Do you keep your Players' character sheets?

[IronWolf]

I keep my sheet. I use an electronic one though and just print it to take to the game. The electronic version is accessible to my DM if he wants to view it. We also use our own forums for between session role play and other administrative duties that we can handle on the boards instead of consuming valuable game time. So I think that helps him keep up with what we all have and what directions we are going with our characters without need to keep our sheets.

 

[Olaf the Stout]

I keep my players' character sheets between sessions.

Scheduling seems to be a frequent issue in my games and players often miss a session for one reason or another. Since I have their character sheets it means I can just give it to one of the other players to run their PC for that session.

Having their sheets on hand, it also allows me to look at them if I need to check if I'm giving them too little or too much treasure, look at what capabilities they have, etc.,

My players don't have a problem with me keeping them between sessions and it works well for me so I don't see this changing any time soon.

Olaf the Stout

 

[Holy Bovine]

WHy? We mostly keep ours because we also do alot of RPing in email and message boards off the table(alot of side things that each individual has) as to not take up table time from the group.

I find it odder that a DM would request/demand it.

Because that is how I've played D&D for 30 years? *shrug* I would just find it strange is all.

 

[Wormwood]

When I DM, I ask everyone to upload current versions of their .dnd4e files.

They are invaluable when I'm writing up encounters, and they slot into iPlay4e and Combat Tracker---which are integral elements of our play sessions.

 

[Lanefan]

*= I now give every player a duotang with those clear plastic 'paper pocket' things to keep sheets & notes in. Some also requested card pocket sheets to cut out their power cards and put them in, flipping them when the power is used.

I do something like this also. Each player gets a "player's kit" - a duotang* with some relevant game info sheets, in which they also keep their character sheets, notes, party treasuries, maps, whatever. It's handy this way as I've players running characters in multiple concurrent parties; keeping all of each person's sheets in one place just makes it easier.

The kits stay here between sessions, mostly so that if someone can't make it to the next session the game can still go on. (we don't "park" characters of absent players; it's known and broadcast ahead of time that if you miss a session your character(s) is(are) at the mercy of whoever ends up running it(them) for the night)

It sounds like some DMs keep the sheets to look them over between sessions. I very rarely do this.

* - the clear sleeves are an excellent idea, consider it yoinked.

Lanefan

 

[Imaginary Number]

I've always kept up-to-date copies of PC character sheets for the reasons everyone has been describing above -- sometimes I refer to them when making an adventure, and sometimes the player loses or forgets to bring their character sheet to a session. My players generally are responsible for keeping the originals and giving me updated copies whenever something significant changes, although on occasion I'll keep the original if the player wants me to do that.

 

[Uder]

So now we let 5-year-olds ruin the game for the rest of us?

I don't understand. You had to fake a quote to address a point nobody was making?

 

[Jhaelen]

I don't understand. You had to fake a quote to address a point nobody was making?

It's common practice among 5-year-olds

 

[delericho]

Do you, or does your DM keep the Players' character sheets between game sessions?

Yes, for several reasons:

The major reason is that we make use of the Mad Irishman's character form, and I'm the guy who has the PDF writer software (and so can update the sheets). So, I keep the sheets to update between sessions.

A secondary reason is that, unfortunately, players sometimes forget, or sometimes can't make it to a session. If I have the sheets, and keep them with my other campaign notes, then that's a non-issue - if I forget the sheets then there's not going to be a game anyway, and if a player can't make it, I still know just what that character is capable of.

The third reason is much more minor (and, in fact, no longer applies). But in the past, I did have that one guy who's character's stats mysteriously went up a couple of points between sessions...

 

[Blackbrrd]

I used to do this, but stopped doing it so I have no responsibility for characters at all. Forgot your character? Too bad, we will start without you. It's working nicely to.