D&D General What character sheets do you use and what do you put on them?

Dragonhelm · 2025-12-29T02:06:59+0000

I'm curious to know if you use the official character sheet, a third party sheet, D&D Beyond's online sheet (with PDF download?), or your own custom sheet?

Also, how much detail do you put on them? The full text of your abilities? The name of the ability and the source page number? Something else?

billd91 · 2025-12-29T02:11:19+0000

Dragonhelm said:
Also, how much detail do you put on them? The full text of your abilities? The name of the ability and the source page number? Something else?

There rarely seems to be room to put on the full text of an ability, particularly with a paper sheet. So I put down the name of the ability and the page number for a quick reference.

Clint_L · 2025-12-29T02:18:25+0000

DDB, and I don’t bother downloading it. I love that you can hover over everything for the full text, it tracks all of your inventory and the party inventory, and even rolls for you if you want, with rolls visible to other players and the DM. It also links directly to the virtual tabletop. Amazing for new players - really all they need.

In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of my newbies think the character sheet is basically all of D&D.

Lakesidefantasy · 2025-12-29T04:13:35+0000

I use the official sheet from the Players Handbook.

I don't put the full text of features and traits on the sheet, just range, saves, effects, etc. I also clearly indicate what is a bonus action and what is a reaction. I also make a list of bonus and reactions in the combat box.

I also divide equipment into four groups: Person, Pouch, Pack, and Property.

Finally, I put check boxes next to long rest dependent abilities and check bubbles next to short rest dependent ones.

Shiroiken · 2025-12-29T11:17:07+0000

Since I play exclusively online, I use Google Drive to create a document or spreadsheet that I can share with the group. That way, they can use it when I'm not available. We also make documents to track loot and various notes.

Richards · 2025-12-29T13:15:59+0000

I use the character sheet from the PHB, but that's just page one of the folder I assemble for each PC. There's also a "class abilities and feats" sheet, an attack matrix for the PC's various weapons, spell sheets (for spellcasters), creature stat sheets (for mounts, familiars, animal companions, frequently-summoned monsters, etc.), equipment lists (with brief descriptions of the abilities of magic items), and anything else worth having at hand.

Johnathan

aco175 · 2025-12-29T13:26:39+0000

I have a homemade sheet I have been updating since 2e days. I like to have everything on one page unless I'm playing a caster, then I have 2 pages. It is in the resources someplace from the last time we had a thread like this.

For abilities, I like to shorthand at this point. I'll just write; 2nd Wind. 1D10+L. If I play at a convention, I like to print out the spell descriptions to have handy

AlViking · 2025-12-29T13:32:20+0000

I download the PDF from DndBeyond and replace the "Profiencies and Training" and "Actions" with abbreviated details I actually need for running my character at a glance. Inventory management and spells I use my phone for the most part. I also modify attack notes with info I actually need, even if every once in a great while I have to double check on my phone. When I level up I copy from the previous level and check to see if I need to modify anything.

It helps me run my character a lot more efficiently, majority of time I can just glance at that one page. Before we had DndBeyond I made an excel spreadsheet that tracked everything and did basic calculations.

So the details for my dragonborn paladin look like

J-H · 2025-12-29T13:41:24+0000

I use the base character sheet, but then end up typing up my own one-page character summary listing Actions, Bonus Actions, Reactions, and prepared spells/abilities by type (AOE, attack, debuff, heal, etc.).
The greatest failing of the WOTC character sheets is the lack of clear categorization for Action, Bonus Action, Reaction abilities.

jdrakeh · 2025-12-29T13:48:32+0000

For D&D 5e (which is what I presume you're asking about), I use D&D Beyond's online sheet in our current game (our DM lives two states away; the rest of us meet at the FLGS with our laptops and an omnidirectional mic).

D&D General What character sheets do you use and what do you put on them?

Dragonhelm

Knight of Solamnia

billd91

Not your screen monkey (he/him) 🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️‍⚧️

Clint_L

Legend

Lakesidefantasy

Legend

Shiroiken

Legend

Richards

Legend

aco175

Legend

AlViking

Legend

J-H

Hero

jdrakeh

Front Range Warlock

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