Counters or minis?

[Hecatæus]

I saw this site:
http://www.dragonscalecounters.com/

...and awas wondering if anyone had any opinions regarding it and products like it.

Any links to competing products? Free stuff?

Thanks

 

[Darkness]

I'd use either, but minis can get quite expensive over time.

Dungeon Magazine sometimes includes free counters...

BTW, Morrus is starting a competition where the winner gets Counter Collection 2 (from Fiery Dragon, IIRC).

 

[applenerd]

I have a bunch of plastic mini's from an old advanced heroquest game. I tend to use them as just generic monsters. I buy cool looking minis when I find them too but never have the time to paint them... (sigh)

 

[Khan the Warlord]

I would take minis over counters any day.

In fact, I would only own counters if they were given to me (a la Dragon magazine), or if I won them in a contest of sorts (Darkness...what contest are you speaking of?).

 

[ColonelHardisson]

Personally, I prefer counters, simply because, while I admire well-painted minis, I have no interest in buying or painting them myself.

I have a set of plastic figures that came with the Dungeon board game from years ago.

And when it comes to counters, I'd actually prefer stand-up cardstock figures, specifically Cardboard Heroes from Steve Jackson Games. They're beautifully illustrated and show the whole figure, not just the head or a cropped Monster manual picture. There were also a lot of such figures made by GDW for its RPG Space:1889, but were very specific for that setting.

Now if only we could get SJG to make a set specifically of the 3e monsters...I can dream, can't I?

 

[Trevalon Moonleirion]

My group uses a little bit of everything--some minis (most of them unpainted), some counters, and then dice/bits of paper/food/whatever else is lying around to do our battles.

 

[Duncan Haldane]

I use a magnetic whiteboard at home for much of my gaming.

A few weeks ago I bought counter collection 1, and some sheet magnets. Then I glued the sheet magnet to the counters, then cut up the counters.

They worked great on the whiteboard.

The whiteboard was placed flat on the coffee table. We had an initiative countdown on one side, and I'd printed off a number of 1" grid sheets. Then when the party found a room I would draw the room to 5'=1" on the paper, and place that on the whiteboard. Counter would then be placed on the paper for the monsters, with the minis for the PCs.

It worked really well. Inits were put next to the numbers on the side of the whiteboard. I could make markings on the whiteboard. The paper was discarded after use.

Since then I've been thinking about doing up 1" grid room maps for rooms in modules to print out before the game and take with me - it was really good being that accurate.

Duncan

 

[Wicht]

Minis all the way - can't have too many minis...

Well maybe you can have too many, but I haven't got to the saturation point yet

 

[Psychotic Dreamer]

Personally while I love the look of carefully painted minis, I do not have the skill or the time to paint them. So I use counters. Plus counters cost a hell of a lot less.

 

[Quickbeam]

Minis all the way - can't have too many minis...

Well maybe you can have too many, but I haven't got to the saturation point yet

You and my friend Alex, too!! He must have over 300 minis at this point, and probably 25-30% of them are painted. He shows only minimal signs of slowing down on his accumulation. There was a time I owned about 40 minis, but I've passed them all on to my son or Alex at this point. When I need a mini for a new character, I either pilfer one of the 300+ at my disposal, or buy a new one to use and give it to Alex.

For my part I greatly prefer minis to counters, but the expense -- not to mention the hassle of carrying them around -- can be become overwhelming. When I first started playing, we used pennies with pieces of masking tape over them marked with the PC initials, as counters. I guess we've come a long way .