Power Cards - Do you use them?

[malraux]

We use character sheets. . . When did that become hard to manage?

I found 3e impossible without a laptop to manage not only character sheet generation, but dynamically applying spell bonuses and penalties.

 

[Dice4Hire]

I do not use power cards. I use a sheet that has spaces to tick off powers used onteh front page, and then an abbreviated power desription on the second (and sometimes third pages) for quick power look-up. Same for magical item encounters and dailies, all lined up nicely on the front page so I can see what my options are. The others in my group do so too, though I make up the sheet for one of htem, who does not know the rules hardly at all


I have not bought any of the power cards, nor used the character builder.

Actually I ahve not bought power or spell cards in any edition. I honestly do not like the idea, and especially programs that generate characters make me leery. I'd rather see a custom sheet or a simple text sheet that shows what is necessary and nothing more.

I know when I run online or PBEM games, there have been many cases where players could use a program to make their sheet, but had no idea how to play or the rules behind the numbers on their sheet.

 

[Lord Xtheth]

While technically I do not use power cards, I use the exact same thing on my laptop via Asmor's digital squire, so I count it as "yes".
Every one of my players uses power cards or at least refers to them when they make their attacks.

 

[catsclaw227]

I thought my players would use the power cards more often, but they really just use the printout from the CB.

 

[Oryan77]

I used power cards when I played in a 4e game. I liked them a lot. Use a power, just flip over the card...nifty.

I wanted to do this same thing with spells in our 3.5 game, but all I could find pre-made were PHB spell cards. I use the Spell Compendium also, so only having cards for half the spells isn't good enough

 

[Almacov]

If I could I would, but I'm not willing to subscribe to DDI, and I don't want to pay for preprinted ones. I'm also not a super-fast typist, so hand-typing them isn't much of an option.

My players would probably really benefit from having access to the Character Builder, but for some reason I'm really bothered by not getting a physical product for my cash.

 

[Dykstrav]

I don't use them. I find flipping through a stack of cards tedious, and the character builder is so clunky it's frustrating. I'm much happier writing my characters up in a simple word document with all the relevant bits for play (I've decided to attach one for those interested in an example).

Several people in my group use power cards with mixed results.

 

[Dice4Hire]

The last two posts are music to me ears......

 

[Khairn]

The last two posts are music to me ears......

Ditto. If the characters powers are too complicated or detailed to keep abbreviated on a character sheet, its more than I'm looking for in a game of D&D.

Besides, its becoming a real problem with space at the gaming table. With 5 players sitting at a table, along with their individual spread of color coded cards, there's no room left for mini's, dice or the gm.

 

[catsclaw227]

I don't use them. I find flipping through a stack of cards tedious, and the character builder is so clunky it's frustrating.

Interesting. I find the CB a breeze to work with. Interestingly, it is usually the complexity of the "tool" that causes people to struggle with things that they normally do really well with.

It was like switching between Corel Draw and Photoshop. The software tool itself got in the way so much in the beginning, I felt like a beginner graphic designer again.

Once I got comfortable moving around the CB without the tool itself getting in the way, it really shined as a piece of software.