The 'Character Sheet' as we know it needs to die.

[Slamurai]

The character sheet is one roleplaying convention every active member of this site is familiar with. It's so ingrained into the experience that it's expected players make one in just about every roleplay. GMs provide sheets to players for record-keeping, so that anyone involved can reference their partners at a glimpse. It's tidy and practical.

The level of depth, however, usually depends on how many sections the GM decides to add to the skeleton. Far too often character sheet skeletons are chock-full of superficial details, like favorite colors, likes, dislikes, full-blown personality analyses, age, sexuality and so on. At times, it feels like some sheets are such complete profiles, that there's nothing else to discover about the character: it's all laid bare for you before you've even got to roleplaying. Everyone knows what to expect from the character already.

I think that's a disservice to storytelling, to the intelligence of your fellow writers, and to the character themselves. When you turn a paperback over to read the plot summary on the back, there's no biography to read. Usually you'll find just a name and the relevance to the plot. The reader is meant to learn more over time, and follow the character(s) over the course of the narrative.

Instead of a sheet, I'd suggest GMs task players with writing samples that show a glimmer of their character. What they're like, how they act, speak and think. That's far more convincing than ticking off a list on a sheet. Instead of telling everyone your character has a short fuse in the sheet, write a scene in which he fumes over trivial details. Don't tell us your character is a 'master marksman,' write a scene in which she proves it by making a seemingly-impossible shot.

That said, I understand the need and/or desire for GMs to gauge their roleplayers' writing abilities, or determine how their characters fit into the world of the roleplay. Not every character is compatible with every setting, and not every roleplayer has the same writing proficiency. That matter is best settled at the interest-check level, with a clear, concise expectation for players to follow. How GMs and players work together to craft compelling, setting-compatible characters, is up to them - either via PMs, the OOC or in chatrooms like Discord.

The fact of the matter is characters are more than just lists of facts and biographies. The narrative is where they thrive, so make that their natural habitat. By all means, make a sheet for yourself so you can reference it and keep the character consistent as you write. But it's time we got rid of the character sheet as we know it and let them speak for themselves.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

There has always been a fine balance to the art of making a character sheet that is relevant and pertinent in its entirety to a roleplay. The gist of where this stems from and why I believe it continues other than purely for the sake of tradition is so that the Game Master knows just who a character is and is being submitted to the group, although some details offer nothing and as you noted, are effectively selling short the entire idea of a written system; even outside writing, an abroad the rule is "Show, do not tell." However, characters need to pass muster to some extent and some of these elements are critical to this accomplishment. Now comes the issue of where this becomes in excess, such as date of birth, sexuality, or favorite color, which unless absolutely plot relevant for checking off a box that must be known, are superfluous additions.

I, for one, would absolutely not, in any sense, allow a roleplay as a Game Master where players did not submit to the most basic of inquiries. This is because I view it as quality control; there are certain persons and character types that are disruptive and negative to the game and story I am directing. If I am the one to host it and have leapt through all the hoops to facilitate that, as so few people wish to lead the narrative by and large, I reserve the right to say, "That character does not belong here." Now of course a player could absolutely bamboozle a Game Master but that is the reason the Game Master has added powers and authority, and should those fail, moderators and administrators have greater exercise.

Yet this does not negate the fact that a character sheet is the first and potentially most important hurtle for players and characters alike to step through, although there is one element of them that is highly controversial that I standby with stalwart resolve; psychological profiles. I absolutely believe it is essential in the meta to have an idea of who this character is and not cast it solely to chance, because as many of us, especially us older members of the genre have almost assuredly experienced, a character with zero insight as to who they are or what they do is an absolute wild card and exceedingly bad characters like to sneak in that way. This also goes hand in hand with the matter that players should, at least in my standing, be required to submit a roleplaying sample; the general idea is that anything "claimed" should be clear in the writing and portrayal. The reason this is often cast aside is that players are fickle and the more expectations set out, the less willing most are to participate for obvious reasons. These reasons are that character sheets are realistically costly in time investiture and creative energy derived from the mind, thus as people generally only have so much time to spend on a roleplay and so much creative power, they must choose, especially when the vast, vast, vast majority of roleplays fall through.

Continued, albeit in different vein but related all the same, players simply do not abide by the motions of an interest check, let alone the out-of-character section and rarely, if ever, seem to contact with questions in what amounts to "in-person". This I take as pervasive as even back long before my time with the Guild, on now ancient forums, people just applied to topics and were accepted or declined. But I digress, the point is, is that this asks more of a player and further reduces the pool from those who would rather just commit to writing a sheet and hoping something happens with it. Now if this is for better or worse, judging how devoted a player is or is not, that is to be decided based on one's stance; I personally determine how devoted a player is by how much effort invested into the character sheet their is and how they generally portray themselves out-of-character as well as their account's activity, if I can manage to recover that by observation. Even having used other services to coordinate stories with players or Game Masters, in the rare cases I have been able to play and access them, communication was still mostly non-existent or unhelpful or wasted.

This in the end still makes a sheet extremely valuable, because if all we are left with is a name and a vague, general description, there is no telling what might be in store. I agree that sheets should be trimmed down to what is relevant - I needn't know an entire character's life biography from grandfather down unless it is absolutely needed - and I would also offer that I favor, as a Game Master, limiting the explicitness of information because the players should be attempting to experience this in the game with one another, fool that I am to hope this.

Simply put, if the above was too much to bother digging through, that is a dreamy idea that will not work in the vast majority of cases because people cannot be trusted or expected to do what should be done. Game Masters need an expedient method of verification and review, players need something that is universal and consistent.

[SleepingSilence]

The biggest devil's advocate defense against this idea is in the genres of adventure and action, or wherever conflict is inevitable, is if you don't show and outline your character's abilities along with their strengths and weaknesses. You'll be able to "cheat the system" as it were, making stuff up as you go will be seen in a negative light and you may even create situations where your character appears to be overpowered. And no ones wants that to happen in a story.

I could go more in-depth, but really I don't actually have a stronger case since I've basically said this somewhere on the forum already. (Or at least similar in fashion.) And there is cases that even aesthetics can matter in specific scenarios, the height and weight of a character or even what they're wearing could become plot relevant to a smart and thoughtful enough GM. For instance, your characters are lost and need some creature to show you directions. But the creature only takes interest in shiny things, and it just so happens somebody has a shiny watch in their inventory and can use that to persuade directions out of the creature. (Stuff like that makes players feel more involved when you take these things into consideration. It actually shows you at least read the sheets and aren't just using them to dismiss people you dislike under the technical excuse of the sheet.)

Actually, you don't particularly go into one of the things I consider to be the biggest flaws in CS's in terms of good storytelling. Is because they often remain static and frozen in time before an RP even begins, when good characters by definition go into their own arcs where they're expected to change. Yes, you can tirelessly keep editing your CS to keep track of such things. But so rarely is it even worth doing, since they're often used as a mere reminder of the character you're playing. (Only useful when you're in many RP's.) And many more people don't even follow their sheet in personality or otherwise, which does make you wonder how little they considered when it came to making it.

I was suppose to be playing devil's advocate wasn't I? Hmm...

Do you think the vast majority of players can write creatively and in enough detail to make their own character's perspective obvious and telling? CS's, when not used as a weapon by the GM, are effectively cheat sheets for the player. Would getting rid of character sheets rob people of having a direct link to everything they want to have for their character? And like the mentioned previously, won't it allow filthy cheaters and overpowered characters to ruin all the fun?

[Slamurai]

@The Harbinger of Ferocity I think we're on similar wavelengths. I agree, it's critical GMs know who the characters are and how compatible they will be with the roleplay before they accept or decline them. That goes hand-in-hand with player-GM communication, another important and related topic. Somewhere down the line, before the character is accepted, there has to be dialogue between both parties to affirm expectations about the roleplay and how characters will fit within it. I'd say that communication in itself is an indicator of a player's dedication to their craft and their respect for the GM's work.

It can be said that in accepting a character, you're also accepting their roleplayer. Quality control is an issue in any roleplay that takes itself seriously. I'm coming at this from a 'literary' perspective, you could say. So as much as I understand the length and detail of a character sheet is a sign of quality and dedication to some, I'm not interested in any details that don't pertain to the plot or the character's role in the plot. Speaking for myself, I tend to be concise and to-the-point in my prose. I omit superfluous details, leaving enough to give the reader a sense of setting, mood and action, but not drowning in 'purple prose.' I think character sheets ought to be treated the same way.

Rather than eliminating the character sheet entirely, maybe all that's needed are amendments to give the reader and GM enough information about both the character and the player's writing ability. Something like a name, the barest of physical descriptions, an overview of his 'role' in the roleplay and a writing sample.

I acknowledge this is more or less a roleplaying wet dream and character sheets aren't going anywhere soon. But even if it encourages one budding GM or player to approach the hobby in a different way, I'll be satisfied.

[Slamurai]

@SleepingSilence You raise some good points that I hadn't really considered when I made the post. In sections like the Arena, an outline of abilities and strengths to gauge power and ensure fairness is necessary. Roleplayers looking for 'D&D without the tabletop' and combat-heavy, 'gamey,' or stat-based roleplays will probably be less interested in my outlook. My perspective is more in-line with an aspiring novelist, or storyteller.

I liked that you mentioned the static nature of character sheets. I've also noticed players either stray from their character's nature as written in the sheet, or follow it religiously. Good characters are malleable and can change over time, and a rigid character sheet reflects this poorly. Constant edits that attempt to are also unfeasible.

The questions you raise about trusting players to write consistent, but malleable and natural characters and not cheat are hard to answer. I think there are some elements you just have to chalk up to poorly-laid expectations for the roleplay, bad writing and bad players. In a perfect world, GMs and players would always be on the same page and roleplays would go on for years and make great stories. In reality, this is hardly common.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

I will simply state that hoping for any sort of affirmation on expectations is the epitome of naivety with players and Game Masters alike and that goes for everyone, myself included. Players will avoid asking the most simple questions regularly and Game Masters will do anything they can to avoid putting more weight on themselves; engaging in constant question and answer sessions is exceptionally time consuming. Worse still, I would say Game Masters have it worse as people only have so much patience for things to be hashed out or mulled over. Games that do not near instantly start, at least on the Roleplayer Guild experience what might be exponential odds of failure unless the genre is so popular people will rush to play it. No amount of one player being dedicated and attempting to be proactive will make up for the three to four other people who are not.

I simultaneously agree and disagree otherwise that length and detail do not pertain. By this I mean that if a player submits a brief essay about how important their second childhood dog was and that dog has no bearing or relevance to the character, it is absolutely a waste of time to even have read it. Yet contrarily, if that character gives me an idea of why they are the way they are and give me, the Game Master or even a fellow player, a psychological explanation for that frame of mind, that is essential. I expect that, through and through, especially in the realm of potential cliche which is, in this example, people playing mental illnesses they know nothing about and could never, with their skill level, play out in writing; we all know such a character. But without a character sheet, how is this to be known? A literary perspective would only serve to make matters worse in the context of a roleplay because the author is not trying to lure anyone in, they are effectively trying to pass an examination.

I would state that the barest, truest sheet, not that the content itself should be short, contrary to that instead, but still consist of a name, a physical description, an address to personality, and a sample of who that character is in a scene. The first is obvious, the second equally so but crucially not to be neglected as other players should write and describe back observations about the other's person; they have a need to know features, but the scar on the sole of the right foot shouldn't be a detail unless for some reason people will not be wearing anything on their feet. The third and fourth? The third is again, essential, although mostly reserved for the Game Master although shrewd players should try to pick up on things to keep in mind... of course if their character is observant and watchful for these things. The last of course? Well, it goes without saying that is the examination of the person to see if they will pass the mark or not, although it should not be limited to just these; if a game involves any sort of conflict it should probably be noted what their talents are there, among other obvious modifications.

Speaking but only for myself, I would shelve the idea of a roleplay without character sheets and instead refine the most perfect examples of minimalism, in actual length, and maximized content. It does not say, take five paragraphs to explain that the mage character can cast a ball of fire, it takes but a handful to say what it is and what it does. Likewise, a character does not need to list their favorite food or theme song or so on and if they do, for whatever plot reason, an example as this probably does not require more than the same amount, three to five, sentences if there is a very particular reason it is relevant.

Frankly, part of my issue with even wanting to dispel character sheets in concept is that I just do not trust players or even Game Masters that much in regular terms to get away with that.

[BrokenPromise]

How effective a character sheet is entirely depends on the GM and information needed. This is a topic that has come up previously, but I do not mind presenting my opinion again.

Here's a character sheet for my danganronpa RP

𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲:

Character's Name

𝗔𝗴𝗲:

Character's Age

𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁:

The type of infinite they are as well as details about their talent

𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲:

A picture is fine (preferably anime) or a written description. Be sure to note key features like accessories, hair style, scars, etc.

𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻:

Why they were administered to the hospital. Keep in mind their affliction will be healed (in most cases) by the time the RP starts. They could also be staying at the hospital to be near a loved one/friend, so you can write that instead.

𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆:

How they generally act and the vibe they give off. Interests and pet peeves should be included in here.

𝗧𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮:

Some details a quick internet search would reveal about them, like their job, accomplishments, where they live, etc.

Now to break down why I need all of these sections.

NAME: Self explanitory. I'd like to know the name of the character. It's important that we don't have a bunch of characters that share the same name. Shit gets confusing

AGE: While not very important by itself, I find that having a field open makes players pay attention to it. Good players will realize that if there's a large number of teenagers, making an older character will increase their odds of getting in. It's another way to increase variety.

TALENT: Talents are a big part of danganronpa, and everyone needs to be different. Talents define a good portion of what a character is. So this is something that I need to know, as well as any other skills this may grant them.

APPEARANCE: As much as I like physical descriptions, this area usually has a picture slapped in it. Oh well. Such is the nature of casual level RPs. As long as we know what they look like and we all describe them correctly in story.

AFFLICTION: since this RP takes place in a hospital, it's helpful to know why your character's there.

PERSONALITY: Hard to define, but it helps to know a little bit about the character. I'm mostly screening for edge lords and other undesirable personalities. seeing possible hooks also helps. If your character is interested in electronics, that could play a part down the road in the RP.

TRIVIA: Since the characters are all fairly well known, everyone should know a few details about them.

I feel like I can't really let anyone into that particular RP without acquiring that information first. While seeing you write a post with said person would show a bit of your writing style, it wouldn't show the deeper nuances of the character.

...Which brings me to the second part of the character sheet: the secret questionnaire. This part is submitted via PMs so only I can see it, and players do not have to worry about spoiling parts of their character. Most of the questions are designed to reveal parts of the plot that might be confusing. That's what questions like Where's the last place this character fell asleep? is there for. Is there anything unusual about your character's body that a normal human won't possess? Is there to make sure your character doesn't have any non-medical implants or is a robot, which goes against the rules. Then there are some simple questions that give me an idea of what you plan on doing with your character, like Are you interested in making this character a killer or victim? I suppose if I have one question on here that doesn't really serve any purpose, it's Is your character GBLT? Originally this question was designed to help spot "super perverts," as I've found most promiscuous characters tend to be bisexual. However, some people identify as bisexual, and simply wish to have a character that has the same sexuality as they do. Other times people simply wish to have the most options they possibly can for their character, even if they don't plan on doing anything romantic. But one bad question out of ten isn't half bad. However, it likely won't be returning in future RPs.

So no, let's not abolish character sheets. But GMs do need to consider the information they are asking for.

[Slamurai]

@BrokenPromise Fandoms aren't my niche, so your perspective is different than mine, but I appreciate the examples you gave. Got me thinking that in roleplays based on games or series with special 'traits' that are central to the setting, sheets would have to account for those. So in your case 'talents' and 'afflictions' would be essential information.

The secret questionnaire is an interesting idea. I think your willingness to ask just a bit extra of your players shows that you're dedicated to the roleplay and setting. It'd be neat to see GMs adopt a similar model, in which they had more information with which to judge characters, while players learn about each other's characters over time in the narrative.

[Strange Rodent]

I believe the biggest issue with character sheets as we know them is the personality section. As it's presented, it's simply too broad to actually get an idea of what to fill it with. For example, think of anyone you are close with in meatspace. Try and explain their very nuanced personality in one paragraph. I guarantee you'll leave something out.

I believe this can be addressed by working out a way to either specify what information is needed, or boil it down to one sentence.
Specifying what information is needed would require a great deal of commitment from the GM, as they'd have to analyse which parts of a person's personality are actually relevant to the rp. My personal favourite is "Core Drive", which is filled out with one word that informs the reader of what the character values most. Money, power, family, style. After you have this requested, it becomes easier to build what other info you need, based off of the drive: inner conflict, goals, accomplishments, moral objections, their "line". Overall, this can all add up to the clutter problem mentioned previously in the thread.
The other way of going about specifying personality I see is to ask for one or two sentences that boil everything down. This should then be used as a guideline, rather than a hard and fast rule. My personal favourite is from the Mouse Guard RPG: belief and instinct. Belief is one sentence that summarises how the character views the world, and instinct is an action that must be performed after a trigger.
For example, I once made a character who believed that "Violence is a last resort, as it is the first sign of desperation", and they instinctively fled the area whenever there was trouble. In general, the character was quite valuable due to their non combat skills such as medicine, tracking, and wilderness survival. However whenever there was combat, they'd flee and hide, then shame the others for defending them. (Obviously they didn't like this, but they couldn't do anything about it because if they got rid if the character, they'd starve or get hopelessly lost or something like that )

Overall, I do think that character sheets are necessary, but I think the form they are currently in needs to pass out of use. It encourages checklist characters, rather than characters with well thought out motives and beliefs.

[Ammokkx]

no, lol.

You can try to abolish character sheets in a roleplay and see how well that turns out, but CSes are a shitload more than just writing barometres. They give both the writer and the GM an idea of what kind of character you intend to play. I can't just go off someone's writing level to know whether or not they're a good fit for the RP- some people with not so great grammar can still be great in a roleplay because they're a joy to have around. What it comes down to is seeing how much their intended character fits the setting- not what kind of writing they have.

CSes are a baseline pitch to work off of. If the GM likes your pitch- congrats, you can play said pitch. The character will naturally grow and look different from said pitch as the RP progresses and that ain't a bad thing- but you need that initial groundwork to build on to begin with. Abolishing all CSes is a terrible idea because if you don't know who you're RPing with, even with a writing sample, RPing will be even more of a crapshoot. This method only works with friends you trust- and even then I'd still vet them to see if they really made a character fit for the setting.

[Isotope]

Character sheets bad

[ArenaSnow]

My word wall's basically been stated, so I'll just echo my main premise and expand if someone wants my bollocks.

Yes, modern sheets tend to be bloated. I hate it when there's 5 gifs in a sheet - that can bugger right off. Super formatting? Meh. Extensive detailing of every element of a character before the roleplay even starts? Uh, how? Don't you kinda get that info from the roleplay itself? The elements I consider essential are name, a broad indication of 'type' if applicable (containing things like race, age, whatnot as appropriate), appearance, abilities and a gist of personality and/or backstory, the most latter of which I find critical at a quality control level.

I've moved away from group roleplaying at a formal, public level for the most part save for a rare few places. I prefer the less formal structure of a 1x1 or even a group I assemble of my own accord consisting of people I figure would have the required level of common sense to pass the vetting by default. This is partially why I indulge public roleplays at all anymore - they are a recruitment sphere for my internal content. If I was interested in constructing a public roleplay, however, I would consider the aforementioned elements essential in quality control and seeing the baseline to use in measuring characters.

[Ammokkx]

My word wall's basically been stated, so I'll just echo my main premise and expand if someone wants my bollocks.

@ArenaSnow

*ahem*

Phrasing.

[Lord Wraith]

I've been both roleplaying and GMing for a while now, and I've done the Bloated Character Sheet numerous times, I've tried having players replace a Character History's with a Writing Sample and I've been experimental and done a proof of Concept Sheet. I also could have sworn that I have done a sheet where players provide basic information and then link posts they're proud of in lieu of a bio, but I couldn't find an example of that.

The point of this is, I don't think there's one 'character sheet' that works for every game or GMing style. What one GM sees as superficial, another might see as essential. You mention sexuality in your opening post, and while sexuality might not matter in say a fandom RP, it could be a necessary detail in a slice of life or romance RP. While an arbitrary weight may not be important, a general character description and build are. A character sheet at the very minimum should include enough details that I can interact and accurately describe your character from mine's point of view.

Could these details be described in the IC? Absolutely, they could, but not every writer is going to go through the morning montage of getting dressed and describing their character in detail. A novel gets away with vague character descriptions because all the characters are created by the same author, they know what Hank looks like compared to Harriet. But in roleplaying, we're collaboratively writing and I need to know at least an overview of your vision if you want me to reply and react to your character in an accurate manner.

Should character sheets be all telling? No, absolutely not, you need to be able to have things to flesh out in the IC and work towards. The length of the first CS I linked is largely due to build a world and its history within in the context of the RP, which again comes back to my original point, the RP should determine the CS. Using one template over and over, will not work unless you solely GM the same genre and even then shifts in the story telling might require a different template. For example, an RP which features characters on the run might require an inventory whereas another where characters are free to go to and from their homes does not as characters can regularly retrieve and exchange items on their person.

At the end of a day, a character sheet is just as much for you as a player as it is for the GM. You should be using a character sheet whether or not the RP calls for it if only to keep your character consistent. Whether the GM asks you to specify that Arthur is 5'-10" or not, I should be able to ask and you should be able to tell me immediately. Like many others pointed out, it protects against on the fly decisions and power gaming. While some might argue it promotes meta-gaming, I honestly have no problem in players having a public CS and a private one for their own reference so long as the two don't contradict or mislead.

Really, all of this is a long winded way of saying, no I don't want to see character sheets abolished, just adaptable.

[BrokenPromise]

@Aristo I've actually only been doing fandom RPs for the last 2 years, as those seem to get the most players on RPG. The process with making a proper character sheet for any RP is the same though: just ask for the information you need. While the process is always the same, the information varies from RP to RP. I think that your new/garden variety GMs are mostly to blame for bad sheets. I never encountered it myself, but a friend once joined an RP where they required you to list your character's bra size. There's a possibility this was asked to ensure there's be some variety in the character's "shapes," but it still feels like a very strange thing to ask role-players to list. I'm not sure why my character's measurements are all that important.

I've always prized keeping backstories secret. I think it makes for more organic role-playing when characters and players can learn about the characters together. Though I don't think a lot of RPs benefit from it. Danganronpa is a court drama style RP, so character secrets are really important. Your garden variety adventurers questing to destroy the evil overlord are typically more interested in an escapist power fantasy than telling stories about characters.

Meh.

[ArenaSnow]

<Snipped quote by ArenaSnow>
*ahem*

Phrasing.

@Ammokkx

All natural. All intentional.

[Mixtape Ghost N]

No, we need to go the other way. Every RP's character sheet should be of this length:

Verse: (The universe your character belongs to. Can be original or fanfiction. [Ex: Original : The name of your book, movie, game or whatever. Fanfiction: Pokemon, Star Trek, Naruto, ect.)
Date: (The date this sheet was completed.)

Full Name: (Self explanatory)
Pronunciation: (Self explanatory)
Nickname/Alias: (Does your character have a pet name, fake identity, or any other thing they like to go by? Put it here.)
Meaning: ([Ex: Emily means "admiring" and William means "protector"] If you aren't sure your character's name has a meaning look it up, I'm sure you'll find something. If it's a fantasy name you made yourself, give it a meaning.)
Origin: (How did you come up with your character's name?)
Title: (Do have a title along with their name? [Ex: Sir, Captain, Ms.])
Pet Name: (What do other people call your character? [kid, squirt, babe, ect] May be insulting, endearing, or a combination of both. May have more than one, if other characters call them different things.
ID Number: (A number that may also be used to identify your character, such as tournaments and prison settings)
Signature: (What is their handwriting like?)

Gender: (Self explanatory)
Gender Role: (Does your character generally act more feminine or masculine?)
Orientation: (Ex: Straight, Bisexual, Homosexual)
Real Age: (How old your character is in years)
Age Appearance: (How old does your character look? This is mostly for immortal creatures such as deities, but can be used with anybody. [if someone looks older or younger than their age)
Birthday: (Self explanatory)
Deathday: (May not have one yet)
Birthplace: (Where was your character born?)
Astrological Sign: (Western)
Zodiac Sign: (Eastern)

Immediate Family: (Who was your character raised by?)
Distant Family: (The ones they don't see every day)
Parenting: (Were their parents strict or fun-loving?)
Upbringing: (What morals and ideals were your characters raised with?)
Infancy: ([0-2] What was it like when your character was a baby? Were they nurtured or dropped at birth?)
Childhood: ([3-12] What was it like for your character growing as a kid ?)
Adolescence: ([13-17] Teen years)
Adulthood: ([18+] When your character has fully matured. If your character isn't yet an adult, plan what would happen to them in the future.)
Coming of Age: (When and how did your character "grow up"?)
Evolution: (How has your character changed since they were younger?)

Species: (Human, animal, or a fantasy race)
Ethnicity: (Self Explanatory)
Blood Type: (Self explanatory)
Preferred Hand: (Right handed, left handed, or ambidextrous?)
Facial Type: (Ex: Oval, heart, square, round, )
Eye Color: (Self explanatory)
Hair Color (Self Explanatory)
Hairstyle: (Self explanatory)
Skin Tone: (Self Explanatory)
Complexion: (Self explanatory)
Makeup: (If any)
Body Type: (Endomorph, Ectomorph, Mesomorph, or somewhere in between?)
Build: (Long legs, chubby cheeks, or muscular arms?)
Height: (In inches)
Weight: (In pounds)
Cup Size: (Self explanatory)
Facial Hair: (If applicable)
Shoe Size: (Self Explanatory)
Birthmarks/scars: (Self explanatory)
Distinguishing Features: (Something unique that stands out)

Health: (How healthy is your character?)
Energy: (How much energy does your character have on a daily basis?)
Memory: (How well does your character remember things, and what do they remember?)
Senses: (Are any of your character's senses better or worse than others?)
Allergies: (Self Explanatory. May be optional.)
Handicaps: ([Ex: A limp, deafness, missing an eye] May be optional.)
Medication: (What meds do your character take, if any?)
Phobias: (Things that simply terrify your character. May be trivial or debilitating. Try to have at least one.)
Addictions: (Drugs, alcohol, gambling, or bad teen romance)
Mental Disorders: ([Ex: Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Paranoia.] May be optional.)

Style: (The overall style your character shows, not just limited to clothing. Ex: Punk, Goth, Nerd)
Mode of Dress: (Don't describe their clothes here. Describe how they wear their clothes. Two people can wear a suit, but each will wear it differently. [Ex: Is the shirt tucked in?])
Grooming: (Well-kept or messy?)
Posture: (How does your character present themselves? Ex: Stiff, slouchy, suggestive)
Gait: (The speed and style which how your character moves)
Coordination: (How physically fit is your character? Also add things like reflexes, ect.)
Habits and Mannerisms: (Any nervous ticks or unconscious habits your character might have. Ex: Nail biting, crosses arms, or twirls hair)
Scent: (What does your character smell like? Good or bad? How strong?)

Mood: (What mood are you most likely to catch your character in?)
Attitude: (How does your character interact with others?)
Stability: (How emotionally consistant are they?)
Expressiveness: (Do they hide emotion or let it out openly?)
When Happy: (Ex: Whistles, sings, skips)
When Depressed: (Ex: locks themself in their room, listens to music, hugs a stuffed animal)
When Angry: (Ex: Punches walls, screams at people, trolls online)
Note: These are generalizations. Different situations will create different reactions.

Current Residence: (Where does your character live right now? May or may not include a geographical location)
Community: (What does the general population act like where your character lives?)
Family: ([Ex: Parents, children, siblings] Include stepfamilies if it applies, and label as such.)
Friends: (Who does your character like to hang out with?)
Enemies: (Who does your character despise?)
Bosses: (Who does your character answer to)
Followers: (Who answers to your character?)
Heroes: (Who does your character look up to?)
Rivals: (Who are they competing with?)
Relates to: (Who is similar to your character?)
Pets/Familiars: (Describe a pet your character owns, real or fantasy and give it a name.)

Wardrobe: (Describe your character's closet. What is their formal, casual, or other kind of wear?)
Equipment: (Refers to tools or weapons your character may use. [Ex: A sword for a warrior]
Accessories: (Tattoos, piercing, jewelry, glasses, ect.)
Trinkets: (Applies to but not limited to good luck charms, purses, watches, or any other items they carry with them almost all the time.)
Funds: (How much cash does your character have on hand, and how much at home/in the bank?)
Home: (What is your character's house like? Describe it's overall appearance, [Ex: Shabby, fancy] type of house, [Trailer, mansion] and describe things such as the yard, wallpaper, or any other information. Things like bedrooms count as your character's home.)
Neighborhood: (What are the people and places near your character like?)
Transportation: (How does your character get around? [Ex: Car, bus, bike])
License Plate Number: (Can be regular numbers, or something more creative. Adjust for your country.)
Collections: (Does your character like to hoard or collect anything?)
Most valuable possession: (In money)
Prized Possession: (What object does your character value above all else?)

Lovers: (From childhood crushes, to exes, to a married partner, who does your character love?)
Marital Status: (Ex: Single, Taken, Dating, Available)
Sex Life: (Pretty self explanatory)
Type: (Eros/ragma/Banquet/Mania/Ludus/Storge)
Turn-Ons: (What does your character want to see in their ideal mate?)
Turn Offs: (What tends to make them back off)
Position: (Dom/Sub)
Plays: (Bondage, roleplay, ect.)
Fetishes: (Self Explanatory)
Virginity: (How many times have they "done it"?)
Element: (Fire/Water/Air/Earth)

Occupation: (Self explanatory)
Work Ethnic: (How hard does your character work? How do they feel about their job?)
Rank: (How high up are they on the corporate ladder?)
Income: (How much money do they make?)
Wealth Status: (How well financed is your character? Ex: Upper, middle, or lower class)
Experience: (Include things like pasts jobs, or things that contributed to current occupation.)
Organizations/Affiliations: (Who does your character side with?)

IQ: (Self explanatory)
Education: (How good is their education?)
School: (What was their school like?)
Grade: (What grades would they get?)
Special Education: (Did they ever get held back or get honor role?)
Social Stereotype: (ex: nerd, goth, punk)
Degrees: (What degrees did/would they earn in school?)
Intelligence: (Linguistic/logical/spatial/kinesthetic/musical/interpersonal/intrapersonal/naturalist)
Extracurricular Activities: (Such as P.E. or art)

Religion: (Self Explanatory)
Morals: (What does your character find morally right or wrong?)
Crime Record: (Relationship with authority, laws broken, and crimes committed.)
Motivation: (What moves your character? [Ex: Power, money, love)]
Priorities: (What does your character place first, second, and third?)
Philosophy: (Your character's outlook on life)
Political Party: (Ex: Democrat, Republican, Liberal, or Conservative)
Etiquette: (How good our your characters manners? Do they bow or chew with their mouth open?)
Culture: (Any things your character may do specific to a certain culture. [Ex: Bowing in Japan] Do your research on this one or you could offend people. )
Influences: (Who or what inspires your character to change? Do they influence anyone else?)
Relates to: (Who can your character relate to?)
Traditions: (Does your character sit around the table with their family? What holidays do they celebrate?)
Superstitions: (spilling salt, knocking on wood)

Main Goal: (Driving force in the story. May be subject to change.)
Minor Goals/Ambitions: (What is your character trying to accomplish?)
Career: (What would be your character's dream job?)
Desires: (What does your character want?)
Wishlist: (What material items does your character want?)
Accomplishments: (Did they succeed in any goals?)
Greatest Achievement: (Self Explanatory)
Biggest Failure: (Self Explanatory)
Secrets: (Everyone has at least one)
Regrets: (Self Explanatory)
Worries: (What do they worry about?)
Best Dream: (What would be the best thing that could possibly happen to your character?)
Worst Nightmare: (The worst thing that could ever happen?)
Best Memories: (A few stand out memories from the past. [keep it short and sweet])
Worst Memories: (A few stand out memories from the past. [keep it short and sweet])

Hobbies/Interests: (What does your character like to do for fun?)
Skills/Talents: (Similar to hobbies, but refers to the level of skill a character has. For example, a character could like playing violin but isn't very good at it or vice versa.)
Likes: (What does your character like?)
Dislikes: (What can't they stand?)
Sense of Humor: (Dark/dry/witty/sarcastic/dirty/childish/sophisticated/ironic)
Pet Peeves: (Similar to dislikes, only more relating to human behavior than specific objects. Ex: When people tap on things or when people say "You're not fat!" when you really are)
Superstitions/Beliefs: (Does your character believe in conspiracy theories or aliens? Do they throw salt over their shoulder or knock on wood?)
Dreams/Nightmares: (What do they dream about? [at night])
Quirks: (The strange little things that your character does to make them unique. Ex: Sleeps with their feet on the pillow or runs their hand along a pole as they walk beside it.)
Savvy: (What is your character particularly well-informed of? [Ex: Politically, nature)
Can't understand: (Something they just can't get into, such as English literate or obsession with sports)
Closet Hobby: (Something that your character likes but isn't too obvious.)
Guilty Pleasure: (You know...)

Strengths: (What makes them stand a bit above the crowd? [Ex: Courageous, good listener, calm under pressure] Not supernatural abilities.)
Flaws: (Refers to negative personality traits, not a weakness. Make sure it's a deep flaw that could actually affect your character, not something trivial like "She can't dance". [Ex: Lies constantly, socially backwards, hot-tempered])
Perception: (How does your character generally see the world?)
Conflicts: (What issues make your character want two things, but they can't have both?)
Instincts: (What they are unconsciously driven to do)
Lures: (What are they inexplicably drawn to be near? Ex: Power, money, the helpless)
Soft Spot: (Their vulnerability, what they feel sorry for or have particularly good feelings toward)
Cruel Streak: (What makes a character act against their usual morals, and act especially mean? (everyone has something that can do this to them))

Powers/Abilities: (Here is where to put any superhuman powers and other abilities your character possesses. Be sure to balance them out with weaknesses, or your character loses credibility. This section may be optional depending on what genre you write.)
Origin: (How did they get their powers?)
Source: (How do they use their powers? [ex: shoots fire from hands, can read minds with their ring)
Ability: (How adept are they at using said powers?
Weaknesses: (Make it something that your character exclusively is weak to, and keep it credible. [Ex: A 4-headed radioactive dinosaur is not a credible weakness.])
Immunities: ([Ex: cannot be burned] Be very careful with this one.)
Restrictions: (An absolute necessity for those with supernatural powers. [Ex: Can only breathe fire when angry or can only cast darkness spells twice a day])
Alternate Forms: (Transformations, shape shifting abilities, dark side, ect.)
Extra Anatomy: (Such as wings or a third eye)

Favorite Colors:
Favorite Animals:
Favorite Mythological Creatures:
Favorite Places: (Ex: Fav City, State, or Country)
Favorite Landmarks: (Ex: Eiffel Tower, Mt. Rushmore)
Favorite Flavors: (Ex: Vanilla, Sour, Strawberry)
Favorite Foods:
Favorite Drinks:
Favorite Characters: (Not one of yours)
Favorite Genre:
Favorite Books:
Favorite Movies:
Favorite Games:
Favorite Shows:
Favorite Music:
Favorite Bands:
Favorite Songs:
Favorite Sports:
Favorite Stores:
Favorite Subjects:
Favorite Numbers:
Favorite Websites:
Favorite Words:
Favorite Quotations: (Can be lengthy and philosophical or just simple clichés such as "Every dog has his day)

Least Favorite Colors:
Least Favorite Animals:
Least Favorite Mythological Creatures:
Least Favorite Places:
Favorite Landmarks:
Least Favorite Flavors:
Least Favorite Foods:
Least Favorite Drinks:
Least Favorite Characters:
Least Favorite Genre:
Least Favorite Books:
Least Favorite Movies:
Least Favorite Games:
Least Favorite Shows:
Least Favorite Music:
Least Favorite Bands:
Least Favorite Songs:
Least Favorite Sports:
Least Favorite Stores:
Least Favorite Subjects:
Least Favorite Numbers:
Least Favorite Websites:
Least Favorite Words:
Least Favorite Quotations: (Can be lengthy and philosophical or just simple clichés such as "Every dog has his day)

Languages: (What languages does your character speak and how fluently?)
Accent: (Self explanatory)
Voice: (High pitched, low pitched)
Speech Impediments: (Stutters, slurs, or whistles)
Greetings and Farewells: (How does your character say hello and goodbye?)
State of Mind: (Ask your character "how are you" and see how they respond)
Compliment: (Have your character say something nice)
Insult: (Have your character insult someone)
Expletive: (Can be an actual cuss (Ex: Dammit) or some kind of substitute. (Ex: Darn it!)
Laughter: (What does your character's laugh sound like?)
Tag Line: (Something your character says a lot in everyday sentences. Can often be filled with a sound or vocalization. Ex: Lol, dude, uh)
Signature Quote: (Something significant your character says. Doesn't have to be meaningful, just make it memorable.)

Reputation: (What does the general population think of your character?)
First Impressions: (What would you first think of this character upon meeting them?)
Stranger Impressions: (If someone was told about the character but didn't know them, what would they think?)
Friendly Impressions: (What do people who are friends or acquaintances of your character think of them?)
Enemy Impressions: (What do people who can't stand your character think? If you can't think of anyone who hates your character, we have a problem.)
Familiar Impressions: (What do people very close to your character think of them? Ex: Family, lovers)
Compliments: (What are some good things other people would say of your character? [heroic, good listener])
Insults: (Would anyone like to call your character a whore, jerk, or stupid?)
Self-Impression: (What does your character really think of themselves deep down?)

MBTI Personality Type: [Ex: ENTP, ISTJ]
Temperament: (Chloric/Sanguine/Melancholic/Phlegmatic) May also be called color types, such as yellow, red, blue, or green)
Enneagram: (The Reformer/The Helper/The Achiever/The Individualist/The Investigator/The Loyalist/The Enthusiast/The Challenger/The Peacemaker)
Ego/Superego/Id: (Superego is aims for perfection, society, and the idea of right and wrong. Id is unconscious desires and instincts - Which of these are they most driven by?
The Self: (The center/core of your character)
The Shadow: (The opposite qualities your character themselves does not believe they possess, but do subconsciously)
The Anima/Animus: (The part of the character of the opposite gender)
Persona/Mask: (What they present to the world, or the side they use to protect themselves)

Role: (What purpose does your character serve? [mentor, leader])
Fulfillment: (How well do they serve that role?)
Significance: (Why does your character matter?)
Alignment: (Good/Evil/Neutral/Lawful/Chaotic)
Comparison: (Compare your character to some kind of animal, object, or anything else you can think of.)
Symbol: (Does your character have any kind of recurring symbol that represents them? [Ex: a rose, a black cat, a sunset] Could be blatant or subtle.)
Song: (A song you think best suits your character)
Vice: (Pride/Greed/Gluttony/Lust/Envy/Sloth/Wrath)
Virtue: (Patience/Diligence/Chastity/Temperance/Charity/Kindness/Humility)
Defining Moment: (This is it. The single greatest moment of your character, when they truly become alive.)
Tropes: (What about your character is stereotypical or cliched? [You can't say nothing. Every character has some kind of cliche in them])
Originality: (What makes your character different from one like them?
One Word: (Use a single adjective to sum up your character in a nutshell)

Character Sheet © Character-Resource

[Hero]

No, we need to go the other way. Every RP's character sheet should be of this length:

<Snipped quote>

@Surtr Inc

Gonna use this going forward with every single RP I ever GM.

[The Harbinger of Ferocity]

I do honestly pose, having seen this topic arise again, that a completely free, no character sheet submission or the like topic be made, and anyone who wishes be allowed to join. I stipulate the latter because the general idea, the hope of this overarching endeavor, is that it would work. However, I do not wish to waste anyone's time on it and see it burn to the ground as a bunch of questionable characters, and or their players, have at it. I suppose it would be fair, based on the author's intent, that these people need collaborate with the Game Master but I believe this will just lead back around into the supposed infinite list of potential misunderstandings of varying ideas of what something means.

I would also offer that to be perfectly fair, it should not be stacked with persons the Game Master knows and trusts, i.e. those who would ensure this goes as close to flawlessly as possible because they all have a mutual understanding. For the best experiment we would need repeat this a few times over in varying manners and attempt to level it against other roleplays. Although I have the sneaking suspicion, some inkling, that I already know the answer; that without knowing each person individually and very well, this will not play out to any benefit.

[BrokenPromise]

Eh, I don't think that's really what OP is suggesting. they want to abolish character sheets, but they seem to understand that GMs need some metric to measure the characters by.

A free jump-in RP could work, and has in the past. But it requires some very specific parameters. You need to be okay with one liners and people who can barely write English, Then you need a plot where a character's powers and background can't be used to gain an advantage, or people have no ability to use magic/anything, or whatever powers they have are exactly the same for everyone. The only thing that comes to mind is maybe a "slice of life" RP where it's just about all the characters trying to live together under one roof and tolerate each other. You could maybe do generic adventure stuff, but it would either be a power fantasy or a chatroom type of RP, neither of which are really my cup of tea.

I suppose if you wanted an alternative to a character sheet, you could always jump into a chat with the GM and talk about your character. But I would ask for the same information my character sheets require, and I think most people would find it overly personal/confrontational.