Character sheet improvements

[GilesTheCleric]

What are some things that you wish were on the standard character sheet that aren't? I've got a bit of space on my latest version, and I can't think of anything else to put on it.

If anyone remembers my other thread (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?t=302541) on bonus types, I have resolved that with the design of this version - all bonus types are now represented for all fields, for extra op goodness.

Edit: link (https://www.dropbox.com/s/giadwv9y352b5ym/GilesTheCleric%27s%20char%20sheet.pdf) to sheet pdf.

[CRtwenty]

I haven't taken a look at your sheet, but having each magic item slot listed on the sheet so you can tell what spaces you have open at a glance is something that's pretty nice to have.

[GilesTheCleric]

I haven't posted my sheet - I wanted to hear what everyone came up with without mentioning what I already have. I think the responses will be less biased that way. Plus it would take a long time to list all of the data that my sheet contains and I'm feeling lazy =P

[fishyfishyfishy]

I know that I would love to have a section dedicated to Energy Resistances, Damage Reduction, Spell/Power Resistance and any other kind of defensive mechanism you might have for your character (preferably located near the section that lists AC and saves). Usually I have to record stuff like that in a tiny little section that's supposed to list class/race abilities.

Another thing about most character sheets is the above mentioned class/race abilities section. It's always too tiny to list the various race and class abilities a character might have. Especially when you play a class like the Rogue or Monk, who get a lot of class features.

I hope this helps.

[GilesTheCleric]

Maybe I should just post a pdf. Will edit OP.

Edit: Wow, it looks so much prettier as a pdf than it does as a spreadsheet. Anyway, please give me some suggestions for things to fill that blank directly above attacks. I don't know why some of the fields have decided to fill themselves in on the pdf version. Strange.

[Snowbluff]

Wait corruption and depravity? Going by the CMB and CMD... are there corruption rules in PF?

[GilesTheCleric]

It's a dual PF/3.5 sheet. I'm probably missing some PF stuff, but that doesn't really matter much. I just put some of it in case I needed it.

[Snowbluff]

It's a dual PF/3.5 sheet. I'm probably missing some PF stuff, but that doesn't really matter much. I just put some of it in case I needed it.

Hmm... A separate Trip/Grapple/Bullrush portion might be handy for specialized characters.

I don't know much about spread sheets, but would it be possible to add a variable to change the mentioned values to the CMB equivalent? So it would add BaB to somethings only if the sheet is marked as PF one?

[GilesTheCleric]

Ah, that's a good idea. I don't think I've ever personally used any of the sunder/trip/grapple etc rules in my ~10 years of 3.5. That's kind of funny, now that I think about it.

It's definitely possible to write a macro that would switch it between PF/3.5, but unfortunately I can't do that - I use NeoOffice on my mac, which doesn't support macros (macros are typically written in VB, which is win-only). I can just have both fields on the sheet at once. Alternatively, I could include a PF/3.5 'toggle' - a binary field that could switch the behaviour of cells depending on its value. That would be pretty much the same as a macro, just less sophisticated.

[Snowbluff]

Ah, that's a good idea. I don't think I've ever personally used any of the sunder/trip/grapple etc rules in my ~10 years of 3.5. That's kind of funny, now that I think about it. I really only trip things. I consider things like grapple really inefficient. :smalltongue:


mac,
<3


Alternatively, I could include a PF/3.5 'toggle' - a binary field that could switch the behaviour of cells depending on its value. That would be pretty much the same as a macro, just less sophisticated.

This was what I was thinking. :smallsmile:

[GilesTheCleric]

Well, when you get down to it, most things are pretty inefficient compared to things like grease or glitterdust.

Ah, I see. Putting in a PF toggle would be neat, but it's not very useful for me since I don't really play PF (the farthest I've gotten is level 2). I'll definitely put one in if I start running out of space, I think.

Any other ideas for things to fill up that empty space?

[Snowbluff]

Well, when you get down to it, most things are pretty inefficient compared to things like grease or glitterdust. I've done a bit of metagaming concerning the issue when it comes to these things. Tripping only works because you get attacks afterwards. Damage gets rid of things in general, but I prefer melee status effects. This is why I started my dirty tricks handbook.


Ah, I see. Putting in a PF toggle would be neat, but it's not very useful for me since I don't really play PF (the farthest I've gotten is level 2). I'll definitely put one in if I start running out of space, I think.

Any other ideas for things to fill up that empty space?
Okay. I don't do much PF, either. It pisses off a few of my DMs, and I can't stand a lot of the changes.

How about a little section for the HP/AC/Saves/Attack for an animal companion or familiar?

[Maginomicon]

What I wanted, I simply added (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4jdoKCdOXqNZWh4Vzd2NjUyUkk/edit?usp=sharing) (I used a sheet that used auto-calculations for many of the fields as a base sheet, which is why those fields may appear to have weird stuff in them.)

I took to using an online collaborative spreadsheet to manage inventories (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AojdoKCdOXqNdHhnaUxldjl1NEd0cTRiVkNzQzAtc 1E&usp=sharing) though since I figured out a way to handle the RAW encumbrance rules painlessly (The "shop" sheets exist so that when the party rolls into town they can go shopping for things without my direct supervision). The inventory lines on the main character sheet though are good for reminders of container worth and weight.

[fishyfishyfishy]

Hmm... A separate Trip/Grapple/Bullrush portion might be handy for specialized characters.


This seems perfect for that area

[kabreras]

Is your sheet suposed to be a fillable pdf with auto calculations ?

For the skills and differentiation 3.5/PF maybe use a collor to show the ones that arent PF (listen and so on) ?

Looke like you also forgot clerics turns also ?

[squera]

I've translated the amazing sheet of Dragon's lair (in italian http://digilander.libero.it/icavalieridelgiglio/images/Download/schede/DL%20scheda%203.5E%20v2.5.pdf )
in english (here http://people.cs.kuleuven.be/~marco.patrignani/About_Me_files/Perfect_sheet_squera_eng_NEW2.pdf)

It's not as perfect (as the name says), there should be typos and fixable things, but i've found (and lots of other people) it much better than the average wizards sheet or what you can find with a google search.
Try it out!

[Firechanter]

The sheet is already pretty good, but I would do some things slightly differently.

Imho it has too many Attacks. Kick out one of those fields, and pull up the Shield/Protective Item field on the first page.

The spell section should have a field for Domain spells. You know how on the official charsheets, the Domain-spell field has so teeny-tiny lines that a normal person can't even write on them properly? Your chance to do that better.

I'd kick out the pre-numeration for the Feats. It doesn't account for possible Racial feats, or class-feats, or the fact that PF uses a different feat progression (which, might I add, I have adopted into my 3.5 games).

(I suppose the PDF is supposed to be editable, but it doesn't work in my reader.)

[Zanos]

Different bonus types for ability scores, since the other fields seem to be pretty extensive.

[Uhtred]

The one that a lot of folks leave out (that Wizards actually remembers in their four page 3.5 Character Sheet) is a little section for your familiar/animal companion/mount stats. Theoretically those stats will improve, so having a section to track their AC and number of attacks and the like is handy to a pet-heavy group like mine.

[GilesTheCleric]

How about a little section for the HP/AC/Saves/Attack for an animal companion or familiar?

This is probably a good idea. Typically I've just run companions etc. on their own full char sheet, but that's probably a bit overkill.


What I wanted, I simply added (https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4jdoKCdOXqNZWh4Vzd2NjUyUkk/edit?usp=sharing) (I used a sheet that used auto-calculations for many of the fields as a base sheet, which is why those fields may appear to have weird stuff in them.)

I took to using an online collaborative spreadsheet to manage inventories (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AojdoKCdOXqNdHhnaUxldjl1NEd0cTRiVkNzQzAtc 1E&usp=sharing) though since I figured out a way to handle the RAW encumbrance rules painlessly (The "shop" sheets exist so that when the party rolls into town they can go shopping for things without my direct supervision). The inventory lines on the main character sheet though are good for reminders of container worth and weight.

That item sharing spreadsheet is a brilliant idea. I hope you don't mind if I borrow it? Being able to just add a few fields to the wotc char sheet is nice - you get to preserve all of that lovely whitespace. I've never used a lot of the things that you've added, though - I've never touched spell points or action points. I guess I could add a section for 'points' in general if there's a bit of space left, since that wouldn't take up too much.


Is your sheet suposed to be a fillable pdf with auto calculations ?
No, it's actually an auto-calculating spreadsheet. I just posted it as a pdf to make it easier for everyone to look at it. That's one reason why I don't mind it running into 3 pages, and why there's some things 'missing', like the dex to AC field, or str to grp. I run my sheet straight from my computer during play, so the printability and writability of this isn't important.



For the skills and differentiation 3.5/PF maybe use a collor to show the ones that arent PF (listen and so on) ?

Looke like you also forgot clerics turns also ?
Using colour for different skills is a good idea; I'll definitely put that in. Things like turns, rages, smites, etc. go in the 'uses' section at the top.


I've translated the amazing sheet of Dragon's lair (in italian http://digilander.libero.it/icavalieridelgiglio/images/Download/schede/DL%20scheda%203.5E%20v2.5.pdf )
in english (here http://people.cs.kuleuven.be/~marco.patrignani/About_Me_files/Perfect_sheet_squera_eng_NEW2.pdf)
Wow, the BAB section on that sheet is incredible. If I had the space, I would definitely do mine like that. The movement section is nice, too. It's definitely a good sheet and although it looks nicer than mine, it's less efficient and detailed.


Imho it has too many Attacks. Kick out one of those fields, and pull up the Shield/Protective Item field on the first page.

The spell section should have a field for Domain spells. You know how on the official charsheets, the Domain-spell field has so teeny-tiny lines that a normal person can't even write on them properly? Your chance to do that better.

I'd kick out the pre-numeration for the Feats. It doesn't account for possible Racial feats, or class-feats, or the fact that PF uses a different feat progression (which, might I add, I have adopted into my 3.5 games).

Yes, there are quite a lot of attacks. I do usually fill them all up, though; my motto is "carry six weapons in case five of them break". Hmn, I always just stick domain spells in with the regular spells (I just put a "D:" in front of them).

I can definitely see the benefit to that, though - I don't have the domains discriminated on my spell spreadsheet. I'll probably add a second sheet to the spells spreadsheet to accommodate this, I think.

This is a spreadsheet and not a pdf, so pre-naming some fields isn't a problem. I'll definitely keep it in mind if I ever print the sheet, though.


Different bonus types for ability scores, since the other fields seem to be pretty extensive.

I gave this some thought on this latest revision, and ultimately decided it wasn't necessary. There's only a few types of bonuses to abilities - inherent and enhancement. Inherent isn't likely to ever change once it's applied, and enhancement is accommodated by the single temp field. I think the worst-case scenario is polymorph+enhancement+bestow curse, but even that isn't too difficult to keep track of.

This was the same reason I didn't include full fields for grp and init - there's very few modifiers for them.