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Is it just myself, or does anyone else suffer on a regular basis from CHCSS?
I know that there are many people whom likely copy print or just type out a page of their feats and special abilities or otherwise needed information. Yet for me, I feel like I connect with my character on a deeper level when I put the time in to grab a pen and some paper and write out the Feats, Special Abilities, etc etc.
Are there others out there like myself? CHCSS suffers unite! (and find some ibuprofen.)
Given limited access to printers or even computers I've certainly hand written a lot of character sheets, but no I vastly prefer a type written character sheet.
Now I'm to lazy to go about making nice character sheets, and it can actually be hard to find good sheets for some games. I actually have a bad habit of building my character sheets in notepad, especially if I'm playing online. Notepad can be rather time consuming and labor intensive to make a nice character sheets with, but it's pretty satisfying work.
Now I do have literal piles of graph paper notebooks just full of RPG notes including character sheets.
I prefer large boxes, myself, so I usually customize my own character sheets.
Been doing it since 2nd Edition. I was often made fun of for bringing a newly updated version to every session.
Hah +1 on that mate.
In the halcyon days when I did play face-to-face, was the same - constantly (and thanklessly) creating new, improved character sheets (c/w those large boxes)... miss those times but am also thankful for pbp.
Bizarrely still go OTT on my character's profiles in terms of formatting and stylising them.
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I used to, but these days I use as little printed material as I can. I type my characters up in a word document and reference them on a tablet when I play. I prefer not using pre made character sheets. Each character I make tends to have different information that I want to be able to reference quickly. I don't need a giant empty spells section on a barbarian, but I want a large attack section with all their different common modifiers already worked out (raging, power attacking, enlarged, etc). For a tetori monk I may have a section of grappling rules copied for easy reference, for a wizard I'll have multiple spell lists premade for different occasions, etc. That sort of thing is much easier to do digitally when I'm not concerned with how much space I'm taking up and I find it easier to find in a digital file then on paper. Plus I used to print so much I realized it was cheaper to buy a tablet then I was spending on a years worth of pathfinder related printing.
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Mark me down for the CHCSS. Many folks have taken a shine to Hero Labs specifically, but I still prefer things done with a pencil. Now, I do have all my characters in protective sleeves and use Swipes in-game, but other than that, all pencil all the time.
And I used to wear an onion on my belt, as it was the style at the time!
I prefer to write out my character sheets as well. Mostly as I don't have a laptop or netbook to make carrying it electronically viable.
I don't use premade character sheets, either. I have a general form to my sheets, but different characters require different amounts of info. Some require the entire right side for skills, others may only need a quarter of that side.
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I suffer from HCSS... in ink.
I just prefer pen.
Usually my characters take the form of a note book, and when I rewrite the character for a new level I take the last blank page, fold it and put the new updated sheet after that.
I've considered converting them to ascii extended and hexadecimal but it seemed like it might be overkill.
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From AD&D (1st and 2nd) to 3.0 and 3.5 I made a whole bunch of characters written on character sheets. Then for Pathfinder, things got complicated and I got a tablet. Things are a lot easier when you can display things on a custom spreadsheet.
Pencil and paper baby! No charger? No problem!
The last time I played a 16 hour game was almost 30 years ago. The tablet does just fine. Besides I am in an environment where I know I will be near a plug if need be. (though the tablet will last 8 hours even if a game has never lasted 4)
If you like handwriting, get a fountain pen. Seriously, it will go a long way towards alleviating your hand cramping problem. The reason is that your cramping is a result of the pressure necessary to write with a ball point pen. A fountain pen can write without that pressure. Have a look at the Lamy Safari or Faber-Castell Loom, with a fine point nib.
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I use a spreadsheet these days. I put formulas in to automatically calculate attack, AC, skill bonuses, etc.
I had one GM who insisted we write out character sheets, and was quite offended when I asked if I could print one instead because my handwritting is awful. So I did mine and handed it to him. After five mminutes ofstaring at it he said, 'I can't read this.'
'Yes,' I replied, 'I know. I smashed three of the bones in my right hand when I was a kid. My handwritting is really awful.'
'So,' he replied, turning the sheet in case it looked better sidways, 'You have a printer at your house or do you need to borrow mine?'
I either write out the character by hand with pencil and paper or type it in a laptop (or even both; hey, it's my own time). It depends on the circumstances.
I do prefer the pencil and paper method: I find it easier to spread out and flip through multiple hard copy books and reference materials than open up and switch between multiple files on the computer. I have stacks of characters, custom monsters, magic items, rule modifications, setting details, etc. for various systems dating back to the early '80s in different binders, folders, and notebooks (and even some index cards in cases). Even if I'm typing it up in a laptop, I tend to create an initial draft with pencil and paper first (to develop and organize the details).
On a personal note, I spend the majority of my work day staring at a computer screen. I don't want to spend the majority of my time outside of work staring at a computer screen, as well; that's one of the reasons I stopped playing video games. I also prefer reading hard copy books and don't own an electronic reader.
I store my characters on Excel spreadsheets, but I outline them on paper first, before I start typing. I also use handwriting during combat to track which round we're in, spell durations, etc. I find it easier that way as I already have a lot of windows open on my screen but maybe someday I'll try using a spreadsheet for combat as well.
Would it be asking much to see some spreadsheet examples of a character? I build a lot of humanoid NPCs and ugh it gets hefty.
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I had one GM who insisted we write out character sheets, and was quite offended when I asked if I could print one instead because my handwritting is awful. So I did mine and handed it to him. After five mminutes ofstaring at it he said, 'I can't read this.'
'Yes,' I replied, 'I know. I smashed three of the bones in my right hand when I was a kid. My handwritting is really awful.'
'So,' he replied, turning the sheet in case it looked better sidways, 'You have a printer at your house or do you need to borrow mine?'
I have been on the other end. I was asked by my DM to review a character sheet of a fellow player, as they were a bit new, and they seemed to be both really good, and really bad, at things their class/race combo shouldn't be.
I couldn't read a thing, and the player couldn't remember everything they wrote down. They didn't really want to not write it down, so I convinced them to allow me to make a digital copy, in case they lost their sheet.
This was true, but it was more for my DM, and I, to be able to read their sheet.
In the end, there was a number of errors, and the PC was much more efficient, and more pleasing to the player, once the errors were cleared up.
Putting the character into a spreadsheet-style character sheet at some point is also a useful first check for obvious errors, like using the wrong stat to modify a skill, getting a feat without the prerequisite and that sort of thing.
