squares and hexes.

[Aristotle]

Hello,

Forgive me if this has been discussed before. I'm new, and the search function is restricted. I'm an old 2nd Edition player, who recently decided to give 3E a shot after several years away from the fantasy genre.

I've been reading my books, and I've noticed the emphasis on using a grid for combat situations. My question is... how easily (if at all) can this be converted to a hex grid from the standard square grid?

Not having a firm grasp of the rules, I'd like to know if anything is going to be "broken" should I decide to just use the hex chessex mats that I already own. I don't think it affects face. I wouldn't be able to use the "templates" for area affects in the DMG, but I wouldn't think that figuring up the area on the hex grid would be all that difficult. Thanks for any advice or input that you might be able to offer.

 

[Hejdun]

Well, mapping dungeons and buildlings is going to be wierd (hexes in a primarily square environment), so you're going to have to decide if you want people to be able to "fit" in a half a hex.

You'll need to modify the way cones and area effects work, since they were designed using squares.

Other than that, most rules can be easily fitted to hexes instead of squares.

 

[thalmin]

It shouldn't affect your gameplay that much. Biggest difference is number of opponents that can reach a space, eight or six. Calculating distances should be easier.

 

[Crothian]

Hexes have the advantage of easier time going in any direction. Squares do better with the right angles. But in the real world few things are always at perfect angles. Both work fine and it's real easy to get used to one or the other.

 

[Aristotle]

It shouldn't affect your gameplay that much. Biggest difference is number of opponents that can reach a space, eight or six. Calculating distances should be easier.

I'm not sure about that. The rules imply that, on a square grid, a space can be reached by the spaces directly touching each side AND by the spaces at each of the corners (unless I've misread this), so it would by 8 spaces on both square and hex grids.

As for whether or not a character could occupy a "partial hex". I would say that they could do so when not in combat (since multiple characters can occupy the same full space outside of combat). In combat they would need a complete space to effectively maneuver.

Looks like I might have to make some small adjustments, but that overall the game works either with squares or hexes. That is what I was hoping! Thanks for the responses.