I run D&D combat without a grid. I have used a grid in the past but I now prefer the theater of the mind to tactical miniature combat for RPGs. (I am fond of tactical miniature combat, but those are different games altogether.) I find that using a grid for D&D narrows the focus of combat to what is represented on the table rather than what is happening in the imagination. This is fine if you are playing a wargame that strives for some sort of simulation, but D&D is an adventure game and should not be confused with simulation. I require only a modicum of “realism” in an RPG, especially D&D. For me, RPG rules should impose just enough limits on imagination to give fidelity to the system.
“Rulings not Rules” is a principle of old school play. A principle I take to heart. The result of making repeated rulings however, tends to be a rule. In order to ease my job as a DM, and to give my players a solid foundation on which to build imaginary action I have codified a loose system for movement and action in D&D combat. The system is built on several assumptions that I draw from my interpretation of the OD&D rules, as well as lessons learned from years of running D&D combat. Sometimes my players, especially those accustomed to newer style combat question my rulings. This is fine; a rule that cannot be defended is no rule at all. The Lasers & Loincloths document outlines the combat round and its rules, but I think it’s important to look at the assumptions and interpretations that inform those rules:
1. Ease of play is more important than attempting a simulation of fantasy medieval combat.
2. I use the Gygaxian 1 minute combat round. This has significant ramifications.
3. Movement and position are abstract unless specifically defined in the fiction.
Let’s take a closer look at these assumptions.
Ease of play is more important than attempting a simulation of fantasy medieval combat.
This echoes what I stated earlier, D&D is an adventure game not a wargame. Yes it has wargame roots, yes it can be played as a wargame but this is not how I play D&D. Setting aside the absurdness of simulating fantasy combat, there are much better wargames than D&D. To me D&D is at its best as a role playing adventure game where players assume the roles of fantasy characters on adventures. Combat is certainly a part of this, it may even be the focus of a particular session or campaign, but there is much more to a good D&D game than combat. My sessions typically run 4-5 hours. Generally I want to run a complete “episode” in that time frame, with player choices, drama, in character role-playing, and if necessary a few combat encounters, all forming a contained story arc. When combat takes place, it should be exciting, which to me means quick and deadly. If a combat encounter takes longer than 30 minutes, it loses its excitement and gets in the way of creating the shared fiction that is the heart of the game. Effectively managing the players is a big part of keeping combat quick, but the actual mechanics of running a combat also contribute to its length. I strive to find the right balance between simplicity and creating the illusion of fantasy combat. When I must make a ruling I lean towards simplicity. Simple group initiative, three armor types, movement by range bands, weapon damage by HD, and one minute combat rounds are all tools I use to speed up combat and ease play.
I use the Gygaxian 1 minute combat round. This has significant ramifications.
One minute is an eternity in melee combat. During this time it can be assumed that combatants move up to their maximum rate while jockeying for position. They strike, feint, parry, circle, dodge, and may even land multiple blows. The attack roll represents all of this. It is as Gygax says in the 1st Edition DMG; “not in the best interest of an adventure game to delve too deeply into cut and thrust.” A combatant's skill, speed, stamina, morale, luck, ability to gain advantageous position, and other factors are all subsumed in the “to hit” roll and its modifiers. As is usual, the original game got it right;
“This system is based upon the defensive and offensive capabilities of the combatants; such things as speed, ferocity, and weaponry of the monster attacking are subsumed in the matrixes.” - Men and Magic Alternative Combat System Page 19.
It is difficult to break from the mental habit of imagining that rolling the d20 represents a single cut or thrust, but once we do combat becomes faster (more exciting) and to me at least much of the rest of the game makes more sense. The one minute round allows us to logically ignore the mechanical differences of weapons such as speed, reach, and variable damage. Once we scale the attack roll to incorporate the multiple facets of a melee rather than just an attack, weapon differences become less important than the skill of the wielder. Armor class as a reflection of the “heaviness” of armor also makes more sense. An opponent’s Armor AC does not represent the difficulty of landing a blow, but the armor's ability to turn a blow and how hard it is to strike in a place that is unprotected. During the course of a round we can imagine an opponent landing multiple blows on an armored area, or striking at and missing the vital chink in the armor. The hit point system is also more logical. Loss of hit points in a combat round reflects the wearing down of the defenses, stamina, morale, and luck. Only occasionally does loss of HP represent actual wounds, usually the last hit dice worth of hit points. (Incidentally this is what makes low level play so exciting.)
Rather than an attack roll representing one attempted “attack” with a weapon, the attack roll models an entire minute of the chaos of medieval combat. Forgo imagining the single cut and thrust, and imagine instead an entire routine of movement, parries, and attacks. Zoom out the action, scale it up and the entire game goes smoother and makes more sense.
Movement and position are abstract unless specifically defined in the fiction
One of the implications of not using a grid for a one minute round is that we must assume combatants are moving but unless we are building a complex narrative, the tracking of actual position is troublesome. I have found that verbally positioning combatants and trying to track positions with a mental map can be done, but it is generally not worth the effort. Considering this, I track movement by three range bands. Long range is the extreme range of a missile weapon, short range is outside of melee reach but not far enough to make missile fire more difficult. Melee range is too close to use a missile and within movement and striking range of a hand held weapon. I allow one action per round, a movement action can be used to change range bands, withdraw from melee, retreat from combat all together, or spend an entire minute maneuvering for an advantageous position in melee. An attack action also represents movement up to the combatant’s movement allowance, but this movement is within the current range band. All of this movement is abstract, we assume a melee combat is a whirl of adversaries coming within striking range, dodging, trying to flank, and attacking.
Only occasionally is position not abstract. Typically a position is specifically defined when an environmental feature influences the course of action. Normally this is a constraint, such as a door, narrow corridor, bridge, shoggoth pit, etc… Occasionally a position will be defined by advantage, such as a character swinging from a chandelier or other such feats of daring do. Once a position is defined I will consider things like opportunity and rear attacks, weapon size, and area of control. I find using abstract movement greatly eases play by generally eliminating the need to track movement rate and potion. It also helps to put everyone at the table on the same mental map without resorting to a grid.
D&D is a combat game, but it is not just a combat game. I am not interested in the attempt to simulate something which would be pure conjecture (fantasy combat). I am interested in the creation of cool adventure tales, tales created at the table with my players and the dice. Combat is almost always a part of these tales, but I want it to be fun (quick and dangerous) and not monopolize an entire gaming session. The one minute combat round, and abstract movement help achieve these goals.
Fight on!
