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<blockquote data-quote="tonym" data-source="post: 3152481" data-attributes="member: 4127">But you decide the distance between characters arbitrarily.&nbsp; There is no reference for you to reference, other than a blank map of a dungeon, if even that.You are not Bobby Fisher; you are not brilliant at spacial relationships.&nbsp; You are not capable of mentally tracking the movement of numerous points in motion on a map with anything close to the accuracy of a DM using minis.&nbsp; Like all mini-less DMs, you have a vague idea where PCs and monsters are, at best.You may filter your players' questions about locations through several mental mechanisms before you decide &quot;yes&quot; or &quot;no,&quot; but you are nowhere near as impassive as you think you are.&nbsp; If your players are happy, you are keeping them happy via choosing friendly outcomes more often than not in situations where the outcome is totally your judgment call.&nbsp; If you repeatedly said &quot;no&quot; to your players, your players would be unhappy because they know you are making decisions about PC and monster locations based partly on what you feel like saying at the time.The only thing that keeps your players from thinking you are a jerk is that you are not a jerk.&nbsp; You must say &quot;yes&quot; when it really counts, for example.&nbsp; Among other patterns.You have discovered patterns that make your players happy.&nbsp; That's great.&nbsp; I think all DM's who forego minis should strive for that.&nbsp; However, patterns are predictable, as I said.&nbsp; PLAYER:&nbsp; Is there a spot in the room that I can position the fireball where it will get most or all of the orcs, but none of us?NOT-A-JERK DM: Last round, it would've been no.&nbsp; Luckily, the orcs pressed the party forward a bit...so yes.&nbsp; You safely get all the orcs, except for...(rolls die)...one.PLAYER: Wow, lucky me!Tony M</blockquote>

[QUOTE="tonym, post: 3152481, member: 4127"] But you decide the distance between characters [I]arbitrarily[/I]. There is no reference for you to reference, other than a blank map of a dungeon, if even that. You are not Bobby Fisher; you are not brilliant at spacial relationships. You are not capable of mentally tracking the movement of numerous points in motion on a map with anything close to the accuracy of a DM using minis. Like all mini-less DMs, you have a vague idea where PCs and monsters are, at best. You may filter your players' questions about locations through several mental mechanisms before you decide "yes" or "no," but you are nowhere near as impassive as you think you are. If your players are happy, you are keeping them happy via choosing friendly outcomes more often than not in situations where the outcome is totally your judgment call. If you repeatedly said "no" to your players, your players would be [I]unhappy[/I] because they [I]know[/I] you are making decisions about PC and monster locations based partly on what you [I]feel[/I] like saying at the time. The only thing that keeps your players from thinking you are a jerk is that you are [I]not[/I] a jerk. You must say "yes" when it really counts, for example. Among other patterns. You have discovered patterns that make your players happy. That's great. I think all DM's who forego minis should strive for that. However, patterns are predictable, as I said. PLAYER: Is there a spot in the room that I can position the [I]fireball[/I] where it will get most or all of the orcs, but none of us? NOT-A-JERK DM: Last round, it would've been [I]no[/I]. Luckily, the orcs pressed the party forward a bit...so [I]yes[/I]. You safely get all the orcs, except for...(rolls die)...one. PLAYER: Wow, lucky me! Tony M [/QUOTE]

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