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Sunday, June 27, 2021

Solicitation of Ideas for my Next PC Sheet/Booklet

Solicitation of Ideas for my Next PC Sheet/Booklet

[I had a topic for today that was, well topical, but it occurred to me that by opening my mouth...no matter what I write.....I'm just wrong. Having been recently threatened with violence by a noted persona in this industry (and cohorts) for advocating a position of non-violence with regards to......does it fucking matter? I'm (now) just not willing to engage with extremists regardless of their position, which is hella ironic. I had the post 50% typed out, but nope.]

Unless this is your first time reading my drivel here at the Tavern you'll know I was a big fan of HackMaster 4th Edition, which is a rather "crunchy" game. Even in less crunchy games I am a huge fan of a rather detailed character sheet, so much that I usually have to make my own PC sheets because invariably the ones available don't have enough detail.

OSE Sheet Mod
Modified OSE Sheet Front

Now lately I've been using a modified Old School Essentials PC Sheet. I got permission to share the modified sheet (which you can find here) as long as attached my name to it. Now I've been using that sheet for a year now and while it works pretty good for my needs......it isn't working as well as I want.

What I want is a bit overkill for the GM, but a bit closer to the old HackMaster Character Booklets. Since almost all of my gaming is a variation of B/X or maybe 1st Edition AD&D I'm thinking if I design it right I could conceivably make myself...and this would be "all me" even if I ended up sharing the thing for others to use, a PC sheet to end PC sheets....as it were. OK, that's a bit much because if you've seen the 21 page HackMaster Character Booklet I don't think I need a page showing where my ion stones are and a map of the traps for my personal stronghold, but my Last Will and Testament.....maybe.

Now I'm just in the early phase of this "personal project", which is mostly the "big picture" type idea stuff. Normally I'd be open to a good old-fashioned brainstorming session, but since I've been kicking the idea around for a while so some basic design elements have already been figured out:

  • Booklet format (as opposed to loose sheets)
  • Roughly A5 or Digest Sized
  • Softcover......well has an actual cover
  • Available as a PDF with printed hardcopy

OSE Sheet Mod
Modified OSE Sheet Back

I have a PC Sheet I made for the current version of HackMaster that is a bit of a booklet and made for tablet use, but prints out well. There is one PDF error on the wounds section I never did fix, but since I haven't received a single comment/complaint in the 8 years it's been available....yeah not a priority.

Now I'm fully cognizant that could just take my OSE sheet and turn it into a booklet format, which is probably what I'll do in the short term. As things change I can just re-write the contents from one page in the booklet to another and then I'll have basically a documentation of changes as the PC advances in levels.

I'm thinking though that I might make some aspects a bit generic and allow the user (me!) to enter the details in the PDF for printing. Things like not having the stats listed......then I can enter the stats used in the order they are given for the game system being used. Oh, you use an ascending AC....this sheet can deal with that as well.

As much as I'd like to add a spellbook, the fact that Id have to ass spells as I went along might be a bit much, but a spell planner seems doable.

I have to thank you, dear reader, for making it to this point of the post because you've probably been thinking, "That's great Face, but why the F**k should I give a rat's ass about your PC Sheet booklet?" Well, first off....do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Second, while I'm wanting to do this for my own benefit, I'm not above sharing (ie. I will be putting it up PWYW on DTRPG). Thirdly, there's a greater than 0% chance that one of you has a great idea that I'd be kind of PO'd that I didn't come up with myself, much less include.

So if you have any ideas, not that I'm definitely going to use, but will definitely consider, please share them. Here as a comment is preferred in case anyone else wants to do the same, or in case it gives someone else a good idea as well. Alternatively just shoot me an gmail (FrugalGM).

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