Hey there, Scribblers! In case you missed it at the end of Tools of the Trade, I wanted to share the Beginner’s Character Sheet in a separate post, for easy access!
As I mentioned before, this a simplified version of the 5e character sheet, perfect for new players! To be honest, I would have preferred something like this for my first D&D experience…that full 5e sheet can be intimidating for kids and adults alike! Feel free to check it out and use it at home…I have both the letter size and A4 size for my fellow UK gamers! I also included a sample of what it should look like all filled out.
Some additional notes:
The focus of the sheet is the basic ability scores but it leaves plenty of space for customization of the PC beyond the numbers.
I encourage starting with the back page, with the four prompts to help spark ideas for Backstory. Backstory and PC perspective is critical and will help you determine everything else from class to appropriate ability scores!
The small bubbles on the “Abilities Pie” on the front page can be filled in to denote proficiency in a certain skill, with the base stats in the center-most ring and the modifiers in the next ring out from that . Specified proficiencies and abilities can be recorded in the “slices” of the pie, or a separate block.
Things like XP, Background, and Alignment are left out to keep it streamlined. I tend to use the milestone leveling approach at first, or else keep track of XP separately. I would rather new/young players think about their PC backgrounds without needing the labels in the PH, and alignment can often change over time– Just play the character in line with what feels right, without using a specific archetype. Sometimes the labels can add unnecessary complication for players who are new to TTRPGs. That isn’t to say you can’t use them, they’re just not on the sheet.
Final note: this sheet can be used up to the 3rd level with the simplified mechanics. The max number of spells for most spellcasting classes at that level is 6, so there are six “bubbles” to fill in on the Spellcasting block, to help keep track of how many spell slots are used.
Try it out and let me know what you think in the comments!
Reblogged this on DDOCentral.
These simplified character sheets were perfect for first-time players at my school’s D&D Club, especially students who had missed the start-of-year meetings that centred character-building. Students coloured in sheets with different colours of pencil crayons to make stats easier to find. For spellcasters, I’d simply attach a printed page of spell cards that I’d pre-selected. It’s also a great tool for one-shots; I’m planning on using them for my annual English Department D&D game!