Do you keep your Players' character sheets?

[Philotomy Jurament]

I offer to, and the majority of players take me up on it. But I don't insist if the player wants to hold on to it. (Of course, those are the players who forget to bring their sheets -- "Damn, I thought it was in my folder with the rest of my stuff...")

 

[Bullgrit]

This is something I completely do not understand: Players forgetting their character sheets. I mean, the Player knows the game is Friday night (or whenever), and they know they have to bring their character sheet to play -- it's not like game sessions are surprise occurances. I presume the Player is going to the game session because he wants to play, not because he's forced to. But they forget to bring their character sheet?

I can see someone forgetting their sheet, like, once. Maybe they pulled it out of their gaming stuff the night before, to make an adjustment, but didn't immediately put it back. The next day, they pick up their books and head out, accidentally leaving the sheet off to the side of their desk. Sure, accidents can happen.

But regularly forgetting the sheet? I've had one Player who forgot his character sheet a game session every few months. We other Players always ragged on him when he did this. This mistake was usually because he pulled it out to make adjustments or something and he didn't put it back in his gaming pile right after.

Personally, I am very absent minded, (much to my wife's consternation). But when I'm about to head out the door to go to the game session, I collect all my gaming materials. I check to make sure my character sheet is with me. I've never forgotten my character sheet. Going to a game session is not something that just jumps up and happens when you might not be prepared.

I would consider someone who regularly/often forgets his character sheet when going to a game session is either not really into playing the game, or has a mental problem. Do these people forget to show up to the game session? Do these people forget they drove to the game session, and start walking home 20 miles? Do these people forget what game they're playing at the game session? How can they remember to go to the game session, but forget the one thing they must have to play the game?

Bullgrit

 

[Azgulor]

My players keep their own sheets. First of all, it's theirs. Secondly, I find that if they have it to look at, they're more apt to think about the character, goals, and the game in general in their spare time than if they don't.

That said, I keep a hardcopy and also an electronic copy. It helps me develop adventures with their abilities & skills in mind, prevents the "oops, I forgot my character sheet", and helps me make sure no one's forgotten a skill point, feat, or somesuch.

 

[Azgulor]

This is something I completely do not understand: Players forgetting their character sheets. I mean, the Player knows the game is Friday night (or whenever), and they know they have to bring their character sheet to play -- it's not like game sessions are surprise occurances. I presume the Player is going to the game session because he wants to play, not because he's forced to. But they forget to bring their character sheet?
Bullgrit

If the sheet & dice is all they're bringing, I rarely see a problem. However, if the player has their own rulebook, plays in multiple campaigns, or takes a turn at GMing himself, one folder looks much like another.

I've done this myself as a GM. Different folders for different things for organizational reasons. Get to game site only to discover that the folder I need most isn't in the backpack along with the rulebooks and other folders.

It happens.

 

[Holy Bovine]

This is something I completely do not understand: Players forgetting their character sheets. I mean, the Player knows the game is Friday night (or whenever), and they know they have to bring their character sheet to play -- it's not like game sessions are surprise occurances. I presume the Player is going to the game session because he wants to play, not because he's forced to. But they forget to bring their character sheet?

I can see someone forgetting their sheet, like, once. Maybe they pulled it out of their gaming stuff the night before, to make an adjustment, but didn't immediately put it back. The next day, they pick up their books and head out, accidentally leaving the sheet off to the side of their desk. Sure, accidents can happen.

But regularly forgetting the sheet? I've had one Player who forgot his character sheet a game session every few months. We other Players always ragged on him when he did this. This mistake was usually because he pulled it out to make adjustments or something and he didn't put it back in his gaming pile right after.

Personally, I am very absent minded, (much to my wife's consternation). But when I'm about to head out the door to go to the game session, I collect all my gaming materials. I check to make sure my character sheet is with me. I've never forgotten my character sheet. Going to a game session is not something that just jumps up and happens when you might not be prepared.

I would love to have all my players in my groups be like you. Sadly, over the years, i seem to collect the terminally absent-minded. Now not every player is like this, of course, but out of 5-7 players 1 will invariably forget something for the session - dice, sheets, rulebooks etc. It may not be your experience but it certainly has been mine.

I would consider someone who regularly/often forgets his character sheet when going to a game session is either not really into playing the game, or has a mental problem. Do these people forget to show up to the game session? Do these people forget they drove to the game session, and start walking home 20 miles? Do these people forget what game they're playing at the game session? How can they remember to go to the game session, but forget the one thing they must have to play the game?

I would say the players in my groups are engaged with the game. They RP, get excited during combat, ask questions about the world etc. Also it is rarely the same person who forgets something week after week. It just seems that out of the group 1 person, rarely 2, would forget something.

 

[Bullgrit]

1 will invariably forget something for the session - dice, sheets, rulebooks etc.

Forgetting "something" I can see, especially if the Player has a lot to bring. But the character sheet -- the one thing you can't borrow/share from a friend, and the one thing you absolutely need to play your character?

Bullgrit

 

[billd91]

This is something I completely do not understand: Players forgetting their character sheets. I mean, the Player knows the game is Friday night (or whenever), and they know they have to bring their character sheet to play -- it's not like game sessions are surprise occurances. I presume the Player is going to the game session because he wants to play, not because he's forced to. But they forget to bring their character sheet?

It happens. I see it mostly with married couples now. One grabs up gaming stuff but doesn't notice that their spouse's character folder was somewhere else.

I also see it when a player has printed out the updated character sheet but ends up forgetting it at the printer while grabbing up the rest of her stuff.

I've done it when I've forgotten that I took the character sheet out of the folder or the book I was keeping it in. I grab up the folder or book not realizing that the character sheet isn't currently in it.

I'd say something like this happens once every 2 months of weekly playing.

 

[Jhaelen]

This is something I completely do not understand: Players forgetting their character sheets. I mean, the Player knows the game is Friday night (or whenever), and they know they have to bring their character sheet to play -- it's not like game sessions are surprise occurances. I presume the Player is going to the game session because he wants to play, not because he's forced to. But they forget to bring their character sheet?

Well, a common case in one of my groups is a player who has brought the wrong character sheet on several occasions. The likelihood for this to happen increases with the number of game groups you are participating in.

It even happened to me once! *gasp*

 

[Holy Bovine]

Forgetting "something" I can see, especially if the Player has a lot to bring. But the character sheet -- the one thing you can't borrow/share from a friend, and the one thing you absolutely need to play your character?

Bullgrit

Which is why I keep them. Zero chance they can ever be forgotten that way (and yes players have forgotten them on more than 1 occasion - heck on more than a dozen occasions I'm safe to say). Nothing slows down play than having to find/make up a new sheet without the old one. With the advent of the Character Builder for 4E it is less imperative but I really don't want to be running off a new sheet for anyone everytime we sit down to play. To me and my groups it really isn't a big deal. I'm honestly puzzled by the reaction some have to this idea.

 

[Umbran]

Forgetting "something" I can see, especially if the Player has a lot to bring. But the character sheet -- the one thing you can't borrow/share from a friend, and the one thing you absolutely need to play your character?

Yep.

As an example - in the past I've had people who kept their sheets on a clipboard (easy to flip through, and all). If they played in several games, and/or used the clipboard for other things between sessions,they would tend to grab the clipboard, assuming the sheet was still on there, when it had been removed.

Or, a player could grab their bag of gaming stuff, not realizing they'd taken the sheet out at some point (with another book, or switching between games, or the like) and not put it back. Or, they'd hop in the car, thinking their game bag was in the trunk when it wasn't, or...

There's a bazillion ways people can forget stuff.