Player not using sheets.

Summer-Knight925 · Nov 20, 2012

Any way of convincing a player to use a character sheet rather than a bastardized word document that has skills not added up, saves all around the page, attacks on different parts of the document, ect. ect.

I've sent him the link to the PDF, and it is slowing play way down everytime it is his turn as it takes nearly a minute for a single skill check.
Something that takes a player with a sheet 15 seconds...

thoughts?

and for reference, I am a player in the group and it is really getting on my nerves.

Umbran · Nov 20, 2012

Yep. Easy-peasy. Do it for him. Go over his character with him, and make up a sheet for him, and hand it to him.

Really, I mean it. Life is too short not to invest small amounts of work to avoid frustration. Just get it done, and it'll be done.

Keldin · Nov 20, 2012

Summer-Knight925 said:
I am a player in the group and it is really getting on my nerves.

If doing it for him isn't possible, tell the DM this. Try to get the other players to do the same. The game is supposed to be fun for everyone - that's part of the DM's role - and this is entirely reasonable.

You can also try to use peer pressure, but that can backfire too.

Blackbrrd · Nov 20, 2012

Just fill in the character sheet in my signature and print it, it's one A4 page with everything you need. I usually print the complete power descriptions for reference on a second page. It rarely sees use in play though.

gamerprinter · Nov 20, 2012

I had one player with this problem (he actually cheats coming up with DC values out of his butt, and not from the sheet he doesn't use). I printed 2 sheets fully statted out - one for him and one for me (the GM). After a single session of play, and continuous corrections on my part vs. what the player was claiming his bonuses were. The problem went away and he uses his sheet now.

griffonwing · Nov 20, 2012

Have the GM give a time limit.

GM - "OK, he casts a fireball. What is your REFLEX save?"
Dunce - "Um.. hrmm..*checks the sheet.. turns it over..*
GM - (after 10 seconds) "BOOM! You were standing around just waiting for the fireball. You are thrown back 20 ft and take full damage from the blast"

Morrus · Nov 20, 2012

I've never tried to tell my players what to use. If one person wants to use an iPad app, another a character sheet, another WotC's character builder, and another writes it all out on notepaper by hand, that's all fine by me. Whatever works for them; I'm not the one playing the character.

I can see how it'd be frustrating if he hasn't already calculated common things though.

Wycen · Nov 20, 2012

Sometimes even doing it for them isn't good enough.

In one of my groups we have 2 younger players. One of the older players who's also the host and father of one of the players has updated their character sheets, printed them out and explained the numbers repeatedly.

They just don't remember or don't get it, or don't care, or some combination of these. In the daughter's case, who's old enough to attend college, she grew up with her parents playing DnD and other games but that apparently didn't help any.

For us, their is no solution except wait until they don't want to play anymore and play without them.

Man in the Funny Hat · Nov 20, 2012

Summer-Knight925 said:
I've sent him the link to the PDF, and it is slowing play way down everytime it is his turn as it takes nearly a minute for a single skill check. Something that takes a player with a sheet 15 seconds...

thoughts?

You've talked to the player. Now talk to the DM and express your dissatisfaction. If the DM won't clear up the issue you can talk to the other players, elect yourself Players Union rep and threaten to strike.

Summer-Knight925 · Nov 20, 2012

The DM, actually my father, is also upset about it.

We are doing the Rise of the Runelords adventure path, meeting every sunday from noon to 8.

We have 9 characters (8 players including the DM) and already it takes a while to get stuff done, just because the DM adds more monsters to keep the XP intake the correct amount (and to keep the challenge).

This player is a monk, who has not calculated his skills, saves, or attacks correctly.
His armor class yes, so I will give him that.
And his HP.

but saves, attacks, and skills, the three most common things you use.

Further more, half the time hes on 4chan instead of playing, if not more than half the time.

And the reason why time is a big deal is because we're going into the final part of the first adventure (meaning almost 1/6th of the way done) after about 4 sessions (this includes character creation)

And my best friend/barbarian in the group/brother-from-anotha-mutha is leaving in March for the Marine Corps, and I wanted to finish this before he leaves, but with play grinding to a halt every round, it scares me.