D&D Battle Grid - Pros vs. Cons

[Bulix]

Hi,
I'm sorta new to the game and just wanted to ask all of you...
Should I buy a Battle Grid or Mat? I have played a bunch of times without it and am considering buying or making one if it will make the game better.
I understand that it makes it all more tactical but it's not necessary.
So, should I? Are there any problems with this? Buy or Make one?

Thank you :smallsmile:

[molten_dragon]

My group uses one and it comes in very handy. We don't bother drawing stuff out for every combat, but for anything that's set in a complicated location where it's hard to keep track of everything that's going on in your head, it's great.

Personally, I'd just buy one of chessex's factory second mats. I don't get why anyone would ever buy anything else from them.

[Roguenewb]

Unless you are really good at printing out maps and using them for all your Pre-designed battles and are good at repurposing them for new fights, just get a dang mat. Its just easier.

[ericgrau]

Pros: Far easier combat tactics.
Cons: Overemphasis on combat tactics rather than other aspects of the game.

But really it's all pro and the rest is the fault of the people. If you fight, just use a grid. Scold anyone who tries to pull out complex geometry or sees the grid as nothing else except "ok fight time". It may help to keep it out for dungeons whether there's a fight or diplomacy so there are no metagame clues. Keep your materials and play area clean and organized. Basically don't use the grid as an excuse for poor behavior and it's nothing but a helpful tool for gameplay. OTOH you might skip it if you have low fights and you foresee potential problems with any of the above.

[GnomeGninjas]

Using graph paper works fine for me.

[Bloodgruve]

I would not enjoy the game as much without the grids/mats.

Careful with the vinyl mats, they can stain if you use the wrong marker on um.

Blood~

[Ailowynn]

I always use a grid in my games. I suggest either making your own (print off a 1-in grid and have it laminated so that wet/dry erase markers work) or get paizos basic flip-mat, which is very durable and can be written on by virtually any marker. I personally have done both and draw up the encounters ahead of time to avoid wasting time

[Psyren]

I had one group with graph paper and pencils, and passing it around when another player needed to strategize. It really works just fine.

[ThiagoMartell]

The DMG comes with a very handy map.
Other than that, dungeon tiles are awesome.

[Douglas]

I use a set of 7 Battle Graph Dry Erase boards (http://longtoothstudios.com/blog/shop). More specifically, the hexagonal variety (http://longtoothstudios.com/blog/battlegraph-hex-boards). Very convenient, works great with all the regular benefits of a grid, and if exploration goes off the edge I can just pick up a board that's not needed any more and move it to extend the edge being explored.

[00dlez]

As others have alluded to above, the only Con to a battle map can sometimes make the game less organic and more about "If you 5-ft step to E16 you can hit an extra traget with burning hands". If your group really thrives on "free form", unmapped combat, you might not want to change, but otherwise battlemaps are awesome, especially if you have minis to go with them.

Our crew has a massive (I want to say 7'x4') mat, 3D terrain made by one of our party mates, and a metric crap ton of minis... It's a ton of fun to have!

[eggs]

I don't think many people would touch this system with a long stick if they weren't playing up the tactical element of the game. Grids make the tactical element much easier to run/play/adjudicate. They're a very good idea.

But seeing what actual "Battle Grids" cost, I'd just stick to graph paper.

[Laughingcarp]

Been using a 4'x2' dry erase board that we turned into a 1"x1" grid using thin black tape for years, and it speeds up our combats significantly, as well as being tons of fun and easy on the brain. It only cost us around 25-30$ too, which split 5 ways ain't a worry at all.
We use minis we've purchased online, as well as extra dice (you can buy a pound of assorted dice at various game/hobby shops for next to nothing, and to keep track of individual monsters the dice are conveniently numbered!). Minis are relatively cheap, paper mini-figures are cheaper (available from the paizo website), and dice are cheapest but lose out on character.

Our group highly recommends a battle mat!

[AvocadoAvenger]

You are probably going to at least want to have some kind of gridded playmat. I buy the 40 sheets of squares with sticky on one side at staples or an office supply store because I don't want to get something off of the internet, and it is all I can find. They are good because we can revisit things with accuracy of memory, and they are simple. Also, miniatures are great, here (http://www.coolstuffinc.com/main_miniatures.php?viewType=Dungeons%20and%20Drag ons&info1=Miniatures&info2=Dungeons%20and%20Dragons&info4=Packs) is the site I use for them.

[Hyde]

I use a set of 7 Battle Graph Dry Erase boards (http://longtoothstudios.com/blog/shop). More specifically, the hexagonal variety (http://longtoothstudios.com/blog/battlegraph-hex-boards). Very convenient, works great with all the regular benefits of a grid, and if exploration goes off the edge I can just pick up a board that's not needed any more and move it to extend the edge being explored.

I find these warp to the point of "difficulty to use".

If you lay the battle mat out before the game, the idea of "metagame clues" becomes a pretty moot point, never mind the difficulty of placing it down after the cheetos and what have you are on the table.

Anyway, I find the mat more or less indispensable, 3.5 was designed to be played with one. You don't need one, but if people keep asking "where were those guys?" or "who's around me, again?" then you might should consider it.

[seth6]

With out the grid pole arms really get the short end of the stick because there reach never seems to come up in rp.

[Slipperychicken]

I don't think many people would touch this system with a long stick if they weren't playing up the tactical element of the game. Grids make the tactical element much easier to run/play/adjudicate. They're a very good idea.


This. Half the rules in 3.5 are combat and tactics, so if you aren't into that kind of minutia, try looking into other systems. The highly-encouraged course of action in dnd is "Kill-> Loot-> Shop-> Kill-> Loot...", which is.. far from ideal for roleplaying-heavy games.



With out the grid pole arms really get the short end of the stick because there reach never seems to come up in rp. without the battle-grid

FTFY (okay, the 10ft reach can come up during RP, but that's kind of icky :smalltongue:). When you're just talking combat out, AoOs will never come up unless it's something like a Dragon and someone says "Doesn't X have 2,000ft reach? Would I take AoOs going through that?" and is promptly smacked for reminding the DM to deal 30 more damage to the fighter.

[Psyren]

If you lay the battle mat out before the game, the idea of "metagame clues" becomes a pretty moot point, never mind the difficulty of placing it down after the cheetos and what have you are on the table.

This. My main group uses mats constantly, even for RP moments... It's pretty obvious when a fight's about to start anyway, but waiting until after the table is cluttered with snacks and splats to set up seems counterproductive.

[Novawurmson]

What I did:

1. Go to a RPG hobby shop and pick up a roll of graph paper. It should look like wrapping paper. It was around $5 from my local store.

2. Go to an "old-lady" hobby shop or big-box store and buy a huge poster frame with a glass front. If you can get a good sale, you should be able to get a big one for around $15-$20.

3. Buy some dry-erase markers.

4. Measure and cut off a big piece of graph paper and frame it.

5. Draw your maps on top of it with dry-erase markers. You now have a reusable battle grid!

[Mordenkainen]

I use a wipe-off battle grid from Paizo and it works like a charm. Sometimes the markers smear and are hard to remove, but a wet wipe take care of that (supposedly you can even wipe permanent marker off, but I don't dare to try it). The battle map itself is great, but the one I got came with hard creases where it was folded to fit in the box and won't stay flat. Apparently there's a way to fix that, but I haven't tried it yet. Anyways, I strongly recommend you get one, but make sure it's of high quality before you buy it.

I got it on Amazon for $10 and it was worth it.

http://www.amazon.com/GameMastery-Flip-Mat-Basic-Paizo-Staff/dp/1601251556

[killem2]

I use vinyl with wet erase. I made my own grid with a red sharpie.

[Douglas]

I find these warp to the point of "difficulty to use".
I could see that happening if you're careless and get them wet, but I've never had any trouble with that and I've been using my set for about a year.

[nbates]

I have the Chessex Megamat and it's awesome. It has 1" squares on one side and hexes on the other.

Battlemats are great for keeping combat running smoothly and helps you present things more clearly (especially for the guy in your group that was looking at his phone instead of listening to your description).

If you are planning a large scale encounter and the party will be able to see the entire area from the start or will have a map, I would draw the encounter prior to the session on a large sheet of gaming paper and reveal it at the appropriate time.

The only real con I see is transporting it easily without damaging it. I roll mine up and put some scotch tape on it to keep it smooth. I would put it in a cardboard tube if I wasn't too lazy to go out and get one... One guy in my group has an older mat and he folds it up into the size of his notebook paper. This has made it full of creases and very wavy. Dice roll funny and get stuck at cocked angles forcing a reroll, and mini's constantly fall since it is so wavy. Roll the mat.

But don't take my word for it, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6znZ3iLiPD4 :smalltongue:

[lsfreak]

Four sheets of regular old 8.5x11 paper with printed 1" grids, and go to some place that does lamination. The squares where all the papers come together might be a bit weird depending on how the sheets are laid out, but it's easy, cheap, fairly durable, and weighs nothing.

[ragedeluge]

Buy Gaming paper!!! Super cheap very sturdy and totally disposable based on cost! I bought 10 rolls and I fear I shall never run out!

[ragedeluge]

http://www.gamingpaper.com/ -----> Even cheaper yet at your local Gaming store if they stock the stuff!

[killem2]

And sometimes, just sometimes 2d won't cut it.

From Three Faces of Evil, age of worms module :)

Grimlock Caves


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