Do you use miniatures

[milotha]

I have a fairly large collection of both lead, pewter, and plastic minis of all varieties: Ral Partha, Warhammer, Reaper, etc. I love to paint them, and sometimes I even buy specific miniatures for PCs and customize them.

I find that using miniatures (or counters) really help clarify attacks of opportunity for combat, spell ranges and area of effects, reach etc. It prevents the "I'm nowhere near anything" players. You know that players. If the party is attacked from the front, they're in the back. If the party is attacked from the back, they're in the front. If the chest explodes, they weren't in the room.

 

[RichGreen]

Hi,

I use metal minis I've painted myself (Ral Partha, Citadel/Games Workshop, Reaper, Grenadier), the new WotC minis, Fiery Dragon's Counter Collection counters and Steve Jackson's Cardboard Heroes.

Cheers


Richard

 

[~Johnny~]

Aww, there's no option for, "Yes, mainly Star Wars action figures."

 

[JimAde]

I use paper minis. I like them because I can have as many as I want of exactly the right thing (or nearly so). My wife is an artist, which is nice as she can sometimes be persuaded to do PC drawings. The other thing I like about paper is I can write on them and even bash, mash and twist them during play.

I can always print more

 

[jerichothebard]

Lego minifigs and green army men! (I wish I had had the foresight to buy the package of green and tan army men, but I didn't.)

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

my hat for the WotC minis know no limit

How so? Is it a hat of holding?

AR

Edit: as for what I use... I had some lead minis, but I don't have the patience to paint them, and I really like minis when they're painted. Enter WotC minis => Happy Altamont.

Some people I play with don't like to use minis when said minis don't actually represent the creature they're supposed to represent (say I use a Wolf mini to represent a wildcat), and they rather use colored wooden blocks or beer bottle caps. Go figure.

We also use dollar-store tiny plastic animals and insects.

 

[Arnwyn]

Yes, mostly 3rd-party (all older) and only for PCs and important NPCs - never for monsters.

 

[Quasqueton]

I've gone beyond just using minis for my game combats -- I've started statting up new monsters based on minis I find. For instance, I've statted up creatures based on Warhammer 40K genestealers, Reaper "Orcs" (don't look anything like D&D orcs), etc.

My campaign takes place on a newly discovered continent. The PCs are encountering strange and unusual creatures. I can put a mini on the board that is a direct representation of the in-game creature.

About 80% of the minis I place on the battlegrid are exactly what the PCs see in-game -- including size.

If only I had time (and talent) to paint the minis.

The Players each have a mini that pretty closely represents their PCs (painted and all).

Quasqueton

 

[Nifft]

Mostly hand-painted lead minis (Reaper etc.) for PCs, mostly WotC plastics for my bad guys.

I'm a lazy non-painter. Some of my players like to paint. It works out, so long as I refrain from dropping a dragon on their handiwork.

-- N

 

[mearls]

I love miniatures. I think they add a lot to the game, and they make it much easier to design feats, abilities, and spells. I use Reaper and some Ral Partha stuff for PCs and weird monsters, plus a fair number of WotC Chainmail minis. I adore the new D&D Minis game - I have a nearly complete set and tend to design adventures around the figures I have.

I also use MasterMaze along with MageKnight dungeons terrain (tables, chairs, statues) whenever possible. I find they really help speed up combat, and even for non-combat encounters it makes the players more alert, attentive, and focused on the action. It's a lot easier for everyone to keep a scene in mind if it's rendered in miniature.

I think the idea that miniatures somehow detract from roleplay has little basis in reality. If anything, they make it easier to cut down on rules and metagame related talk.