Not using character sheets (5e)

Coming back to roll20 after FGii. I was looking for something simple and better map controls. I now see the character sheet function for roll20, but somehow it seems like a lot of baggage, not to mention covering the whole screen to use. Anyone else running a game and prefer Marcos and a handful of attributes? 5 stats and powercards seem pretty dang nice.

I tend to prefer stats and macros over the character sheet (No offense Actoba, it's very beautiful!). I do fill in the character sheet generally, as it saves me the time of doing some of the math. I'm considering writing a script that will turn all the spells and actions for the sheet into powercard based macros, but haven't gotten around to it. I'm running a Warlock character in one campaign now and trying to live on the sheet. Toward that end, I'm using two monitors. On one, I play as normal. On the other, I have the character sheet open and my token selected. One thing that might make the sheet better for you if you don't already know about it is the ability to "minimize" it by double clicking the title bar: You can do the same thing with handouts and macro prompts.

No offence taken :) I get why some people might prefer to roll their own macros/stats and so on. I think though that some improvements to the character sheet system would help a lot here though. Specifically, allowing users to control which rolls from a sheet were made available as token actions. &lt;blatant plug alert&gt; Review and vote for my suggestion post if you agree - <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1244874/player-c" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1244874/player-c</a>...

Just a suggestion here. If you wish to have the sheet altered some, post a discussion with the sheet creator in the sheet forums. You might be able to convince him that the change is needed.

I like the 5e character sheets just fine for PCs. They turn out to be too much work for me for NPCs, though, so I end up just using tokens and actually rolling dice IRL for most things that the players don't need to see.

I don't use character sheets, even in games where they're enabled. I prefer rolling my own macros, partially because at least they're human-readable, partially because I use PowerCards, partially because the players in my game already have their preferred form of character sheet outside the game and I don't see a need to make them do double work.

I don't play D&D, but I do use character sheets for quick entry and then an occasional roll, but make my own macros that are then tied directly to the token. And Actoba - I'd already voted for your suggestion, I think it's something that is needed. :)

First, thanks for the comments. I had not totally considered using both the sheet and macros. One thing I liked about 5e, when watching the playtest at wizards, was how they ask for stat rolls and then a proficiency. Make a Wisdom (perception) check. From a button mashing standpoint, you can just have one macro per stat and let it give you all the info you need. Here is my wisdom powercard. Tells me adv/dis, what skills they have that they get their proficiency bonus, what the bonus is, and if they get a bonus to saving throw on that stat. The Fantasy Grounds character sheet and the one we use here (Nice work Actoba!) is that it starts feeling like 3.5/pathfinder and not the streamlined game that it is. A few buttons, stats, inventory....that is a character sheet I could get into. Feel like stripping it down to the basics Actoba? I did figure out how to minimize the sheet by double clicking and I am working on spell card deck for tracking spells known and cast. Great community, by the way. Glad I came back!

We use 2E character sheets, but generally I prefer to make character specific macros. Not least because the macros are right on the screen, and the sheet needs to be opened and search for the roll. Getting things off of the sheet takes time, fine for saves and such, but not good in the heat of combat.

Hey Greg A., I use the D&D 5e Character Sheet along with the Power Card Script and use macros to pull everything I need off the character sheet. So I never need to open my sheet during game play. Here is an Example of the Intelligence Roll: Using This Token Action Macro: !power --name|@{selected|token_name}'s Intelligence --txcolor|White --bgcolor|Black --Roll|[[1d20+@{intelligence_mod}+@{global_check_bonus}]] | [[1d20+@{intelligence_mod}+@{global_check_bonus}]] --Saving throw|add [[@{intelligence_save_prof}+@{global_saving_bonus}]] --Arcana|add [[@{arcana_prof_exp}+@{arcana_bonus}]] --History|add [[@{history_prof_exp}+@{history_bonus}]] --Investigation|add [[@{investigation_prof_exp}+@{investigation_bonus}]] --Nature|add [[@{nature_prof_exp}+@{nature_bonus}]] --Religion|add [[@{religion_prof_exp}+@{religion_bonus}]] So I have 6 Token actions for all of my Checks, Saves, and Skills. Good Luck, Slay all the Dragons!

Greg, Wes, Great Idea!

A summary macro that combines all of the saves/skill checks for a single stat into one button does make sense so I may look into adding that to the sheet in some form. It's difficult to produce that much macro output, with no API enhancement, without it looking horrible and difficult to read...which is why (blatant plug alert!) I added a suggestion here to allow some basic html formatting for chat output from sheet macros - <a href="https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1244846/basic-ht" rel="nofollow">https://app.roll20.net/forum/post/1244846/basic-ht</a>... Go vote if you agree ;)

I Agree with you Actoba, you have put a lot of thought into the character sheet and the only thing that it really needs is better output formatting. (PS. I voted on that!)

Wes, Looks like the best of both worlds! Nice work! Actoba, Again, great work on the Character Sheet and I voted on that link.

Based on Wes' script above, is there a suggestion on how you could use a "if" statement to only publish the saving throw mod and skill lines if the character sheet showed proficiency? Would be nice if every skill was not printed out on every roll if you only had one.

Macros cannot include conditional logic like that.

Love Actoba's sheet and use it as the exclusive sheet in my 5e campaign. I do like crafting my own macros though - personal preference. Would LOVE to see Actoba's recommendation to allow buttons on character sheets to be used as token actions via player selectable radial box... that'd just be the bee's knees.

Well the good news is that it appears that suggestion is now in development...though it seems it will make the buttons appear on the macro bar and not the token action bar.....either way I think it's great news :)

That is great news - macro bar or token action - either is good with me.