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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Greywander's Avatar

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    Nov 2017

    Default What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    I've been using a Google doc spreadsheet character sheet for a while that's pretty good, but I thought I might try making my own character sheet. I have few quibbles with the one I've been using, so it will be nice to fix those issues or add the features I want myself. I'm curious what specific features (that aren't necessarily obvious) other people would like to see.

    As an example, the current sheet I've been using has no space to add bonuses to saving throws (such as from a Ring of Protection or the paladin's aura). Another example is that the sheet also has no place to mark current HP. I'd also like to add the option to use custom gestalt rules instead of automatically calculating character level as the sum of your class levels.

    I'm also considering making inventory and spells into separate sheets. Would this be preferable, or is it better to have a dozen sheets with everything all in one document?

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Nov 2016

    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    Neat project!

    I prefer one document with different sheets/tabs. Even my phone has enough RAM spreadsheets don't slow it down.

    For awhile I have been using someone's downloadable character sheets which are customized for each class. That may help you.

    Also consider how to have the most information on a screen. Be it printed on a paper, on a tablet, pc or phone. I like landscape orientation because that's how my eyes see but everyone else seems to like portrait lol

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Greywander's Avatar

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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    Here's the first draft of the character sheet. It was pretty heavily influenced by the sheet I was already using, so I'm sure you'll recognize it if you've used the same sheet as I have.

    https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...it?usp=sharing

    So far, it's only the main page (the most important part), with an introductory page explaining how it works. My next step is probably to add a section for background/backstory, personality, and other RP fluff. From there, an inventory, and finally, a spellbook.

    This isn't ready to use yet, but if you decide to make a copy anyway, please let me know if there are any bugs. I think the autofill fields are working correctly, but I'll have to actually use the sheet for a while to make sure. Also let me know if there's anything on the sheet that needs clarification.

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkVIIIMarc View Post
    I prefer one document with different sheets/tabs. Even my phone has enough RAM spreadsheets don't slow it down.
    Okay, this will save having to input the same data on different spreadsheets (e.g. STR score on both your character sheet and inventory).

    Also consider how to have the most information on a screen. Be it printed on a paper, on a tablet, pc or phone. I like landscape orientation because that's how my eyes see but everyone else seems to like portrait lol
    I think it's mostly tradition. I seem to have made the sheet closer to a square. There's unoccupied space on the side, but I have to scroll up and down to see all the sheet, so maybe I could reorganize it to exactly fill my screen (1920x1080, which is what I assume most people are using). If I do this, I'll probably opt to start over from scratch so I don't have to work around what's already there.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Orc in the Playground
     
    PirateGuy

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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    If ever I get around to making the charsheet generator I am planning, its main feature will be generating a page with a single list containing all the actions the character can take.

    I.E. all the weapon attacks, spells, hide, push, grapple, etcetc. With on one or two lines the relevant data (to hit bonus, damage, save ability and DC, ...)

    A short while ago, for a one-shot, I wanted the players to be able to run a midlevel character without knowing all the ins and outs of the rules, and a list of 'this is what you can do' seemed like a good option, and was received well.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    So a few things... I am assuming you want a stretch

    A long rest button to refresh resources
    A short rest button to refresh resources
    A spells known/prepared counter (with ability to add bonuses) to help load out the spellbook each day
    Drag an drop interface to add spells known/in book upon leveling up
    Resource tracker for all class resources - spells, HP, detect good and evil and for it to work with multiclass
    For multiclass a tracker to say which list a spell is from and so what the casting stat is
    A filter button for spells to be able to filter my available spells by level, by those for which I have a slot available, by casting time and by save

    A searchable inventory so I can do a free text search in the notes would be nice - automatically dating when something got added would be a nice touch so that 3 years down the line "slightly corroded copper ring with unusual triangular markings" might at least mean something I I know which dungeon I picked it up in.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Greywander's Avatar

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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    Quote Originally Posted by Reynaert View Post
    If ever I get around to making the charsheet generator I am planning, its main feature will be generating a page with a single list containing all the actions the character can take.

    I.E. all the weapon attacks, spells, hide, push, grapple, etcetc. With on one or two lines the relevant data (to hit bonus, damage, save ability and DC, ...)

    A short while ago, for a one-shot, I wanted the players to be able to run a midlevel character without knowing all the ins and outs of the rules, and a list of 'this is what you can do' seemed like a good option, and was received well.
    That's actually a neat idea! I'll see if I can fit a space in for special actions, bonus actions, and reactions. Depending on your build, there might be room for a lot of them, and you'll likely have to fill them in yourself (there are so many that I can't prefill all the possible actions for every possible build, and anyway most of them won't be in your build).

    Quote Originally Posted by MrStabby View Post
    So a few things... I am assuming you want a stretch

    A long rest button to refresh resources
    A short rest button to refresh resources
    Not sure if this is possible, but I can look into my options. I think something like this would work better for people who are already familiar with spreadsheet editing, so they could fill in their own abilities and add uses for them that reset when the rest button is clicked. It's simply not feasible to prefill all rest resources.

    A spells known/prepared counter (with ability to add bonuses) to help load out the spellbook each day
    This should be fairly simple. I just need to take your level in a class, figure in your modifier (if relevent), and put it through a formula. Pretty sure this is doable.

    Drag an drop interface to add spells known/in book upon leveling up
    I don't think this will be possible (not with my level of spreadsheet editing ability, at least). I do know there's a way to sort the spreadsheet or filter out certain results, so my plan is to prefill as many spells as I can (probably using https://donjon.bin.sh/5e/spells/ ) and then you can mark which ones you have known/prepared.

    Resource tracker for all class resources - spells, HP, detect good and evil and for it to work with multiclass
    Right now it auto-calculated hit points* and hit dice, and there's space to manually keep track of current and temp HP as well as spent hit dice. I also have a section for keeping track of arrows/ammo.

    *Because you have the option to roll for HP, you have to manually fill in what you rolled for each level. I could make it automatically calculate your HP, including for things like gestalt characters or more than 20 class levels, if I assumed you always took the average (which is typically what I do), but I don't want to force people to do that. Otherwise, the auto-calc takes the numbers you fill in, adds your CON mod, as well as any other per level bonus (Tough, hill dwarf, etc.) or flat bonus you've marked.

    For multiclass a tracker to say which list a spell is from and so what the casting stat is
    I'm debating whether it's better to keep spells from the same class together, or spells of the same level together. I might end up making a spell sheet for each class. I can also definitely calculate spell save DC and spell attack bonus for each casting stat.

    A filter button for spells to be able to filter my available spells by level, by those for which I have a slot available, by casting time and by save
    I know this is possible, but I'm not sure how to do it. I'll certainly try to figure it out, though, as this would all be quite useful.

    A searchable inventory so I can do a free text search in the notes would be nice - automatically dating when something got added would be a nice touch so that 3 years down the line "slightly corroded copper ring with unusual triangular markings" might at least mean something I I know which dungeon I picked it up in.
    Again, not sure if this is possible, but I'll look into it. Automatic dating sounds like a nifty feature.

    I'll be honest, my first reaction to your list of requests was, "Dude, it's just a spreadsheet," but now that I sit down and think about it, I think a lot of it is actually doable in some form.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    MindFlayer

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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    Sorry if it's a lot. I was thinking it was a bit of a project and you were asking for features it might be fun to build.

    I hadn't realised it was just a spreadsheet.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Greywander's Avatar

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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    Well, you can do a lot with spreadsheets these days. I just need to learn how, and this should be a fun way to do so. You could certainly do a lot more with a fully fledged program, but that's a bit more effort than I'm willing to put into this at the moment. Google doc spreadsheets are (comparatively) quick and easy to whip up, and they're also easy to fill out and share.

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Greywander's Avatar

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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    Quote Originally Posted by MarkVIIIMarc View Post
    I like landscape orientation
    Done. There's still space to scroll down, and I'll probably add a miscellaneous notes section below the fold. I can't simply delete the space, as I'm using it in hidden columns off to the side in order to calculate things before displaying them on the sheet. Although I could reorganize that data if I really wanted to, so I'll consider that as well.

    Quote Originally Posted by Reynaert View Post
    a single list containing all the actions the character can take.
    Done, sort of. There's a space to fill in actions, bonus actions, and reactions that you can take. It's up to you to fill it out yourself, as well as deciding what's important enough to merit a spot in the limited space.

    Quote Originally Posted by MrStabby View Post
    Resource tracker for all class resources
    Done, sort of. A new rule has been added for calculating the caster level of gestalt characters, or other characters with more class levels than character levels. Your caster level is automatically calculated, even taking into account single classed half and third casters (they round up instead of down, check the PHB and see for yourself), and a spell slot tracker now exists that will automatically un-gray-out spell slots as your caster level increases. Pact Magic slots and level are also automatically calculated. For other class resources, I've provided a space to fill in the ones you're using yourself, as resources are highly class and even subclass dependent, so it's simply not feasible to have a dedicated space for each of them.

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Bugbear in the Playground
     
    PaladinGuy

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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    I added a page to my custom character sheet, and I have actions listed out by rest (short, long, and other) and their uses per rest. It is paper though, and has dots to track usage, so you just erase the ticks when you take that rest. This might be able to be done in a spreadsheet, I'm not sure, but you could use a counter if nothing else.

    I also have an actions list, that lists all my actions by action type: bonus actions, reactions, and special actions. At a glance, I can see what actions I can take on my bonus action, and when a reaction is triggered. The list helps keep my options fresh in my head. Special actions are things like Horn of Valhalla that take a normal action. Edit: I see you have this on there now.

    I also have a short rest checklist, and a long rest checklist. For example, each short rest, I need to craft my mutagens for my Blood Hunter, and heal double any HD spent because of my Periapt of Wound Closure.

    I've found this page very handy when playing.

    Also Edit: A spot for conditions would be handy.
    Last edited by Demonslayer666; 2019-11-13 at 11:42 AM. Reason: I'm an idiot

  11. - Top - End - #11
    Bugbear in the Playground
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    Nov 2016

    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    Greywander, as an advanced project, visual basic in Excel and probably google docs can make a spreadsheet most anything.

    Don't be shy about the excel or google drive boards either. One lead me to a "regexmatch" of all things for summing partial matches over a tange.

  12. - Top - End - #12

    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    Well, to answer the thread title question: I would want it to be as easy to use as Kobold.club, which means it coudn't be a spreadsheet.

    After rolling stats and assigning them to abilities, I'd want the ability to tell it e.g. "Goblin Battlemaster 11/Diviner 9" and have it automatically compute everything I needed, with prompts for the information I need to fill in the blanks for like Fighting Style and ASIs/feats, and then when I'm done I should be able to hit Save and persist it to the cloud somewhere that I can easily load/modify it.

    I should be able to enter equipment and various spells, and it should automatically calculate and display a table somewhere of what my attacks/damage are with that equipment and those spells and equipment and whether I'm over my limit for carrying capacity or spells known, and should also summarize the cost of my equipment. (Gold cost for normal equipment, and user's choice of either rarity cost or gold cost for magic equipment.) Should likewise compute my HP and AC and display it nicely somewhere.

    Should also support printing to hard copy. If there are certain things like Languages which I haven't filled in yet, that shouldn't prevent me from saving, but it should show up in the printout as "not determined yet" or something similar.

    Ideally if the DM grants special exceptions like "everybody gets an extra feat" I'd be able to "break the rules" and add that extra feat, and it would just show up in the UI + hard copy printout as "has 1 extra feat".

  13. - Top - End - #13
    Pixie in the Playground
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    Apr 2014
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    Default Re: What features would you like in an online character sheet?

    I use open office for my Spreadsheet charactersheet that I use on my iPad.
    I use several tabs.
    One thing that I don't see on these sheets is KI points (or other power pools)
    I don't always play a monk, but I do like them. I am currently playing a Fighter
    with superiority dice.
    I like it so far, but it is made for a laptop. I would have to change it to fit on my tablet
    (or squish it down) I do like it none the less.

    Keep going.

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