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So I like spell casting characters but I rarely am able to play them long enough to get lots of spells. Anyway so I am making a reoccurring character who is gonna have a decent variety of spells so I'm just wondering how do you guys usually keep track of all your spells? Do you keep them on note cards or what?
A lot of us have programs/applications to help us out in game.
For the mote tactilely inclined, purchasing or creating spell cards is good.
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The most basic way is just a list: write out a list of what spells you know or are preparing. When you expend a prepared slot, put a checkmark or something by that spell. When you expend a spontaneous slot, put a tally mark by that spell level. Simple and easy, except that if you're a prepared caster you have to write a new list a lot.
An interesting option for prepared casters would be to make a bunch of "spell cards" (many applications exist for doing this easily) and put them all in some kind of sorted box. When you prepare your spells, simply pull out the spells you're preparing and keep them stacked in front of you. Whenever you cast one, it goes back in the box.
What I did (back when I still played Pathfinder) was to make my own custom Excel-based character sheet. One tab was spells, and listed (among other things) my spells known/prepared for each spell level. If I was a spontaneous caster, I just left the list alone and marked my usage of slots in designated cells. For prepared casters, I had all my prepared spells in bold, then when I cast one, I un-bolded it and italicized it (better than deleting it, since pearls of power are a thing). Worked pretty well.
The most basic way is just a list: write out a list of what spells you know or are preparing. When you expend a prepared slot, put a checkmark or something by that spell. When you expend a spontaneous slot, put a tally mark by that spell level. Simple and easy, except that if you're a prepared caster you have to write a new list a lot.
An interesting option for prepared casters would be to make a bunch of "spell cards" (many applications exist for doing this easily) and put them all in some kind of sorted box. When you prepare your spells, simply pull out the spells you're preparing and keep them stacked in front of you. Whenever you cast one, it goes back in the box.
What I did (back when I still played Pathfinder) was to make my own custom Excel-based character sheet. One tab was spells, and listed (among other things) my spells known/prepared for each spell level. If I was a spontaneous caster, I just left the list alone and marked my usage of slots in designated cells. For prepared casters, I had all my prepared spells in bold, then when I cast one, I un-bolded it and italicized it (better than deleting it, since pearls of power are a thing). Worked pretty well.
Yeah, I have a google sheets doc that I use. Each spell links back to the PRD entry, and I can mark down how many times I memorize it, and one of my tabs is only spells that I have memorized. I also track stuff like page numbers, components, casting time, so I can quickly sort on it if I need.
I shared that with the group, so they can peak in at any time. The DM can verify things by checking out revision history if he really wants. It works out pretty well.
I see a couple of you mention applications. What are some of these applications called?
I like index cards for spellbook/familiar-based casters. One set of cards for the spells in my book, one for spells I typically prepare (eventually this becomes 2-3 sets as I expand my roles in a group). Then I paperclip them to a character sheet.
Hero labs is the most complete package, and the most expensive. IPad App Store has a lot, of varying quality.
If you are the GM and can afford it, hero labs may be you best bet, you can print out character sheets, with spell sheets customized for each player, and can supposedly email out character data for players with the free remote apps for players with mobile devices.
I would check their faq for this last though.
I run all of my characters off of standard statblocks, not character sheets. Works really well. Pencil and paper.
If playing a prepared caster, I find that 90% of the time I'm preparing the same spells each day. So it's trivial to gently cross off used spells. When preparing something special, I cross off a spell as if used, and pencil in whatever else I've prepared.
If playing a spontaneous caster it's even easier because you only keep track of slots used, numerically.
Really, once you DM a few times, you learn to be efficient and brief with things. The standard statblock is actually excellent for PCs as well as NPCs.
For my oracle spells slowly accumulate over time and don't change much. Adding them to the backside of my character sheet works fine. When playing a preparing caster, I keep a spellbook and write my daily selection (which doesn't change much) on a sheet of paper to cross them off.
I have herolab, but that is mostly to keep track of leveling, since it reminds me on stuff I might have forgotten or done wrong.
Writing things up by yourself has the advantage that you won't forget what you can do, which can become a minor problem at higher levels, when you have many class features and (meta-) feats besides your spells.
Apps! Pfft! We don't need no steenking apps!
Guess I'm a real old grognard, but something rubs me the wrong way when everyone around the table is using a tablet, laptop or other device to play the game. I mean, back in the day, we used to call in "pen and paper" RPGing, which doesn't instantly evoke glowing screens in my mind.
How to keep track of spells? I've never been able to get my printer to do up proper spell cards, but there *is* another solution.
I cut & paste spell listings from the PFSRD to a word document. With a little tweaking (especially using a small font) I can get like 20 to 30 spells on a page. I also add in extra info I might need (range, area of effect, etc) so that I rarely need to consult a rulebook for my spells, and empty the final collumn. Then, when I prepare spells, I pencil in a box for each spell prepared. When those spells get cast during the adventure, I put a slash through the open box. Simple, elegant. Sure, my 10th-level wizard needs something like 4 pages to keep track of all his spells, but that is still manageable.
And it's all on paper, since I print out those docs before the game.
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Apps! Pfft! We don't need no steenking apps!
Guess I'm a real old grognard, but something rubs me the wrong way when everyone around the table is using a tablet, laptop or other device to play the game. I mean, back in the day, we used to call in "pen and paper" RPGing, which doesn't instantly evoke glowing screens in my mind.
How to keep track of spells? I've never been able to get my printer to do up proper spell cards, but there *is* another solution.
I cut & paste spell listings from the PFSRD to a word document. With a little tweaking (especially using a small font) I can get like 20 to 30 spells on a page. I also add in extra info I might need (range, area of effect, etc) so that I rarely need to consult a rulebook for my spells, and empty the final collumn. Then, when I prepare spells, I pencil in a box for each spell prepared. When those spells get cast during the adventure, I put a slash through the open box. Simple, elegant. Sure, my 10th-level wizard needs something like 4 pages to keep track of all his spells, but that is still manageable.
And it's all on paper, since I print out those docs before the game.
Humph! Pen and paper? Why in my day we carved our character information onto slabs of rock. With our teeth. Then we hauled those blocks twenty miles through the snow to the nearest game store. And we liked it that way!
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Would that be "granite and goatskin" gaming? <g>
I'm sure those who prefer using their ipad or whatever will do just fine with Herolab or some other app. More power to 'em. As long as everyone is having fun and the technology isn't standing in the way of that fun, or making things take longer (even though it's *supposed* to do the opposite) hey, great stuff!
I just wanted to propose a relatively simple pen & paper solution. IMHO, a wizard (or any other spellcasting) character requires more prep work than a martial. There are ways to make that prep work pay off in terms of streamlining gaming sessions.
I mean, any time a player has to crack open a rulebook to check on his spell or feat or whatever, that slows down play, doesn't it? Effective preparation is really important for a good session.
Would that be "granite and goatskin" gaming? <g>
Very nice! The Purist Grognard alias is for when I'm feeling like an old Yorkshireman. :)
I'm sure those who prefer using their ipad or whatever will do just fine with Herolab or some other app. More power to 'em. As long as everyone is having fun and the technology isn't standing in the way of that fun, or making things take longer (even though it's *supposed* to do the opposite) hey, great stuff!
I just wanted to propose a relatively simple pen & paper solution. IMHO, a wizard (or any other spellcasting) character requires more prep work than a martial. There are ways to make that prep work pay off in terms of streamlining gaming sessions.
I mean, any time a player has to crack open a rulebook to check on his spell or feat or whatever, that slows down play, doesn't it? Effective preparation is really important for a good session.
I also prefer pen and paper for my gaming sessions. I have found that I prefer a tablet loaded up with pdfs to the physical books, but I still find that I can keep track of things better on paper. It's possibly because I really am an old grognard, and possibly because I'm very much a kinesthetic learner.
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So I like spell casting characters but I rarely am able to play them long enough to get lots of spells. Anyway so I am making a reoccurring character who is gonna have a decent variety of spells so I'm just wondering how do you guys usually keep track of all your spells? Do you keep them on note cards or what?
One of my favorite ideas I've seen over the years was when one of my players showed up with the spell info written on a set of 3x5" index cards. He would attach paper clips to the cards to represent how many times he had them memorized and simply remove the clips as he cast his spells. Thus using them as counters.
Worked like a charm!
My system uses 2 peices of paper and a word doc. First I have my word doc that acts as my spell book. Inside I have every spell known the exact full spell description copy and pasted inside. They are organized by spell level and then alphabetically within the level so they can be referenced easily. The papers vary slightly between prepared and spontaneous
Spontaneous
The first sheet is just a list of spells known organized the same as my "spellbook". It however is just a quick list to reference to know what spells I can cast as it only includes the spell names. The second sheet is the spell levels next to the number of slots I have for that level. The third collum is an easy to erase section where I use tally marks to show used slots. It is arranged such that I can drag a big eraser down the slots used column whenever we rest
Prepared
The first sheet(s) are a composite list of all the spells in my spellbook/familiar organized the same as usual. The second sheet has my spells prepared organized by level. I always leave a small blank column next to my spells prepared to place check marks showing used spells. On prepared sheets I typically have to form 2 or 3 sets of spell/check mark columns. These check marks I try to line up to be erasable with a sideways big eraser
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I believe a popular one is called Perram's Spellbook. That's all I know.
1. Used Perram's Spellbook to print out all known spells. I also got sleeves...
2. Selected prepared spells and make nice stacks per spell level, so that spell names were showing (like solitaire). Domain spells at top, cures at the bottom, just ordered them so I could find them easy.3. Put a sticker on any spell that's memorized more than once. One sticker for each additional time memorized.
4. Remove sticker when spell used. Put spell card in "used" pile when the last instance of that spell is used.
It worked out pretty well for me.
Found a nice program yesterday. Grimoire free off the windows app store
I believe a popular one is called Perram's Spellbook.
I used Perram's to pick the spells from.
I have a spreadsheet on my tablet and then in a tab I list the spells there. They don't read the exact info but the important stuff.
I'm old enough that I have tons of characters on paper that I just stopped. ....maybe I'm a geek Grognard? :)
So I am liking the version of Perram's Spellbook Persephone posted, however I would like, if possible to see a screenshot of someones spreadsheet. As a spreadsheet seems the most efficient, but I would like an example of a layout.
It's not a spreadsheet, but I generate documents like this to write down what I have memorized for spells.
I just keep a few copies in each character's binder. Daily spells don't change often, so a single sheet usually lasts most of a level. When a character levels, I update the sheet to account for new daily spell limits and print out a couple more copies.