n3dst4
First Post
UPDATE: I've just uploaded a new version. The big change is the "Adding Up" page at the back, which should spell out what needs to go where for players who have trouble "getting it". It covers BABs, saves, and AC. Minor improvements are pointing the Initiative box the other way round, and dropping 10th-levels spells in favour of 0th level spells. On account of the fact that people actually have 0th level spells. And now on with the advertised post...
The other day I pulled my old "red box" D&D set out of the attic. I say "red box", but of course I mean "dog-eared pink box". I was amazed at how slim the books were, how simple and easy the rules were. And then I turned over the "Players Manual" (no apostrophe) and lo! The OD&D character sheet on the back cover.
Remember the little flourishes around the shield-shaped AC box? The circular blanks for saving throws? Holding it side-by-side with a 3.5e character sheet, there was no contest. The old sheet reminded me of the glory days, not the arithmetic quagmire that the new sheet represents.
But I'm not just harping on about the old days, because I still want to play 3.5e, not OD&D. So I sat down with Illustrator and InDesign, and with apologies to The Mad Irishman, who has already travelled a short way down this road, I squeezed out a completely new, yet completely retro 3.5e character sheet. Yes, Virginia, there is a trapezoidal hit point box.
This is not just regression therapy. It's also my attempt at a genuinely more useable character sheet for 3.5e. All the arithemtic is banished to a rules summary page at the end, so all you have at the top of the first page is nice big blanks for the important numbers. The layout is more regular, less confusing than the standard sheet. It should certainly be a boon for players who still, after any number of games, say "Where's my initiative? Is that where it says reflex?"
Errata, opinions and thoughts are solicited: http://download.n3dst4.com/neds_d20_sheet.pdf
The other day I pulled my old "red box" D&D set out of the attic. I say "red box", but of course I mean "dog-eared pink box". I was amazed at how slim the books were, how simple and easy the rules were. And then I turned over the "Players Manual" (no apostrophe) and lo! The OD&D character sheet on the back cover.
Remember the little flourishes around the shield-shaped AC box? The circular blanks for saving throws? Holding it side-by-side with a 3.5e character sheet, there was no contest. The old sheet reminded me of the glory days, not the arithmetic quagmire that the new sheet represents.
But I'm not just harping on about the old days, because I still want to play 3.5e, not OD&D. So I sat down with Illustrator and InDesign, and with apologies to The Mad Irishman, who has already travelled a short way down this road, I squeezed out a completely new, yet completely retro 3.5e character sheet. Yes, Virginia, there is a trapezoidal hit point box.
This is not just regression therapy. It's also my attempt at a genuinely more useable character sheet for 3.5e. All the arithemtic is banished to a rules summary page at the end, so all you have at the top of the first page is nice big blanks for the important numbers. The layout is more regular, less confusing than the standard sheet. It should certainly be a boon for players who still, after any number of games, say "Where's my initiative? Is that where it says reflex?"
Errata, opinions and thoughts are solicited: http://download.n3dst4.com/neds_d20_sheet.pdf
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What are 2edD&D Holmes and 3edD&D Holmes, by the way?
