imagination vs battlemat

[Vindicator]

INHO & IME I believe that using a Battlemat DOES detract from the role-playing experience. I've found that using a Battlemat turns the game into a tabletop miniatures wargame. The players start counting squares to ensure that they aren't subjected to AoO when they move and to target their spells for maximum effect. Don't get me wrong, Miniature Wargames are fun... I played WH40K for a good long time (until I could no longer afford it) but when I play/run D&D I want a roleplaying game. Recently I've quit using my Battlemat and instead use a dry erase board to just draw a quick sketch of the area I am describing. We just use our own judgement on how far someone could get within a round on the sketch. It isn't scientific or precise but I've found that my game benefits from it.

Here here! I detest the "count-the-squares" tone that the battlemap creates. This ain't a friggin' boardgame, dammit! I use counters on the tabletop, and we approximate distance. If we need a precise distance, I bring out the measuring tape or ruler, but it's seldom necessary.

 

[kenobi65]

We use the 'mat in about 80% of combats -- real simple combats, we won't bother to map out, but anything big, complicated, or with lots of scenery considerations (walls, pits, whatever), we map out. Outside of combat, we only use the minis and the mat for marching order. There'll be nights where we are on the mat constantly; there'll be nights when the minis never get touched.

As other posters mentioned, we find it really helps to dispel confusion and make sure everyone's got the same view of what's really going on during a fight. Also, I've always had a few players who will (consciously or subconsciously) try to move further / affect more area with a spell / whatever than the rules allow -- the mat helps keep them playing "legal."

And, at least in my groups, there ain't too much roleplaying during combat, anyway.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

I've been using minis and gridded maps for combat ever since the beginning (circa 1986)

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

We use the battlemats almost all the time, especially in dungeons. In addition to helping visualize the area for combat and full useage of tactics and feats, they are also a great tool for the purposes of traps. We have had the wonderful experience of avoiding a trap on the way in simply because we didn't step into the correct square, only to step into the correct square on our way out, after we've been beaten up in combat - ouch.

I like the battlemats although I realize they can go too far and lead to metagaming, but then again, so can rolling the dice. If you are really into the roleplaying aspect, doesn't rolling a die to hit and another for damage also detract from the roleplaying aspect? The rules of the game will always work against pure roleplaying to some extent, obviously it is a matter of perference as to where you draw the line between fun roleplaying and fun wargaming.

 

[Elf Witch]

I think battlemats are useful tools in combat you can see at a glance where everyone is.

The problem with them comes in when players sit there and stare at the mat like they do when pondering the next move in chess. I fiemly believe in the ten second egg timer you don't take an action then you are holding one.

 

[Ferrix]

depends, we'll switch between hackjob battlemaps made with soda cans for trees and dice for walls and such if we really need it. If it can be easily visualized by most of the players we'll forgo a battlemap. It's only in those crazy multidimensional battles or with one DM who went all out (even using dry ice for an obscuring mist effect) that battlemaps get common.

 

[Virtue]

Battle Mats Are Needed

I Have Been Playing Rpgs Since 2nd Ed Dnd And For Most Games We Have Used Battle Mats
When We Are Roleplaying Our Figure Sit On The Mat And Nobody Touches Them But With Combat In All Rpgs You Need Battle Mats Because It Gets Confusing Even With Vampire We Have Used The Battle Mats
Has any one used the whiteboard connectable mats that are advertised in dragon
GFL Out (GAMER FOR LIFE)

 

[Wombat]

Poll is turning out more or less as I would have anticipated -- most people use battlemats.

I am one of the few, the proud, the non-matted. Why? Personal history as much as anything -- I got into rpgs to get away from miniatures battles, which always bored me to tears. Our group emphasizes storytelling and getting into character far above combat; in many ways, combat is our least favourite aspect of gaming. So why over-emphasize combat by hauling out a battlemat?

We have also heavily stripped down the combat rules, so essentially everyone in our game is happy.

Diff'rent strokes, etc.

 

[Anand]

We use battle maps in our games, but only in 80% of combats, also. In simple combats, we avoid them, but the tatical issue is important to us, just like roleplaying. But as a DM, I try to remind them to roleplay in combat if they're starting to play chess!

 

[Treebore]

I have used maps sporadically in the past, but have become a terminal user of battlemaps. They just clarify too many things about the situation to not use them. As for cutting down on roleplaying, there has never been any roleplaying during any battle I have DMed. It has always been kill or be killed.

In dungeons, mapping it out has been a big help in determining position when traps are checked, who is in the area of effect, who gets a save and who doesn't....

It has made my games run a lot smoother, so I am now a diehard battlemap user. In fact I just boguth the biggest one I could fine along with new water-soluble markers.