Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPG) seem to get more popular with each passing year, and dungeon masters everywhere are constantly looking for tools and tricks to make their games more fun and memorable. Whether you’re playing in person or online, Dungeons & Dragons maps are a great way to show your players exactly what they’re looking at — which is especially helpful when theater of the mind fails. I’ve picked out nine tools to help you create fantastic Dungeons & Dragons maps to fit your TTRPG and setting below.
Let’s get one thing out of the way before we begin: although I’m referring to the buyables below as Dungeons & Dragons maps, that doesn’t mean you can’t use them for other TTRPGs. Consider D&D to be just a generic shorthand here and go with it, even if it makes you cringe.
Allow me to also say that you do not need maps in order to play a TTRPG. Yes, actual-play shows like Critical Role and Dimension 20 use amazing products to bring their games to life, but your game will be no less fun or magical without them. Like pretty much all D&D resources, the maps below are a bonus tool, not a must-have.
No matter your reason for drawing your Dungeons & Dragons quest areas, these mapping tools will help you get started without having to pay an arm and a leg.
Dungeons & Dragons Maps To Level Up Your Game
Dwarven Forge
Don’t let the pricetag down there fool you. I know I said these wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, but Dwarven Forge is the exception that proves the rule. They’ll paint your dungeon halls for you or sell you the paints to do it yourself. Either way, you’re probably going to need to collect a few bounties before you can afford them. $9+
Inkarnate
If you’re looking for a free tool to start creating your sandbox world, you can’t go wrong with Inkarnate. A free plan allows you to make and store 10 maps using more than 900 assets, or you can purchase a monthly or annual subscription that gives you access to the full asset library and space to store 1,000 maps. $0+
TaleSpire
If COVID-19 has you playing online to avoid infection, well, same here. For DMs who want to put in the work, TaleSpire is a great way to build a living world that rivals Dwarven Forge in detail. As an added bonus, you can import your own 3D-printing designs to have your players’ minis show up in-game! $25
Battle Grids
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Battle grids are a staple of every shoestring-budget D&D game. These laminated mats make it easy to track both map exploration and movements in combat. $28
Campaign Cartographer 3
One of the pricier options on this list, Campaign Cartographer 3 allows DMs to fully customize their overworld maps. Designer ProFantasy has other resources available to map out individual cities. $45
Hobbyte
I’m hopelessly in love with all things old school, so naturally I adore Hobbyte’s isometric map-drawing tool, which will make your players feel like they’re in their favorite classic fantasy novel and their favorite classic fantasy video game, all at the same time. €59+
Modular Map Tiles
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If you have the capacity to print out materials, you can’t go wrong with this set of printable map tiles from TabletopGamingMaps on Etsy. $11.50
Wonderdraft and Dungeondraft
Finally, there’s Wonderdraft and Dungeondraft. These wonderful pieces of software let you draw maps for every conceivable scenario, and they’re pretty reasonably priced to boot! $30 and $20, respectively.
For more Dungeons & Dragons resources, click here to check out this list of D&D gaming gear. And if you’re looking to start your own D&D club, we’ve got you covered.
– K.W. Colyard
