Is combat easier to teach with or without miniatures?

[D.Reaver]

It all depends on the players. I had one person quit after a few sessions while using graph paper with letters for each player and terrain written in, and explained.

His character died twice. The first time I said he was taken down to negatives but not outright killed because he said he did not understand what was going on. He would not have been where he was shown on the map if he knew the table would not provide cover, he thought it was a partial wall. But the second time I killed him, I let it stand, he was clearly standing in a doorway facing away from the enemy wizard.

That was the only time I ever had any trouble. If I know it is going to be a big battle, then I pull out the battlemap, when I do this I use dice. The differenct type of dice, what color it is, and what number it is on correspond to my notes and sometimes what it is doing, maybe how high it is flying or what type of weapon it is using. I try to keep it consistent enough that my normal players know what is gioing on just by looking at the dice. I don't use it all the time as it is a bit big for where we play.

So it boils down to no matter what you use, make sure everyone understand what is what.

 

[cybertalus]

Without minis, attacks of opportunity are extremely difficult to use, much less explain. With minis I can explain them (and have people understand them) usually in 10 minutes or less. For that reason alone I think minis make teaching the 3e combat rules much easier.

 

[BOZ]

we go either way, with counters or minis, though lately it's been nearly all minis.

 

[fba827]

some sort of visual reference (be it minis or just pieces of paper) help... anything having to do with threatened squares (attacks of oppotrunity, reach, etc.) are just much easier to see and tehrefore understand ...

some of the spell areas of effect might be easier to understand as well (though most are pretty simple - target or circle, etc. but a couple are a bit funky for visualize)

Edit: As a side note, the more visual the mini/figure, the more likley it will be a distraction "Is that my character? but i have a red cloak and an axe, not a brown one and sword, etc.. - i.e. the more detailed the figure, the more likley it will turn into a distraction instead of a visual aid... therefore, I'd recommend more on the side of simple visual figures (like paper with names) until such a time people are comfortable enough with it ... but that's just my thought.

 

[Darklone]

Without minis, I'd remove flanking, tumbling, Spring Attack stuff, AoOs and simply give reach weapons double damage with the first attack. Then it's easier.

But I wouldn't

 

[MonsterMash]

Visual references are a big help, this is one area where Mongoose's Pocket Players Handbook is let down by not having any illustrations when compared to the regular PHB.

For teaching I'd use a grid and counters or minis or even just a grid with a pencil and eraser.

 

[diaglo]

take it from an old wargamer. minis are fun.

but they aren't necessary.

as much as combat comes up in D&D... an extra hour or two... to explain combat rules without them isn't gonna be too harmful.

 

[hong]

take it from an old wargamer. minis are fun.

Oh yeah.

 

[Umbran]

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

I think the answer is, "Yes"

What methods and visual aids work best depends upon the teacher's style and the student's proclivities. There's not going to be a single method that teaches all people best.

 

[vulcan_idic]

I was just wondering: is combat easier to teach with or without miniatures?... <Snip> ...What do you think?

I have found that when initially teaching the principles of D&D combat "miniatures" are extremely useful... granted the "miniatures" and "battle grid" I usually use for the purpose are stand ins, usually known as chess pieces and a chess board. I like this because for the person knew to the genre it gives a connection to a tactical game they are already familiar with where pieces move in different manners. Then I built on the common frame of reference to demonstrate different basic combat situations, possible moves and so on - not in a combat but simply in a slice of time, one round. Once they have a firm grasp of each move in that sense, the board and pieces generally go away and we move to a larger grid with character representations (usually spare dice or pieces of paper). The combat then takes place mostly in our minds, the grid and associated representations being really only used for keeping track of movement and flanking places so we all have a common frame of reference (tends to avoid miscommunication/misinterpretation).