Is combat easier to teach with or without miniatures?

[MerricB]

I was just wondering: is combat easier to teach with or without miniatures?

My feeling on this matter is that it is easier with, especially when you have a simple set of rules for movement and attacking. (Something D&D 3E has, although they occasionally get obscured behind the wealth of combat options).

What do you think?

Cheers!

 

[The Other Librarian]

I would probably agree. The minis and battlegrid give a nice visual reference, and make things easier to keep track of than just abstract description. You can always stick to the basics, then introduce new options as the opportunity presents itself.

 

[Ankh-Morpork Guard]

It IS easier with the visual reference, though it really does depend on the person. Some people I know have more trouble when they can't imagine the battlefield themselves. They even can visualize the ideas for AoO, threat ranges, etc fairly easily. Its very...interesting.

 

[Buttercup]

I think some sort of representational chit does indeed make it easier. Doesn't have to be minis, of course.

And personally, I find minis distracting. I prefer counters instead. I'm not sure why I'm like this. One of my friends runs an occasional game in which we use the WotC plastic minis. I have a heck of a time remembering which one represents who, and that never happens to me with the Fiery Dragon counters.

But back to the topic, D20 combat is really tied to the grid, and because of that, I think it's hard for most people to understand without some sort of physical objects representing each combatant, and possibly even the scenery. Otherwise, how do you know *for sure* if that orc has 3/4 or 1/2 cover, for instance?

 

[Herr Doktor]

I've found having a good stack of graph paper and a nice eraser is all that is required. I can draw my terrain and obstacles, monsters and PCs are represented by specific letters, and I can even make a nice little initiative chart on the bottom. This is also a big plus at my gaming table since it doesn't take up a lot of space, unlike a grid sized for miniatures.

 

[The Other Librarian]

I know what you mean. Maybe the miniatures are just too much 'visual noise' on the board. on the other hand, they are easier to handle than counters, and easier to keep track of 'off board'.

And personally, I find minis distracting. I prefer counters instead. I'm not sure why I'm like this. One of my friends runs an occasional game in which we use the WotC plastic minis. I have a heck of a time remembering which one represents who, and that never happens to me with the Fiery Dragon counters.

 

[Aristotle]

This kind of borders on the old "do minis hurt or help the game" argument. Minis (or counters of any sort) *definately* make it easier (for me) to teach new people the ins and outs of combat, and not just in games that expect you to use minis.

They even help players who already have a handle on combat get a better mental picture of what is going on in an encounter, and help them make more informed decisions within the game. Players in my games are less descriptive of their actions without visual representations, and tend to only interact with each other and NPCs instead of with the setting as a whole.

In my experience miniatures have always provoked imaginative gameplay rather than suppressed it. YMMV

 

[Keeper of Secrets]

I think minis make the game easier but I don't think I would say it makes teaching the game easier.

At this point, though, I can't imagne playing without figurines.

 

[ElvishBard]

The mini's and grid made it easy for me to teach my friends how to play, because I am very bad at describing where everyone is, and constantly keeping the current battle in my mind instead of the old ones. I am a very visual learner, and without the mini's I would be even worse in battles than I am now!

 

[Greylock]

Gots to have my mini's. Can't do combat without them. Can't imagine teaching combat as mental exercise in DnD. Can't play chess in my head either.

That said, I wish WotC had never made one of their little plastic mini's. I want cold lead mini's, handpainted by yours truly. But if the rest of the group doesn't use them, it mine would stand out and make me seem slightly obsessed. And I'm not all that obsessed. Really I'm not.