Measuring Distance

Discussion in 'The Temple of Elemental Evil' started by Aitrus, May 10, 2024.

Remove all ads!
  1. Aitrus

    Aitrus Member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2022
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Love the game, have been playing it for years.

    But there's one thing that bugs me: I can't figure out a reliable distance measuring method.

    I always have to eyeball distances - throwing range, combat range, etc. The circles around the figures is helpful for close combat, but it's hard to now when I've gone the full 10' for my scout, or if I'm in range of a spell but the Hill Giant it's aimed at won't be able to reach me on his turn, etc.

    Does anybody have some handy ways or tips for doing this?
     
  2. hammyh

    hammyh Established Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2013
    Messages:
    331
    Likes Received:
    65
    Idk if this is what you are looking for but iirc there are a number of helpful movement indicators:

    1. If you pay attention to the action bar (green/yellow tube), as you move the cursor - it will show how much action that could take.
    This is the easiest
    2. you could use movement radial to show the range without click that actual move. Iirc shorties move less than non-shorties in ToEE.
    3. sometime you can use the movement + run radial to estimate longer distance (needs a straight line). I'm thinking run is 4x normal with light armor? could be wrong with this.
    4. depending on initiative, it could be possible to use a prior spell caster's spell radius to get some idea. But this is quite complicated.
     
  3. Aitrus

    Aitrus Member

    Joined:
    Apr 17, 2022
    Messages:
    2
    Likes Received:
    0
    Thanks for the reply, hammyh.

    I've done all of those. I was just hoping somebody had some other tricks I didn't know about. Sometimes there are really ways to measure (the green / yellow action bar, for instance), but other times it's guesswork.

    Guesswork example 1: How do I know that I'm within a ranged weapon's base range and not a couple of feet outside of it (which incurs penalties to hit)? Such as in the Gladiatorial arena when combat hasn't started in the first or second battles (owlbears and the hill giants), when there's a lot of wide open distance for a long bowshot to start off the combat (especially with an Arcane Archer's Web- or Grease- imbued arrow).

    Example 2: Am I within range of a Hill Giant's move+attack at Embridy Meadows, or do I need to move back a few feet to be safe for a round while I deal with his pet bear first?

    Example 3: I plan on casting Entangle to do some crowd control, but the radius seems to be "general" in nature. I cast it and remember the exact center of where I clicked as well as the edges of the affected area. The next character is supposed to move past the affected area and miss by a foot or so - but gets caught in it because the circle shown during casting lied (and the graphic depiction of the Entangle's borders during following rounds doesn't line up with the circle shown when it was cast - the animated borders are smaller than the circle depicted during casting).

    Anyway - if these little things are enough to make me lose a character / lose the game, then the problem isn't with the distances - it's my skill / risk tolerance. Just something annoying that bugs me on occasion.
     
  4. Buffed Rabbit

    Buffed Rabbit Established Member

    Joined:
    Jun 11, 2021
    Messages:
    119
    Likes Received:
    28
    All those get easier with experience. Unfortunately you need to be careful with the radius of AoE static spells, like Entangle, Stinkin Cloud, etc. The spell effect on the edges is scuffed.
     
Our Host!