Miniatures and my players

[Fifth Element]

If you do it right and have approximately correct miniatures, it adds a great deal of atmosphere.

Very much agreed. I think it's important to have minis that are at least very close to what they're supposed to represent. I've been known to adjust the details of encounters based on what minis I have available, to minimize the break between what's on the table and what we're supposed to be imagining.

 

[Nebulous]

Very much agreed. I think it's important to have minis that are at least very close to what they're supposed to represent. I've been known to adjust the details of encounters based on what minis I have available, to minimize the break between what's on the table and what we're supposed to be imagining.

Yeah, that's what i do, even with a published adventure. I'll change an encounter to fit the miniature stock i have. Which is pretty big, for better or worse. I love minis myself, and detailed battle maps. For me, they help create a much more immersive environment. I think this is even more important in 4e than ever before, because it does feel like we're playing a video game. I don't have a problem with this, because it's a game i'm really enjoying.

 

[Mephistopheles]

By contrast, I find the most ornately described generic sword attack to be still just another generic sword attack. The absolute, utter same-ness of 3e melee combat killed my willingness to keep coming up with descriptiosn for Yet Another Full Attack Action.

Meanwhile, 4e has taken some of that work off my hands. First of all, different powers have different descriptions, giving me something to work with. Material and inspiration! Very important over the long term. And perhaps more importantly, there's less work to be done- part of the reason to constantly come up with flashy descriptions in 3e melee is because there's nothing else going on except a repeated trade of hit points. "I push you two spaces and follow you" might not have a lot of description in it inherently... until it meets the tabletop and I'm pushing you two spaces closer to a river of lava. This adds a certain degree of inherent tension that otherwise wouldn't exist.

My point there was that after six months, or a year, or less for some, it will become Yet Another Use of Power X. It's new and shiny right now, but once that sheen wears off it'll be up to the players to keep it fresh for themselves.

I don't think more mechanical detail or more tactical combat is necessarily more interesting in a role playing game than less. Actions such as pushing an opponent towards a hazard have always been possible even if it wasn't an explicit part of the rules. Again, it's on the players to keep things interesting.

Just to be clear, I'm not slighting 4E. What I am saying is that, at least in my own experience, I don't think 4E as a system is more fun as a matter of course unless the players bring it to life. This has been my experience with all previous editions and that has not changed for 4E.