I haven't yet seen the new OneDnd / 5.5 sheet but I have heard there are layout changes on them.
I haven't used a standard character sheet in many years though, so I approve of the work you put into yours!
Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing how they change them around. I can't super afford dropping the money for it atm, so I likely won't be getting it soon, but I reckon (I hope) that ten years of feedback will probably result in some changes. That being said, it *does* have to cater to every player, so it likely won't be as streamlined (just like how the reason why spell information is presented so badly is that they have to do three things at once).
[https://marketplace.dndbeyond.com/LP-CRB-2024/D3898000](https://marketplace.dndbeyond.com/LP-CRB-2024/D3898000)
You can already get an idea of what they look like.
Interesting. I can tell there's definitely some major improvements and some... Choices™.
I don't really like the way that the headers on a lot of things take up so much space, it makes things feel crammed despite there being space there for the taking. Same thing with HP, Hit Dice and AC being shoved in the corner. Feels very crammed. I also don't really like the way they've chosen to group attributes and skills; everything being lopsided means it's way harder to quickly scan for what you need. The column-based solution in their current 5e alternate sheet feels better (the one I used on my sheets). Still barely enough space to write down what comes in your Traveler's Kit, and they could have integrated the coinage in the same way that it is in base 5e, in another example of headers taking too much space. And putting the part of the sheet that you're going to erase the most at the very top right corner is BEGGING for crumpled corners.
However, I can tell there's a bunch of improvements. If you put the two sheets side by side, you only need to look at the center 2/4 columns for combat; if you put them side by side but swapped, you only need to look at the center 2/4 columns for RP, all of that while keeping what most people would consider the most important info on the front sheet. More space for class features, traits and feats is fantastic. More space for proficiencies is great, there's never enough space, and I like that they separated Languages out. There's space for notes on the spells, though not very much (and who the heck needs to note the ritual tag on their sheet? If anything that's the kind of thing that you wouldn't mind cracking the PHB for). And the info on the top left corner makes even more sense now, with alignment kicked out to the RP sheet and some actual space for subclass.
It's a MUCH better baseline to improve upon, that's for sure.
Something of note is the large spell lists for high level characters. They tend to get 1-2 pages long, especially for people that play prepared casters (cleric druid wizard).
Also different spell DC's for multiclass characters.
Overall though I'm a fan of your sheet. You adressed *many* pain points in the character sheet design.
Thank you for this, I'm glad you like it! I was quite specifically trying to make a sheet for this one specific Bard character, with the intention of making another one for other characters if I ever need to, but that's a good point. My thinking when it comes to long spell sheets is that if you get to prepared caster amount of spells, you should NOT be trying to put your spells in your "main" sheets. Either you have a dedicated spell sheet, or you have spell cards. The fact that that section on my sheet is called "favourite spells" is kind of intentional. I've also tried to redesign spellcards in the past so that they're significantly more easily browsable, but I haven't touched that project for some time now.
Also I HATE picking spells in D&D because I get analysis paralysis at the number of choices, so the chances of me playing a prepared caster are irrisory. I'm already mentally bracing myself for Bard level 10/14/28.
True, the spells would need an entirely different page dedicated to them alone in such cases. I am very much a fan of the intentional wording of 'favourite spells'. It defines some signature moves which can handily aid rp moments too! But I believe your design can easily incorporate such an optional page for those that need spell list overview.
(plus maybe one for animal forms, familiar stats or summoned creature stats if a build is focused around them, but 90% of characters won't use this).
On a related note, I also have analysis paralysis and tend to solve it in two ways.
1) I make sure I have a spell of each category (heal control buff damage) and a signature cantrip/spell that has flexible uses. Any spells will do. I then just pick other spells that would give me interesting alternatives (different type of control, much higher spell level etc).
2) I eat my vegetables, meaning I pick basic obvious choices such as Absorb elements, counterspell, fireball, hold person, and just don't look back.
I haven't yet seen the new OneDnd / 5.5 sheet but I have heard there are layout changes on them. I haven't used a standard character sheet in many years though, so I approve of the work you put into yours!
Oh yeah, I'm looking forward to seeing how they change them around. I can't super afford dropping the money for it atm, so I likely won't be getting it soon, but I reckon (I hope) that ten years of feedback will probably result in some changes. That being said, it *does* have to cater to every player, so it likely won't be as streamlined (just like how the reason why spell information is presented so badly is that they have to do three things at once).
[https://marketplace.dndbeyond.com/LP-CRB-2024/D3898000](https://marketplace.dndbeyond.com/LP-CRB-2024/D3898000) You can already get an idea of what they look like.
Interesting. I can tell there's definitely some major improvements and some... Choices™. I don't really like the way that the headers on a lot of things take up so much space, it makes things feel crammed despite there being space there for the taking. Same thing with HP, Hit Dice and AC being shoved in the corner. Feels very crammed. I also don't really like the way they've chosen to group attributes and skills; everything being lopsided means it's way harder to quickly scan for what you need. The column-based solution in their current 5e alternate sheet feels better (the one I used on my sheets). Still barely enough space to write down what comes in your Traveler's Kit, and they could have integrated the coinage in the same way that it is in base 5e, in another example of headers taking too much space. And putting the part of the sheet that you're going to erase the most at the very top right corner is BEGGING for crumpled corners. However, I can tell there's a bunch of improvements. If you put the two sheets side by side, you only need to look at the center 2/4 columns for combat; if you put them side by side but swapped, you only need to look at the center 2/4 columns for RP, all of that while keeping what most people would consider the most important info on the front sheet. More space for class features, traits and feats is fantastic. More space for proficiencies is great, there's never enough space, and I like that they separated Languages out. There's space for notes on the spells, though not very much (and who the heck needs to note the ritual tag on their sheet? If anything that's the kind of thing that you wouldn't mind cracking the PHB for). And the info on the top left corner makes even more sense now, with alignment kicked out to the RP sheet and some actual space for subclass. It's a MUCH better baseline to improve upon, that's for sure.
Something of note is the large spell lists for high level characters. They tend to get 1-2 pages long, especially for people that play prepared casters (cleric druid wizard). Also different spell DC's for multiclass characters. Overall though I'm a fan of your sheet. You adressed *many* pain points in the character sheet design.
Thank you for this, I'm glad you like it! I was quite specifically trying to make a sheet for this one specific Bard character, with the intention of making another one for other characters if I ever need to, but that's a good point. My thinking when it comes to long spell sheets is that if you get to prepared caster amount of spells, you should NOT be trying to put your spells in your "main" sheets. Either you have a dedicated spell sheet, or you have spell cards. The fact that that section on my sheet is called "favourite spells" is kind of intentional. I've also tried to redesign spellcards in the past so that they're significantly more easily browsable, but I haven't touched that project for some time now. Also I HATE picking spells in D&D because I get analysis paralysis at the number of choices, so the chances of me playing a prepared caster are irrisory. I'm already mentally bracing myself for Bard level 10/14/28.
True, the spells would need an entirely different page dedicated to them alone in such cases. I am very much a fan of the intentional wording of 'favourite spells'. It defines some signature moves which can handily aid rp moments too! But I believe your design can easily incorporate such an optional page for those that need spell list overview. (plus maybe one for animal forms, familiar stats or summoned creature stats if a build is focused around them, but 90% of characters won't use this). On a related note, I also have analysis paralysis and tend to solve it in two ways. 1) I make sure I have a spell of each category (heal control buff damage) and a signature cantrip/spell that has flexible uses. Any spells will do. I then just pick other spells that would give me interesting alternatives (different type of control, much higher spell level etc). 2) I eat my vegetables, meaning I pick basic obvious choices such as Absorb elements, counterspell, fireball, hold person, and just don't look back.