Minis and Grids, do you use them?

[Shemeska]

Based on the 'Proclamation' thread, and the arguments about how not using minis and grids, the more wargaming'esque style of play, is "swimming upstream", I'm curious now. Who among us here actually uses minis/grids and in what capacity? Always? At player request? Etc.

 

[DarrenGMiller]

For the past few months we have used minis and grids for pretty much every combat. Before, we had been using them for most combats for a few months before that. It is a huge help and combat is more easily adjudicated using the RAW.

DM

 

[Pants]

My group uses them in every game we do.

Does it create a more 'wargamey' sort of environment for us? Yes it most certainly does. Tactics have become much more important, but the arguments over 'I wasn't in the blast radius/I wasn't in range!' 'Yes you were' have ceased, so I consider it an over all positive.

Still, they're not for everyone, and I applaud the skill of a DM who can run a D&D game without them and not have those arguments (or maybe I should applaud the maturity of the players ).

 

[EricNoah]

I'll use minis/counters/markers and a grid for anything more complicated than one creature vs. the party. It makes it easier for all concerned to see the action happening. We don't have too many problems with people bogging down the action by counting squares or whathaveyou; combats zip right along. Sometimes due to scale each square is 10' instead of five; we don't worry too much about 5' steps and AoOs in those cases. Some set piece combats deserve a nice clear detailed map; others don't.

 

[Clueless]

The closest we come is when a player (usually it's me) asks for a map of the area to determine line of sight. A hold over from Shadowrun - I like to know who I could end up hitting if I miss. But we rarely bother working out the actual grid marks for it. Just draw a line between two points and use that as a scale reference in feet.

 

[HellHound]

For the past year, I've run with minis and a grid exactly ONCE.

It is completely unnecessary IMO, for the d20 system. We can track movement cinematically enough and still call for AoOs and flanking as needed.

 

[Turjan]

I'd say I use the battlemat half of the time, whenever the situation is a bit more complicated. We use counters, though, no minis. The only mini that I own came with the Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind game .

 

[LogicsFate]

I've had too many DMs trying to keep all the placement in there heads, while giving us discriptions that confuse, to discount the grid.

That said I usually use minis and impromto senery(books, cans, dice for trees) for matches that start close

 

[zeo_evil]

We use them for every battle but not for role-playing.

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I use graph paper most of the time. Unfortunately, I don't think I can really use counters, as they're too big (and so are the maps they go on - I like being able to have dozens of maps ready ahead of time).