I really like the one in my avatar, but I still browse through others.

I like simple, clear, easy to read Character Sheets.  Some sheets I've come across, have too much going on for a page 1 character sheet; imho.  Complexity could always be available, if desired; on page 2, etc.

Name, Race, Class, Alignment, 6 Abilities, Level, Languages, Weapons, Equipment, Hit Points, Armor Class, Saving Throws, Skills, Scrolls, Potions, Magic Items, Treasure, and Spell Names on Page 1.

Not an exciting answer, but I like WoTC's official 5e sheet the best. It has everything necessary on the first page and, most importantly, it lists the associated attribute for each skill. I realised how big a deal this was when I gave a newbie a different sheet!

3"x5" index card.

mine from here
http://www.batintheattic.com/downloads/MWCharSheet_Rev2.pdf

The idea is you print it out and fold it half. The front and back has standard character sheet stuff. But the inside functions as a writing area to keep notes in whatever form you need.

One for Adventures in Middle Earth
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=download&id=1avaWVKQUE91Ad52ZKCFApIAEqzrTa6rn

When I get home this evening I will post a link to my 5th edition character sheet.

Published?
The one for BX D&D.
The one for 1st ed Werewolf.
The one for Star Frontiers.
The one for 3rd ed Gurps.
The one for Aberrant

Think the one for 2nd ed D&D was ok. Just getting a little more busy. Same for 5th ed. I tend to like the simpler layouts.

For non-published?
INDEX CARDS!!!

Maybe this is nostalgia, but I think my favorite character sheet ever was the format that we did on blank notebook paper with Basic D&D, where we made out the character sheet as we did the character.  Admittedly, I'd hate that now, when I needed to put together multiple characters at once.

Every official character sheet to any game that I've seen, I thought could be improved substantially by the designers of the game thinking a little harder about how their game worked in play.  Given my lack of interest in many of the newer games, that might not hold up with a broader survey of the options.  

I can live with the D&D 5E official sheet, to the point that I haven't bothered to replace it.  First time that has happened with D&D.  If I got around to replacing it, I'd do a 2-page version, with a more rigorous attempt to get the stuff used most directly in play on the front, and the second sheet more note related.  Not everyone wants that kind of sheet, but I'm biased enough to having 1 page in play that I'm willing to put up with some odd organization and even redundancy to get it.

I confess I have a nostalgic soft spot for these https://www.flickr.com/photos/spooktalker/6270163399.

Nothing has ever surpassed the utility and flexibility of a blank sheet of paper.

Fore published ones, I love Numenara 1e's sheet for it's sheer artsy uselessness. Because if I have a character sheet it better be more pretty than useful because character sheets aren't useful.

I want a character sheet to be a quick reference.  Page 1 should be simple.  I'd like to avoid having an ocean of text.  I guess there's no end to the possible layout designs.

Quote from: Rhedyn;1080263Nothing has ever surpassed the utility and flexibility of a blank sheet of paper.

More than a few hobbyists need some type of pre-printed structure to organize important information. The utility of the blank sheet can't be understated. So I combined the two in my take. It shouldn't make a different from flipping a sheet around to its blank back, but my players seem more receptive to the booklet form.

The best official character sheet is the B/X one and it's not even close. Other than that, a 4x6 index card works just fine.

The 5E sheet is OK, but for some reason, I can never seem to find the save DC in a timely manner!

I generally home build mine on Word and design them to print on half a landscape page.

Overall, I find a layout in line with the 4E and 5e monster stat blocks to be most useful as both do a good job of condensing info into an easy to use format.

I really like the character sheets designed for Barrowmaze.

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After using Apocalypse World playbooks I can't go back to old char sheets. Having all options you'll ever need in a clear and form-fillable format, without needing to consult any external source, is simply great.

There's something about a blank sheet of paper you use to make a character for the first time that makes it magical.

Aside from that, the green-sheet original B/X character sheet is awesome. I also like the Adventurer Conqueror King sheet, and the first edition Warhammer FRP sheet.

The classic Deadlands sheet also dripped with Western feel, and was useful to boot!