How Close do your Minis Need to Match?

[Mark]

When you are gaming and have to represent something on the table, assuming you use some representation at all and don't just do it all in your head, how close do your minis need to match what it is that you are representing?

 

[Umbran]

My group often uses dice or candy as representations, rather than sculpted miniatures. So, I think the answer for us is "not very". Having a mini that matches is cool, but not necessary.

 

[Lord Mhoram]

Not at all. We use coins or dice.

But then we view it differently - the place-marker isn't representing the character, but where the character is on the map.

 

[wedgeski]

The closer the mini looks, the better, but it's not really that important. Less so for monsters than PC's. Often I'll just grab the nearest mini with the appropriately-sized base.

 

[Xyxox]

I try to match as closely as possible. I even buy new monster minis that look nothing at all like anything from any D&D mostrous compendium or manual.

After I paint them up, I create new stats for the mini and end up with a monster nobody else's game ever has.

I love minis. I spend more time on them than I do gaming.

 

[xechnao]

from
GameSpy: PlanetFargo and the Dungeons of Awesome

 

[mmu1]

Depends. I can deal with almost anything as long as it's the right size, gender, and has something resembling the correct weapon.

On the other hand, I usually choose not to - I have a lot of minis, and I enjoy buying new ones, so I'll often hunt around for one that looks very close. Sometimes, I go in the other direction too - if I find a really great mini in a story, or one I already have sparks my interest, I'll base the look of the character on the miniature. Rarely (if I'm really into the game, and I just can't find anything that makes me happy) I'll even convert a mini.

 

[avin]

It's "90% or dice"

 

[megamania]

With the rampant use of templates I like there is no way to make creatures and PCs match perfectly the expected appearance. The most ios I have multiple looking figures and is the 6 Gnoll fighters are attacking with a sneaking rogue amongst them I will switch in a werewolf to make it apparrent which one is different.

So no, a perfect match is not needed but I do try to seperate or make them unique enough for game use. (have not done a coin thing since Darksun when my PCS were attacked by 40+ silt runners (used 24 lizardfolk and 16+ pennies)

 

[chaotix42]

I've bought a ton of minis in the past year, so it isn't hard for me to get one that'll match almost any monster I could want. With that in mind, it's important that I use minis that match the monster/s I'm using, or at least something that's a suitable proxy. I don't have a large white dragon, so I'll use another large dragon mini as a substitute - but use an ogre for a dragon? No way, never, nuh-uh!