How important are figurers too your game

[Jhaelen]

We don't use them at all. Found no need for them in classic D&D and every edition up to and including 3.x - I've only played 4e once and did it without minis so I can't see switching to using minis in our RPGs any time soon after 30 years of gaming without them.

I always find it interesting that some people never experienced the problems we've been having when we started roleplaying without minis about 25 years ago. No matter the system, there were always heated discussions about who was standing where, when things started to get rough.

We started by making sketches but soon realized using minis (or tokens) was a lot easier: Even if we just used the minis to indicate marching orders or the general location of characters and monsters without caring much about distances or movement rates, it helped a lot to clarify ambigious situations.

 

[rgard]

I always find it interesting that some people never experienced the problems we've been having when we started roleplaying without minis about 25 years ago. No matter the system, there were always heated discussions about who was standing where, when things started to get rough.

We started by making sketches but soon realized using minis (or tokens) was a lot easier: Even if we just used the minis to indicate marching orders or the general location of characters and monsters without caring much about distances or movement rates, it helped a lot to clarify ambigious situations.

Agreed. In my experience 'heated discussions' would be considered mild...when not using minis and one of us asked "what do you mean the dragon is right behind my MU?"

 

[Vegepygmy]

I always find it interesting that some people never experienced the problems we've been having when we started roleplaying without minis about 25 years ago. No matter the system, there were always heated discussions about who was standing where, when things started to get rough.

Same here. I played 1e for the first year or two without miniatures, and I remember the great joy and relief we experienced upon buying and using our first bunch of miniatures. When I read online about other people preferring to play without minis, I just can't relate to that. I believe them, of course, but I can't imagine myself ever feeling the same way.

 

[loki8481]

I always find it interesting that some people never experienced the problems we've been having when we started roleplaying without minis about 25 years ago. No matter the system, there were always heated discussions about who was standing where, when things started to get rough.

We started by making sketches but soon realized using minis (or tokens) was a lot easier: Even if we just used the minis to indicate marching orders or the general location of characters and monsters without caring much about distances or movement rates, it helped a lot to clarify ambigious situations.

personally, I've always just found it easier to just use a graph-lined white board and some dry erase markers rather than carrying around bags of minis and maps to sessions.

 

[kitsune9]

I have a friend who makes figures and is hoping to make a living manufacturing them.​

My personal experience in D&D is that I use the nearest figure that fits the template (The cow figure has been used a lot).

I just wondered how many people buy figures and paint them for a specific adventure/campaign and how many just use what they have got and improvise, and how many just use templates.

http://www.dinglesgames.com/

I like to buy minis left and right if I can, but I only buy the clearance stuff. I usually order from Miniatures Markets.com or at the FLGS that is trying to desperately get rid of their Mage Knight or Dreamblade stock.

 

[Macc1980]

Mini's are definitely a big part of our game. The DM has 7 or 8 tackle box's full of figures and we choose the ones that most closely resemble our characters and monsters .
Always interested in finding more.

 

[kevin_video]

I like having grided maps and figures as it makes things SO much easier when you've got terrain, and a bunch of enemies, and are looking for places to hide, or vantage points. Movement's easier too. In our game, minis are a big deal.

I don't paint any of my figures, but my DM has them pre-painted, or pays people to paint them, or paints them himself. Also at times, he'll change a character around (especially if he's got multiples of the minis) to fit the current campaign. He's about the only one that does that though.