http://deltasdnd.blogspot.com/2011/ 07/spells-through-ages-f

>>50955607
You don't need miniatures to know where people are in relation to each other. Just ask.

>>50955622
But how do I determine whether fireball can hit both of two monsters without hitting player characters? How do I handle a fumbled bottle of acid?

How do I determine whether attacking monsters reach the wizard or the fighter first?

>>50955635
Just eyeball it. Do they annoy you? Then they're within the range.

>>50955635

Its an ancient trick. You say 'I cast fireball so that it strikes those monsters but not my allies'.

>>50955721
I'd require some kind of roll for that. People aren't that great at eyeballing precise distances, even when they're not being attacked by murderous humanoids.

Certainly two people in melee can't be treated as separate targets in an area of effect spell.

Its called marching order. Old dnd parties would decide ahead of time who was walking where and in what formation. This was then described to the dm, who adapted this information for encounters, modify as the party moved through different spaces, ask them what they would change when the tunnel narrows, decide the torch bearer is in range because they were hanging too close to the fighting man, stuff like that. Shits not hard.

Some mapping on grid paper was taken to easily represent 5' or 10' spaces, some not. Depends on the map.

Some OSR uses specific ranges, some take the modernism of close/near/far. I prefer the later personally, but both work, just makes for a different kind of game.