Face-to-Face Setup

[ShadowX]

I am going to start a campaign with some new players and I am interested in how most people go about actually playing their game. I want to keep it cheap, I don't know if this will go anywhere, but I would like everything to go smoothly. What do you use for maps and representing combat? Any programs useful during play?

 

[crazy_cat]

I am going to start a campaign with some new players and I am interested in how most people go about actually playing their game. I want to keep it cheap, I don't know if this will go anywhere, but I would like everything to go smoothly. What do you use for maps and representing combat? Any programs useful during play?

All you need is Rulebooks, Dice, Pens, Pencils, Paper, a table to play on, and some players.

Battle maps and minis or counters etc can be nice - but they're optional.

For a cheap combat map print out some 1" square graph paper (from this site ) and if you want to re-use it either cover it or get it laminated before you use it.

 

[Mitchbones]

Pick yourself up some Expo markers and a SteelSquire Flipmat, some pennies or minis you want to. You can thank me later.

 

[IamTheTest]

My old group used a rather extensive Lego collection for minis, terrain, and general tactical outlay.

 

[RFisher]

What do you use for maps and representing combat?

I don't tend to use maps & figures much, but here's the things I have for when I do...

I made a 1"x1" grid in a drawing program & printed four pages. I trimmed the excess margins (since my printer won't do full-bleed). Then I took them to an office store & got them laminated. (Anything US letter size or smaller is usually pretty inexpensive to get laminated.) While at the office store, I also picked up a kit of dry-erase markers & an eraser.

The nice thing about this setup--which is an idea I think I stole from Star Fleet Battles--is that if the combat starts to move off the map, you can erase one of the tiles from the other side & move it over. They also fit well with the books in a book-bag.

I've since bought a Chessex 1" hex battlemat (& wet-erase markers), though, which I tend to use instead.

For figures, I like making paper minis. Like SJGames cardboard heroes & Cumberland's Sparks. Find some artwork (the D&D mini galleries are a good source), scale it down, print it on cardstock, & cut it out.

Rather than folding them into a triangle, I like to take a mini binder clip & clip to the bottom. Then you remove the handles, & it makes a nice little stand.

 

[Mercule]

I use Tact Tiles and DDM for battlemaps. If you're looking for cost, go with the Flipmat mentioned above (though Tact Tiles are pretty cool, they're six times the cost, IIRC). DDM are totally optional -- a lot of times, I use old dice and use the number showing to track which orc is which.

For software, you certainly don't need anything. Either HeroForge or PCGen are free. HeroForge is prettier and has a lot of resources built in, but requires MS Excel. PCGen requires the Java Runtime Environment (free) and is extremely powerful, but you'll only get the SRD to start with and the interface reflects the power (i.e. you can get overwhelmed).

 

[blargney the second]

For the mat, I picked up a 2'x3' easel pad of graph paper for $10. That thing's been in use for the better part of a year now.

 

[Mercule]

For the mat, I picked up a 2'x3' easel pad of graph paper for $10. That thing's been in use for the better part of a year now.

I've got one of those that I use for large zones I want to draw out ahead of time or plan to save for a while. An example of the former is an evil druid henge. The Labyrinth from "Three Faces of Evil" is the second case.

 

[Stormborn]

I love tac tiles, but if you want to go cheap I would recommend the more labor intensive but cheap graph paper, a ruler, some colored pens or pencils, and coins/beads/tokens/borrowed game pieces for the miniatures.

Or you can do what my group did for a long time: use nothing. We all sat around in couches and chairs and rolled our dice on lap desks or a shallow box or tray. Didnt really use minis or grids. Its up to the DM to decide if something can be done or not in the space allowed. If neccesary we would keep a couple of sheets of paper handy to sketch out an area. This worked alot better for GURPS and other games than for DnD, but it can work for DnD as long as your group doesnt have someone who obsesses over every little 5ft square of movement and trusts the DM to make tactical decisions about where people are in relationships to flanking, AoO, etc.

 

[pawsplay]

I use a Chessex map and some minis. Even though I am starving student, I feel certain ammenities are worth it. I draw most terrain or use poster board, and mini shortages are compensated for by using dice and dice boxes (for Large creatures).