What makes a good character sheet for you?

[Xath]

Some friends of mine are working on coding their first character sheet/generator. You know, the kind where you put the stats in in MSExcel, and it calculates skills, modifiers, saves, etc. for the level.

It looks pretty cool so far. It has a user friendly data entry system so that if your class or PrC isn't listed, just click the Add Class button. It asks you a few questions and then automatically applies it to the system.

What do you look for in a character sheet/generator? What are some problems you have encountered, mistakes that should be avoided etc?

 

[Crothian]

The biggest mistake is the character sheet that tries to do too much. It has oiptions for every class on it, leaving most of these options balcnk since most characters don't have every class.

I like character sheets to be simple. They list the basics that apply to all classes, and then have places that the optional abilities can be placed.

 

[Dagger75]

I'm with Crothian, the Character sheet that WoTC puts out is fine for me. I personally like the necromancer games "old school" character sheet they made.

I for one personally don't like those character sheets that automatically fill in all the skills and what not. I never trust them. I am pretty meticlulus with my character sheets and not bad at math so I never had any trouble. I know people that love those type of sheets to death. To each his own.

 

[exile]

I prefer to type my characters out using word. It allows me to customize the "sheet" to each specific character. Obviously, I do all my calculations independently.

 

[Galethorn]

These are my criteria, in no particular order...

1. An easily printable format (8.5x11 for example), as opposed to craziness like A2/Legal/Whatever that would require I get a new ream of 'specialty' paper.

2. Black and white.

3. Doesn't use a lot of ink.

4. Includes all the basics, and leaves room for class, race, or other types of specifics (like animal companions, turn undead, etc.)

5. Large, easy-to-read fonts. No, I don't need glasses, and all of my players and I are between 13 and 20; I just like easy readability.

6. Utilitarian layout. This is something I usually don't find in most sheets. Personally, I would want the front page devoted to combat-related info, with the most used (attack modifier and damage, defense/AC, saves, and hp) stuff in the biggest format, in a central location.


Now, here are some things I like, but I could just as soon without.

1. A place for a character sketch/symbol: I love that kind of stuff.

2. A cool border around the whole sheet.

3. Cool fonts for the big titles, so long as it's still readable.

4. Cool vines/knotwork/whatever instead of straight lines around things.


All that said, I'm planning on making my own sheet for my new campaign setting...I'm actually going to do the crazy thing and draw the borders/edges/lines by hand, then scan it in so I can add the text on the computer.

 

[shurai]

I wrote some of a character generator in Perl once.

Really, what I want is customization, customization, customization. So I almost always write out my character 'sheet' in about four pages of a little wirebound notebook I carry with me everywhere.

Man, since I've started using one, I just can't stop! It fits in my pocket, it fits in my bag, it sits next to my school notebook in class, it comes out while I'm on the bus, on a plane, in the backseat of a car, waiting in line, bored at a party, and on and on. The habit has been delightful, especially for creative D&D player types like myself.

http://www.moleskine.com/eng/default.htm <-- Really classy, and admittedly somewhat expensive notebooks; I have a bunch of old cheap ones I'm going through, then I'll probably start using these almost exclusively. I recommend them for D&D players because it really helps keep the gaming table uncluttered, and it serves as a convenient place to put campaign notes, character notes, drawings of dungeons, whatever. The nicest thing is, some of them are small enough to fit in some dice bags.

-S

 

[knifespeaks]

Since you asked what makes it good FOR ME, here it is:

STR
INT
WIS
DEX
CON
CHA

In THAT order

Anything else I can live with

 

[Christopher Lambert]

A piece of 8-1/2 x 11 inch paper, preferably with lines on it.

I hate character sheets without enough space (eg the feats/special abilities/talents section on some character sheets), but that's about it.

(Oh yeah, the DnD sheets don't have enoug space to list all your magic items either.)

 

[Oryan77]

Oh yeah, the DnD sheets don't have enoug space to list all your magic items either

I made a sheet specifically for listing magic items because of that. It's sort of like a spell sheet. It's not an excel sheet though so no pre-calculations. The link is in my sig, just DL the "character sheet" and it's included in that pdf.

 

[Xath]

(Oh yeah, the DnD sheets don't have enoug space to list all your magic items either.)

I like how some char sheets have a list for eq by body slot. It helps me make sure I'm not doubling up on the magic items.