D&D 4E 4e Character Log: Need Feedback

[ACGalaga]

Hello everyone,

As a new DM I've been trying to come up with a way to keep better track of my player's characters and the things that happen to them in battle (such as surges used, death saves, etc).

Messing around with Word I came up with the attached. Since a characters healing surges vary, I figure I'll draw a line next to their max and just check them off from there. All in pencil of course...

So, I guess I'm looking for some feedback. What's good, what could be added, changed, etc. Also, I'm really not sure if it will work for Paragon or Epic tiers. It's not that pretty, really. Maybe I'll spiff it up when I've got a better or more solid design.

Thanks so much!

 

[Ferghis]

I'm confused by the fact that you're tracking their dailies and death saves but not their encounter powers. Also, I don't like tracking ammo, but I imagine some do.

 

[ACGalaga]

Yeah, I guess I could try to add encounter powers.

Thing is, we've only been playing twice a month, sometimes once a month. It's harder to keep track of things like whether a daily has been used or not. It could be 2 months later by the time they get a extended rest. (I don't like to be that harsh on the player's though).

As for ammo... hmm. Yeah, I haven't really been keeping track of it until I gave one of my players some magic arrows. There's only 20 of them.

Only two of my player's actually use ammunition, but I guess any of them could pick up a short bow if they wanted to. I got the idea from the Pathfinder character sheet and thought it was pretty neat.

Any other thoughts?

 

[Ferghis]

I would add each player's finances and party finances. Also, instead of dots, use the initials of the actual powers or item powers used.

Many DMs feel that this is the kind of stuff character sheets are for, but each gaming group is different.

 

[Ferghis]

If it's just the 20 magic arrows that are an issue, I'd put that info on *one* character sheet, no matter who uses them, and make tracking them that player's responsability.

 

[Arlough]

Hello and welcome.
Now that the niceties are completed, lets start with a soul-crushing-critique of your precious invention.

Not really, I'll leave soul crushing to John Steinbeck. But I do have some suggestions.

Before we go there, though, I wonder if you are averse to having a laptop or computer of some sort. If not, I would suggest one or more of the following:
[sblock="Digital Options"]

• A combat tracker with history. My current favorite (in part because of the degree to which my game is houseruled) is 4eTurnTracker, but it doesn't track player powers. There are others that do, though.
  • DnD4e Combat Manager (a.k.a. DnD4eCM) - This requires a bit of front end work, and isn't great for adding things on the fly, but once you have all the data in, it keeps track of powers, surges, hp, conditions, etc.
  • DM Minion - Links with Player Minion on Android and iOS devices. When I last tried it, it was PC only and did not have the Player Minion functionality, but it seemed good for both running and creating full blown campaigns in advance. It relies heavily on DDi subscription, though.
  • Power2ool - Web based management tool. Check out the Demo Video
• Use Google Docs - There are many play by post groups that have tools made already, or you can just make a spreadsheet of your own.
• Use Obsidian Portal - I noticed you have an OP account, you could use the note function in that to keep track.
• Maptool - There are many "framework"s that are for D&D 4e to make it easier to use with 4e. I use this at times and hook it up to the bigscreen but everyone also has it running on their individual machines. You can save an encounter mid way and resume with a history of what has been used thus far. Downside it the rather steep learning curve, but that has been reduced somewhat due to extensive community support and the aforementioned frameworks.
• DDi VTT - I really don't know anything about this, but it would be a grievous oversight for them to have overlooked something like resource tracking.

[/sblock]

Of course, if you are averse to using a digital medium, your sheet will suffice.
Name can be stacked over Surges and Action Points. This should free up some space for Encounters and Dailies. For both Encounters and Dailies, I suggest stacking them vertically, with a line next to each one where you can fill in the name of the power. This way you can help prevent the players from mistakenly using the same daily over and over. Death saving throws should be stacked as well.
The ammo column could use five boxes representing the ammo left in the current "clip" and each circle could indicate a new "clip" that represents 5 shots. This would save quite a bit of room.
Create a Conditions column. In it put lines next to them where you can put [EoNT] [EoE] and [SE]. If you number your monsters, you can put a number in front indicating which monster put the condition on the player. And you can then mark the appropriate duration of the condition (SE=Save Ends, EONT=End of Next Turn, etc.)

Here is a sheet based off of yours that expresses this idea.
View attachment Character Log (Arlough).pdf

I am wondering why you are tracking your players resources. It is a case of you don't trust them not to cheat, you don't trust them to actually keep track of their characters and equipment, or something else entirely? Also, do you keep track of their equipment, load (carrying capacity), and money as well?

 

[ACGalaga]

I would add each player's finances and party finances. Also, instead of dots, use the initials of the actual powers or item powers used.

Many DMs feel that this is the kind of stuff character sheets are for, but each gaming group is different.

Finances are a good idea. That was i guess what "other" was intended for. Finances, magic items, potions, etc... but it might be nice to have a place to write it.

About using the character sheets; yes, you're right, but I don't have access to their character sheets and they totally forget stuff all the time.

This sheet is intended for the DM (me) to take quick notes on the player's characters.

Though, I have been getting more in the habit of telling the players "Write it down!" when it comes to taking notes and keeping track of their inventory.

Hello and welcome.

Thanks (^_^)v

Before we go there, though, I wonder if you are averse to having a laptop or computer of some sort. If not, I would suggest one or more of the following:
[sblock="Digital Options"]

• A combat tracker with history. My current favorite (in part because of the degree to which my game is houseruled) is 4eTurnTracker, but it doesn't track player powers. There are others that do, though.
  • DnD4e Combat Manager (a.k.a. DnD4eCM) - This requires a bit of front end work, and isn't great for adding things on the fly, but once you have all the data in, it keeps track of powers, surges, hp, conditions, etc.
  • DM Minion - Links with Player Minion on Android and iOS devices. When I last tried it, it was PC only and did not have the Player Minion functionality, but it seemed good for both running and creating full blown campaigns in advance. It relies heavily on DDi subscription, though.
  • Power2ool - Web based management tool. Check out the Demo Video
• Use Google Docs - There are many play by post groups that have tools made already, or you can just make a spreadsheet of your own.
• Use Obsidian Portal - I noticed you have an OP account, you could use the note function in that to keep track.
• Maptool - There are many "framework"s that are for D&D 4e to make it easier to use with 4e. I use this at times and hook it up to the bigscreen but everyone also has it running on their individual machines. You can save an encounter mid way and resume with a history of what has been used thus far. Downside it the rather steep learning curve, but that has been reduced somewhat due to extensive community support and the aforementioned frameworks.
• DDi VTT - I really don't know anything about this, but it would be a grievous oversight for them to have overlooked something like resource tracking.

[/sblock]

Yeah, I really do need to get digital, but we're a little confined for space at the moment and having a laptop at the table is a bit cumbersome. Saving up for a tablet at the moment, maybe that will solve some of these issues.

Also, web based apps are not really an option since the location we play at often changes and wifi is usually not available.

For now, I'm just keeping it old school, pen and paper. Thanks for the links, though, and I'll certainly be sure to check these out.

Here is a sheet based off of yours that expresses this idea.
View attachment 51717

I am wondering why you are tracking your players resources. It is a case of you don't trust them not to cheat, you don't trust them to actually keep track of their characters and equipment, or something else entirely? Also, do you keep track of their equipment, load (carrying capacity), and money as well?

Thanks so much for your input and redesign! I really appreciate your help!! (for some reason I can give experience right now, otherwise I'd totally distribute)

I haven't been keeping track of load capacity (should I?) and only half-heartedly keeping track of their money. I find that most of the players in my game easily forget things. Maybe it's because they're afraid to write on their sheet, they don't take good notes, etc.

See, as a DM, taking good notes is a new thing to me and making a sheet like this is my attempts to be a little more organized with my note taking. Something simple that I can check off and easily reconfigure, leaving space in my notebook for other in-game notes.

 

[ACGalaga]

By the way [MENTION=79335]Arlough[/MENTION], You should totally take all the credit for coming up with this sheet. Your's is much nicer than the one I produced. If you don't mind I'll certainly try it out at the table this weekend

Thanks again!

 

[Arlough]

By the way [MENTION=79335]Arlough[/MENTION], You should totally take all the credit for coming up with this sheet. Your's is much nicer than the one I produced. If you don't mind I'll certainly try it out at the table this weekend

Thanks again!

No problem. Use it all you want.

As for load, it usually is something I just ignore until story relevant (ex: players must move statuary, to do so means slowed or they have to drop gear) but I know my players equipment and stats because all their character sheets are in Google docs for me to look at. Two of my player I know will keep track of that, as well, and another one is Str based and equipment light, so I would only have to track two of them if I suspect they are loading up on heavy loot.

I did have one player, though, who hauled around a metal bust (statue of a head and chest) weighing 250 lbs for four levels because he was certain it had value if he could find the right buyer. I kept track of his encumbrance because he, out of character, was choosing to be foolish. :banghead:

I will throw out a warning, DM to DM. If you are doing most all the work, burnout is probable. The players should be able to handle everything involved with their character. They only have to figure how to be one person each. You have to be the rest of the universe.
If they don't like writing on their character sheets, you could laminate the sheets or put them in sheet protectors and mark on that with grease pencils or wet erase marker. You could even hold their sheets for them with your stuff, which makes it easier to play that person's character in the case where they can't make it.

Basically, don't take everything on yourself. You will be doing neither them, nor yourself a service. If you use the sheet, in fact, assign one of them to track it for you and reward whoever does it with something like a bonus action point.

Any way you do it, report back to us and let us know how it goes.

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

 

[Ferghis]

I will throw out a warning, DM to DM. If you are doing most all the work, burnout is probable.

XP is disabled, but this.