Newbie DM needs help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Newbie DM needs help [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
RatFlail OF DOOM!!!!
01-21-05, 07:08 PM This probably isnt the right forum and the anwser is probably something simple and people may make fun of me but um.... how do you use the maps in the adventures like shadows of the last war and the forgotten forge? Do you simply draw them onto a grid? Im a first time Dm.
Flying Alarmclock
01-21-05, 07:35 PM I've heard that there are many ways of using those maps during the campaign. Some DM's use miniatures and recreate the map in full 3D by buying small trees and building their own dungeon walls, others may use printed map folio's (I hope I got the name right).
I personally use miniatures for the Player Characters and coins (or other things) for the monsters and NPC's and draw the map on a white board, just in a larger scale. It may not always look that good, but using detailed descriptions usually gets the job done.

There are many many more ways to use them (I don't know many of them myself). Maybe you can experiment a bit yourself and see what suits you and your players best. If you're really creative and motivated, you might build those whole dungeons with paper and paint. Or you might just copy it from the book and use descriptions with it.

And who knows, maybe some DM or player posts an idea you like, which you want to try yourself.

Good luck with finding your best solution.
RatFlail OF DOOM!!!!
01-21-05, 07:40 PM thanks im gonna try to draw some of it see how that goes.
debatedeus
01-21-05, 10:33 PM I like to prepare maps on overhead projector sheets ahead of time and put them over a battle mat like the ones that chessex sells. If you don't have a battle mat, a chessboard might do really well for you.
N'wah
01-22-05, 12:22 AM I've used a half-dozen ways to represent combat in D&D, from explaining everything to wet-erase mats to graph paper- currently, I'm using the free map from the back of the 3.5 DMG, with minis for characters and monsters and a cheap generic set of Jenga blocks for walls. I think that cost me $15 at a local toy store, DMG not included.

There's a lot of companies that sell wet-erase mats, like www.crystalcaste.com , and http://www.bc-products.net sells little dry-erase grids that snap together like jigsaw puzzles, so you can create whatever type of room you want. Any of these ideas will set you back about 30-50 bucks, but it's a one-time investment.

Hope that helps!
Ashfallen
01-22-05, 01:47 AM A small whiteboard you can get from a stationery store. Paper is cheap and easy, and lets you keep the maps. Scanning, enlarging and printing works too. You could also print out a bunch of blank A4 pages with + signs to indicate the edges of squares. MS Excel will do that easily - just adjust row height and column width to whatever you want them to be apart, and copy a '+ into as many cells as will fit on one page. Use print preview to check it looks good.

Also, you don't need to draw more than the basic edges of the room, fuzzy bits for obstacles, etc. It's not a work of art, it's a battlemap.
MarkB
01-22-05, 06:36 AM I scanned the Rose Quarry map, removed all the encounter-location numbers in Photoshop Elements, then printed it as a player handout. Likewise the maps for Forgotten Forge. For individual encounters, I draw out the locations on a battlemat.
RatFlail OF DOOM!!!!
01-22-05, 08:27 AM that dry erase grid looks cool thanks now i just gotta save up like 20 more dollars.
Takasi
01-22-05, 10:53 AM I don't use dry erase because I hate having to erase my maps!

I use butcher/newsprint paper. You should be able to find a large roll of this at any grocery store or newspaper printer for about $20-30. You can make about 200 3 foot long maps to scale with miniatures.

The paper is very thin. I have one grid layer of paper that I made with a black marker and use for every map. I then create a new layer that I overlay onto the grid with the walls, trees, treasure, etc. I create these new layers for every map and it only takes about 5 minutes for each one. For dungeon delving I cut up the map into smaller pieces and present them as the adventurers explore.

The only other items I use are miniatures. I have about 700 of them from the D&D Miniatures line. However, you could easily use counters. Take the grid paper above and make a copy of it and then cut out all of the square. In each square write the first two letters in the name of the monster or NPC it identifies (followed by a number for a multiple).

Hope this helps. I find it to be the fastest and easiest way to represent the d20 rules.
Beleriphon
01-22-05, 11:31 AM One excellent idea that I've latched onto is to use a big sheet of lucite or plexiglass. Then draw (or score) a one inch grid into the surface. It works great and you have your grid on one side and a writeable surface on the other. That way I can use it from town maps (1 inch = 100 feet) to the standard combat scale.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
RatFlail OF DOOM!!!! 01-21-05, 07:08 PM	This probably isnt the right forum and the anwser is probably something simple and people may make fun of me but um.... how do you use the maps in the adventures like shadows of the last war and the forgotten forge? Do you simply draw them onto a grid? Im a first time Dm.
Flying Alarmclock 01-21-05, 07:35 PM	I've heard that there are many ways of using those maps during the campaign. Some DM's use miniatures and recreate the map in full 3D by buying small trees and building their own dungeon walls, others may use printed map folio's (I hope I got the name right). I personally use miniatures for the Player Characters and coins (or other things) for the monsters and NPC's and draw the map on a white board, just in a larger scale. It may not always look that good, but using detailed descriptions usually gets the job done. There are many many more ways to use them (I don't know many of them myself). Maybe you can experiment a bit yourself and see what suits you and your players best. If you're really creative and motivated, you might build those whole dungeons with paper and paint. Or you might just copy it from the book and use descriptions with it. And who knows, maybe some DM or player posts an idea you like, which you want to try yourself. Good luck with finding your best solution.
RatFlail OF DOOM!!!! 01-21-05, 07:40 PM	thanks im gonna try to draw some of it see how that goes.
debatedeus 01-21-05, 10:33 PM	I like to prepare maps on overhead projector sheets ahead of time and put them over a battle mat like the ones that chessex sells. If you don't have a battle mat, a chessboard might do really well for you.
N'wah 01-22-05, 12:22 AM	I've used a half-dozen ways to represent combat in D&D, from explaining everything to wet-erase mats to graph paper- currently, I'm using the free map from the back of the 3.5 DMG, with minis for characters and monsters and a cheap generic set of Jenga blocks for walls. I think that cost me $15 at a local toy store, DMG not included. There's a lot of companies that sell wet-erase mats, like www.crystalcaste.com , and http://www.bc-products.net sells little dry-erase grids that snap together like jigsaw puzzles, so you can create whatever type of room you want. Any of these ideas will set you back about 30-50 bucks, but it's a one-time investment. Hope that helps!
Ashfallen 01-22-05, 01:47 AM	A small whiteboard you can get from a stationery store. Paper is cheap and easy, and lets you keep the maps. Scanning, enlarging and printing works too. You could also print out a bunch of blank A4 pages with + signs to indicate the edges of squares. MS Excel will do that easily - just adjust row height and column width to whatever you want them to be apart, and copy a '+ into as many cells as will fit on one page. Use print preview to check it looks good. Also, you don't need to draw more than the basic edges of the room, fuzzy bits for obstacles, etc. It's not a work of art, it's a battlemap.
MarkB 01-22-05, 06:36 AM	I scanned the Rose Quarry map, removed all the encounter-location numbers in Photoshop Elements, then printed it as a player handout. Likewise the maps for Forgotten Forge. For individual encounters, I draw out the locations on a battlemat.
RatFlail OF DOOM!!!! 01-22-05, 08:27 AM	that dry erase grid looks cool thanks now i just gotta save up like 20 more dollars.
Takasi 01-22-05, 10:53 AM	I don't use dry erase because I hate having to erase my maps! I use butcher/newsprint paper. You should be able to find a large roll of this at any grocery store or newspaper printer for about $20-30. You can make about 200 3 foot long maps to scale with miniatures. The paper is very thin. I have one grid layer of paper that I made with a black marker and use for every map. I then create a new layer that I overlay onto the grid with the walls, trees, treasure, etc. I create these new layers for every map and it only takes about 5 minutes for each one. For dungeon delving I cut up the map into smaller pieces and present them as the adventurers explore. The only other items I use are miniatures. I have about 700 of them from the D&D Miniatures line. However, you could easily use counters. Take the grid paper above and make a copy of it and then cut out all of the square. In each square write the first two letters in the name of the monster or NPC it identifies (followed by a number for a multiple). Hope this helps. I find it to be the fastest and easiest way to represent the d20 rules.
Beleriphon 01-22-05, 11:31 AM	One excellent idea that I've latched onto is to use a big sheet of lucite or plexiglass. Then draw (or score) a one inch grid into the surface. It works great and you have your grid on one side and a writeable surface on the other. That way I can use it from town maps (1 inch = 100 feet) to the standard combat scale.