I like grid less for PbP too. It reduces opportunities for "gaming" the board. In some circumstances it may be warranted though they should be obvious from the start. Grid less also helps the "theatre of the mind"!
Some additional quantitative information on distances would be handy. At low-ish levels, spell range can be a huge difference between good or otherwise outcomes (short range spells are >> medium range). From Tekai's perspective it will help with guessing whether to take range penalties or to delay, as well.
For a first combat encounter with a new party, this one wasn't too bad. The party as a whole rolled quite high, which skewed the outcome to a massacre (Tekai hit 4/4 needing 9's to hit, for example). Invert the rolls and it would be a very different outcome.
Group initiative I find only really works with mega-battles, but my DMing experience is wholly based on tabletop. For PbP it could work, and reduce the three day wait for one person. Try it and see?
Some additional quantitative information on distances would be handy. At low-ish levels, spell range can be a huge difference between good or otherwise outcomes (short range spells are >> medium range). From Tekai's perspective it will help with guessing whether to take range penalties or to delay, as well.
For a first combat encounter with a new party, this one wasn't too bad. The party as a whole rolled quite high, which skewed the outcome to a massacre (Tekai hit 4/4 needing 9's to hit, for example). Invert the rolls and it would be a very different outcome.
Group initiative I find only really works with mega-battles, but my DMing experience is wholly based on tabletop. For PbP it could work, and reduce the three day wait for one person. Try it and see?