Simple Character Sheets

Telecanter's Receding Rules has some one-shot beginner character sheets. They look pretty good, which is one reason I probably wouldn't use them; I rarely like printing out or using pre-printed character sheets because the fancier they are, the more loathe I am to mess them up by writing on them. Lined paper or index cards have always been my preference.

Which leads me to comment on the backpack / inventory listings on the back of his character sheet. I'm leaning towards the idea of not writing equipment (or gold) on the character sheet at all, except maybe stuff normally in your hands or worn. Instead, each container gets an index card. This would actually interface well with the sack system: you can carry the equivalent of ten index cards (five, if you are a halfling.) Guidelines:

1. Each card equals about 30 pounds of equipment;
2. Two weapons (if listed on character sheet instead of a card) count as one card/sack;
3. Armor (if listed on character sheet) counts as 1 to 3 cards/sacks;
4. Six small bags could be listed together on one card, two lines per bag, one or two items per line;
5. Tokens of some kind can represent bags or sacks of coins or gems before they are counted; counting them lets you list them on a card;
6. A small chest can store one sack of general equipment, one suit of armor, or six sacks worth of coins without breaking, but weighs a couple sacks worth by itself;
7. The GM can write special items on individual index cards and these can be clipped/stacked under the card representing the container they are in.

For the character sheet itself, you have something similar to what's on Telecanter's site, except I'd add areas for Age, Year of Birth, and Background Notes. For advanced players, of course!