As a DM, how do you handle movement on a square grid?

[gambler1650]

As a DM how do you handle movement on a square grid? Since a diagonal movement is actually longer than 5 feet (assuming 5 feet per square) and shorter than moving two squares to get to that spot, do you count a diagonal move as 1.5 x 5 feet (7.5 feet)? Or do you use rulers to get total distance, and then place the miniature/counter in the square the endpoint is?

I thought about using hexes instead (I have the Chessex Megamap), but the problem there is the D&D game is based around allowing 8 characters around a square to attack rather than just 6, so I'd imagine there'd be a balance issue involved.

Robert Gamble

 

[Chauzu]

I keep it simple and treat it as 5 feet.

 

[caudor]

The way I do it...

The first square is 10 feet, the next 5, the next 10 again, and so on.

In the end, it kinda works itself out.

Although, I wonder what the 'official' way is? Good question.

 

[Herremann the Wise]

We use square grid battle maps and use the following system:
1st diagonal - 5 foot
2nd diagonal - 10 foot
3rd diagonal - 5 foot
4th diagonal - 10 foot
... and so on.

While not perfect or exact, it does provide a reasonable and balancing effect that's easy to use.

Best Regards
Herremann the Wise

PS: The somewhat exact distance of the diagonal ia about 1.414 units. Taking it as the above simulates this "slightly less than half" effect.

 

[Mark]

That five foot, ten foot, five foot, thingy is the way it is supposed to be in 3E but it looks like they might be trashing that in favor of "one square = five feet" no matter straight of angled in 3.5E, if I have been reading things right from the rumors and tidbits.

 

[KDLadage]

OK... the system I use is a bit confusing the first time it is explained, so bear with me.

First, get your movement score in feet: 30 ft. for example.

Next, divide this by 5 to get squares per turn: 30/5 = 6 squares.

Next, multiply this number by 2: 6x2 = 12.

This is the number of movement points you get. A straight move is 2 movement points, a diagonal move is 3 movement points.

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

I keep it simple and treat it as 5 feet.

Yup, what he said. Works fast 'n easy, no point in boggin the game down in needless detail. It's not like it's been unbalancing in any game I've participated in.

Hatchling Dragon

 

[Nifft]

Twirlip says...

I keep it simple and use a hex map.

-- Nifft, sure that hexopodia is the key insight

 

[Fast Learner]

We use the good old 5-10-5-10. Works quite well and is extremely easy to do (it works out identical to KDLadage's point system).

If we didn't use it, there'd be a ton more diagonal movement in the game, and positioning yourself would become a game of taking advantage of diagonals whenever possible (move two squares this way and your spell will travel 20 feet further... woohoo!).

 

[Gargoyle]

I use a tape measure with a hex or square map. If things are off a little, we don't worry about it, and any mistakes I make are in the players' favor. Allowing only six combatants to attack at once doesn't seem to change the game enough to worry about it, in my experience, so hexes work fine.