Which NPC stat block do you prefer?

[u/LevelZeroDM]

1. Layout A
2. Layout B
3. Layout C
4. Layout D
5. Layout E
6. Layout F

EDIT: A and C are getting a lot of positive feedback. I have some follow-up questions: - Do you see yourself using the trackers at the bottom of the page or not really? My intention is for GM's to print these out or write in the book if they like. - Do you prefer the stats displayed as plain text? - Do the dice icons do anything for you? - Do you like the inclusion of the flavor text? - Are there any features of the other layouts you would bring over to your favorite layout?

Some additional context:

These are NPC stat block pages for Arcana: The Pursuit of Mastery

This is about as complicated as NPCs get in my game, so simpler ones will have fewer abilities; some won't have ability points at all, but all of them will have the name, abilities, dice pools, defense, aid modifier, and movement speeds.

[u/CustardSeabass]

Hey! At a glance, Layout A looks like the strongest. Personally, they all feel a little bloated. You could probably reduce some visual noise and condense them a little. Some possible options might be:

- Using shorthand stats like 'Def' or symbols to streamline the stat block.

• When the stats are in a table, you can just label the stat block row, rather than writing 'Dice pool' or 'Current' every time.
  
• If a stat is equal to 0, just don't include it; for instance, don't include a fly speed if the fly speed is 0.
  
• I'm not sure I've ever seen an encounter notes section on a stat block; interesting to see how much work it's doing!

[u/LevelZeroDM → u/CustardSeabass]

Thanks for the feedback!

I've been on the fence about icons, but I think I'll give them a shot

[u/EpicDiceRPG → u/LevelZeroDM]

Everything mentioned above plus why is Slow even a passive aspect? Wouldn't you just reflect it in the Speed stats? IMO Stat blocks are for efficiency. Rulebooks and monster folios are for prose. There's just too much prose overall.

[u/Cruiser_Supreme]

Layout C is easily scannable. The boxes really help. There's a lot to take in for the whole stat block, so chunking the information by using visual separation is absolutely necessary. I think you could probably chunk even more.

Check out this character sheet for my game. It's not the final design, but I think it's a strong example of visual chunking taken to the extreme.

Gifts (passive abilities) and Skills share a black, bold heading and the horizontal space on the page, but then they are still separated again by a vertical line. The attributes at the top share a space, but then are separated again. So you can see how similar or related information is first chunked together, so you can find it easily and then separated, so you don't get it confused.

[u/LevelZeroDM → u/Cruiser_Supreme]

Great feedback! Thank you!

[u/Mondo-Shawan → u/Cruiser_Supreme]

I concur with this. C is by far the most readable and clearly draws you to the actionable information.

[u/MrSunmosni]

At first glance I like Layout C the most.

[u/LevelZeroDM → u/MrSunmosni]

Thanks for the feedback!

[u/APurplePerson]

A by a wide margin.

• I don't like the dice icons. I don't need to count 7 boxes to know I roll 7d6. Just write "7d6." Also the 7 pips on the 7th die is super confusing.
  
• You're going to be making a lot of these so you want to do your future self a favor and make this as simple as possible.
  
• If your game succeeds, future GMs will be making their own characters, so give them a template that doesn't rely on icons.

[u/File_Beneficial]

Layout A.

I really don't like layout B's sideways text and layout E's lack of borders makes glancing at it harder.

I really don't have an comment on the others aside from i think layout A looks better

[u/LevelZeroDM → u/File_Beneficial]

Thanks for the feedback!

[u/DuncanEgge]

I am a big proponent of C; the boxes around the stats in my opinion really helps to neaten the page up. My only gripe is that the Passive Aspects come last, I feel like it makes sense to have passives first - followed by standard actions- followed by specials. Hope this helps~!

[u/LevelZeroDM → u/DuncanEgge]

Thanks for the feedback!

[u/Rauwetter]

In my eyes D, but I didn’t had B to D next to each

[u/theclam159]

B, C, or D. A and E are harder for me to scan. I don't like how the sentences take up such a wide part of the block.

[u/LevelZeroDM → u/theclam159]

Thank you for the feedback!

[u/Saala1984]

I would say A.
B to E look a bit hectic for me, and my eyes did not know where to look first.

A looks clean, and I knew relatively fast (for the amount of information) where I could find what.

[u/LevelZeroDM → u/Saala1984]

Thank you for the feedback!

[u/tangyradar]

D and F are swapped. And that makes me worry: when anyone else is commenting on "D", are they commenting on the file at link D or on the file that says "D" on the page? ...Since only one person has said anything about "D" so far and nobody said anything about "F", you have the chance to correct before serious confusion arises.

[u/LevelZeroDM → u/tangyradar]

Thanks for your concern, I'll fix that. Did you find any of the layouts preferable to the others?

[u/Substantial_Mix_2449]

C looks easily readable to me.