[Terrain, Obstacles, Interactive Objects] What works best for you?

[jenskot]

In our 4E game, we try to include environment features that really help build excitement, expand tactical options, and inspire great roleplaying.

Usually this means creating interesting terrain and adding features that can either help or harm or both.

In one of our games we had a slave pit with people chained up as the ground slowly filled with water. Above we had a live shark hanging upside down as vampires drank from it, slowly turning it undead with the intent of unleashing it on the players below. Around the pit we had large canisters with boiling water (human soup) that could be moved or tipped over, and there were a series of weapons and objects on the floor of the slave pit from previous rebellions. And of course plenty of enemies swarming around. It was lots of fun!

What type of environments, terrain features, obstacles, interactive objects have you used in your D&D (any edition) encounters to great effect?

Rock,
John

 

[avin]

Do you use minis and objects to represent it?

I use to have similar elements on GURPS... maybe I should try again on 4E.

 

[jenskot]

Usually for objects that are movable, we have blank printed squares that we write the name of the object on it and place it on the map so they are easy to move around. It's also convenient because we can add status updates by writing on it.