate.attributeBase(charId, attributeName);
 		//plus adjustment
 		value += attribute.adjustment;
 		return value;
 	}),
-	attributeBase: preventLoop(memoize(function(charId, attributeName){
+	attributeBase: memoize(preventLoop(function(charId, attributeName){
 		return attributeBase(charId, attributeName);
 	})),
-	skillMod: preventLoop(memoize(function(charId, skillName){
+	skillMod: memoize(preventLoop(function(charId, skillName){
 		var skill = Characters.calculate.getField(charId, skillName);
 		//get the final value of the ability score
 		var ability = Characters.calculate.attributeValue(charId, skill.ability);
@@ -369,7 +377,7 @@ Characters.calculate = {
 			{charId: charId, name: skillName, enabled: true},
 			{sort: {value: -1}}
 		);
-		return prof && prof.value;
+		return prof && prof.value || 0;
 	}),
 	passiveSkill: memoize(function(charId, skillName){
 		var skill = Characters.calculate.getField(charId, skillName);
@@ -435,7 +443,11 @@ Characters.calculate = {
 
 var depreciated = function() {
 	var err = new Error();
-	console.log("this function has been superceeded", {stacktrace: err.stack});
+	var name = "";
+	if(Template.instance()){
+		name = Template.instance().view.name;
+	}
+	console.log("this function has been depreciated", {viewName: name, stacktrace: err.stack});
 };
 
 //functions and calculated values.
diff --git a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/hitDice/hitDice.html b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/hitDice/hitDice.html
index 1a1d0b83..3298bb32 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/hitDice/hitDice.html
+++ b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/hitDice/hitDice.html
@@ -18,10 +18,10 @@
 				</div>
 				<div class="resourceValue" layout vertical center>
 					<div>
-						{{../attributeValue name}}
+						{{characterCalculate "attributeValue" ../_id name}}
 					</div>
 					<div class="title white-text">
-						d{{diceNum}} {{../abilityMod "constitution"}}
+						d{{diceNum}} {{characterCalculate "abilityMod" ../_id "constitution"}}
 					</div>
 				</div>
 			</div>
diff --git a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillDialog/skillDialog.html b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillDialog/skillDialog.html
index 954dcd61..10953f17 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillDialog/skillDialog.html
+++ b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillDialog/skillDialog.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<!-- needs name, char, and skillName -->
+<!-- needs name, charId, and skillName -->
 <template name="skillDialog">
 	{{#baseDialog title=name class=color hideEdit=true}}
 		{{> skillDialogView}}
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 <template name="skillDialogView">
 	<div layout vertical center>
 		<div class="display2">
-			{{char.skillMod skillName}}
+			{{characterCalculate "skillMod" charId skillName}}
 		</div>
 		<div class="subhead">
 			<core-icon icon="{{profIcon}}" class="black54"></core-icon>
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@
 	<table class="summaryTable">
 		<tr>
 			<td>{{abilityName}}</td>
-			<td>{{char.abilityMod ability}}</td>
+			<td>{{characterCalculate "abilityMod" charId ability}}</td>
 		</tr>
-		{{#if char.proficiency skillName}}
+		{{#if characterCalculate "proficiency" charId skillName}}
 			<tr>
 				<td>{{proficiencyValue}}</td>
 				<td>{{signedString profBonus}}</td>
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@
 		{{/each}}
 		<tr class="body2">
 			<td>Total</td>
-			<td>{{char.skillMod skillName}}</td>
+			<td>{{characterCalculate "skillMod" charId skillName}}</td>
 		</tr>
 	</table>
 
diff --git a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillDialog/skillDialog.js b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillDialog/skillDialog.js
index c2cbf6fc..759c1f11 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillDialog/skillDialog.js
+++ b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillDialog/skillDialog.js
@@ -106,9 +106,7 @@ Template.skillDialogView.helpers({
 		return a || b || c;
 	},
 	profIcon: function(){
-		var char = Characters.findOne(this.charId);
-		if (!char) return;
-		var prof = char.proficiency(this.skillName);
+		var prof = Characters.calculate.proficiency(this.charId, this.skillName);
 		if (prof > 0 && prof < 1) return "image:brightness-2";
 		if (prof === 1) return "image:brightness-1";
 		if (prof > 1) return "av:album";
@@ -123,13 +121,13 @@ Template.skillDialogView.helpers({
 	profBonus: function(){
 		var char = Characters.findOne(this.charId);
 		if (!char) return;
-		return char.proficiency(this.skillName) *
-			char.attributeValue("proficiencyBonus");
+		var prof = Characters.calculate.proficiency(this.charId, this.skillName);
+		var proficiencyBonus = 
+			Characters.calculate.attributeValue(this.charId, "proficiencyBonus");
+		return prof * proficiencyBonus;
 	},
 	proficiencyValue: function(){
-		var char = Characters.findOne(this.charId);
-		if (!char) return;
-		var prof = char.proficiency(this.skillName);
+		var prof = Characters.calculate.proficiency(this.charId, this.skillName);
 		if (prof == 0.5) return "Half Proficiency";
 		if (prof == 1)   return "Proficient";
 		if (prof == 2)   return "Double Proficiency";
@@ -199,22 +197,15 @@ Template.skillDialogView.helpers({
 		return skill.ability;
 	},
 	abilityName: function(){
-		var opts = {fields: {}};
-		opts.fields[this.skillName] = 1;
-		var char = Characters.findOne(this.charId, opts);
-		if (!char) return;
-		var skill = char[this.skillName];
+		var skill = Characters.calculate.getField(this.charId, this.skillName);
 		if (!skill) return;
 		var ability = skill.ability;
 		return abilities[ability] && abilities[ability].name;
 	},
-	char: function(){
-		return Characters.findOne(this.charId, {fields:{_id: 1}});
-	},
 	sourceName: function(){
 		if (this.parent.collection === "Characters"){
 			if (this.parent.group === "racial"){
-				return Characters.findOne(this.charId, {fields:{race: 1}}).race || "Race";
+				return Characters.calculate.getField(this.charId, "race") || "Race";
 			}
 			if (this.parent.group === "background"){
 				return "Background";
diff --git a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillRow/skillRow.html b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillRow/skillRow.html
index 65cc3814..37caa03b 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillRow/skillRow.html
+++ b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillRow/skillRow.html
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@
 			{{#if failSkill}}
 				<div class="fail skill-mod">fail</div>
 			{{else}}
-				<div class="{{advantage}} skill-mod">{{../skillMod skill}}</div>
+				<div class="{{advantage}} skill-mod">
+					{{characterCalculate "skillMod" ../_id skill}}
+				</div>
 			{{/if}}
 			<div flex>
 				{{name}}
@@ -16,7 +18,7 @@
 					*
 				{{/if}}
 				{{#if showPassive}}
-					({{../passiveSkill skill}})
+					({{characterCalculate "passiveSkill" ../_id skill}})
 				{{/if}}
 			</div>
 		</div>
diff --git a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillRow/skillRow.js b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillRow/skillRow.js
index 8c4ca52c..760c0e4f 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillRow/skillRow.js
+++ b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/skillRow/skillRow.js
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Template.skillRow.helpers({
 		return "radio-button-off";
 	},
 	failSkill: function(){
-		var charId = Template.parentData(1)._id;
+		var charId = Template.parentData()._id;
 		return Effects.find({
 			charId: charId,
 			stat: this.skill,
@@ -16,12 +16,13 @@ Template.skillRow.helpers({
 		}).count();
 	},
 	advantage: function(){
-		var advantage = Template.parentData(1).advantage(this.skill);
+		var charId = Template.parentData()._id;
+		var advantage = Characters.calculate.advantage(charId, this.skill);
 		if (advantage > 0) return "advantage";
 		if (advantage < 0) return "disadvantage";
 	},
 	conditionalCount: function(){
-		var charId = Template.parentData(1)._id;
+		var charId = Template.parentData()._id;
 		return Effects.find({
 			charId: charId,
 			stat: this.skill,
diff --git a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/stats.html b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/stats.html
index 20a63d87..0e7eb6da 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/stats.html
+++ b/rpg-docs/client/views/character/stats/stats.html
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@
 		<div class="left display1 white-text {{color}}"
 			 hero-id="toolbar" {{detailHero stat ../_id}}>
 			{{#if isSkill}}
-				{{../skillMod stat}}
+				{{characterCalculate "skillMod" ../_id stat}}
 			{{else}}
-				{{prefix}}{{../attributeValue stat}}
+				{{prefix}}{{characterCalculate "attributeValue" ../_id stat}}
 			{{/if}}
 		</div>
 		<div class="right subhead" flex horizontal layout center>
diff --git a/rpg-docs/lib/functions/preventLoop.js b/rpg-docs/lib/functions/preventLoop.js
index d71b6a2c..12deea1f 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/lib/functions/preventLoop.js
+++ b/rpg-docs/lib/functions/preventLoop.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 preventLoop = function(inputFunction){
+	var self = this;
 	if (!_.isFunction(inputFunction)){
 		throw new Meteor.Error(
 			"Not a function",
@@ -9,23 +10,26 @@ preventLoop = function(inputFunction){
 	//if we try to visit the same argument twice before resolving its value
 	//we are in a dependency loop and need to GTFO
 	var visitedArgs = [];
-	return function(argument){
-		var value;
+	return function(){
+		var result;
+		var hash = _.reduce(arguments, function(memo, arg) {
+			return memo + arg;
+		}, "");
 		//we're still evaluating this attribute, must be in a loop
-		if (_.contains(visitedArgs, argument)) {
+		if (_.contains(visitedArgs, hash)) {
 			console.warn("dependency loop detected");
 			return NaN;
 		} else {
-			//push this skill to the list of visited skills
+			//push this hash to the list of visited hashes
 			//we can't visit it again unless it returns first
-			visitedArgs.push(argument);
+			visitedArgs.push(hash);
 		}
 		try {
-			value = inputFunction.call(this, argument);
+			result = inputFunction.apply(this, arguments);
 		} finally{
-			//this argument returns or fails, pull it from the array
-			visitedArgs = _.without(visitedArgs, argument);
+			//this hash returns or fails, pull it from the array
+			visitedArgs = _.without(visitedArgs, hash);
 		}
-		return value;
+		return result;
 	};
 };
diff --git a/rpg-docs/lib/memoize/memoize.js b/rpg-docs/lib/memoize/memoize.js
index 6d510374..092a4036 100644
--- a/rpg-docs/lib/memoize/memoize.js
+++ b/rpg-docs/lib/memoize/memoize.js
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function CacheObject(func, address, args, cache, context){
 			if (!computation.firstRun && !self.dep.hasDependents()){
 				computation.stop();
 				delete cache[address];
-				console.log("Nothing depends on '" + address + "', deleting");
+				return;
 			}
 			//call the expensive function
 			var newValue = func.apply(context, args);