A very useful tool I've seen used for quick terrain is Jenga blocks. They're a good size for throwing up some walls, a bridge, steps, pillars, tables, etc. Pretty adaptable and easy to store.
I got cheap wood blocks from the thrift store, spray painted them black then painted them with poorly mixed gray poster paint. This chips off over time and looks cool. Very useful.
They also have the advantage of being short. The fancy terrain most people use with full height dungeon walls often gets in the way of handling the minis. Me and a friend came up with something similar that uses pink foam. About the same size as the jenga blocks. But, crucially, we have corner sections. Because once you define where the corners are that's really all you need to give the impression of the room or building. And corner pieces are less fiddly than straight blocks. Though I guess you could simply glue a few jenga blocks together to make a corner!
The Mark Hulmes shoutout! He is my absolute favorite actual play DM and is the reason I got into running games myself. He is just so good at giving his players a comprehensive and cinematic scene. Glad to see the appreciation ❤
I use a VTT with an in person game. Saves me a lot of trouble. I can have a bunch of maps and I just have a laptop and a small tv. Good video, good subject!
Listen... I play online and when i whipped out a tree covered, carved tree trunk on a forest battle map on it's own camera... My players freaked out... We'd only really run theatre of the mind until that point. I'm also a mom to a teenager, on a very limited budget; it's just me doing the terrain (the partner that lives with me is in the campaign so spoilers) so this was a big deal to them and me. As the old adage goes it's not what you have, but it's how you use it. I will now watch the rest of the video
First thing to do in a battle map is destory something by a big unit. Makes him look scarey. But also shows ppayers he also should be destorying stuff or can interact that it isnt a video game and in a frozen state
I've used modeling clay, Model Magic, cardboard, foam, wood blocks, poster board covered with lamination paper, toothpicks, paper mache, gridded presentation tablets, the back of Christmas paper, etc. For one game I re-created the whole interior of the frost giant glacier from the Against the Giants adventure to be ready for a session, only to have the players decide to climb the glacier and go over it, skipping the whole thing. That comes with the territory of being a DM. Always realize you may be doing a lot of work that will not even see the light of day. And it's been that way since the beginning. It's one of our occupational hazards.
Raid the children’s toy box. You’d be surprised what you’ll find for use in game. Additionally, for the battle area, we use a Chessex battle mat covered with a sheet of plexiglass. With this method, a grid is always available and can chuck out scatter terrain, draw obstacles, or combine the techniques
The clear plastic part of many boxes that dice come in is a great fly riser that sits over medium or smaller size minis and doesn’t take up much more space. Also can be good to stick something on with blutac, such as a shrub of animal to indicate wildshape or stealth.
6:28 Regarding knowing that you lock the players in place - since I usually ask players what they intend to do in the upcoming sessions, I usually have a pretty good feeling for what set pieces will be needed. Occasionally, I cut a session just before an important encounter to prepare this accordingly. Other times, I just throw something together or paint on my whiteboards. Knowing your players well can often lead to the illusion that everything is set in stone, but it is just good communication.
I use the "modular teather like" style, as what really impacts a combat more are the scatter and props on an area, the tables, the chairs, the flasks to be used as improvised weapons, etc. So I spend most of my crafting time creating new interesting scatter terrain thinking how they could be used in combat. I don't dedicate nearly that much time to doing the terrain itself.
Same, ever since Deficient Master did his video where he mentioned adding "toys" to each map, I've been obsessed with this idea. I pick a map I think fits the "toys" I have in mind and start filling in the map with surprises both preplanned and any I get inspiration for from looking at the map. My plan is to let players know ahead of time there are spots of interest, but they make checks once a turn to get a bigger picture idea. If they want to use it differently than what I had planned it's all good too. There are hazards, boons, neutral encounters, changes in the terrain, and even items they could use or save for a later encounter. I think I'll have it to where enemies do checks too but to keep things moving it will just be a group check with flat rolls at the end of the round and if half or more succeed they'll try to make use of 2 random ones during the next round.
@TheMightyBattleSquid i mean why checks tho? Why just dont give all information? Maybe a few less toys so they are not overwhelming but imo doing a check sounds like extra steps? I would like to hear your logic
Most of my games I play on Roll20, but for about a year I ran the IRL game and made a bunch of foam terrain pieces. I'd say it's fun in it's own way and sometimes helps with immersion. And it's actually pretty easy - I had a few times when throwing a couple of premade cave walls and arranging them was faster then drawing it by hand. Also I had like 10 pre-made floor plans and used them whenever I had a street fight - house here, two there and blank sheet turns into a Waterdeep street. So yeah, big complicated pieces could be obnoxious, but having a bunch of big pieces ready is great. You can just throw a couple of them out and pretend like it's planned and not impovised on the spot.
I like to put in furniture and clutter in my maps to encourage cover use. Also a having few players that love the tavern brawler feat has them grabbing say a chair to smash over the enemies head or grappling an enemy and throwing them out the window. As the DM you can encourage use of the terrain by having the enemy use the terrain as well. They start to think’Hey if they can do that I can do that too” Personally I try play my Monks like a Jackie Chan movie. Had a warlock shoot the overturned table the enemy had flipped to hide behind. He was able to shove the table back and pin them against the wall, he did this while diving behind the bar firing finger guns.
Jasmine has also absolutely killed it with the D20 art dept. Maps re: Coffin Run. Pretty sure the same team does the terrain for DesiQuest as well? Might be wrong abt. that, ik Shaubach was apart of production so I assumed.
I use a lot of different solutions for my encounters... Sometimes it's dry-erase on a battlemap, and that's the easy way - even if I have a few dozens laminated A2 battlemaps for various terrain types (grass, glacier, lava, swamp, rocks, etc.). Other times I add 3D-printed props (trees, rocks, obstacles, etc.), or if I'm setting up a dungeon, I bring up my fully modular 3D-printed dungeon. Then I 3D-printed in clear resin modular risers, as well as flames and spell effects (wall of flame, wall of ice, etc.) which I painted using transparent alcohol-based inks. For my latest map (we're playing next Sunday) I'm setting up both 3D-printed village cottages and papercraft houses by BattleSystems, as well as flickering LEDs inside 3D-printed flames and scale model trees I recently bought on Amazon, all magnetized on a steel sheet covered with a grassy battlemap. ...yeah, I tend to go a bit overboard with my settings LOL 😅😅
I have a magnetic whiteboard with a grid. My scatter props are cut and paste from card, with magnets stuck on the bases. I've been moving as much as possible to modular terrain that can be rearranged on the fly as the party move from one section of the dungeon to another. I also use terrain in exploration not just combat. It helps with visualization as they investigate a room for example.
terrain for me is a double sided sword. I have crafter a huge amount of dwarven forge style foam terrain and accessories. I have a TV I can use on top of my table for maps, I have grasslands and lava mats for my table, etc... but I always revert back to a blank mat and markers. running a game usually has too many unexpected things happen. if prepare a cool map or set of a throne room, and my players want to fall back into a hall to create a choke point this is way easier with a hand drawn map. if my players and I discover a clue to the world that leads them to a safe house basement... but there would rolls it their creativity are what created the opportunity to even know about the safe house it simply takes too long to build with tiles, or it takes me out of the moment to search for a proper TV map. these cool options have their place, and I love setting them up, but having the quick marker and mat option available can't be beat.
I much prefer just drawing on a blank sheet over using intricate terrain. I even prefer it to be gridless. The reason for both is that I find them too restrctive. The more detailed the terrain, the less you can reuse it (and the more time, energy and money you have to spend), and there being squares tend to unconsciously dictate the position possibilities for both GM and player, even if you note they're just meant to help estimate distance by eye. And a drawn map gives just enough clarity on what's where that you can use tactical considerations. I like the tip on using glasses for flying enemies, though. I'll steal that.
I've been doing terrain for a decade. There are lots of great ways to use it, including building full sets without railroading players into using it. All I do is simply ask them at the end of each session where they want to go & do for the next session. Whatever they decide, that's the adventure I create for them. No railroading needed and I don't waste time building things they won't see.
For printable maps I suggest 11in by 17in. I don't really have the ability to do maps but I love music so I spend a lot of time crafting a detailed playlist for the session
I am literally in the process of GMing a new campaign as I got so frustrated with GMs choosing to ignore or house rule over so many of the fun aspects of combat on a grid. I have no issue with a new GM not knowing a rule, or wanting to start simple. That is fine! But I find far too many GMs have this "I know better" attitude when it comes to rules and what the table finds fun.
A very useful tool I've seen used for quick terrain is Jenga blocks. They're a good size for throwing up some walls, a bridge, steps, pillars, tables, etc. Pretty adaptable and easy to store.
Jenga and wooden building blocks, best budget terrain system in the world!
I got cheap wood blocks from the thrift store, spray painted them black then painted them with poorly mixed gray poster paint. This chips off over time and looks cool. Very useful.
They also have the advantage of being short. The fancy terrain most people use with full height dungeon walls often gets in the way of handling the minis. Me and a friend came up with something similar that uses pink foam. About the same size as the jenga blocks. But, crucially, we have corner sections. Because once you define where the corners are that's really all you need to give the impression of the room or building. And corner pieces are less fiddly than straight blocks. Though I guess you could simply glue a few jenga blocks together to make a corner!
Lincoln Logs work great and link together to be less fiddly. You can also make custom terrain using sand, plastic wrap, and epoxy/glue.
The Mark Hulmes shoutout! He is my absolute favorite actual play DM and is the reason I got into running games myself. He is just so good at giving his players a comprehensive and cinematic scene. Glad to see the appreciation ❤
I use a VTT with an in person game. Saves me a lot of trouble. I can have a bunch of maps and I just have a laptop and a small tv. Good video, good subject!
Listen... I play online and when i whipped out a tree covered, carved tree trunk on a forest battle map on it's own camera... My players freaked out... We'd only really run theatre of the mind until that point. I'm also a mom to a teenager, on a very limited budget; it's just me doing the terrain (the partner that lives with me is in the campaign so spoilers) so this was a big deal to them and me.
As the old adage goes it's not what you have, but it's how you use it. I will now watch the rest of the video
I love that you cover less well known (comparatively) dms! Makes me want to go watch their stuff :)
First thing to do in a battle map is destory something by a big unit. Makes him look scarey. But also shows ppayers he also should be destorying stuff or can interact that it isnt a video game and in a frozen state
I've used modeling clay, Model Magic, cardboard, foam, wood blocks, poster board covered with lamination paper, toothpicks, paper mache, gridded presentation tablets, the back of Christmas paper, etc. For one game I re-created the whole interior of the frost giant glacier from the Against the Giants adventure to be ready for a session, only to have the players decide to climb the glacier and go over it, skipping the whole thing. That comes with the territory of being a DM. Always realize you may be doing a lot of work that will not even see the light of day. And it's been that way since the beginning. It's one of our occupational hazards.
For elevation I just use all my empty chessex dice boxes!
I'm going to hear the word "terrain" echoing in my head all day, now.
Terrain…terrain…terrain
Raid the children’s toy box. You’d be surprised what you’ll find for use in game. Additionally, for the battle area, we use a Chessex battle mat covered with a sheet of plexiglass. With this method, a grid is always available and can chuck out scatter terrain, draw obstacles, or combine the techniques
When I was young, I always used pencils to represent walls, erasers to represent doors...
With the Loke maps, they actually have stickers of various terrain too you can stick on. Theyre reuseable and very easy to use on their maps
The clear plastic part of many boxes that dice come in is a great fly riser that sits over medium or smaller size minis and doesn’t take up much more space. Also can be good to stick something on with blutac, such as a shrub of animal to indicate wildshape or stealth.
love Loot Studios
6:28
Regarding knowing that you lock the players in place - since I usually ask players what they intend to do in the upcoming sessions, I usually have a pretty good feeling for what set pieces will be needed. Occasionally, I cut a session just before an important encounter to prepare this accordingly. Other times, I just throw something together or paint on my whiteboards. Knowing your players well can often lead to the illusion that everything is set in stone, but it is just good communication.
I use the "modular teather like" style, as what really impacts a combat more are the scatter and props on an area, the tables, the chairs, the flasks to be used as improvised weapons, etc. So I spend most of my crafting time creating new interesting scatter terrain thinking how they could be used in combat. I don't dedicate nearly that much time to doing the terrain itself.
Same, ever since Deficient Master did his video where he mentioned adding "toys" to each map, I've been obsessed with this idea. I pick a map I think fits the "toys" I have in mind and start filling in the map with surprises both preplanned and any I get inspiration for from looking at the map. My plan is to let players know ahead of time there are spots of interest, but they make checks once a turn to get a bigger picture idea. If they want to use it differently than what I had planned it's all good too. There are hazards, boons, neutral encounters, changes in the terrain, and even items they could use or save for a later encounter. I think I'll have it to where enemies do checks too but to keep things moving it will just be a group check with flat rolls at the end of the round and if half or more succeed they'll try to make use of 2 random ones during the next round.
@TheMightyBattleSquid i mean why checks tho? Why just dont give all information? Maybe a few less toys so they are not overwhelming but imo doing a check sounds like extra steps? I would like to hear your logic
Most of my games I play on Roll20, but for about a year I ran the IRL game and made a bunch of foam terrain pieces. I'd say it's fun in it's own way and sometimes helps with immersion.
And it's actually pretty easy - I had a few times when throwing a couple of premade cave walls and arranging them was faster then drawing it by hand.
Also I had like 10 pre-made floor plans and used them whenever I had a street fight - house here, two there and blank sheet turns into a Waterdeep street.
So yeah, big complicated pieces could be obnoxious, but having a bunch of big pieces ready is great. You can just throw a couple of them out and pretend like it's planned and not impovised on the spot.
I like to put in furniture and clutter in my maps to encourage cover use. Also a having few players that love the tavern brawler feat has them grabbing say a chair to smash over the enemies head or grappling an enemy and throwing them out the window. As the DM you can encourage use of the terrain by having the enemy use the terrain as well. They start to think’Hey if they can do that I can do that too”
Personally I try play my Monks like a Jackie Chan movie.
Had a warlock shoot the overturned table the enemy had flipped to hide behind. He was able to shove the table back and pin them against the wall, he did this while diving behind the bar firing finger guns.
Cardboard and paper.
I've found some cool black and white aesthetic.
Dont forget, you can make tiles and terrain from foam board.
Jasmine has also absolutely killed it with the D20 art dept. Maps re: Coffin Run. Pretty sure the same team does the terrain for DesiQuest as well? Might be wrong abt. that, ik Shaubach was apart of production so I assumed.
I use a lot of different solutions for my encounters...
Sometimes it's dry-erase on a battlemap, and that's the easy way - even if I have a few dozens laminated A2 battlemaps for various terrain types (grass, glacier, lava, swamp, rocks, etc.). Other times I add 3D-printed props (trees, rocks, obstacles, etc.), or if I'm setting up a dungeon, I bring up my fully modular 3D-printed dungeon. Then I 3D-printed in clear resin modular risers, as well as flames and spell effects (wall of flame, wall of ice, etc.) which I painted using transparent alcohol-based inks.
For my latest map (we're playing next Sunday) I'm setting up both 3D-printed village cottages and papercraft houses by BattleSystems, as well as flickering LEDs inside 3D-printed flames and scale model trees I recently bought on Amazon, all magnetized on a steel sheet covered with a grassy battlemap.
...yeah, I tend to go a bit overboard with my settings LOL 😅😅
Furniture with Markers ist the best way to go.
I have a magnetic whiteboard with a grid. My scatter props are cut and paste from card, with magnets stuck on the bases. I've been moving as much as possible to modular terrain that can be rearranged on the fly as the party move from one section of the dungeon to another.
I also use terrain in exploration not just combat. It helps with visualization as they investigate a room for example.
terrain for me is a double sided sword.
I have crafter a huge amount of dwarven forge style foam terrain and accessories. I have a TV I can use on top of my table for maps, I have grasslands and lava mats for my table, etc...
but I always revert back to a blank mat and markers.
running a game usually has too many unexpected things happen. if prepare a cool map or set of a throne room, and my players want to fall back into a hall to create a choke point this is way easier with a hand drawn map.
if my players and I discover a clue to the world that leads them to a safe house basement... but there would rolls it their creativity are what created the opportunity to even know about the safe house it simply takes too long to build with tiles, or it takes me out of the moment to search for a proper TV map.
these cool options have their place, and I love setting them up, but having the quick marker and mat option available can't be beat.
I much prefer just drawing on a blank sheet over using intricate terrain. I even prefer it to be gridless. The reason for both is that I find them too restrctive. The more detailed the terrain, the less you can reuse it (and the more time, energy and money you have to spend), and there being squares tend to unconsciously dictate the position possibilities for both GM and player, even if you note they're just meant to help estimate distance by eye.
And a drawn map gives just enough clarity on what's where that you can use tactical considerations.
I like the tip on using glasses for flying enemies, though. I'll steal that.
I've been doing terrain for a decade. There are lots of great ways to use it, including building full sets without railroading players into using it. All I do is simply ask them at the end of each session where they want to go & do for the next session. Whatever they decide, that's the adventure I create for them. No railroading needed and I don't waste time building things they won't see.
For printable maps I suggest 11in by 17in. I don't really have the ability to do maps but I love music so I spend a lot of time crafting a detailed playlist for the session
I like hand drawn maps without a grid. I play with "adjacent, near & far" zone rules to get away from counting squares.
Having actual terrains and minis makes all the difference in the world 🤘
I have the wet erase, and a bunch of dwarven forge. It's nice to be able to flex between the two
If I'm not playing fully theatre of the mind, my preferred style is to use a disk called Ultimate Dungeon Terrain.
FIRST‼️‼️ great video man!
I am literally in the process of GMing a new campaign as I got so frustrated with GMs choosing to ignore or house rule over so many of the fun aspects of combat on a grid. I have no issue with a new GM not knowing a rule, or wanting to start simple. That is fine! But I find far too many GMs have this "I know better" attitude when it comes to rules and what the table finds fun.
Caution. Some of the dry erase MATS don't like the RED marker you have. Erase it quickly as possible. Sign my FLGS players.
Have to ask, but any other DMs prefer the hex map setup over just the basic squares?
I've never actually tried hex maps! I should give it a go!
Unfortunately the VTT will make all of this obsolete
WHAT IS THE ISSUE I STILL DONT GET IT
just one long AD