Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Zinovia" data-source="post: 4050796" data-attributes="member: 57373">We've always used a hex grid, since that's what we have for a gaming mat.&nbsp; I find a lot of rules about flanking, cover, spell areas, and diagonal movement much more intuitive.&nbsp; I hex is always 5' worth of movement, regardless of direction.&nbsp; Flanking and facing (not that D&amp;D uses facing rules) are clear.&nbsp; Partial hexes aren't a problem any more than partial squares are if you have 12' wide corridors, or are in a natural cavern.&nbsp; As for spell areas, we have templates that are actually cut to the correct scaled radius for the spell and are *gasp* circular!!!&nbsp;&nbsp; We overlay the template and see what's inside or not.&nbsp; The DM adjudicates all edge cases.&nbsp; Cones are the same way.&nbsp; Just overlay it where you want the effect to go and see who's in and who isn't.&nbsp; Easy peasy.&nbsp; To add more verisimilitude to the cases where someone is clearly just at the fringe edge of the spell, the GM has sometimes ruled they will take half damge or 1/4 on a save.&nbsp; It does add complexity, but not a lot.&nbsp; The fact is that hasn't happened often, and it seems more realistic.&nbsp; It works for us.&nbsp; It bugs me that they might be doing away with cone shaped effects just because they are hard to make fit into a square grid.&nbsp; Cones are a logical shape for breath weapons and some spell effects.&nbsp; The world is not chopped up into 5' cubes, and there's no need to avoid truly circular or cone-shaped effects in D&amp;D.&nbsp; Just draw the shape and leave the edge cases to the GM.&nbsp; Assuming you have players who are willing to listen to the GM that is and not argue the interpretation of the rules, or position the party for the exact tactical advantage allowed by the mechanical underpinnings of the system.&nbsp; Very meta-gamey IMHO.&nbsp; The grid is there to help us move around in combat, but we never let it override common sense in what shape things are, where people are standing, or what direction we're moving.&nbsp; It's a RPG, not a wargame.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Zinovia, post: 4050796, member: 57373"] We've always used a hex grid, since that's what we have for a gaming mat. I find a lot of rules about flanking, cover, spell areas, and diagonal movement much more intuitive. I hex is always 5' worth of movement, regardless of direction. Flanking and facing (not that D&D uses facing rules) are clear. Partial hexes aren't a problem any more than partial squares are if you have 12' wide corridors, or are in a natural cavern. As for spell areas, we have templates that are actually cut to the correct scaled radius for the spell and are *gasp* circular!!! We overlay the template and see what's inside or not. The DM adjudicates all edge cases. Cones are the same way. Just overlay it where you want the effect to go and see who's in and who isn't. Easy peasy. To add more verisimilitude to the cases where someone is clearly just at the fringe edge of the spell, the GM has sometimes ruled they will take half damge or 1/4 on a save. It does add complexity, but not a lot. The fact is that hasn't happened often, and it seems more realistic. It works for us. It bugs me that they might be doing away with cone shaped effects just because they are hard to make fit into a square grid. Cones are a logical shape for breath weapons and some spell effects. The world is not chopped up into 5' cubes, and there's no need to avoid truly circular or cone-shaped effects in D&D. Just draw the shape and leave the edge cases to the GM. Assuming you have players who are willing to listen to the GM that is and not argue the interpretation of the rules, or position the party for the exact tactical advantage allowed by the mechanical underpinnings of the system. Very meta-gamey IMHO. The grid is there to help us move around in combat, but we never let it override common sense in what shape things are, where people are standing, or what direction we're moving. It's a RPG, not a wargame. [/QUOTE]

Verification