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Proposal: Tactical Character Sheet

I'm not really any good with Excel or anythign like this, so I'll propose this while admitting that I lack the ability to produce this:


As a DM, one of the things I have seen slow the game down is players who have to consult multiple character sheets to manage everything a 4E character can do. A lot of the time, people forget to use item daily powers because they don't keep good track of them, and often static abilities from feats, items, and class features get ignored because there is just too much to keep track of.

I have made things easier for myself by creating tactical sheets. These sheets are handwritten landscape sheets with six columns:

1. Vital statistics: HP, Bloodied, AC, Defenses, trained skills, ability checks, ect.

2. Constant effects: examples: Iron Stomach(Dwarf), Nimble Blade(feat), extra critical damage from weapons/implements, high crit(weapon), Prime Shot(class feature)

3. At-Will powers: Includes basic attacks and class features including Hunter's Quarry and Warlock's Curse, as well as At-Will powers from items

4. Encounter Powers: Includes feat powers from multiclass feats like the Fighter and Rogue multilclasses and item encounter powers

5. Daily Powers: Does not include item powers, but would include things like the 1/day Healing Word for the Cleric Multiclass

6. Item Daily Powers: these get their own column as they use a different tracking system


The point of this is to have everything a character can do and everything that modifies what a character can do close at hand on the same page, so decisions and keeping track of things is easy. Powers would have a short summary(enough so you know generally what it does). The point of this is simplicity and ease of use in a tactical situation. The main character sheet's showing of the underlying mathematics, full power descriptions, and using larger sizes for things like HP and Defenses are something I'd move away from. This would in no way replace the standard character sheet, and instead be a reference designed to have every single thing that your character can do easy to manage.
 

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I also would like to see one. I think the character sheets used in KotS or even last year's D&D XP would be a great starting point.
 

I did a similar thing for DMing. I have a landscape sheet with all the players across the top and the following info about each one:

Character name
Player name
Race
Class
Path (optional)
Destiny (optional)
AC
Fortitude
Reflex
Will
Save mod (if any)
Perception
Insight
Arcana
Dugeoneering
History
Nature
Religion
Armor
L Hand
R Hand
General Look (A couple key words, or a sentence max)
Other (Anything out of the ordinary, or special abilities that the DM
may need to know about)

I stole it from somewhere but I don't remember where. It is very useful for making treasure parcels and speeding things up. I haven't had a chance to use it too much, but I have high hopes for it.

Jay
 

I could make one, but I'm by no means a designer. It'd look like crap, but probably serve its purpose. I'd rather one of these character sheet guys get in on this. It'd be a great thing to just put on top of your character sheet for quick reference.
 

I could make one, but I'm by no means a designer. It'd look like crap, but probably serve its purpose. I'd rather one of these character sheet guys get in on this. It'd be a great thing to just put on top of your character sheet for quick reference.

Quick reference is exactly what it is for. For a better example of what I mean, I'll give an example. This is my reference sheet for Seven, my Level 6 Warforged Swordmage(the first six didn't work properly):

Column I: Vital Stats

Initiative+3
60HP, 30 Bloodied
Healing Surge Value-15
#Surges 10
AC 23(25 with longsword)
Fort 18
Reflex 19
Will 19
Speed 6
Skills: Arcana +13, Dungeoneering +11, Endurance +11, History +12
Base attack bonuses: Weapon Intelligence-- +12 attack/+6 Damage
Implement-- +9 Attack/+6 Damage
Str melee-- +11 attack/+5 Damage
Ability Checks: Str +6
Con +5
Dex +3
Int +7
Wis +4
Cha +2

Column II: Constant Effects

+2 save vs. Ongoing Damage
Death Save= die roll or 10, whichever is higher
+2 AC using 1hd weapon
+1 to melee attack rolls when Ally is adjacent to target(Warforged Tactics)
+2 damage to basic attacks(bracers of mighty striking)
Critical hit +1d12 and +2d6 with Fullblade
Critical Hit +2d6 otherwise

Column III: At-Will(these include brief summaries of what they do, just enough to decide tactics)

Basic attack
Greenflame Blade
Sword Burst
Aegis of Assault
Prestidigitation(from item)
Mage Hand(from item)
Sword Bond

Column IV: Encounter

Flame Cyclone
Transposing Lunge
Dimensional Warp
Warforged Resolve
Dynamic Weapon: change weapon type
Armanthor's Step

Column V: Daily

Dimensional Thunder
Shielding Fire

Column VI: Item Daily Powers

Cape of the Mountebanc
Serpentskin Armor


The point is to having everything on one page in order to make tactical decisions. Brief ability descriptions are there to help in decision making, and the power card or whatnot can then be consulted to resolve the action.
 
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Here is an example sheet I am using in my games for my players. I break down powers by action type: standard, move, minor. I use symbols to indicate the frequency of use: closed circles for at-will, open circles for encounter powers, squares for dailies.

The back side of the sheet is for character advancement.

So far the sheets have been very successful.
 

Attachments


I actually designed a character card since I use power cards so much. I find it easier to have it at the front of my power card stack, and everything's really easy to see. It's more or less a work in progress; I only very recently made a second "page" to be printed on the back of a blank card or on a separate card for inventory items. While I'm here, I might as well present it for feedback.

One thing I like and am not likely to change is the plusses in the skills column. Most penalties to skills are negated within the first few levels anyway. If you don't like them, delete them.

View attachment Character Card.doc
 

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