DMs - Do you ask for your players character sheets?

[just__al]

Like, I suspect, many other DMs I ask for the sheets. I do this so I can refer to them when planning the next session or 3. I like to have a balance of encounters/challenges that..

a) everybody can help
b) one or two people shine and everybody else isn't particularly bad off
c) one or two people shine and everybody else is just sort of there for the ride

for any given character I like to keep it at about 70% A, 5% B where you can shine, 5%B where you cannot shine, 10% C where you can shine, and 10% C where you cannot


I also have a cheat sheet for all the players spot,listen etc. checks because I give the sheets back at the beginning of the game.

Besides, I'm always at a game I'm DMing so I know we have all the sheets.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Our DMs don't require us handing over copies of our character sheets. They trust us to be honest. (unless there's some mistake that we'd made...) There's one guy who hands his over because he's good at forgetting his on occasion. He'd forget and leave it either on his desk or in "the other bag"... So he does that to make it easier... perhaps he should do the same for his wife's sheets....

 

[Darth K'Trava]

It's also useful to keep older character sheets, in case a particular character loses a level or two (raise dead, level drain).

Been there, done that. From a player's POV. Having had a couple of characters die and come back.... makes life alot easier.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

I use initiative cards that have very basic information. I mostly use them for skill rolls for which they shouldn't know the mechanical outcome. I don't check their work.

One of my DMs uses initiative cards too.

 

[Staffan]

I always keep the sheets after each game session. That way I know they won't be forgotten and I can look over the sheets to create suitable challeneges and encounters based on the strengths and weaknesses of the party.

Something like that for me too.