Is a Horse Still a 10 by 10 creature?/Should there be facing?

[JoeGKushner]

One of the things I thought was incredibly lame about 3.5 was a horse going from 10 by 5 to 10 by 10.

How's 4e handle that whole situation? Must things like purple worms still be circular?

Or to ask another question, what exactly is the problem with facing?

 

[Hussar]

I don't know the answer, but, honestly? I hope so. Rectangular bases are a PITA. The less exceptions to things, the better. Does it hurt my suspension of disbelief? Maybe, but, to be frank, I don't care.

 

[ThirdWizard]

I know this isn't what people want to hear, but really they have too many square miniatures made to stop using square facing. If one of the reasons they didn't go with Huge only giants, then I doubt they're going to step away from square facing.

 

[Almacov]

I'd imagine they're still 10x10.
The nightmare and warhorse miniatures in Desert of Desolation were, and I believe they're all intended to be "compatible" with 4e.

Personally, I see facing rules as a hassle that's out of character with the direction the game has been headed. I believe there was a thread a while back on handling massive creatures like the purple worm as more complex encounters than impeding blocks on a battlemat though, which might be preferable when it comes to beasties like that.

 

[heirodule]

It'd be nice to have an explicit rule about ranking up horses for mass charges though

 

[Henry]

It'd be nice to have an explicit rule about ranking up horses for mass charges though

Well, given that you can fit a LOT more than 20 humans in a 100 foot line, too, much less more than 10 horses, it's not too much of a problem. I'd think some sort of mob rules a la DMG2, or some kind of "phalanx" rules, would be a good thing, but if we're talking about normal circumstances, room to move and whirl about,etc. the 10 foot bases don't bug me much.

 

[Wormwood]

How's 4e handle that whole situation? Must things like purple worms still be circular?

Ease of play vs. realism?

Sorry, Realism. Here's your lovely parting gift.

 

[rkanodia]

Personally, I like the way that HeroScape just has two sizes of bases: 'regular' (one hex) and 'large' (two hex). You would be surprised how big of a figure you can fit on something that size if you are creative with the sculpt.

 

[The Little Raven]

One of the things I thought was incredibly lame about 3.5 was a horse going from 10 by 5 to 10 by 10.

5x10 creatures give you facing in a system that doesn't support facing, since one end of the narrow part has to be the head and the other part the hindquarters.

 

[Ahglock]

Ease of play vs. realism?

Sorry, Realism. Here's your lovely parting gift.

I honestly am not sure how its easier to play. maybe I hand waved things without knowing it, but I never found any ease of play issues with the 5'by 10' horses.