Character Sheets: Quick Reference or "Kitchen Sink"?

[Woas]

My ideal character sheet (universally) should fit on a 3x5 index card. Second best should fit half a piece of 8x11 paper. The last acceptable character sheet is a single-side full 8x11 piece of paper. If a character sheet takes more page than that, then it's not doing the job and has a) too much wasted space, b) too much useless info, or c) both (a) and (b).

So yes, I think character record sheets should be for quick references during play and not a character work book. Keeping character motivations/story/roleplaying notes on something else (scratch paper, print it out at home and bring it in) is fine an even encouraged but keep them separate so they don't clutter up the reference card/sheet.

 

[Ahnehnois]

I just type up an expanded statblock in Word and print one out for each session, usually. They're detailed statblocks, I suppose, but rarely longer than a page. Even with a druid my spellcasting an animal companion only ran it up to both sides of the page. I don't look at it that much during the game.

 

[Remathilis]

As someone who has big handwriting, larger sheets are preferred. I made my own for years (using MS Publisher) and most have been 2 or 4 pages (my 3e and 4e sheets were 4, my 2e and saga sheets were 2). My biggest beef with the 4e sheet is that its too cramped for space, hence my 4e sheet being much bigger.

Though with CB, its less of an issue. Though I detest having to reprint my sheet every level.

 

[Desert Hare]

Give me an indepth character sheet that covers everything.

I also like a combat sheet to complement it to make reference quick and keep the game moving quickly.

 

[Irda Ranger]

I'm sort of surprised how neck-and-neck the poll is turning out. There are no one-page character sheets that I can find, so I sort of thought that the majority of people preferred the multi-page variety. Odd.

I bet is someone made a good one-page sheet for 4E it would be popular. Maybe a version with 'everything combat' on one side and 'everything else' on the other side, so that you only have to flip it over when going from fights to roleplaying scenes.

 

[possum]

My favorite D&D character sheet is four pages long. First page is Combat info, second is feats, equipment, carrying capacity, third is for magic stuff, and the fourth is background and RP notes.

 

[Mercutio01]

In addition to my power cards (which I like, and if I played 3.5 again I would probably try to make power cards for my character), I put all of the information I use in-session on one side of an index card.

Not to plug the character cards that Black Plauge and I made back when we did our Power Card templates for Magic Set Editor, but that's exactly what I used. I have a landscape card for the character info and all the powers on separate cards.

 

[Desert Hare]

My favorite D&D character sheet is four pages long. First page is Combat info, second is feats, equipment, carrying capacity, third is for magic stuff, and the fourth is background and RP notes.

Curious as to where you got it.

 

[arscott]

I prefer the quick-reference sheets for play. Worksheet style is obviously better for character creation (absent something like the character builder), and I think that 'official' character sheets ought to be workbook style.

I'm actually a big fan of the sheets that WotC uses for its delve pregens. One page with final-numbers-only basics, and a second with the full text of powers. I borrow their format for my own convention games (adding in a separate sheet for character background, if appropriate).

 

[possum]

Look online for Mad Irishman sheets. My DM handed one to me during my first session.

Actually, here you go