Combat Zones For D&D & Pathfinder (Ep. 136)
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2020
- Stop counting feet and start thinking in zones. Fate, Conan, and 5E Hardcore Mode all use zones. They're faster, easier, and flexible. They also allow you to save money on terrain. Professor Dungeonmaster elucidates.
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The way my group runs it is that "Close Range" means you can hit them with a melee attack immediately, "Mid Range" means that you can get close enough to hit with a melee attack that turn, and "Long Range" means you can hit with a ranged attack, but you can't get close enough for melee.
I wish there was more Zone Combat content available. Speedier than Grid, and less obfuscated than Theater of the Mind.
Awesome! I did something first! Please share if you can.
Check out TSR Marvel and West End Star Wars. They are older games, but they may be good for exploring this topic.
Dungeon Craft Hello! The video doesn’t seem to be working. Any idea on how we can see it? Awesome videos and I’ve been getting a ton of ideas for my games ever since I found your channel 👍🏻
@@heavymetalmystic2430 I've brought it to youtube's attention but they have't told me why it's not working. I am trouble accessing it myself. Working today on re-uploading. This may take a few days. Be patient and check back in a week.
@@heavymetalmystic2430 It's working now. TH-cam is crazy sometimes.
This entire channel has really upgraded the way I run DnD, both in quality and the efficiency of running it and prepping for it. I cannot stress enough how much I enjoy these videos especially the Caves of Chaos, showing how it is implemented in play really helps spark ideas.
This video was a roller coaster! At first I was empowered by movement based on my hand size as I have large hands. Then I was attacked by the sausage fingers, that hit home.
Great video.
You know what they say: big hands, large movement speed.
Now that I've seen Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, this comment takes on a whole new meaning. :D
Interestingly the 'here' and "there" simplification makes it much more difficult to follow.
He's my actual player, so you know he's not a plant!
Here and There makes sense to me i dont know man.
Yeah, I think things would be much more clear if it was changed to "hither" and "thither" or "hither" and "yon".
I agree. It assumes all of combat is cleanly centered around one area. What if we've got messy combat and there are 3 different 'here's? What if I want to cast a fireball behind enemy lines to hit a bunch of enemies and NOT my friends? That's half 'here' and half 'there'.
@@colinsmith1495 everything is a tradeoff. You get a fast an easy way of tracking combat movement without sacrificing sweet minis and terrain but you lose a lot of tactical movement and strategic use of area effects (although I suspect PDM uses the "hands length" rule for AOE outside the central zone).
Ultimately this stuff isn't for every group (including my group) but it is always an option to consider.
The other thing to consider is that if you use zones you also design your encounters according to that premise and expect the players to embrace those limitations.
This video reminds me of when I was looking to get into dnd and was watching videos. This channel and runehammer were the reason I took the plunge. This way of looking at the game.... This is THE way in my opinion. The ideas are on point and they should both be hired to make 6th edition.
I went down the same path. Got into 5e with Critical Role but struggled with it. Finally found a good system through Runehammer ICRPG and this channel.
I would love to see an actual gameplay video where this is used, not only in a physical in-person game, but also to see the concept on a virtual tabletop like Role20. I think the live theater metaphor is extremely apt, and I love it, but my players really love gridded, heavily tactical combat.
Chris Cooper I’ve also wanted to see how this plays, I’ve mentioned some combat to my players and they don’t seem into it like I am. Would be nice to see how it’s properly ran
Joey The Moose my players really like highly tactical gridded combat, but then they don’t really utilize the terrain I create for them to execute those tactics. I’m thinking of adapting this idea into some kind of compromise where there are “zones” that represent different features that result in different bonus/penalty combos. So instead of just being in the “ranged” zone, they have two different zones to choose from that confer some kind of bonus and incur some kind of penalty. Rather than using actions or rounds to move between zones, moving between said zones just uses the character’s movement.
Holy complications, Batman!
If I can’t play it in a dentists waiting room, it shouldn’t be in the game (I don’t include books, because the rules can be rote).
Ie pencil, pad, dice.
Ndow Roccus mad respect for being able to go that minimal! I don’t quite have the skill to strip things down that far yet. I rely a lot on peripheral tools still to fill in where my reflexes and instincts aren’t quite there yet.
Ndow Roccus I’ve played games where the DM is clearly making it up as we go along... it’s not as fun for your players as you think... I promise...
I love the comparison with Hamilton and theatre. Genre improvisation on stage is commonly setup with minimal set that can stand in for lots of locations, and that's the closest performance art-form to role-playing. Probably explains why most of my friends in improv are also roleplayers :)
You seemed a lot more happy in this video than usual. I like that. You get really happy talking about your terrain and it's lovely to see
This is one of those things that people should try out and see if they like it. I fall firmly into the "give me grids or give me death" camp, but I can see how others could prefer this style of play. Our game group likes just a bit more tactical feel than zones or theater of the mind allow for, and if we get away from the grid, alot of questions arise...thus making the game slower.
Even though Professor Dungeon Master does ALOT of things vastly different than me, I always appreciate the videos none-the-less. I always want to improve my games whenever possible, and see how other's do things, even if I decide not to implement that idea, it can always provide new insights.
Thank you for that thoughtful and eloquent response. That's exactly my attitude: think about it, try it, and if you and your players don't like it, get rid of it. Cheers!
I think that I'll stick with grids.
Great! You can do that!
Grids are so easy and practical. Zones are vague and wishy-washy.
Might be fun to go loose with the distance rules. Maybe not like this video shows, but what about gridless? Even just using a stick to show how far someone can go and just placing it on the mat speeds up gameplay. This is a common thing with tabletop wargames, especially large armies.
I remember spending (quite a lot of) time trying to translate FFG's Star Wars RPGs into a grid-style combat game so I could use my collection of miniatures. It was soooo liberating when I finally realized that I didn't have to do that and instead started designing encounters around loosely defined zones.
Im absolutely inspired! I still like my tabletop with terrain and houses but have opined how inadequate the setup is for interior spaces. Particularly large ones like twisted caverns or sprawling castles. I'm going to start working on a set of these and use the zone system for all my interiors! This is so practical and still lets you get the minis out, be tactical, and get that sweet visual stimulus.
Thanks for sharing this! I am getting into EZD6. They use this under the names Near and Far. So this was really helpful to me!
Thanks for watching. Check out Scotty’s cameo in my “Lost City” video!
Already watched that one! 😁
I think this video with the combat examples explain the zone concept well. Whether you and your players can adapt to the abstract nature seems to be the problems some of the commenters are having with the concept.
If you're running 5E, and used to running grids of 5ft squares, you might have to adapt a bit, but nothing a bit of houseruling and discussion between DM and players hopefully can overcome. The Professor plays faster simpler games that may accommodate this concept better. But it seems a nice midway between basic theatre of the mind and fully fleshed out battlemaps with buildings or cavern corridors laid out in full.
Thanks for commenting!
This was very helpful. I'm implementing this system and you addressed most of the questions I had
Zone combat is the best. So is the Prof.
Thanks!
Love this. Thanks for your endless insight PDM. Always appreciated 🙏🏼🥳🧙🏼♂️
Thanks for watching! But the insight isn't endless. Get on FB and suggest topics. Looking for the next topic now.
This video sold me on the idea of zones a lot more than previous ones. I feel like there are a few types of encounters I would still want a "grid" for, but it seems a lot simpler for 90% of fights. Very cool video
The episode I was waiting for! Thank you professor.
Love this episode I have been doing encounters with my son for sometime. I used a lot of modified rules. When I came to your channel my encounters with my son were so much better thanks to you. You have taken the mystery out of the game and made it better for my son and I to play. I would love to be part of an encounter with you and some other players. I have never been apart of a game. I have just DM for my son and I. Keep up the great work
I don't rock the UDT but I do use zones. I just make landmarks on a more or less regular map into zones.
Like I scribbled out a six-zone map for a session I'm running in less than an hour, hehe.
It's got the road, a pile of rocks, some broken stairs, two burned-out houses either side of the road, and the walltop(with a mounted machine gun).
These are all zones because there's something noteworthy or useful there. Cover, an obstacle, a cool gun. Stuff like that.
Agreed. I break my maps into locations or rooms. If a character is in a room, they can interact with anything else in the room. Larger rooms are split into sections when it's reasonable to do so. One movement takes a character from one area to an adjacent area.
I got this idea from playing "Mansions of Madness" by Fantasy Flight Games.
I really like this, it combines the theatrics, and certainty of terrain with the flexibility of theatre of the mind.
this is actually perfect to help better visualize my combat for my cypher system game. thanks again dungeon craft!
Terrainosaurus Rex. ROFL. Thanks, that made my day.
Udt is revolutionary, it creates an easy step from theater of the mind to a small and easy fast pace mini session. Thank PDM.
Really digging these videos. Thank you!
ALL hail Professor Dungeon Master!!!!!!
Thanks professor! Super interesting video
You're welcome. You can see it in action here: th-cam.com/video/MGeXZcuI3No/w-d-xo.html
I wanted to thank you and share my appreciation. I used your video as a jumping off point to create a basic system that makes combat distances simpler for blind and visually impaired players. I wanted to thank you for providing inspiration, sending me down a rabbit hold of articles and the rules for Exalted 3rd Edition. I have referenced your video and provided a link in the set of rules I am putting out to players in our blind and visually impaired community.
Thanks PDM! I needed some dungeon craft this week!
Glad I could help!
Thank you professor, I recently crafted my own Dungeon zones and attempted to use it in one of my games, however I messed up some of the movement rules, it was still fun but my players complained that it nerfed Ranged built characters because it eliminated the large battle distances. However I ruled that you could move AND attack from the Ranged Zone to the Melee Zone. Personally, I think this is a wonderful thing for individual room combats and tavern brawls and castle sieges. But for large wilderness spaces I think my players prefer the Battlemap. Oh well. I'll continue giving it a try and hope my players take to it better as I get better using it. As always, amazing video.
Excelent. Revolutionary, congrats
Thank for the the examples. I’ve watch plenty on the udt and the examples really helped
Great to hear!
Great video as always. Working on my own UDT this weekend.
I haven’t played an RPG in 30 years but I still watch your show. Congratulations on 40k!
Amazing video! Thanks for the clarifications. I Will now play zones. The theater example works great. I know in the past you used the old 60s Batman show as an example for UDT and that worked great as well.
Glad it was helpful!
I love this so much! well said Professor
Thanks. Can't remember what I said but I vaguely recall that being on of my favorite videos, then it not getting as many views as I expected (sob).
This is absolutely perfect for Mörk Borg!! That game is all about abstractions
Yep. I’ve spent the entire day making a new one.
@@DUNGEONCRAFT1 haha that's why I'm watching these again too. I made my own Mörk Borg setting based off NYC so I'm brainstorming how to make udt look good for an urban city setting 🤔🤔🤔
Once again, another well-made video with clear concepts and execution. Once our group has a chance to play in the same room again (thank you, COVID), I'd like to try it. That said, most of them are 3E or 5E players, so the grid is 'The One True Way' (tm, patent pending). We'll see.
Again, thank you for the high-quality video. Please keep them coming.
I really want to use this for my solo game I am attempting to get going! Thank you for sharing!
Loving the videos!
I started with Star Wars Edge of the Empire games which also uses zones. I love it and use it with every system I run.
love this concept. new to D&D and my earlier games were all "How far away am I?" count,count, count....
Cool!
Good video as always! Sly Flourish talks about zones also in his the return of the lazy dungeon master which also works very good as well. For theater of the mind games this can be done by describing the different zones like the door into the tomb is one zone. The grave In the room another zone and the hallway on the side also a zone. Zones and abstract thinking is the best and speeds up the games alot.
Chris Perkins namedrop: "You had my interest,sir, but now you have my attention." :D Bravo! I love the enthusiasm; as always you've made valid points. Thank you again for a great vid!
Great video! It's funny when I first saw your UDT a few months ago I told my wife it's like Hamilton. Spinning floor and you can add props same concept. Today you mentioned it..hahaha
Love it!!
Dark Helmet: "When will "there" be "here"?"
Col Sanders: "Soon!"
Looks like the intermediate step between theatre of the mind and grid
Another masterful concept video. Thank you, sir! - Chris
Glad you liked it!
Good stuff! I like to use it ALL in my arsenal and whip out what my group prefers. Some of them actually prefer the modular tile/wall system and enjoy the thrill of discovery and tactical movement. Other's will only do it UDT. Flexibility = Fun.
Walls are good too.
When I first watched this vid early in DMing is was just "nah, cmon man. There's no decisions for them." After a couple years, i have completely flipped, and I'm absolutely running my next game with zones. Not only does it look simpler, but I think it may very well make combat maneuvering MORE intuitive.
Thanks! That really means a lot to me. Stay tuned. In just 2 weeks I will unveil my new GM screen, which doubles and scenery and is compatible with UDT. You will love it! -PDM
This is the Whitefell DM. From the moment of its creation. i created and use my ultimate dungeon tile everytime i host a session. It is now the only way i play dnd. Zone combat has saved and improved combat time and allows for unique props and accessories. I highly recommended any DM worth his salt to make this crucial 1 size fits all tool! Adding the lazy Susan really brings life to the table when everyone can access the board. I chose to make one side stone floor zoned the flip side is an outside scene made of flocking and a small river inspired from the Ultimate Sewer Tile.
Thank you Professor Dungeon Master.
I Reward you 1 Inspiration Point.
Sincerely The Whitefell DM!
Thank you, sir!
Zachariah, I've been debating using this, but I'm running into some problems. I have a monk in my game, and one of the benefits of a monk in 5e is the increased movement they get. How do you work around this with a zone set up if everything is abstract? Additionally, what about spells like wall of fire that have specific dimensions and need to be placed? I'd love to hear from someone with more experience in this than me.
@@richardcruz6894 Hello Richard. Its actually quite easy when using the UDT remember that there are a few various versions of its basic design. If you choose just a 1 inch grid set up for the entire face of the board. Laying down props, can give great perspective to how far a char can move. I habe 2 players 1 that flys and one that can move double. Both principles are treated equally declare the hight of your surroundings , as to not lead the player to beleive they can get away with flying to brake the game mechanics. Props on the grided UDT will greatlly assist you as the dm with wall of fire and various other spells as well. But, please consider the zoned combat. It is the same basic feel but know you introduce the tactical combat zone property's ranged,close combat. The center zone is allways inside a building that way you can have more controle of the story and the players involvement in it. Dont forget that your the dm what you say goes, so at the end of the day if you say wall of fire is these 3 squares then thats what it is. Consider how your players go about handling combat and solving quests and puzzles. Introduce the zone combat as an opportunity to test the grit. Zoned combat is strategy and roleplaying at its best in mt opinion.
Thank you for writing. Richard Cruz
I Reward you 500xp!
And a Helm of Loris (Int +1)
Sincerely The Whitefell DM
@@richardcruz6894 As I have already posted above, 1 meter (or 1 yard) is the typical amount of "space" that a normal human occupies COMFORTABLY in the real world. Just set your distances at either 1 yard (36" or 3 feet) or 1 meter (39" or ROUGHLY 1 yard) INSTEAD of feet and then use the standard 1 SQUARE equals 1 Yard or Meter. I don't even change the spell or missile weapon ranges... IF a spell is effective at 30 FEET, I just make that range 30 METERS. NO, it doesn't significantly unbalance the spells either. Many spells in D&D are not properly balanced to begin with, and the increased range doesn't hurt things that much.
@@richardcruz6894 Easy. They can more from the outside ring to the inside in one round.
Another great episode professor! Thank you as always for your channel and the content it provides. I'm looking forward to trying this out myself. Combat zones would be an interesting discussion for a collaboration piece. Discuss the pros and cons with a guest. I feel like there is a lot of great discussions to have yet!
My pleasure!
Profs style compared to 5e is like comparing Basic Fantasy rpg to Pathfinder. I gravitate towards this style because frankly everyone at my table plays slightly different. More rules is more to remember and i dont like being the one to tell my players how to play, but i cant expect someone with dyslexia to read the book and understand it fully either. I need a middle ground.
Thanks prof, been watching for a year i think, keep up the great material.
There is actually a method I borrowed from FATE that is based on their zones. Basically the same as what you're talking about. But it allows tactical movement. Each zone is a 30ft section. You can move anywhere within that thirty foot zone by any "simple path". Its also very easy to eyeball 30ft movement if you move to another zone. A dash is moving two zones.
Because of this system, it allowed me to have more complex terrain with different heights as well as cover
I do something similar, I run a lot of my games in the pub over beer, so we tend to use TOTM rather than models after a particularly distressing incident involving some orcs and a pint of guinness. When combat breaks out, everybody is either "Near" (can be hit without moving) "Close" (Can be hit after moving) or "far" (must spend the whole turn moving towards the enemy). Glad to see the esteemed Professer does something similar.
Oh my God, I have that same toy dragon! I found it in a thrift store about a year ago. It may sound dumb, but that really brightened my day.
This setup could be the basis for a whole new game system, and I like it.
Working on one now.
Long time follower and love all your videos you put out. Add another great video to the collection PDM. Maybe it's just me because I've watched so many of videos for so long, but I also think it's your thing. Always loved it since you began. Confession...Having a hard time hearing anything but...May all your rolls be 20's. Okay, now that I got that off my chest...not saying you have to change or anything, but that truly is your trademark saying. Love the video, and I'm a terrainasauras rex too. Keep'em coming PDM...Cheers!!
Thanks!
Been dying for this video!
Glad you liked it. Please share!
My group's very minimal, at the moment, when it comes to maps and terrain. We've got some minis and a chessex battle mat, but because our sessions are generally pretty short every week, I don't like to waste time drawing things out at the table during the session. I'll often draw out dungeons or other important set pieces where I'm expecting combat in-between sessions, and if it comes up, great; if not, I don't get broken up about it and just move on with the game.
I do generally prefer gridded, tactical combat when it comes to D&D/Pathfinder-style games, and I know some of my players do as well, but I also play a fair amount of Fate and love the concept of zones. I hadn't heard of UDT before today, after watching a video from The DM Lair on the "best" way to run combat. But I've always gone to "theater of the mind" for those combat encounters I didn't predict ahead of time or don't require as much attention to detail. I think I might try UDT for those types of encounters and see how my group likes it, saving it for off-the-cuff combats and reserving big, tactical set pieces for important plot-driven encounters.
Thanks for all your hard work, Professor DM!
Cool. Thanks to Luke at DM Lair for bringing us together. Good guy.
I feel like there's still a place for grid combat. I've played with a number of people that really like to get into the more gritty defined space of a grid, but honestly this fits most of my needs (as someone that tended to go for more theatre of the mind as a DM)
You've convinced me about the zones. ^^
I was very inspired by UdT-1 and made a delicate version of it (Lazy susan stand; painted matte black & varnished. ). It's just that I really liked the terrain esthetics and how it transfer to the game as a know (or knew it). Depending on what the group is after, I think your concept (UdT) is the most convincing I've encountered so far. That is to say whether you run a tactical or roleplaying oriented game, arguably you could do both.
___
( Tecnicaly; I think the most straightforward way could be how you've used both sides of the terrain but by building two versions of the same terrain. )
___
End note; Something I've encountered is that my UdT stand is a dust hoarder. I think its latex rubber for better grip is great but it insists on telling me when I should clean my apartment. Which in my eyes is, very often...
I never found a good solution to display cool terrain on a coffee table without having to clean it all the time. Off chance that anyone reads this post and have found a way to display it in the open, please enlighten me! ^^
Edit; readability edit
Ancient Odysseys has the conflict map. IIRC, there are 4 zones: closest, farthest, behind, sneaking/flanking. Worth a look-see.
Great video! I especially like the comparison of DnD and stage plays - I actually call the "combat area" in my game the Stage for that very reason. I also use seven 6-inch diameter hexes for my combat zones, 6 on the outside and one in the center, almost like UDT 3.0
Thanks!
I'm starting to really dig your philosophy of how train is implemented in your role playing games.
I would call your style "Interpreted Represented Terrain",
Were The DM Crafters guld and More traditional style of terrain i would call "Direct Representait Terrain."
Interesting. That's going into my notes. I'll start using the terms and we'll see if it sticks.
My first exposure to zones was in Shadowrun Anarchy. It could be difficult to keep track of using theater of the mind, but I like the concept with UDT. I agree that gridded combat slows down the action
My UDT is perfect for semi abstract encounters like a tavern brawl or a woodland ambush. I still love my mats for those big bombastic tactical crunchy encounters. ( I play with war gamers that like big 2 hour combats every few sessions). We still use the grid but the smaller play area allows me to abstract street toughs running away or guards coming in very close to the combat.
That's cool. I'll break out some pieces for a city siege now and again.
After watching your episode about No Skills for 6E and seeing this episode about zone combat, I am serious when I tell you to check out 13th Age. 13th Age has three ranges; engaged, which is when you are in hand to hand combat and need to make a disengage check to avoid Opportunity Attacks; near, which is when you can move to someone and attack to the same turn; far, which requires you to spend your whole turn to reach the person.
I know. I like that game. Jonathan Tweet himself showed it to me at GenCon.
Great game. I need to find a group willing to play it.
I have to admit that Prof DM is DEAD ON with the subject. As a DM for the past 30 years, I tend to simplify the whole picture to make it more acurate... And not only it works, but it captures more the imagination of players.
Thanks, Joel. Please share this video with all your loved ones, friends and pets!
I am adding quadrants. I intend to use them for spell shorthand: cone is one zone or quadrant, area blast hits two connected zones/ quadrants. It also works for spaceship battles against a capital ship, establishing it's firing arcs.
Good stuff Professor!
Thank you kindly!
Thanks for adressing all the Questions of your Viewers! Keep the good work coming… we are hungry :D
Thanks. Keep suggestions coming. This one is lagging in views. Pass it on!
I really like this, I think i'm gonna use this idea. I'm purely whatever-goes style theater of the mind. I think this structures the theater a little bit more
Always a pleasure to see what you have to say.
I bought myself a battlemat and made some gridded dungeon tiles. I aspire to use them someday. But with social distancing play over Zoom, I’ve gone to zone combat exclusively. We play entirely theater of the mind and it works just fine. Sometimes I’ll have multiple “heres” with different melee groups. That’s absolutely as complicated as I get. I like it.
Breathtaking presentation and terrain! Gave it a 'Like', but - GRIDS FOREVER!!! :p
I respect your opinion.
in my opinion this is a cool idea, especially for less important encounters and a great tool to speed the game, i imagine do it some little adjustment for my personal games. Normally i fuse theather of the mind with the grid but this is a new thing. Planning in using the three. Very cool.
Exceptional as always, sir. Bravo. Now I just need to start playing again. 😔
PS: the JR reference at the end caught me entirely off guard, choked on my tea. LMAO
I started using combat zones last session, because it fits really well with Symbaroum. (Check it out, my fav system of all time and I think everyone will love it. Only the initiative system sucks, I use the one from Savage Worlds). The moving in Symbaroum is abstract, what makes combat zones even easier to establish. Also I use more zones, up to five, because of the distance system in Symbaroumand and I am currently making a modular UTD for it.
Keep up the great work
I think the UDT will work really well if you want to combine using miniatures with the old school way of players mapping the dungeon. I'm certainly going to try this.
Awesome job!
Thank you! Cheers!
The quadrant idea isn't bad, or better yet just a few big squares . Maybe three or four, tops, depending on the area portrayed. Characters/minis in contact are melee range with each other, the whole group or chain of them. In same zone is short range, i.e. thrown weapon range. In the next zone is long range. Characters can move into a zone and stay at either short range or go into contact (melee) range when they do so. Pretty easy, but still differentiates some of the weapon ranges yet keeps the movement counting down.
I use the quadrant idea in my game. I started because I'd have ranged fighters that moved from one side of the UDT to the other while moving along the outside edge. I didn't have the hand rule or even thought of anything similar so I made quadrants in the middle circle. For me it's worked out really well. I can see how a hand length rule would work great as well.
@@thatoneguy2057 I suppose you could just use the in-contact=melee in the outside area, and not in-contact as still ranged there. If you didn't want to put in more lines/zones. Works either way!
If you like it, by all means make it and post on the FB group. I'd love to see it!
@@NefariousKoel Thats basically how I do it. I have the center circle amd that is used as normal. The middle circle is split in four and the outside circle is split into eight. If characters are in the same zone they are in mele distance. One zone away is ranged and two zones is to far for ranged. Thats where mine differes. I have enough zones for too far away but still in sight, instead of outside of combat all together.
Hmmm... Circular zones like this might be a very cool thing to use for complex battles in dungeon world!
We use Foundry VTT, and I usually draw terrain elements by hand, so it should be very easy to apply, thanks for the idea!
Soulbound uses numbered zones, so you can have more variety in environments and can more satisfactorily employ tactics like forced movement and AoE's. It's abstract enough that you can manage combat with a spreadsheet, but it's representational enough that you can use minis and terrain.
I fell in love with zone combat when I first experienced it in FFG Star Wars
Indeed! We are embracing zone combat in our indie TTRPG 🙂
I would love to see a few more videos of this in action with players so I can get a better feel on how it works.
Watch this video. I demonstrate starting at 1:30 or so. th-cam.com/video/yB8paZ6JEF0/w-d-xo.html
I’ve generally used a similar concept for a few sessions. And I’ve never really taken the time to refine it. But effectively there was close, mid, and far. That way I could have my gargantuan creature hit people in the middle zone while they couldn’t hit back. Also handily got around the sharpshooter ranges in 5e. Tho I didn’t take a full round to change zones just the characters movement.
I find this concept really nice, and not just because I've been playing FATE and 5e with zones, but I could see this working for other RPGs like: SR, CoC, Starfinder. Essentially ranges would boil down to: Close, Near, and Far and which would work well in potentially combat heavy games like D&D and SR...especially SR...though there hasn't exactly been a cyberpunk UDT yet
Zones help keep track of who is “here or there” - needed for games with miniatures- coming from a table top war games background- my group went to miniatures and terrain to stop the players who’s characters seem to go from the back of the party to the investigating the chest in the room ahead of the party and then back to the rear of the party when the trap was sprung - many game masters know exactly what I am talking about 😂
I certainly do. It definitely changes the game and doesn't work for everyone.
It's always the Ranger in our group lol
Great vid. Awesome idea. You missed your calling as a used car salesman :-)
I came for the zones... but I’m here now for the Like and comment because you uttered the glorious phrase...”FLASHING BLADES!!! Though I too use my terrain more like a theatre set so bravo for that! Yours Truly: The Thespian.🖤💀
Zones are a great idea. I tend to use melee, short, medium and long. I also allow those in short range to be targeted by someone in the melee range.
It's a nice compromise between grids and pure theatre of the mind.
All the terrain we design is not gridded and like Professor Dungeon Master we definitely encourage zone play. When you get a chance come see what we been doing and give us some feedback. We really appreciate all you do for the community! Be blessed, Frederick & Jennifer
I'm very interested in implementing Zone Combat, but I really didn't understand this. Sorry to be dense. I really ❤️ that circle piece!!
Watch the Lost City. DM Scotty explains how to use it in this video: th-cam.com/video/MGeXZcuI3No/w-d-xo.html
From what I have read, this really reminds me of 13th Age. I have not played it myself, (Would like to try a one shot) but they have 2 similar zones from what I understand.
You are either Near By or Far away, and all enemies nearby are 1 move action away, far away enemies are two moves away. I supposed if a character was REALLY far, you could say it takes x number of rounds for them to get to far away or something.
To facilitate this, they also change a decent number of mechanics to make it work. Like AOE spells hit a certain number of targets(such as 1d4 nearby enemies in a group) , instead of a 15ft cone or some such.
13th Age does sound a bit 4Eish, so it may not be my game, but when I think Zones it is the first thing that came to mind.
As he said 2d20 Conan does zones, too, and it does sound interesting. Good Video
**Edit, I just realized he is referencing 13th age in other videos... Should have looked before my first comment...
I have been reluctant to adopt this but after meditating on a "soft reboot" of my current homebrew game, I think I will. My players like the strategy of traditional grid combat. I might stick with that for those battles that are "Boss fights." But I am going to use the concept of "here" and "there" for other combat to move our story along.
FYI: the soft reboot is me wiping the slate clean with a bunch of house rules that, in retrospect, were poorly conceived. I was on the verge of a player revolt! I want to thank you for some of the ideas that I will be employing to save my homebrew campaign and bring it back on track.
Now if only this quarantine would end! Cheers!
Intriguing. I'm willing to give it a try in my campaign. Right now we've been playing a game of COVIDS & CURFEWS, meaning Roll 20 only. I'd rather try this in person the first go around.