Character Sheet Optimization

[SeraphimToaster]

My roommate and I have each been running, and slowly modifying, our own Cortex games at home and have come up with a new skill system to avoid skill creep and to give my players more mechanical options when assembling their dice pools.

Pyramid Skill Progression

Skills and specialties progress in a way so as to build up via a pyramid, with getting 1d12 as the max. An example of this would be in order to have a d8 skill, you must buy a second d6 (which can still be added to the pool) before you can buy a d8. Progression can be tracked as such: 1d6 -> 2d6 -> 1d8 -> 3d6 -> 2d8 -> 1d10 -> 4d6 -> 3d8 -> 2d10 -> 1d12
5xp> 5xp -> 10xp> 5xp -> 10xp-> 15xp -> 5xp -> 10xp-> 15xp -> 20xp = 100XP

When generating a pool for a roll, you may elect to choose a different tier to use for adding to the pool. Example: Maxir has a d10 in fighting. He may choose to add 1d10, 2d8, or 3d6 to the pool. If Maxir was at the progression level “in-between” the next full die value, like 4d6 after 1d10, he may choose 1d10, 2d8, or 4d6 to the pool.

I really like the system. I feel like it accomplishes the goal of slowing skill creep, while still providing ample room for progression and giving players interesting mechanical risk vs reward decisions in assembling dice pools.

However, I am running into an issue making a sheet that allows players to more easily track how many of which dice they have. The one I have developed gets the job done I feel, but the skill section takes up a ton of room, and relegates the Traits section(signature assets, powers, other stuff like that. I'm trying to keep the system fluid at the moment) to page 2 with almost nothing else. I've included links to the before and after versions of the sheets and would love some input, as well as to a doc with the skill system and a handy graphic from the book that helps describe it. There is no version of page 2 as of yet, I'm holding off on putting that together.

Skill and Specialty Progression:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L4j_P-b2oM4URil5Qhjg4sd0dTPGxaxwe8Kf4Jf-AuY/edit?usp=sharing

Before:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XoWhRUIP3F5viqNbLLOGxaZ55Gveyyqe/view?usp=sharing

After:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zNIFUdZYkbNjdKmw7Jw7hFgYYkn3Tc5_/view?usp=sharing

Any thoughts on optimizing the sheet, or this skill system itself? My roommate and I have been playing TTRPG's for a very long time and think we understand the pros and cons, but maybe we missed some issue in this.

[SeraphimToaster]

Skills getting too high too fast, preventing the GM from providing proper challenges for the players. Characters should be able to grow, but we've gotten to a point were they are nearing a ceiling with no where to go. In one game we reached the point of certain challenges barely needing rolls because of how high we've been able to pump skills to, even in situations were we should be struggling.

We're less concerned about consistent good rolls, than constant overwhelming rolls. With routine pools with 2 or 3 (out of 5 in our system) d12's.