Two readers are stirring the Suggestion Pot with map-making questions. BladeMaster0182 writes: Hi guys. I would like an article on mapmaking. Every DM does it and I couldn’t find an article on it. I know many of us do it by hand but some of us (like me) lack the artistic talent to draw out their dream world. There are some map making programs, but most I have found are ...

So you’re running late to game. The only thing you need is a map, and you need to do it fast. Here are 5 quick mapping options. 1. Dry Erase Board Dry erase markers and a whiteboard make for great mapping options. The only problem, for the tactically combat inclined, is their lack of gridlines. Some places sell dry erase boards with ...

Last week, Longtooth Studios started shipping their new  Battle Graph Dry Erase Boards (aka Battle Boards). The successor to Tact-Tiles, the Battle Boards are a set of interlocking, dry-erase, map tiles. They are an alternative to the venerable Battlemat, and today, I am going to take a set of Battle Boards out for spin, and let you know how they stack up. A quick disclaimer:  Longtooth Studios provided the ...

To celebrate Gnome Stew's one-year anniversary (of the marriage between delicious dead gnome flesh and game mastering, of course!), we're giving away a set of Battlegraph Dry Erase Tiles courtesy of Longtooth Studios. Battlegraphs Battlegraphs are the first commercially available successor to Tact-Tiles, which were one of the best gaming products ever made. And they look like an excellent successor. They're modular -- they lock together like jigsaw puzzle pieces -- ...

Chances are good that as a GM, you've heard about Tact-Tiles (often mis-identified as Tac-Tiles): modular, interlocking dry-erase boards with built-in 1" grids suitable for use with miniatures. And if you're lucky enough to have bought a set while they were still being produced, you guard them with your life. I've used my set more or less constantly for over three years, and every single person I've gamed with ...

What's the Crock Pot? Just a simmering bowl of lentils and herbs, with a dash of DMing observations. Don't be afraid to dip in your ladle and stir, or throw in something from your own spice rack. Gotta Know When to Fold 'Em Card stock buildings, erasable battlemaps, D&D brand Dungeon Tiles, homemade encounter areas drawn with crayon. Those have been my tools in trade ever since I landed on the ...

What's the Crock Pot? Just a simmering bowl of lentils and herbs, with a dash of DMing observations. Don't be afraid to dip in your ladle and stir, or throw in something from your own spice rack. Hip to be squares Flip Mat brand footmaps are cool. And they work with permanent and dry-erase markers (kinda ... there’s a trick to removing the permanent markings) . They’re re-useable, and come in ...

When I started up my current Mage: The Awakening chronicle, I made a conscious decision to not use battle maps. When combat or exploration comes up, I doodle sloppy maps on the huge white board in our game room, and adjust them on the fly. Signposts Could I have used battle maps instead? Sure -- but I wanted to put up a signpost for my players that says, "This aspect ...