Miniatures vs None

[Jal Dorak]

For about 5 years I did all of my RP gaming without minis.

When Wizards came out with cheap/prepainted minis I became enamoured.

I played a few campaigns using minis as placeholders and PCs.

After a few years, I had enough to represent pretty much every monster in the Monster Manual. The effect on players is neat.

But I noticed, the more miniatures I used the longer battles took. So the other day, while doing a PRPG playtest, I ran without minis. And I wept for the time when I used none.

In reflection, the most balanced time was the middle period when I used miniatures to represent generally a PCs location, and for large groups of monsters. I now think minis are only appropriate for certain types of battles, with small scale battles more imaginative and easily run without tactical miniatures play.

Thoughts or rebuttals?

[Kurocyn]

Though I do like to use minis (I build and paint my own custom minis), I generally find them best for situations requiring precise tactical movement. Sometimes, a fight can be role-played and ended without them, other times not.

Beyond that, I like to use them to show a visual of the PCs' marching order.

-Kurocyn

[carmachu]

RPing without minis is fun. But having a nice set of minis on the table is visually stimulating.

I dont mind a longer game with good models.

[Rezdave]

For quickie little battles or situations where the PCs are either spread out to engage different opponents or are all fighting the same few in an open area or if the location is static like a hallway or whatever I wing it.

For 1-3 round fights it's usually not an issue.

For fights where the environment is odd, or else where movement, flanking, fields of fire and areas-of-effect become factors then it's time to pull out the battle-mat.

For set-piece battles I will digitize the map and print it sectionally, tape the pieces together and pull out the Minis for PCs and have custom Tokens for all allies and/or enemies, with cool standee figures for major NPCs.

Sometimes we'll be in a little battle that suddenly gets complicated, and I'll say, "um ... okay, time to pull out the mat."

Sometimes just putting a PC's initial on a piece of graph paper does a trick (for mostly-static fights).

I find that most outdoors, wilderness encounters do not require a map or minis, unless there are prepared defenses, traps or other significant and/or injury-causing obstacles.

Generally I make a judgement call when the encounter is about to start and run with it, adapting if need be along the way.

In 2nd Edition I disliked the mathematical precision of miniatures and scales and so forth, so we just winged it with Legos and relative positioning or marching order. Now I like minis, but tend not to buy them, letting my Players provide their PCs and then make tokens for the monsters. Of course, the 3rd Edition rules are built around using minis, so I made the change.

FWIW,

Rez

[Drac]

As a DM I prefe using maps and figures. Yes the game does take alittle more time, but when working with a large group its usfull so everyone can see were everyone else is as well as they can see know all will be affected by an area affect spell. I use maps from the mapmage.com site. It allows you to create your own maps, so what I do is I create a Player map that will be used in game then I create a second map that only I can see cause its on my laptop and I use it to mark traps and what not. I find it just makes the game more interesting.

[lynora]

I really like using miniatures. I was a reluctant convert since it was a huge expense to get started, but it was worth it. There is nothing less fun than an all night argument over where the orc actually was. We had one of those back when we were playing second edition. It was my fault. I was new to the game and just wasn't following the description. After that we used counters, but even that got confusing from time to time. Minis may take a little more time for setup, but it is so worth it to save the time that can be wasted on re-explanations and arguments. And I find the visuals very helpful for getting into character. That's my opinion.

[ArchLich]

I prefer without. If I do use minis (or markers, pennies or whatever) I do not use a battle mat. Why? If I am going to use that stuff I might as well use a map not a grid. Just estimate the positions and movement (or measure if you really care). But I find the mat/grid not to my taste.

But then again I rarely use anything but words and imagination.

[Kruelaid]

Jal Dorak wrote:

Thoughts or rebuttals?

Totally agree.

I love using minis and have been doing so for 20 years, but sometimes it's just not necessary. And gaming without them has its own fun.

Personally, when playing, I feel more in control of combat when we have minis and I like it. It takes a good DM and loyal players to run without.