2019/2020 Goals: Character Sheet Review, Looking Forward
It’s that time of year, where at an arbitrary point in our orbit around Sol, we celebrate a random number.
I’m conflicted. I hate New Year’s Resolutions. And yet, I love setting goals for the new year.
New Year’s resolutions always seem impossible to keep, and if they aren’t forgotten within a few days or weeks of making them, one slip and we tend to say, “Ah, screw it…I can’t do this for a whole year.” I know this is true for me, and I swore off making them (with the exception of “Don’t die"“, which I’ve faithfully kept each year I’ve made it) years ago.
It was in early 2018 when I came across a post from someone who goes by PhysicistLisa on Twitter who had an extraordinary take on New Year goals. It combined some practicality with my love for tabletop RPGs (specifically Dungeons & Dragons). I’ve done this the last two years, and each year a create a blank sheet that anyone can use.
DOWNLOAD THE 2020 CHARACTER SHEET HERE (jpg)
DOWNLOAD THE 2020 CHARACTER SHEET HERE (pdf)
I need to reiterate that this concept is completely from the brilliant mind of PhysicistLisa, and I just made the sheets. Please go show her some love on Twitter. She’s wicked smart.
I have my review of my 2019 and my 2020 character sheets at the bottom of this post so that for those who are only interested in doing this themselves don’t have to slog through all of my stuff.
Some Background For Those Who Know Not Of Dungeons & Dragons Character Creation (Simplified Version)
(If you already know about rolling up characters in D&D, go ahead and skip this section.)
In D&D, players use dice as one method of determining their characters’ stats (strength, dexterity, intelligence, etc), and those stats are then used when trying to determine the success or failure of an action their character takes. Dice are used to help randomize this some so that characters aren’t good at everything. This leads to better storytelling and problem solving.
That’s right. D&D teaches math and problem solving.
How To Make Your 2020 Character Sheet
You will need 4 six-sided dice for this, or one six-sided die that you will roll 4 times. I will be using my awesome new Norse Foundry Doppelganger Nose-Themed Metal Dice Set that I bought at PAX Unplugged. (You don’t need anything like that, I just love any excuse to show the dice off, and I think that they are awesome people.)
And in today’s age of technology, you don’t even need to have the physical dice. You can download dice rolling apps on your phone, or use Google’s online dice roller.
Here’s how you get the numbers you need:
Roll all four dice (or roll your one die 4 times)
Drop the lowest number
Add up the result and write it down
Repeat the process 5 more times (you will have six numbers between 3 and 18 when you are done).
Now, what do these numbers mean? In D&D, the higher the number, the better the character is at feats and actions that involve that stat, and the number corresponds with a “modifier”. For this exercise, we’ll be using the modifiers in a different way.
Positive Modifiers are for things that you want to start doing; this could be “read 3 nonfiction books this year” or “join a club”.
| SCORE | MODIFIER |
| 3 | -4 |
| 4,5 | -3 |
| 6,7 | -2 |
| 8,9 | -1 |
| 10,11 | 0 |
| 12,13 | +1 |
| 14,15 | +2 |
| 16,17 | +3 |
| 18 | +4 |
Negative Modifiers are for things you want to stop doing or to get rid of; this could be “stop shopping at stores that support causes I don’t believe in,” or “get rid of one thing I don’t need each week.”
A “zero” modifier means you will keep on doing something you already do.
The idea is to make small goals that are easily kept.
DUNGEON MASTER’S NOTE: If you hate your rolls, go ahead and fudge the numbers and build the character you want to be.
Apply the modifiers to your stats
Now take that modifier and slot it into one of your six stat blocks; this will determine the number of goals in each category.
STRENGTH: Social Justice Goals. Strength goals are goals related to your relationship with your communities
DEXTERITY: Physical Goals. Dexterity goals relate to fitness, preventative care, dietary changes, accepting your body the way it is, etc.
CONSTITUTION: Mental Health Goals. These are goals related to self-care and making your home and life a place where you feel safe and comfortable
INTELLIGENCE: Creative Goals. Things that you want to create in 2020.
WISDOM: Knowledge Goals. These goals are about learning new things and skills.
CHARISMA: Social Goals. These goals are centered around improving your relationships with others and adding fun experiences to your life.
So if you have a +3 that you add to Intelligence, you would give yourself three creative goals to accomplish this year.
HERE’S THE IMPORTANT PART:
Do. Not. Judge. Your. Goals. Do not, for one second, think that they aren’t good enough, that they aren’t big enough, or significant enough. That is total and utter bullshit. Every goal, every thing you do an accomplish deserves to be recognized. The voice in your head that tells you that it isn’t is that of you inner bully. Tell it to fuck off.
(The inner bully is a real thing: Dr. Sidney Cohen, PhD wrote an entire book on the subject.)
2019 In Review
Here is my 2019 sheet:
So, how’d I do? (It’s not an evaluation, it’s merely a reflection.)
STRENGTH: I flat out did not have the time to volunteer this year; that said, when people asked for help, and I was able, I gladly offered it. I don’t know if that counts as charity, but I’m OK with it.
DEXTERITY: I did, in fact, compete on November 3rd at The Good Fight. It was likely my last tournament.
CONSTITUTION: I did find a new therapist, who was immensely helpful this year, and I feel better than I have in decades. I did not start Headspace again, but I do have time each day to reflect on what I’ve done, and allow myself the credit for having done those things. The basement and office…they are both an ongoing battle against chaos and entropy, but both are in much, much better shape.
INTELLIGENCE: I am on revision 2 of my novel, which is much more realistic given my utter lack of free time, and I’m glad to have started the process. I did not complete 100 game tests of a tabletop game I was developing, but again, lack of free time, what with the new voiceover career. I’m being patient on that one as well. I did not write the rules for the noir RPG, see reasons above. I also did not attempt bladesmithing, but I DID start voice acting, so I’ll trade those out.
WISDOM: I did not start Duolingo. I did read 4 nonfiction books, more actually, as I’m counting when I record narration for them. I did not cook through a cookbook, as I spend all day, 4-5 days a week cooking in a restaurant.
CHARISMA: I started going to Philly Game Mechanics, but my schedule just didn’t allow it more than the one time. Making plans to see local friends is difficult because of my schedule, but I did see my D&D friends almost every Sunday this year, so that counts.
On to 2020
I haven’t rolled up this sheet yet. I’ll get to it this week, and post what I come up with.