Character Sheets allow you to use a digital sheet that's similar to a traditional paper character sheet while playing your game in Roll20. The creator of a game can choose a character sheet template when setting up the game, and all characters in the game will use that sheet template.
Choosing a Character Sheet
Starting a New Game
When you start a new game, you can choose a Character Sheet from the drop-down menu on the New Game creation screen. The Character sheet template can be changed after game creation as well. If you start a game which is a copy based on an existing Game, the copy will match the original character sheet information. Finally, you need to click the (I'm Ready, Create Game) button to save.
Are you a new D&D Player?
If you are a new D&D player playing on Roll20, this is the tutorial for you. We explain everything about our D&D 5e Character Sheet, from rolling ability checks to casting spells and much more.
For an Existing Game
A game creator can change or add a Character Sheet on the Game Settings page. This page is accessed from the Settings dropdown on the Game Details page. Links to the Game Details pages of games that you belong to can be found on the My Games page.
In the Character Sheet Template section, select a template from the dropdown. Pro subscribers can choose Custom to enter their own HTML and CSS. Finally, you need to click the Save Changes button which is found at the bottom of the screen.
If the attributes on your existing characters have the same names as the auto-calculating values on the sheet template, you may have to remove those attributes. If you are seeing strange results with rolls from the sheet, try removing your attributes.
Character Sheet Basics
In this section we explain how to Drag and drop character sheet buttons to the macro quick bar.
If there is a character sheet template enabled for your game, there will be a new tab on when you open up a Character in your Journal labeled "Character Sheet". Clicking this tab will open the Character Sheet. The layout and design of your character sheet, as well as what fields are available, will be determined by the template that the creator of the game has chosen.
The most basic way to interact with a character sheet is filling in values. You can type in text boxes, choose from drop-down menus, use checkboxes and radio buttons, etc. As you fill out the character sheet, all of your changes are automatically saved.
Some fields may have default values already included. You can modify these values as needed for your particular Character. Some fields are also auto-calculating. As you fill out other parts of the sheet, those fields will auto-update to reflect their new values. You cannot modify those fields directly.
Quick Access
You can quickly navigate to a tokens character sheet or their bio and info tab by using hotkeys. If you hold Shift or Alt while double clicking a token it will open the character sheet in a specific tab.
- Holding Alt while double clicking will open the "Character Sheet" tab.
- Holding Shift while double clicking will open the "Bio & Info tab."
Repeating Sections
In addition to fields, your character sheet may feature repeating sections. These are sections where you can put more than one item in a list. For example, the "Skills" section in the example sheet shown to the right. Just click the "Add" button beneath the section to add a new entry. You can click the "Modify" button to delete existing entries.
Sheet Rolls
Your character sheet may also feature dice roll buttons. These are pre-defined dice rolls included with the character sheet which allow you to quickly make attacks or roll attribute checks, etc. These dice rolls will use the values that you have entered in the character sheet. This ensures update-to-date values.
To view the contents of a character sheet roll button:
- Click on the sheet roll button.
- Focus the Text Chat's input box by clicking into to it, or using the Advanced Shortcut. When the input box is focused, a blue outline appears around it.
- Press the up arrow key on your keyboard.
- The contents of the sheet roll button will then populate the text chat input box.
To view the Ability call corresponding to that sheet roll button, drag the sheet button down to the Macro Quick Bar, click on what you just dragged down, and then complete steps 2 to 4.
Drag and Drop Buttons
You can drag and drop sheet buttons to the macro quick bar. You can easily drag buttons from the character sheet onto the Macro Quick Bar at the bottom of the screen. Just click and drag the button to the desired location. The buttons can be removed by dragging the button out of the quick bar into open space, the button will turn red and then vanish when the mouse is released. Please note, if you have the pop-out option enabled for the character sheets you must first disable it under your user settings (cog icon) before the drag and drop function will work. You can then turn it back on after you arrange your macro buttons.
To delete a button that was added to the macro bar simply drag the button off the bar.
Managing Character Sheets, Handouts, and Folders
In this tutorial, we explain different ways to set up character sheets, how to make and share handouts with all of your players (or just one), and how to create and organize folders.
Creating Character Sheets Fast with the Charactermancer
This tutorial covers everything about the Roll20 Charactermancer. We provide a Charactermancer walkthrough using D&D 5e and show you how to level up, create an NPC sheet, and edit a character sheet.
Connecting Tokens to Character Sheets
Connecting tokens to character sheets and vice versa is easy with this Roll20 Tutorial. We share troubleshooting tips and tell you how to use multiple tokens for the same creature.
Advanced Character Sheet Usage
Interaction with Attributes
Character sheets in Roll20 are a presentation layer for the Attributes system. This means that every field on the sheet is "backed" by a corresponding Attribute on the Character. For example, if there is a field called "Strength" on the character sheet, there will also be an attribute called "Strength" in the Attributes & Abilities listing tab. Updating the character sheet will also update the attribute, and vice versa. You can link the character sheet to a token by using the "Represents" box in the Token Settings dialog, similar to how you link an Attribute to a token.
Interaction with Macros and Abilities
You can reference sheet values in your Macros and Abilities by referencing the corresponding Attribute. For example, @{Character Name|Strength}
would use the "Strength" attribute, which corresponds to the "Strength" field on the character sheet. This is represented by name='attr_Strength'
in the character sheet builder. If the player hasn't edited the "Strength" field on the character sheet, the variable will either have the default value set by the character sheet designer or be an empty string ("").
You cannot reference auto-calculated values or sheet rolls from the character sheet using the auto-complete function (discussed in Macros) in custom macros on the abilities page or in the text chat. You can, however, reference all of them by typing them out manually (for example, /roll 1d20+@{Character Name|STR-mod}
for a strength check using the Pathfinder character sheet). You can also create an ability that contains the macro or sheet roll(s) you wish to use, and then you can reference that ability with the auto-complete function. To find the specific name of a given auto-calculated field, read the specific notes about the character sheet you are using. Some character sheets have tooltips telling you the name of the attribute, but this is at the discretion of the character sheet author.
Interaction with Mods (API)
Since all character sheet fields are attributes, you can simply use the existing API methods for Attributes to read or update character sheet values as needed. If a character sheet field has not been edited yet for a Character, that Character will not have an attribute for that field. Make sure to check for "undefined" Attributes when fetching values. Once a character sheet has been edited for a Character, the Attribute is available to the API for reading out. You can create the Attribute yourself and write to it, even if the sheet hasn't been edited yet. The in-game sheet will update accordingly.
To obtain the value of attributes, use the following function call. If the attribute has not been edited, it returns the default value. If it is an auto-calc value, it returns the auto-calculation formula rather than the calculated value. Note that value_type appears to be optional.
getAttrByName(character_id, attribute_name, value_type);
Roll Templates
Roll Templates are a special facet of the Character Sheets system which can be added by the sheet author to provide additional layout and styling options for the display of dice roll results. See the How to Make Roll Templates article to learn more.
Modifying a Community Sheet
If you run a slightly modified version of a common game system such as Pathfinder with your own rules, you may want to modify the existing community sheet. You must be a Pro Subscriber to do so and follow these steps:
- Go to the Game Details => Game Settings page of your game (outside ort h game). Make sure that the "Custom" option is selected under the community Sheet Template section. You will see an editor with 3 tabs.
- Go to the Github repository or the community sheets: https://github.com/Roll20/roll20-character-sheets
- Find the folder or the character sheet you are using (e.g. "Pathfinder").
- There should be an HTML file and a CSS file in the folder. You can ignore any other files. Copy the contents of the HTML file and paste them into the HTML/Layout tab of the sheet editor for your game. Do the same for the CSS file and the CSS/Style tab.
- Make your modifications. Those modifications will only apply to this game. You can find more information about how to create new fields and other character sheet tools on the Building Character Sheets page.
NOTE: If you decide to use a custom version of a community sheet, you will not receive future updates for the community sheet.