Community

Oct 30, 2012 -- 2:22PM, jeff-heikkinen wrote:

As one of those non-Americans on whose behalf the original poster claims to be speaking, I prefer that D&D stick to feet and miles. Why? Precisely because they feel archaic to me, while still being familiar enough to relate to. Meters feel right for a modern or sci-fi game, but Imperial measures are perfect for D&D, and that's because, not in spite, of their outdated feel.

My sentiments exactly.  The Imperial System is what was used in the era that is being copied here (Medieval Europe).  Keep the Imperial System for fantasy games.  Use Metric for more modern and futuristic games.  If you can't use the Imperial System, then simply house rule the squares system.

Instead of focusing on grid size, lets focus on standard combat distances.

Melee: 3 feet (1 meter)
Close: 30 feet (10 meters) = 1 move action!
Short Range: 300 feet (100 meters) = bow
Long Range: 3000 feet (1000 meters)

If D&D uses the above ranges for most official measurements, then both American and International can play easily and convert measurements easily.

  

Searching thru the new spells, the distances of most spells are 50 or 100 feet:

3' (×2)
5' (×7)
10' (×12)
15' (×2)
20' (×7)
25' (×4) 
30' (×3)
50' (×30)
60'
100' (×14)
120' (×4)
200'
300' (×3)
400'
1000'


 
Now probably, most of the time, I wont be using a gridded map anyway. So maybe, it doesnt matter how big the grid “square” is. What matters is what the standard distances are.

Now notice, the STANDARD SPEED of heroes is 30 feet per round. This is the distances that will happen every round for the entirety of the D&D game. Every gamer is familiar with 30-foot unit of moving distance.

In fact, this standard unit of distance of 30 feet is equivalent to 10 meters or 10 yards. This base unit of “speed 10 m” is already friendly for metric players.



So all we need to do use the base 30 feet for all standard gaming measurements.

Is the target of the spell within one round of movement? (In other words, can the target typically attack the mage in the targets next turn?) Or is the target more than two moves away? (In other words, will the target typically need to run to reach the mage on the next turn?)

It seems helpful for all players to base combat measurements on the speed distance.   



The following table simplifies the variations of measurements to the following standard measurements:


Melee (Hand-to-Hand)
3 feet
Within this distance:
• hand-to-hand
• most melee weapons

(1 meter)  
(instead of 3', 5')

Extended Melee (Polearm)
10 feet
Within this distance:
• most polearms
• effective reach of Huge humanoid

(3 meters)
(instead of 10', 15')

Close (Throw)
30 feet
Within this distance:
• 1 move action
• close-quarters combat
• also called very short range
• effective range of most throwing weapons

(10 meters)
(instead of 15', 20', 25', 30')

Extended Close (Spell Range)
100 feet
Within this distance:
• 3 move actions
• beyond close combat
• extreme limit of most throwing weapons 
• effective range of most Wizard spells

(30 meters)
(instead of 50', 60', 100', 120')

Short Range (Bow)
300 feet
Within this distance:
• Speed per minute
• effective range of most bows, composite bows, and crossbows

(100 meters)
(instead of 200', 300', 400')

Extended Short Range
1000 feet
Within this distance:
• extreme limit of most bows

(300 meters)

Long Range
3000 feet
Within this distance:
• range of modern long-range rifles

(1000 meters or 1 km)




In sum:

Melee: 3 feet (1 meter)
Close: 30 feet (10 meters) = 1 move action!
Short Range: 300 feet (100 meters) = bow range
Long Range: 3000 feet (1000 meters)
 

This. Yards to everyone!

Probably already suggested, but it doesn't break things that much to say 5 feet = 1 meter for AoE, does it? You can pretend that instead of Feet (30 cm), D&D means Span (20 cm).

Personally, I like the Imperial measures. I grew up on metric, but I found it quaint and interesting to have to use feet and miles, even if I had to convert in my head. So I second sticking with Imperical/Biblical units.