I've found it virtually impossible to play a game of 3.X without minatures, as you have to keep track of what characters or monsters are in what spell effect. when someone gets an Attack of Oppurtunity, etc
My group goes through fits where we use miniatures one week, and the next week we abhor them. Half the time for miniatures, we use a mini that looks slightly like something we want it to be, and call it something else. We used a gnoll to be a satyr, because it was the closest thing to it. We all know what a satyr looks like, just didn't have a mini. It worked quite nicely.
We play 3.5, with a significant amount of homebrewing.
3.5 heavy miniature play most of the miniatures in question were done by either ral partha or reaper miniatures. the random pack of wizards miniatures made it nearly impossibly to use i spcifically use miniatures to adventures i make or read... and i wanted nothing to do with thier miniatures game. i wish they made packs specific to the adventures they had... like city of the spider queen.
I'm fairly visual -- I like to see what's going on, even if it's just a basic outline of the room in pencil with beads to represent the players. If I don't have at least this, then I will get confused, and have no idea where I am, or where things are in relation to each other. A good verbal description will complete the scene and imagery.
I've never had the full miniatures + model backgrounds experience. Maybe it would work better, I don't know, it would be nice to try it at some point.
I side with the 4e haters. D&D books need flavor. I love second edition, for example, because of the ridiculous list of items. There's like thirty different polearms, and the weight and price of a keg of ale. Who needs these things in a campaign? Anyone who cares about flavor, cares greatly. When you have 20 polearms, the flavor of using them is much greater than "generic spear=2d6" or whatever. Similarly, 4e squares and miniatures destroy the roleplaying experience for me.
You hit the nail on the head with one sentence in this that affected me in exactly the same way the change from feet to squares in the rules, to me it screamed tactical miniatures game rather then roleplay, yea i know you dont NEED the miniatures to play it but it feels like it would suffer greatly if you didnt so since reading the PHB my interest in D&D 4th ed died pretty quickly.
And no im not saying dont play it cause others may enjoy that and thats completely fine, its just not for me.
I have never used miniatures but I have never played D&D either. Since Cara and I have mostly been using custom worlds with minimal rules it did not seem necessary and it would have been a lot of hassle to try to find miniatures that are more or less fitting. If I have to illustrate a situation in detail I usually draw a sketch of some sort.
It's interesting that you didn't use miniatures with 3rd Edition. It's one of the reasons that I don't prefer to run modern editions of D&D. I always thought about running it without minis, but my players wanted to run it as written.
Never used miniatures in any RPGs until the release of D&D3e. Even so, the times that I ran 3rd Ed., I did so without minis. Every other group that I've ever played 3rd Ed. with has always used minis very diligently. It was kind of a culture shock for me. Didn't really care for the way it impacted play at the table. Actually, my problem isn't with the minis themselves but with dividing the field into 5-foot sections.
Oh, and we've used toys/cardboard standees/MageKnight figs/dice/pennies/etc.
i for the mot part dont like using them. it pull out of the game and puts it on the table. put in resent years (y2k) iv been forced to because every one else needs them.
i liked it best when i could say i jump down the ally and throw the trash can behind me. and often if its not on the mao its not in the world. so who take time to draw trash cans if not to say look in me?
My introduction to DnD was 3.5, and we rarely if ever used miniatures; we might use some sort of tokens to show more complicated battles, but that was about it. As time has gone on we started using them, but its never been something I've enjoyed particularly. I ran a Star Wars Saga game and never used miniatures at all. The Pathfinder game I'm in now uses them, but I play via Skype and typically can't see the board. It hasn't been a problem yet and I doubt it will ever be.
It's funny that my miniature use is the opposite of yours but for the same reasons. I started AD&D in 5th grade and we never used minis because the rules seemed abstract enough that we just said "You're in melee" or "the fireball hits 5 of the 12 orcs".
In 3rd, the rules became more complex with positioning and 5 foot steps and flanking, so that's when we started using minis. The game had a new feel, one that was more tactical. I enjoyed both styles.
When i started RPGs playing GURPS 4e with my friends, all we had were 2books and 3d6. Those first few games were by far the most fun i've had so far. Now, playing AD&D 2e and Shadowrun 2e, we always have a 2.5'x3x map with minis. It does change some of the focus, but tactically it helps soo much.
@tetsubo57 Sure, it's possible. You're right about there being a big shift after 3.5 (okay, well, I agree with you at least). But possible isn't the same as desirable. One thing I regret from my days with 3.5 is not being more creative in combat. One could argue that mat and minis held me back but, if anything, the miniatures give you more "mental real estate" to devote to things besides "am I close enough to zig zag around AoOs and still hit the thing?" YMMV, of course.
When I started nobody really had any, so I'd just draw a quick sketch map. Soon I got into the Steve Jackson Games Cardboard Heroes. Only very recently have I played with people with miniatures. Now, however I've come to like paper miniatures. There are free ones on the web and free nor not you can print however many you need; and if they get squished you toss them in the recycling bin and print more.
I use very abstract pieces (pawns from an old chess set), and I draw out the floorplan on a battlemat. It is there mostly to make the tactical information more coherent. Strangely enough, I rarely do this for any game besides D&D. But, D&D is more combat-focused than other games, which is fine by me. I love D&D! I love all versions; they all have a place and a purpose, yes, even 4th edition. Although I much prefer Pathfinder when I want to get my high fantasy fix.
I use paper minis for most part. I can create them, throw them away, print more later, have a complete army of identical minions for relatively no cost. I use minis to play Savage Worlds and Pathfinder. That's it. Any other games, M&M, GURPS, I don't use minis.
Personally I never use them. Never have (except in the dimmest depths of the early eighties once or twice - and a few times since to check if they are worth using).
I find that whereas I often later remember things that have happened in play as if I was there, if I've used minis I don't. I think using minis distances me mentally from the scene - I don't think of it as if I'm there seeing it, I think of it looking down at a floorplan/battlemap and minis.
I'm running OD&D right now, and using Poor Man's Miniatures (Risk Godstorm) for the minis on the table.
I detest anybody thumbing their nose one way or the other when it comes to miniatures, as if pretending to be an elf one way or another is the "right" method. I play games with and without, but I don't feel like it's really D&D without some form of physical representation, though. It comes from how I originally got into the hobby, merely a personal preference and not a value judgement.
There's a very good reason I call D&D4e "SPI's Revenge."
Remember that the RPG hobby originally got its start when some wargamer sat down at a table, looked at the assortment of counters on the map, and wondered how the game would run if each unit were represented by individual people with unique abilities. At that time, the notion of playing without a map was silly—how could you possibly track who was closest enough to hit?
I am guessing since you never used minis for 3rd edition, this is true for Pathfinder as well?
inlife9 4 months ago
@inlife9 Correct.
tetsubo57 4 months ago
I've used them from time to time but I find it works better to just have a map in clear plastic and give everyone a diffrent color marker.
LibraGamesUnlimited 6 months ago
I've found it virtually impossible to play a game of 3.X without minatures, as you have to keep track of what characters or monsters are in what spell effect. when someone gets an Attack of Oppurtunity, etc
LordSathar 7 months ago
My group goes through fits where we use miniatures one week, and the next week we abhor them. Half the time for miniatures, we use a mini that looks slightly like something we want it to be, and call it something else. We used a gnoll to be a satyr, because it was the closest thing to it. We all know what a satyr looks like, just didn't have a mini. It worked quite nicely.
We play 3.5, with a significant amount of homebrewing.
TeaBagOfTruth1776 9 months ago
2nd edition few miniatures
3rd edition moderate miniature play
3.5 heavy miniature play most of the miniatures in question were done by either ral partha or reaper miniatures. the random pack of wizards miniatures made it nearly impossibly to use i spcifically use miniatures to adventures i make or read... and i wanted nothing to do with thier miniatures game. i wish they made packs specific to the adventures they had... like city of the spider queen.
kolynar 9 months ago
I'm fairly visual -- I like to see what's going on, even if it's just a basic outline of the room in pencil with beads to represent the players. If I don't have at least this, then I will get confused, and have no idea where I am, or where things are in relation to each other. A good verbal description will complete the scene and imagery.
I've never had the full miniatures + model backgrounds experience. Maybe it would work better, I don't know, it would be nice to try it at some point.
spaceLem 9 months ago
I side with the 4e haters. D&D books need flavor. I love second edition, for example, because of the ridiculous list of items. There's like thirty different polearms, and the weight and price of a keg of ale. Who needs these things in a campaign? Anyone who cares about flavor, cares greatly. When you have 20 polearms, the flavor of using them is much greater than "generic spear=2d6" or whatever. Similarly, 4e squares and miniatures destroy the roleplaying experience for me.
7j8i9m 9 months ago
@7j8i9m awsome well said! i thought i was alone in that thought.
MrSaber152 9 months ago
You hit the nail on the head with one sentence in this that affected me in exactly the same way the change from feet to squares in the rules, to me it screamed tactical miniatures game rather then roleplay, yea i know you dont NEED the miniatures to play it but it feels like it would suffer greatly if you didnt so since reading the PHB my interest in D&D 4th ed died pretty quickly.
And no im not saying dont play it cause others may enjoy that and thats completely fine, its just not for me.
LoganDace 9 months ago
I have never used miniatures but I have never played D&D either. Since Cara and I have mostly been using custom worlds with minimal rules it did not seem necessary and it would have been a lot of hassle to try to find miniatures that are more or less fitting. If I have to illustrate a situation in detail I usually draw a sketch of some sort.
SkallagrimNilsson 9 months ago
@SkallagrimNilsson But you are an Evil European Socialist.
Everyone should send you miniatures now...
tetsubo57 9 months ago
@tetsubo57
In Soviet Europe miniatures play with YOU!
SkallagrimNilsson 9 months ago
It's interesting that you didn't use miniatures with 3rd Edition. It's one of the reasons that I don't prefer to run modern editions of D&D. I always thought about running it without minis, but my players wanted to run it as written.
Samwise7RPG 9 months ago
Never used miniatures in any RPGs until the release of D&D3e. Even so, the times that I ran 3rd Ed., I did so without minis. Every other group that I've ever played 3rd Ed. with has always used minis very diligently. It was kind of a culture shock for me. Didn't really care for the way it impacted play at the table. Actually, my problem isn't with the minis themselves but with dividing the field into 5-foot sections.
Oh, and we've used toys/cardboard standees/MageKnight figs/dice/pennies/etc.
Webhead123 9 months ago
i for the mot part dont like using them. it pull out of the game and puts it on the table. put in resent years (y2k) iv been forced to because every one else needs them.
i liked it best when i could say i jump down the ally and throw the trash can behind me. and often if its not on the mao its not in the world. so who take time to draw trash cans if not to say look in me?
MrSaber152 9 months ago
@MrSaber152 Exactly.
Webhead123 9 months ago
My introduction to DnD was 3.5, and we rarely if ever used miniatures; we might use some sort of tokens to show more complicated battles, but that was about it. As time has gone on we started using them, but its never been something I've enjoyed particularly. I ran a Star Wars Saga game and never used miniatures at all. The Pathfinder game I'm in now uses them, but I play via Skype and typically can't see the board. It hasn't been a problem yet and I doubt it will ever be.
DarthWyyrlok 9 months ago
It's funny that my miniature use is the opposite of yours but for the same reasons. I started AD&D in 5th grade and we never used minis because the rules seemed abstract enough that we just said "You're in melee" or "the fireball hits 5 of the 12 orcs".
In 3rd, the rules became more complex with positioning and 5 foot steps and flanking, so that's when we started using minis. The game had a new feel, one that was more tactical. I enjoyed both styles.
Onionkid99 9 months ago
When i started RPGs playing GURPS 4e with my friends, all we had were 2books and 3d6. Those first few games were by far the most fun i've had so far. Now, playing AD&D 2e and Shadowrun 2e, we always have a 2.5'x3x map with minis. It does change some of the focus, but tactically it helps soo much.
greeneyesj17362 9 months ago
awesome minatures lead rocks pretty tasty also paint those rock dino could be a lizard man with a few alterations
67kneil 9 months ago
I can't imagine playing 3.5 or 4th without miniatures.
mastermanchu 9 months ago
@mastermanchu Speaking of 3.5, it is possible.
tetsubo57 9 months ago 2
@tetsubo57 Sure, it's possible. You're right about there being a big shift after 3.5 (okay, well, I agree with you at least). But possible isn't the same as desirable. One thing I regret from my days with 3.5 is not being more creative in combat. One could argue that mat and minis held me back but, if anything, the miniatures give you more "mental real estate" to devote to things besides "am I close enough to zig zag around AoOs and still hit the thing?" YMMV, of course.
mastermanchu 9 months ago
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skuzzyknuckles 7 months ago
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skuzzyknuckles 7 months ago
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skuzzyknuckles 7 months ago
When I started nobody really had any, so I'd just draw a quick sketch map. Soon I got into the Steve Jackson Games Cardboard Heroes. Only very recently have I played with people with miniatures. Now, however I've come to like paper miniatures. There are free ones on the web and free nor not you can print however many you need; and if they get squished you toss them in the recycling bin and print more.
pridday88 9 months ago
We only break them out when battle is about to start. It helps us "feel" the encounter more and make the battle more memorable to us.
Course it was the natural thing to do, because we were playing WHFRP - so that has full of minis for it already! It's begging for mini use.
RobertJFreemantle 9 months ago
5 squares equals 30 feet, increments of 5 feet per square.. that's easy enough, yes?
Markleberry 9 months ago
I use very abstract pieces (pawns from an old chess set), and I draw out the floorplan on a battlemat. It is there mostly to make the tactical information more coherent. Strangely enough, I rarely do this for any game besides D&D. But, D&D is more combat-focused than other games, which is fine by me. I love D&D! I love all versions; they all have a place and a purpose, yes, even 4th edition. Although I much prefer Pathfinder when I want to get my high fantasy fix.
atari67 9 months ago
I use paper minis for most part. I can create them, throw them away, print more later, have a complete army of identical minions for relatively no cost. I use minis to play Savage Worlds and Pathfinder. That's it. Any other games, M&M, GURPS, I don't use minis.
Nolinquisitor 9 months ago
Started with D&D 3.0. never used a miniature in my life. Never played a game of 4ed.
jesokingcryst 9 months ago
Personally I never use them. Never have (except in the dimmest depths of the early eighties once or twice - and a few times since to check if they are worth using).
I find that whereas I often later remember things that have happened in play as if I was there, if I've used minis I don't. I think using minis distances me mentally from the scene - I don't think of it as if I'm there seeing it, I think of it looking down at a floorplan/battlemap and minis.
Frenchie66667 9 months ago
I'm running OD&D right now, and using Poor Man's Miniatures (Risk Godstorm) for the minis on the table.
I detest anybody thumbing their nose one way or the other when it comes to miniatures, as if pretending to be an elf one way or another is the "right" method. I play games with and without, but I don't feel like it's really D&D without some form of physical representation, though. It comes from how I originally got into the hobby, merely a personal preference and not a value judgement.
azirk83 9 months ago
There's a very good reason I call D&D4e "SPI's Revenge."
Remember that the RPG hobby originally got its start when some wargamer sat down at a table, looked at the assortment of counters on the map, and wondered how the game would run if each unit were represented by individual people with unique abilities. At that time, the notion of playing without a map was silly—how could you possibly track who was closest enough to hit?
How times change!
Territan 9 months ago
My gaming group tried to use miniatures in Deathwatch with a hexgrid. It added nothing in our game.
J0uzze 9 months ago