D&D combat without minis - is it possible?

[pallandrome]

The mini/no-mini thing depends entirely on whether or not you like the playstyle and if the GM can pull it off. If the answer to either of these is negative, you should avoid No-Mini play. It simply isn't for everyone.

If you DO like it though, it can certainly speed up smaller scale fights, and large scale battles. What I generally don't like using minis for is the mid-range stuff, like the PCs vs. a dozen baddies. You don't have the advantage of "blurring" everything thats not in your immediate attack radius that you get from larger battles, and you also don't get the quick resolution from the PCs vs. One Guy fights.

Of course, that's just my opinion.

 

[jdrakeh]

I don't know the exact prices, but those counter collections can't be that expensive.

They aren't expensive when compared to minis, though for one-use pieces of cardstock, they're a bit pricey. I prefer to buy my counters as PDFs, as I can then print as many of them as I need (repeatedly, even). I could, of course, laminate one of the commercially available, pre-printed, counter collections -- though I'd still be stuck with the limited selection of counters contained therein. PDF counters are far more cost-effective.

 

[Phlebas]

You could always use counters instead of minis - they do the same job in terms of positions/distances at a lower cost and with less required storage space. I've used many things as counters, from dice to markings on the quickly-drawn map, and I might end up creating better-looking cardboard markers and a hand-drawn grid on a large sheet of paper.

I spent half an hour with powerpoint drawing various coloured circles in various diameters, and then numbered them. For the PC's I printed out circles with their names on.
Print, Cut, Laminate. Repeat if you lose them or they get ragged
An A1 sized flipchart pad (1" grid) costs very little for a battlemap and last a while (For the 3 games i'm in we bought a box of 5 and shared them out between the 3 DM's)

I haven't bought / used mini's since the 80's - and I never liked them for RP'ing as there just too inflexible and expensive

Only thing I'd like to find is an A3/A2 pad with 5mm grid so I can have larger scale outdoors combat... Trying to avoid some long evenings with a fineliner and a ruler....

Can't remember the last combat I had without the battlemap - normally if it would be that easy i'd just hand wave it and get on with the plot.

 

[Avatar_V]

Last session the PCs had a fight with a force of 14 gnolls, 5 ogres and 4 worgs. No map of any kind.
{What rules did you have to change?} None.

Were there still attacks of opportunity? Did you know when someone was flanked? Was it clear when someone was in range of a reach weapon?

I guess my largest concern is that AoOs would be hard to adjudicate. But, I suppose that they could be mostly ignored except for obvious infractions ("I run by the fighter to attack the wizard", or "I drink a potion with the enemy next to me").

Hmm... all these success stories are encouraging I may have to try this out (at least for fairly simple battles).

 

[JustKim]

Were there still attacks of opportunity? Did you know when someone was flanked? Was it clear when someone was in range of a reach weapon?

AoOs are not complicated. There is an enemy, and he threatens within a certain area- usually, 5'. Is a PC doing something that provokes while next to the enemy? Is a PC moving through, rather than into or away from, the enemy's reach? Is the PC turning his back on the enemy to move away and attack, cast, etc.?
As the DM, I tell the PCs when they may provoke an AoO and how it could possibly be avoided. It takes only a moment and is never confusing.

Playing without miniatures does require that the DM be willing to inform a player about the consequences of a course of action. If the DM expects the players to think tactically and springs AoOs on PCs without warning, then yeah, it will probably be a miserable experience.

 

[shadow]

NO, It's not possible! The 3.5 PHB clearly states that miniature figures and a battlemat are required. Marks on sheets of paper, or tokens are no longer acceptable - You must buy the official WotC collectible plastic miniatures!

 

[painandgreed]

Never use minis. Simply don't have the money or the space to devote to them. Complicated combats just get drawn out on a desktop sized pad of 1/4" graph paper. Even then, exact locations aren't needed that much, just enough to know who's where and can run to what. AoO and reach can usually be done simply wiht the knowledge of who is in melee with whom and who is close enough to cover whom. A lot of the time, the scale of the battle is such that minis are prohibative. Ever try setting up a mini battle at two or three bow range increments?

 

[RFisher]

• Players should state their intentions. "I move to flank the gnoll."
• DMs should warn players of potential challenges with executing their intentions & give the player a chance to revise his choice. "Doing so will draw an AoO from the gnoll & the warg. OK?"

Yes. Not only is it possible to play without minis, I prefer it.

 

[Mallus]

• Players should state their intentions. "I move to flank the gnoll."
• DMs should warn players of potential challenges with executing their intentions & give the player a chance to revise his choice. "Doing so will draw an AoO from the gnoll & the warg. OK?"

Yes. Not only is it possible to play without minis, I prefer it.

Right. All you need to make D&D combat (or play in general, for that matter) is for the DM and player to agree on what's at stake.

While a battlemat and minis can help achieve that kind of agreement, who hasn't seen a protracted argument over said map and minis?