Quickstart 5e character sheet (beginner friendly)

I have just uploaded Quickstart 5e character sheet (beginner friendly) to the downloads area.

This is my first version of a simplified 5e main character sheet (derived from the official WotC 5e character sheet), that is aimed at being the least intimidating to beginners as possible, by minimizing the amount of information included, and offering plenty of space for at least the first two tiers of the game. The character sheet encourages minor calculations during the game.

Design notes:

- the character sheet is supposed to include only information that are useful to all characters, this is why it does not include spellcasting; when playing a spellcaster, an accompanying sheet should be used for everything related to spells; similarly, roleplay details and character's description, backstory or portrait, being all largely optional in many gaming group, deserve a separate sheet

- ARMOR stats are split up, to make it equally easier when the character is or is not donning armor or holding a shield; the "DEX/OTHER" section can include special passive bonuses such as natural armor or non-DEX ability bonuses to AC

- the HIT POINTS and HIT DICE section have small areas for static values (which change only at level up) and larger areas for values that change often

- the ATTACKS section is to be used for weapons and cantrips; it is limited to 5 different attacks under the assumption that most characters don't regularly use more, barring long-term changes; DAMAGE and TYPE are split (they are a bit cramped in the official character sheet); RANGE is added when applicable; NOTES can be used for short reminders (e.g. weapon special properties or extra cantrip effects); the area below can be used for additional weapons or for a few special abilities that should be remembered when making attacks

- the PROFICIENCIES & LANGUAGES section should be a mere list including skills, saving throws and tools, no numbers needed; characters who have Expertise or Reliable can just mark it manually in this section

- EQUIPMENT is meant for really equipped items including cash, but not treasure or possessions that are not carried while adventuring (for which a separate sheet is recommended); a QUANTITY column is added for ammunition/rations/torches if needed; weapons don't need to be listed again here if already included in the ATTACKS section

- the FEATURES & TRAITS section is purposefully large to allow players to optionally include a short reminder of how the feature works; an ACTION/TIME column is added as a quick reminder to how long does it take to use the feature and hence when it can be used (for an even quicker visual aid, I suggest to use colored markers to color-code different action types)

You can find the file here in the downloads section. Please use this thread for comments.

Interested, but don't see the actual file to download it.

[MENTION=1465]Li Shenron[/MENTION] Looks like it didn't upload properly.

[MENTION=6790261]SubDude[/MENTION] [MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION]

I don't know how to setup correctly, apparently... It was uploaded already but not visible, I have now unchecked the boxes "Is preview" and "Is thumbnail", and I think the link to download has become visible. Boh?

I am still not sure that "DEX/OTHER" is needed. My idea was to include a way to quickly get your unarmored AC in case you end up in combat when not wearing armor, in which case your AC is 10 + Dex (some character get other bonuses). But then maybe it's better to just have 2 AC values, one when armored, one when unarmored.

I also wonder if it might be useful to have Saving Throws in their own section, instead of being with the other proficiencies. The reason is that at least half of the classes and half of the races get some special ability related to Saving Throws, for example advantage in a subset of ST. It is very common, and it will be convenient to have this info directly near the ST proficiencies instead of somewhere in the "Features & Traits" section.

I have made those updates: http://www.enworld.org/forum/rpgdownloads.php?do=download&downloadid=1415

I also updated the description, but since it doesn't automatically update the first post, here's a short summary of changes in this 2nd version:

- removed the "DEX/OHTER" box for AC bonus (thus ARMOR should now contain the full AC)

- brought back the "SPEED" box (I originally removed this because we play gridless and don't bother with small speed differences, but I guess we are in the minority)

- added a new "SAVING THROW" free-form section, ST proficiencies should be marked here rather than under the general "PROFICIENCIES & LANGUAGES" section, together with any special abilities related to ST (for example, advantage on a certain subtype of ST)

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION] and [MENTION=6790261]SubDude[/MENTION] let me know what you think of this yet-another-character-sheet

[MENTION=1465]Li Shenron[/MENTION] It's a nice clean sheet. I'll just make a few quick comments about layout & design as it relates to beginners. Obviously YMMV because no D&D group is the same.

I think you could shrink down the HP and HD boxes, but especially the HD box to further draw attention to the HP, so those don't get confused.

This might allow more space for Proficiencies or for something like Initiative. I've seen experienced players flounder trying to remember their initiative, and actually it happens on Twitch streams often enough to make me think it deserves its own heading, and not just assuming players grok that Dex modifier = initiative 9 times out of 10.

Saving Throws always had a bigger present on the sheet going way back, with like a black field around them on old character sheets to draw the eye. There was a reason for that. I'd consider changing saving throws by (a) moving them under AC (because the eye goes to a "defenses" cluster, then to hit points), and (b) giving them circles/bubbles/boxes to call them out more.

The Attacks section also seems somewhat on the large side.

I think between those adjustments, you could probably include some additional information on the sheet. Personally, with new players I'm partial to a "sketch of your character goes here" white box, but it really depends on your groups' style. For example, some groups might like it for note-taking, others for recording personality/bonds/ideals/flaws, others for consumable magic items & arrow counting.

Quickleaf said:

[MENTION=1465]Li Shenron[/MENTION] It's a nice clean sheet. I'll just make a few quick comments about layout & design as it relates to beginners. Obviously YMMV because no D&D group is the same.

Click to expand...

Thanks for taking a look at my character sheet and giving suggestions

I have actually already given long thoughts on most of these topics (took me more than a year to finally step up and do the work...) so here's some more rationales for my current choices. Debatable, of course!

Quickleaf said:

I think you could shrink down the HP and HD boxes, but especially the HD box to further draw attention to the HP, so those don't get confused.

Click to expand...

The reason for the large boxes for current HP and used HD is because these are invariable the two numbers that are erased-rewritten most often during the game! Everything else on the character sheet changes a lot more slowly, basically only at level up (except equipment).

But the "size ratio" between HP and HD is actually something I haven't thought much about... I can consider shrinking the HD row if I need more space.

Quickleaf said:

This might allow more space for Proficiencies or for something like Initiative. I've seen experienced players flounder trying to remember their initiative, and actually it happens on Twitch streams often enough to make me think it deserves its own heading, and not just assuming players grok that Dex modifier = initiative 9 times out of 10.

Click to expand...

This one I disagree In fact, unless you happen to have the Alert feat, your Init bonus is always your Dex bonus. They could have even dropped the term initiative score from the game and just refer to Dex.

Quickleaf said:

Saving Throws always had a bigger present on the sheet going way back, with like a black field around them on old character sheets to draw the eye. There was a reason for that. I'd consider changing saving throws by (a) moving them under AC (because the eye goes to a "defenses" cluster, then to hit points), and (b) giving them circles/bubbles/boxes to call them out more.

Click to expand...

This can be done but... in 5e saving throws are really just reactive ability checks. It is redundant to write their bonuses when 4 out of 6 are going to be the same as ability bonuses for most characters. It's enough IMO to write down which ones you get the proficiency bonus.

OTOH it can really be useful to leave more space to write stuff like "advantage on ST against poison", because about half of the races and half of the classes have that kind of benefit, but if you don't write it near the ST, it will be somewhere under "Features", making it is easy to overlook.

Quickleaf said:

The Attacks section also seems somewhat on the large side.

Click to expand...

Yes, probably 5 lines are too many. Some characters use just one weapon or cantrip, most use 2-3 weapons. I was a bit generous with space here.

Again, the free area below is quite useful instead! A lot of characters have something related to attacks that is easier to keep in mind if written directly under their weapons.

Quickleaf said:

I think between those adjustments, you could probably include some additional information on the sheet. Personally, with new players I'm partial to a "sketch of your character goes here" white box, but it really depends on your groups' style. For example, some groups might like it for note-taking, others for recording personality/bonds/ideals/flaws, others for consumable magic items & arrow counting.

Click to expand...

All the RP stuff is moved to another sheet, so that the main one is only for the "crunch".

[MENTION=20323]Quickleaf[/MENTION] and [MENTION=6790261]SubDude[/MENTION] , I have added sheet 2 of 4 i.e. the Spellcasting Sheet.

I've printed it and I'll look at it later. First thought? Why a PNG file?