The next time I am a player, I am thinking just recording the value of the proficiency bonus and the attribute bonuses. Then listing the proficiencies without adding the bonus together together and see how that plays.
This is how I do my characters using Google Docs, plus tool proficiency. It makes it really simple to figure out the modifier when using different ability scores.
This is how I do my characters using Google Docs, plus tool proficiency. It makes it really simple to figure out the modifier when using different ability scores.
I have a "Standard Actions" listed like monster stat blocks, since they don't change very often. I include cantrips and weapon attacks, but I seldom bother with other spells.
It doesn't matter if people "universally use" it, fixing so many omissions while not even bothering to have so much as a single box for tracking it just feels like ensuring a self fulfilling prophecy of "it's impossible to track so nobody track it and anyone who requires it is an unfuj monster". That or they removed encumbrance entirely in the name of making it more "streamlined".
They added a lot of long missing things (noticing to the sheet like concentration, ritual & material checkboxes for spells, death save tracking, attunement slot tracking, & maybe others
Not having anything whatsoever for weight/wt/pounds/lb/etc in inventory or even having a box for encumbrance is pretty glaring given everything else added. It could be on one of the pages we haven't seen, but it's not like wotc has given any indications to give warm fuzzies on that.
OK, I have to wonder if the people making the sheet have even played the game. I have the same issue with the 2014 sheet. The equipment box is tiny.
I mean, this is typical fighter starting gear (using the suggested gear for a 2014 fighter + soldier background):
Chain mail
Weapon
Shield
Light crossbow
20 bolts
Backpack
Bedroll
Mess kit
Tinderbox
10 torches
10 rations
Waterskin
50 ft rope
Rank insignia
Trophy from a fallen enemy
Deck of cards
Common clothing
Pouch
And that's before you set out on actually adventuring and start picking up loot, clues, various exploration gear, and so on. How do they expect you to fit your gear into that teeny tiny box? Are we expected to use microfiche? A redesign suggestion would be to give spells their own sheet, and use that space for gear.
OK, I have to wonder if the people making the sheet have even played the game. I have the same issue with the 2014 sheet. The equipment box is tiny.
I mean, this is typical fighter starting gear (using the suggested gear for a 2014 fighter + soldier background):
Chain mail
Weapon
Shield
Light crossbow
20 bolts
Backpack
Bedroll
Mess kit
Tinderbox
10 torches
10 rations
Waterskin
50 ft rope
Rank insignia
Trophy from a fallen enemy
Deck of cards
Common clothing
Pouch
And that's before you set out on actually adventuring and start picking up loot, clues, various exploration gear, and so on. How do they expect you to fit your gear into that teeny tiny box? Are we expected to use microfiche? A redesign suggestion would be to give spells their own sheet, and use that space for gear.
It could be that they neglected to mention one of the tracking sheets and said sheet is a proper page for tracking inventory, but I suspect that is unlikely and the person who made the sheet has little or no experience playing as you note -OR- that person simply doesn't like tracking it personally and is using their control over the sheet to house rule everyone else's game through nonsupport of inventory containers and encumbrance.
The next time I am a player, I am thinking just recording the value of the proficiency bonus and the attribute bonuses. Then listing the proficiencies without adding the bonus together together and see how that plays.
Also, listing only the skills and tools that one is proficient in looks more flavorful. The selected proficiencies are things the character is especially good at. The player should aim for these. But otherwise, one can try anything depending on a situation.
It could be that they neglected to mention one of the tracking sheets and said sheet is a proper page for tracking inventory, but I suspect that is unlikely and the person who made the sheet has little or no experience playing as you note -OR- that person simply doesn't like tracking it personally and is using their control over the sheet to house rule everyone else's game through nonsupport of inventory containers and encumbrancem
I mean, I could see the point if the powers that be decided to make D&D a game where you're just assumed to have stuff around, or collapse most stuff into gear kits. For that, the box would be on the small side but OK. But D&D is still a game that expects you to track individual torches and rations and pitons and such. And that's not happening in a space like that.
For a picture of the character I prefer a full-size separate sheet of paper, that is easily seen from across the table. So I never include a "box" in the character sheet for an image.
On the other hand, for the design I write down all of the entries that a level 20 character needs, to make sure there is enough space to accommodate everything − and by the time it is done, it tends to look complex.