Which of these is the optimal distance of measurement for your TTRPG enjoyment?

[billd91]

I don't mind whether it's feet or meters - either is fine. I'm even OK with range bands for a system that's abstract enough to not care about specific placements. But if you're gonna use "squares", I'd rather those squares mean something rather than just be "squares". In other words, if that level of nitty gritty detail is important enough to move in or measure in "squares", then pick a unit so I can think of things being "3 meters away" or "I'm going to move 15 feet to cover" rather than "squares". That may work if I'm hopping along on a tile floor and trying not to break my mother's back by stepping on a crack, but it doesn't work for me in an RPG very well.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Close/Near/Far, or zones, or, at least, abstract squares.

Definitely, this. I would love it if OneD&D's DMG has optional rules for using Close/Near/Far.

 

[Staffan]

I'm in the zones corner. Abstract range bands tend to create some wonkiness when you have multiple combatants around, but having more-or-less room-sized zones works great.

 

[Dioltach]

"Smacking" distance
"Shooting" distance
"Yeah, that's right, you'd better not come any closer" distance

 

[GMMichael]

Definitely, this. I would love it if OneD&D's DMG has optional rules for using Close/Near/Far.

That would probably require a significant overhaul. Especially given that 5.0e couldn't really keep 5-foot grid references out, despite not being a grid-required game. I'd say a 3rd-party could do it, but while 5.0 has been Commons-released, I don't expect the same from OneD&D.

Did Level Up include such a thing... cinematic mode with zones? Just speculating.

 

[fluffybunbunkittens]

That would probably require a significant overhaul. Especially given that 5.0e couldn't really keep 5-foot grid references out, despite not being a grid-required game.

Every DnD (but 4e) has pretended it doesn't require a grid, yet still measured everything in 5ft increments...

Anyway, while you could accomplish the basics of zones without a huge overhaul ('spells with less than 60ft range have a range of Close', 'area spells affect everyone in a zone', kind of rulings), you do need to decide what rules/tactical parts you will be leaving outside the conversion.

Like, if you want to keep pushes in some capacity, then you get into the nitty-gritty of wondering if 5ft push does anything? How about 10ft+ pushes that are a lot rarer? Should you just make any push able to move people to another zone? Or maybe they are purely for interacting with that zone's environmental elements?

The amount of hassle depends on how much you want to have stuff like that still do something. And if your whole party is martials, then this doesn't even change much for them (pick a target that's Near you, hit it, take an opportunity attack if you move to another zone that's Close).

 

[Teo Twawki]

If it isn't written using rods, chains, and furlongs, it is an utterly incomprehensible rpg to me.

 

[Doc_Klueless]

Cubits. Keep it biblical.

 

[Parmandur]

Meters, measure either by a hexagonal grid or old fashioned wagamijg measurements by inch (1 inch = 1 meter) just to make things weird.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Feet. Extremely easy with Roll20.