Any advice on making the whole process more time/space efficient?
The wizards character builder worked pretty well for 4th. But 4th sucks. Hah
An iPad app for pathfinder would be the best!
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Hero labs or PCGen, then let your players send you the file?
Let them fill out their sheet twice and confiscate one copy. If they refuse to do so, they're level 0 commoners till they obey :)
Any advice on making the whole process more time/space efficient?
The wizards character builder worked pretty well for 4th. But 4th sucks. Hah
An iPad app for pathfinder would be the best!
Honestly, either use HeroLab or just condense the sheets into only the relevant things you need. It wouldnt be too complicated to make an excel file that does the math for you and have them be able to be printed off on notecard sized sheets.
RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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My wife (a non-gamer) also doesn't like all the paperwork and finds the excessive number of boxes and numbers on the character sheet overwhelming, so I made her a custom one as a spreadsheet. The things most likely to be used (HP, saves, AC, etc) are in bigger font and located closer to the top, and then I have a little section at the bottom called "Boring Stuff" with ability scores and relevant armor stats, etc. Then I have formulas that calculate derived stats instead of rows of boxes with the various numbers in them. So the only numbers you actually see are the ones you actually use, instead of being asked what your AC is and seeing a row of identical boxes with different numbers and having to see which one's the total.
the LittleMars Pathfinder editable charactersheet is editable using the free version of PDF X-Change :). It has the benefit of letting you put quick notes on it during game, update the sheet later & just print out a new copy before the next session
My wife (a non-gamer) also doesn't like all the paperwork and finds the excessive number of boxes and numbers on the character sheet overwhelming, so I made her a custom one as a spreadsheet. The things most likely to be used (HP, saves, AC, etc) are in bigger font and located closer to the top, and then I have a little section at the bottom called "Boring Stuff" with ability scores and relevant armor stats, etc. Then I have formulas that calculate derived stats instead of rows of boxes with the various numbers in them. So the only numbers you actually see are the ones you actually use, instead of being asked what your AC is and seeing a row of identical boxes with different numbers and having to see which one's the total.
My gf has issues with this too, any chance I could get a copy of that sheet?
If you're talking about keeping track of character sheets as in leveling up and such, then most PC savvy RPG hobbyists use a program like Herolab or PCGen. I personally use PCGen, and I can do just about anything I need to do with it. It does have a little bit of a learning curve, but once you overcome that PCGen is a very helpful little bit of software. I also use Kyle Olson's Combat Manager. It is a ridiculously sleek and friendly application for running your campaign. Now-a-days this too has a little bit of a learning curve. Most things are user-friendly and if you just try right-clicking in various places you can usually find just about anything you need. I hope this helps, I know how frustrating the pencil and paper part of tabletop RPGs can be.
I just make my own sheet in Googledocs.
Then I can view & edit it anywhere, and share it with my DM.
Plus I use headers, and then the top of the sheet is a (hyperlinked) table of contents. To look up anything, hit the Home key and click a link. Bam! Skill section... or my favorite, a "quick combat" section.
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RPG Superstar 2015 Top 32, RPG Superstar 2012 Top 32
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My wife (a non-gamer) also doesn't like all the paperwork and finds the excessive number of boxes and numbers on the character sheet overwhelming, so I made her a custom one as a spreadsheet. The things most likely to be used (HP, saves, AC, etc) are in bigger font and located closer to the top, and then I have a little section at the bottom called "Boring Stuff" with ability scores and relevant armor stats, etc. Then I have formulas that calculate derived stats instead of rows of boxes with the various numbers in them. So the only numbers you actually see are the ones you actually use, instead of being asked what your AC is and seeing a row of identical boxes with different numbers and having to see which one's the total.My gf has issues with this too, any chance I could get a copy of that sheet?
I don't see why not - though it's really nothing special. Just big font for the important stuff up top, small font for the less-important stuff at the bottom, and math done either with formulas (which of course don't print) or in my head as I was filling it out.
But give me an easy way to get it to you, and I'd have no objection.
Sure, leery of giving it out, but the boards are mostly ok here.
Thank you!
Neceros is one that does auto calculation, and you can save it. It is on the pathfinder database website. The only problem is that it does not account for perception being a class skill.
This is also a decent site click me.
I just make my own sheet in Googledocs.
Then I can view & edit it anywhere, and share it with my DM.Plus I use headers, and then the top of the sheet is a (hyperlinked) table of contents. To look up anything, hit the Home key and click a link. Bam! Skill section... or my favorite, a "quick combat" section.
I was going to say I have a excel spreadsheet that does most of the calcs for me but I am increasingly using Google docs as its easier to aceess/ share. especially as we have a lot of RL stuff coming up where players attendance is going to be iffy.
I like PCProfiler
The links to the program download and Pathfinder character sheet can be found at the link.
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I use Hero Lab to create / maintain characters, but for reference during play, I prefer an excel sheet that I created. Unlike many excel sheets, this does no auto-calculation for you...I just like the format. I'm also too lazy to add in the auto-calculation formulas for it.
I use The Only Sheet
Easy to fill out, prompts you for missing info, and does all the calcs for you; and during play has a 'laptop' tab with common spells, effects, etc so anything going on auto changes your numbers without changing the character sheet. There is a free version but the paid version is superior enough to warrant paying for it. everything up through the APG is in, and there is both plenty of room for custom spells / gear / etc and plenty of people on the boards who share pastable excel files with their own work.
Regards,
Pol
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I also like PCGen. One reason it works so well for me is that I am a Mac user, and PCGen is written in Java. I like the wide variety of character sheet export and print formats.
Mac users can also use Boot Camp / Parallels and run Windows for Hero Labs
I do wish it had an "ez mode" setting for those without the inclination to learn to use the software, and that OGC data files sources for Paizo products were added a little quicker . . . but I love the price (free)!
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What? You guys don't have a stack of paper listing everything from buffed full attacks to possible summoned creatures to spells lists with brief explanations on what everything does? And spell loadouts for "combat day", "traveling day" and "speak wit the...uh, puzzle solving day"?
I love my paperwork. I love casting Planar Ally, throwing a handout of the Bestiary page for Planetar into the ring(=the table map) and declaring to call "this motherfracker".