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Message: <blockquote data-quote="J-H" data-source="post: 8443813" data-attributes="member: 7020951">I use about 80% map/20% theater of the mind.  TOTM is for single-monster encounters without major terrain choke points or features.Note:  "You're in the rainforest and there are 3 layers of vegetation" doesn't map well anyway.My players sometimes use minis.  I use coins or printed off paper tokens.General mini-users<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">How much does what is depicted on the battlemat limit what is in the environment? For example, if the drawn scene does not depict rocks or a tree in a particular spot, can they still be there based on player query?  A room depicts a fireplace but no fireplace tools, does that mean they are not there or might they be there if the players ask the DM about it? No, I basically just draw the rooms/walls and locations of trees and other "you can't move there" obstacles.  If they want bushes, there will be shrubberies.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Do you (or your DM) draw out encounter places ahead of time? Sometimes, when I can.  Hexcrawls are unpredictable.  I use a roll-up dry erase map.  Note:  I have pre-done map diagrams in my notes/module write-ups, but it's not a player-facing grid</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you use minis in a dungeon environment, do you (or your DM) draw out the dungeon on the battlemat as you explore it or simply describe it, drawing particular rooms/areas when and if there is a combat there? I only draw combat areas. I've used dry erase a few times to give them overviews of fort/settlement layouts after recon as well.  If they want to map the dungeon, that's on them.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Connected to the previous question: Do you use minis for non-combat circumstances? (like when a party fans out and searches a room). No, but I will take pencil notes on my map of the area.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">If you use minis, how do you handle things like running fights through a city or when the party gets split up? They've been kind enough to not do that to me so far.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Anything else you think is important to know about how you use (or don't use) minis/grid? I follow the Matt Colville video idea of Pythagoras not existing in D&D.  6 over and 6 up is the same as 6 diagonal.  It makes things easier.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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