The 5th Edition rules offer a lot of flexibility in how the features of a race, class, feat, background or item can alter the core mechanics. Everything from straightforward ability modifiers to esoteric options for modifying your armor class. What’s more, this list continues to grow with every new publication. Shard allows you to model a wide, wide range of these features so that rather than having to sift through the text of your character sheet and calculate your character’s attack bonus by hand, it’s all done for you.
There no hidden options used only by the developers in Shard. These are the tools we use. Every character feature whether granted by a background, race, class, subclass, feats or custom types is modeled using this dialog.
Starting from the top, let’s discuss the options in that drop down list.
Do not display feature on character sheet means the descriptive text is never shown on the character sheet, it only appears in the definition. This option is useful when the outcome of this feature already has a fixed position on the character sheet. Skill proficiency and language are great examples.
Display feature on character sheet means exactly what it says. The text description will be shown on the sheet. This is useful for abilities that do things like giving you advantage in certain situations. They are not modeled and shown elsewhere on the sheet, so the text is a necessary reminder to the player.
Display feature with options for user to select means that this feature has a short fixed list of options from which the user chooses one at the time the feature is granted. Each of the options in the list is itself a modeled feature that may be shown on the sheet or not.
Ability Score Improvement is a prebuilt version of options for user to select that includes two choices. One choice modifies two ability scores and the other grants a feat.
Character Sheet Display
The buttons in this section are only shown if Display feature on character sheet is selected. They all provide way to either show something significant on the sheet or track something.
Uses allows the tracking of both the use and recovery of a feature. Number of uses can be a fixed count or based on an ability score modifier or based on character level. Recovery can be modeled as either a short rest of long rest and ties directly to the rest button on the character sheet. Abilities recovered during rest are shown on their respective dialogs and reset when the rest is completed.
Display Value by Level is used to display a value on the character sheet that changes as the character levels up. Sneak attack die is a classic example of such a feature. Once you set the array of values, you can also select a prefix and suffix to display. In the sneak attack example, adding a ‘d6’ as the suffix displays the values as 1d6, 2d6, etc. That pattern happens to be detected by the character sheet automatically as an embedded dice roll.
Save DC is used to model features that allow the intended target a savings throw and have a DC calculated based on the character’s proficiency bonus and one or more ability score modifiers. Breathe save dc for dragonborn are a classic example.
Proficiencies
Buttons in this section grant proficiency, partial proficiency or expertise in a variety of different skills that a character might have. All of the features in this area have the following drop down selector on their dialogs:
Selecting defaults means the character always get the chosen proficiency from this feature. Selecting one of the “any” options means the user can choose up to that number of proficiencies from the entire list for the particular type. Selecting one of the “choose” options allows you to specify a restricted list from which the user can choose a number of options.
Armor grants proficiency in any of armor types and shield.
Weapons grants proficiency in either a class of weapon (simple, martial) or a specific weapon. Proficiencies are enforced when calculating ‘to hit’ bonuses for an equipped weapon.
Tools grants tool proficiencies based on a category of tool or a specific tool type.
Skills grants skill proficiencies.
Ability Checks grants proficiency on checks made with the selected ability (strength, dexterity, …).
Languages grants language proficiencies.
Ability Saves grants proficiency to savings throws made using the select ability (strength, dexterity, …).
Where needed you will also find a drop down that sets the level of proficiency being granted by the feature. That selector has the following options:
half proficient grants half the characters proficiency modifier rounded down.
proficient grants the full proficiency modifier.
proficient (expert if already proficient) adds expertise if the character already has proficiency from another source.
expert grants double the normal proficiency modifier. Note: on tools specifically, choosing expert adds an extra check box for selecting ‘all proficient’. This feature proved necessary for certain rare tool expertise features.
Bonuses
Buttons in this area grant bonuses.
Ability Scores is used to grant an ability score increase. Unless modified directly on the character sheet, all increases granted by this feature are capped at 20.
Initiative is used to grant an initiative bonus which can be a fixed modifier or based on an ability score modifier.
Proficiency is used to adjust a character’s proficiency modifier. This is rarely done.
Saving Throws grants a bonus to the chosen save or all saves. The bonus itself can be a fixed value or based on a specific ability modifier.
Skill Checks grants a bonus to skill checks for the chosen skills or all skills if none are chosen. The bonus itself can be a fixed value or based on a specific ability modifier.
Attunement grants additional attunement slots or a bonus to savings throws based on the number of attuned items.
Spells
Buttons in this area grant or specify various types of spell casting features.
DC Bonus and Attack Bonus grant a fixed bonus to the character’s Spell Save DC or Spell Attack Bonus respectively.
Always Available is used to specify a list of spells that is always available to cast. These spells do not count against the characters number of prepared spells and are considered to be of the appropriate class even if they come from another classes list and would not normally be available to the character. This option is typical used for additional spells granted to a specific subclass.
Selectable is used to make spells that would not normally appear on a particular class list available to characters with this feature.
Innate is used to model situations where a feature grants the ability to cast a cantrip or spells whether or not the character is from a spellcasting class. These spells often have a use count associated with the feature that grants them.
User Pick is used to model features that allow a character to pick a number of cantrips or spells from a specific spell list independent of their other spellcasting abilities.
Combat
Buttons in this group are used to grant or modify specific combat related features.
Hit Point Bonus modifies the number of hit points a character gains at each level.
AC Bonus modifies the characters armor class.
Unarmored AC specifies the formula for calculating an armor class for the character when they are not wearing armor, if it varies from the default of 10 + dexterity modifier.
Unarmed Attack allows the additional of unarmed attacks (claws, punches, hooves, horns, …) to the character’s list of attacks.
Extra Attack increases the number of attacks a character makes when using the attack action by one.
Resistance, Immunity, and Vulnerability allow you to specify a set of damage types for which those conditions apply.
Condition Immunity allows you to specify a list of conditions to which the character is immune.
Dueling Bonus specifies a damage bonus the character receives when using a single weapon in one hand.
Dual Weapon Bonus specifies an armor class bonus the character receives when wielding a weapon in each hand.
Medium Armor Master raises the limit on the dexterity modifier that can be applied to a character’s armor class while wearing medium armor. Normal limit is 2. This feature raises it to 3.
Item Modifiers grant a variety of bonuses when using a specific item or type of item.
Movement and Senses
Movement allows you specify a base movement speed of a particular type (climbing, flying, walking, …).
Senses is used to specify darkvision, blindsight, or other similar abilities.
Passive Perception Bonus is used to grant a bonus to passive perception.
Speed Adjustment adds or subtracts from the character’s base movement speed.
User Selections
Buttons in this area are used to specify features that require a choice on the character sheet itself.
User Pick Custom is used to specify a custom type from which the character can select options. Built in examples that use this capability include Fighting Styles, Metamagic, Eldritch Invocations, and the Dabbler Concoctions.
Text Attribute is used to specify items like favored terrain or favored enemy. You can label the attribute and provide a list of suggested options. In the end, the value is just text on the character sheet. Used when a custom type is overkill, because there is no modeled behavior based on the choice.
Create Item allows the creation or modifications of a specific item. Warlock pact weapons and Dabbler Concoctions rely heavily on this feature.
Pick Feat allows the selection of a feat.