D&D 5E To what degree will you use (or are you using) miniatures and a battlemap for D&D Next?

[Li Shenron]

I honestly don't know yet... My current preference is to run games without a battlemat, and rely on verbal descriptions to handle positioning (which obviously will be gross, not precise at all). But it also depends on what the players will want...

 

[Evenglare]

I use maps for all combat situations, but 99% of the time it's just as a spacial recognition device. We very rarely use accurate measurements.

 

[DMZ2112]

I switched over from inch squares to linear inches when D&D4 told Pythagoras to go eff himself. I intend to continue without a grid in D&D5, but that doesn't mean I won't use a map or miniatures.

 

[howandwhy99]

I draw on battlemats and use illustrations for all sorts of stuff besides combat. Now sometimes a surprise round will be the whole of a battle and the players elect to run, so we never really need the battlemat, but the marching order still matters in that situation.

(honestly, currently it's more like: "You turn around and see a kobold hiding in..." "Hassan Chop!!" or "The hobgoblin barrage of arrows hits your location for *roll* 5 damage each" "I Fireball all them for *roll* 26 damage, 13 for half")

 

[KidSnide]

I'll probably go back to drawing maps free form (using whatever scale is appropriate for the scene) and use miniatures to help the players understand relative position, but I don't see myself counting squares again.

-KS

 

[Gilladian]

I've used a mat and minis for 20+ years, and I don't see any reason to stop, now. I like how they help us visualize the combats and even non-combat scenes. I also really enjoy making monster "tokens" and scenery bits out of polymer clay, and don't see why I would stop.

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

I've learned to love the grid since 3E, so probably heavy.

 

[Stormonu]

I like my toys. They will be used much.

Garrrrr!

 

[GX.Sigma]

I'm using minis a lot right now because I just got a bunch of Dwarven Forge pieces, but I'd really like a subsystem that makes it easier to do theater-of-the-mind (like zones, or like the concept of "being engaged in melee" from old-school D&D, without having to worry about exact positions and distances).

 

[wedgeski]

I'll be dramatically reducing my battle-mat usage, but there are some types of encounter that just scream for tactical positioning. Also, as the danger level ramps up, I want combats to be as transparent as possible. Minis and grid achieve both these things.

Of course it also depends on the quality/modularity of the rules, and what the players want. I've frequently been surprised by just how much my circle of roleplayers enjoys long, intricate, tactical engagements, so it may be that they draw the line in a different place than I do.

If DDN can truly achieve a drop-in tactical combat system to be deployed only when needed, it'll be a massive step forward for the game.