Cypher Sheets — Obsidian plugin

Render a Cypher System (Second Edition / C2) character — written as a ```cypher YAML block in a note — as a printable one-page character sheet inside Obsidian, and export it to PDF.

Write a character's stats as plain YAML; flip the note to Reading view (Cmd+E) and the block renders as a styled sheet you can hand to a player or print.

Cypher System Second Edition (C2) only. The sheet layout follows the C2 rules (descriptor/type/focus, the C2 wound track, etc.). There is no support for Cypher System First Edition (v1) — the data model and sheet are C2-specific and won't represent a v1 character correctly.

Scope: Tier 1 characters; no validation, no calculation. The data is rendered exactly as written — pools, edges, wounds, skills, and abilities are author-supplied. This is an early proof of concept.

Install

This plugin is not (yet) in the Obsidian community store, so install it manually:

1. Download manifest.json and main.js from the latest release, or build them yourself (see below).
2. Copy both files into your vault at <vault>/.obsidian/plugins/cypher-sheets/.
3. Reload Obsidian (Command palette → Reload app without saving) so it scans the new plugin.
4. Enable Cypher Sheets in Settings → Community plugins.

Build from source

npm install
npm run build      # produces main.js

npm run dev runs an esbuild watch for live iteration. Desktop only — PDF export uses Electron, which isn't available on Obsidian mobile.

Use

1. Command palette → Cypher Sheets: New blank Cypher character creates a note pre-filled with a ```cypher skeleton — the fastest way to start. (Or add a ```cypher block to any note yourself.)
2. Edit the YAML in the block. In Reading view (toggle with Cmd+E) the block renders in place as the sheet. To edit the raw YAML, use Source mode (the ⋯ menu → "Source mode") — Live Preview renders the block, so Source mode gives you the plain text.
3. Run Cypher Sheets: Export character sheet to PDF to write <note name>.pdf next to the note.
4. Cypher Sheets: Show character sheet (preview) (or the ribbon scroll icon) pins the sheet in the right sidebar beside the editor.

Authoring format

The character lives in a fenced ```cypher block in the note body — so the data stays plain, always-editable YAML (Obsidian's Properties panel can't edit lists of objects, which is why this isn't frontmatter).

# Bobby Reyes

```cypher
name: Bobby Reyes
sentence: "I am an Empathic Psion who Consorts with the Dead."
descriptor: Empathic
type: Psion
focus: Consorts with the Dead
tier: 1
effort: 1
cypher_limit: 2
might:     { pool: 8,  edge: 0 }
speed:     { pool: 10, edge: 0 }
intellect: { pool: 18, edge: 1 }
wounds:    { minor: 5, moderate: 4, major: 3 }
defend: "Block = Might defense · Dodge = Speed defense, negate."
armor: "None."
skills:
  - Charm (trained)               # Name (level)
  - Intellect defense (inability)
abilities:
  - name: Mind Reading
    cost: "2 Int"                 # omit cost for passive abilities
    text: "Read a visible creature's surface thoughts in short range."
attacks:
  - { name: "Force ray", modifier: "—", damage: "4" }
cyphers: 2                        # number of blank GM-fill cypher slots
gear: [extendable baton, phone]
advancement: [capabilities, effort]   # bought so far this tier
background: "A self-taught medium the dead talk to."
```

Field notes

• Stat pools accept 8 shorthand or { pool: 8, edge: 1 } (edge defaults 0).
• Skills use the Name (level) form, where level is trained, specialized, expert, or inability. (The verbose { name, level } form also works.)
• Abilities / attacks are lists of objects — edit them in the YAML block.
• Advancement renders the tier-tracking footer. Each of the four options costs 4 XP and may be bought once per tier in any order; buying all four moves the character to the next tier (and grants a focus ability free). other covers the alternate advancements in the Cypher GM's Guide. Omit the field to print an empty footer for pen-and-paper tracking, or use the map form (advancement: { effort: true }) if you prefer explicit flags. Reset it when you reach a new tier.
• Notes and inventory write-in lines are added automatically to fill the sheet; their count adapts to the character's content.

Commands

Command	What it does
New blank Cypher character	Creates a note seeded with a cypher skeleton
Show character sheet (preview)	Pins the sheet in the right sidebar
Export character sheet to PDF	Writes <note name>.pdf next to the note

Note on metadata queries

Because the data lives in a code block rather than frontmatter, it is not indexed by Obsidian's metadata cache — Dataview and property search won't see might: etc. That's intentional (it's what makes the YAML freely editable); for printable handout sheets it doesn't matter. If you need vault-wide character queries, add a small cypher: true frontmatter flag alongside the block.

License & attribution

Released under the MIT License (see LICENSE).

This is an unofficial fan-made tool for the Cypher System Second Edition. The Cypher System is a trademark of Monte Cook Games, LLC. This project is not affiliated with, endorsed, or sponsored by Monte Cook Games. No game rules text is distributed — you supply your own character data.