D&D Next: Character Sheets

[sadie]

Apologies to those who have no interest in 5th edition / D&D Next. Please don't turn this thread into a discussion of its pros and cons.

Wizards have accounced a a contest to create the character sheets for D&D Next. As the creator of some moderately popular character sheets for Pathfinder and D&D 3.5, I figured I ought to have a go at it.

Here's what I have so far. It's similar to my existing character sheets, in that every class will eventually have its own sheet (but doesn't yet):

• Character Info
• Gear & Combat
• Barbarian
• Cleric

Feedback welcome from anybody who's been following the playtest. I've only recently read the rules for it, so there are probably a great many things for me to fix.

[Hikarizu]

Flip the alignment square vertically. I don't remember how it was when I last read 5e, but since I can remember(that's probably since 3e) alignment has always been:
LG NG CG
LN TN CN
LE NE CE
It looks strange with law on the right.
The order of things at the top part is better on the barbarian one: HitDie, Proficiencies, Alignment.
I see blank black columns in the class table, I don't think it's supposed to be like that?
Symbol of the cleric, probably a morningstar.

[Mcdt2]

I really like these. I'm afraid I can't really offer much in the way of constructive criticism as to how to make them more useful for 5eDnD Next play (I'll never get that right), as I've only been reading the packets. Have not had any oppurtunity to properly playtest.

As far as alignment charts go though- For some reason I've always thought of Law being on the right side and Chaos on the left. I have no idea why though, I can't find any chart that's been made that is like that except for OP's sheets, and I've only recently found them, so I haven't used them in my games yet. Even looking as far back as AD&D, chaos is on the right. Where did I get the notion of chaos being on the left, I wonder?

[Kristinn]

Out of curiosity, why do you have character sheets with the class printed on? In 3.5 multiclassing is the name of the game as long as you don't want to loose caster levels. Even casters invariably find a prestige class (or five) with some goodies beyond their class features, unless they're druids.

Is multiclassing simply not allowed in 5e?

Also does the cleric in 5e not get level 7, 8 and 9 spells? (Oh the horror!)

[Hikarizu]

You are supposed to use both the general sheet and one of each class you have. On the class sheet is written what you gain at what levels, so if you get them you don't need to bring the book with the class all the time. Of course this will be inefficient with builds with a lot of dips. And if I am not mistaken there are no PrC sheets only base classes sheets(in his 3.5e).

[sadie]

You are supposed to use both the general sheet and one of each class you have. On the class sheet is written what you gain at what levels, so if you get them you don't need to bring the book with the class all the time. Of course this will be inefficient with builds with a lot of dips. And if I am not mistaken there are no PrC sheets only base classes sheets(in his 3.5e).

Correct. I never did sheets for prestige classes, and never will, in either 3.5 or Pathfinder versions.

Multiclassing is allowed in 5e, but with some provisos that are still being worked out - the most likely form it'll take is simply that you don't get quite the same level 1 bonus for a secondary class as you did for your first. This will mean dipping is a lot less attractive, and multiclassing is reserved for characters that really do want to follow two paths.

[Gazzien]

I like how they look, and they seem very easy to navigate.

In other news, well damn, your character sheets are very useful. I'm about to rebuild my Pathfinder character for my current campaign, and use your sheets in the process. Thanks!

[Yahya]

Very nice! My only suggestion would be that perhaps the "Something" box could just be left blank for notes?

[8wGremlin]

I always liked a larger area to note down Current HP..
never seemed to have enough space to write them down, always put my combat stats on a easy to read piece of paper with vast amounts of blank space for the HP

Also I agree with the alignment diamond change: law & good on top, evil & chaos on bottom.

[sadie]

Very nice! My only suggestion would be that perhaps the "Something" box could just be left blank for notes?

It should surprise nobody to learn that a big empty box with the word "something" written in it was not intended to be absolute final form of these sheets. They are still a work in progress.

[Yahya]

It should surprise nobody to learn that a big empty box with the word "something" written in it was not intended to be absolute final form of these sheets. They are still a work in progress.

Of course, I was just suggesting something to do with the space.

One more little quibble; I wonder if writing out the whole ability score name is really necessary? It could probably be inferred which is which from the grey abbreviations you have in the modifier box, and it might look a little cleaner. My last 2 cents.

As a side note, I had forgotten that Electrum was a thing until I read your Gear & Equipment sheet.

[Rythm]

Comparing this to the Character Sheet I got from the play-test packet, I think that this one is a lot better. However, I would like to touch on the specialty, feats, and spell sections.

Firstly, I think that feats should be in a category of its own because although specialty gives you the basic 4 feats up to level 9 character levels can go up to 20 and like in 3.5e the players get feats at level 1,3 etc. (Although that is up to the DM, but does not excuse the fact of seperating feats from the specialty title)

Secondly, for spells I think you should add a third page for Spell Notes, Prepared Spells, and Spellbook so that it makes it easier for the magical classes to reach their spell list instead of having it under "Attacks"

(My Opinion)

[basmith7]

I am really excited about these sheets. Sometimes I think I like organizing, setting up, and building my games more than playing them. This sheet is so pretty. Please fix me up a cleric sheet by 5:00 PM MST today so I can use it at Encounters tonight. Thanks.

[sadie]

Well, my sheets weren't selected for the short-list by Wizards, I suspect because the idea of doing a sheet for each class, and in fact for each and every specialisation, was way above their pay grade.

Since the game rules and details are still in flux, and I don't have privileged access of any sort, work on these sheets is on hold for now. Some time after 5th Edition comes out, I might get round to reviving them and doing a complete set. But I warn you, it's pretty unlikely that either of my own gaming groups are going to be interested in playing 5e - we're pretty set on Pathfinder for now.

I'm happy to post the Illustrator files if you'd like to have a go yourself?

[TookyG]

I'm happy to post the Illustrator files if you'd like to have a go yourself?

That would be great!

[Inner Freak]

Sadie-Would love for you to post those files. I think they look great and would like to work on one for the class I'm playing in our playtest group.
Thanks

[sadie]

5e.zip

Apologies for the delay, it slipped off the top of the pile...

[kazrya]

I use your sheets for 3.5 and got a few other people in my playgroup to use them, they're amazing sheets.

I don't have much comment on the 5e sheets as I don't have any info from it.

[Masterful_Demos]

Oh man, I started using your character sheets a couple years ago and they are far superior to any others out there. I really hope one day that you decide to make them for 5e as well, because I am now just so used to everything everything I need in a session for my character being on one set of sheets.