Players refuse to hand character sheets to the GM at the end of each session

>Players refuse to hand character sheets to the GM at the end of each session
How do you deal with this? Preferably without banning them from your group.

I would deal with it by getting therapy for my autism.

Make a copy? Though in that case you'd have to update it.

Honestly, to me it doesn't matter, but I trust my players to keep track of their own exp, gold, and items.

If they can't, I just gently remind them and correct it to the amounts that I keep track of in my notes.

This

I don't ask for my players to turn in their character sheets after sessions. We're mature fucking individuals.

I would just let them take it home if it matters to them.

I usually collect them at the end of sessions, for easier reference in tuning encounters. If they really want to hold on to it, I can still force them to hand it over when I think something funny is going on, or whenever else I decide I want to see it during a game.

I also have had some "mature adults" forget or lose their character sheets. If they took it home and then forgot it I suppose I force them to sit out of the game while they fill out a new one. I have never had someone who insisted on bringing it home and then forgot it. I guess I would have to think up some punishment in the situation, too circumstantial to say what that would be in the abstract.

This is seriously a thing? GMs collect character sheets at the end like a teacher taking homework? I've never once seen that.

At the start of the session I will hand you your character sheet.

"But I kept mine!"

Here is your character sheet.

Then you give them their character sheet, and everyone is happy.

I've kept almost all my sheets

Wait... if they kept it, how do you have it?

Are you autistic, OP?

If it's such a big deal for you, then take a picture of their character sheet with this thing called a phone. That way, there are no problems.

Do you trust your players to keep track of their own stuff?
whether you trust them or not, tell them you need it for refference. Throw that thing under the scanner, or photograph it, then hand it back.

What makes more sense, user?

>Everyone takes their character sheet home separately, risking that some flaky player will forget theirs

>The referee keeps the character sheets with all the rest of the campaign notes, ensuring that no sheets are ever lost or forgotten

Hm, I wonder which practice is objectively better…

Players who forget their character sheet roll new PCs, and old PC is retired.

I take it by force. Feeble, cowardly nerds are easily intimidated by displays of physical force.

>not just taking a picture and printing it out if need be

Why do you have to overcomplicate shit? If you take a picture, then you don't have to look autistic taking it by force, and if they lose their character sheet, then there's no problem.

Not saying there shouldn't be consequences. If someone forgets their character sheet, give them a penalty for the rest of the session ("you can't really remember who you are") or make them roll a new character, but at least you have a copy.

first post best post

People often leave them at my place with all the other game shit, but going out of my way to collect them seems unnecessary and weird to me
Everyone takes their character sheets home so we don't have to waste a shit ton of time whenever people level up.

Damn, I need to save that low quality bait jpg.

There's no good reason for them to refuse. It's highly suspicious that they would do so.

I'd just say to them that you've had problems with people forgetting them and sometimes with cheats, and so you collect all character sheets at the end of a session now both to be safe and so as not to single anyone out.

If the player still kicks up a fuss, politely but firmly tell him that's how you run this game and if they want to keep playing, they'll have to abide by your rules.

If they still refuse, tell them sorry but they can't play unless they hand over their sheet.

hes saying its not going to be an issue because he will always hold onto them, and if they did some how hold onto them then he is giving them a new character sheet

either that or he makes back ups to each of the character sheets.

now my question for this thread:
for an online game, where everyone has their character sheets digitally, how would do you guys go about collecting/handing out character sheets?

for my online sessions, i used to just ask for their google docs sheets and compare it to the previous one they sent me, which i saved on a seperate drive just to be safe.

>gets told
>has no counter argument
>"b-b-b-b-b-b-b-b-better pretend I think it's bait... ;_;"

So transparent.

Not even him btw. I just hate seeing you tards squealing b8 at anything that triggers you.

>21st century
>Relying on player shitscribbles
Use a campaign tracker and get everyone's sheet online, granpa. If they don't want to update the online sheet, they don't want to play bad enough.

You can do better than this. Dance for me

>Not even him btw.
>totally him
>I hope they don't notice....

lol.

If there isn't a mutual trust between GM and players, why the fuck are you playing together?

Presumably because they've driven everyone else in the area away

I have the opposite problem. None of my GMs care about sheets at all.

Is that really a problem? Why do you want them to care about keeping track of your sheet

>Y-yor mom!
It's the influx of tumblr trash that hasn't fully assimilated yet

It's not a problem in a way that it keeps me awake at night. I just makes me feel like they don't give a shit. Not about me personally but rather about the game. Maybe by extension mine and everyone elses time and company.

house rule: if you take your sheet, next time you play the character I assign you

>I cheat everytime on every encounter as a GM
Why would i worry about players cheating if i am the rules?

>collecting character sheets
but... why?

This. I was running a Mutant Epoch game on Roll20. There aren't any built-in character sheets on Roll20 for it, so I opted to use form-fillable PDFs. Opened up a Google Drive folder and shared the link with the players. They were to update their character sheet after each session. One of the players decided he didn't want to do that. He just printed it out and said to trust him (complete stranger). Other five players are using the established method with no issue. After the second week of him not doing it he got the boot.

Just stick to online games with strangers so when they don't adhere to the character sheet rule, you can boot them without having to do it face to face. Like a boss.

Am I seriously the only GM who just doesn't monitor character sheets?

I mean I necessarily check them from time to time to check where I need to set the balance of the enemies and such, but beyond that I just don't really care. I doubt they'll cheat, but if they did, then does it really matter? If it's small then it doesn't really affect me much and the difficulty's going to end up escalating faster to match. If it's big then I'll probably notice they're trying to win a game with no victory condition and probably just kick them.

Literally who gives a shit.

If you're that passive about cheating, what about players who attempt to use the same character in different games?

So?

If someone moves from one city to another, they want to move their character to another game, who gives a shit?

And if we're having a timehop, his character is adventuring during that timehop, fuck it, let him play with another group to simulate that.

Depends

>They played, or are playing, the same character in another game that neither I nor any other players are/were involved in.
Their involvement in that game is not really relevant to this game, but if I know about it, then I'm going to let them know I think less of them for it and request (but not demand) they spread their wings a bit.

>They are presently playing the same character in another game that I or another player are involved in.
You're now messing with my experience because I have to constantly track what happened in which game. Either they play something new, or one of us leaves the game.

>They previously played the same character in another game that I or another player were involved in.
We may try to connect the two games somehow, and everything will be fine. But if we can't then I'm going to tell you to make a new character. My options revolve around your character, and if I've already ran for that character, then my options are limited, my job is harder, and I don't get to have fun. But if you want to play that personality or mechanics again, then I will suggest the next point.

>They previously played *a similar* character in another game that I or another player were involved in.
I may let you know I think less of you, but that I understand. It's fine as long as you're playing a new character with a new background and plot points for me to work off of, since that's really what's relevant to me. From there, if the majority of the other players veto it, then that's that.

I took him to mean that you're being shown the same character multiple times. Since, otherwise, it can't possibly matter.

The only reasons I can imagine you would care about this is if you think your players are cheating, you know from experience they will lose their sheets, or you are some kind of massive control freak.

If it's one, get new players. You shouldn't play with cheaters.

If it's two, that's their own cross to bear, it's not your responsibility to protect people from their own stupidity.

If it's three, get over yourself.