DMs: do you make your players draw their own maps?

[adwyn]

I use the battlemap to draw out maps - not just combat encounters, but general area maps as well. The players rarely copy these down and if they do it's usually a flowchart style of map anyway.

Sometimes I do draw up maps before the game to hand out, but a couple of sessions ago I knew they would be seeking out directions from an old druid. For that map I filled a box lid with a half inch of sand and drew the map in it while narrating each piece of topography. I put down stones for the mountains, and crumbled leaves over the blighted forest. The players loved it, but later after I removed it they realized they should have made some sort of written copy.

 

[Orius]

Yes, I make them draw their own maps, correcting them if they mess something up. I have enough to do as DM already. If I'm using minis though, I generally draw the battle map out myself, since accuracy is important (though hidden stuff isn't revealed).

 

[lukelightning]

The players generally map, but sometimes I hand out maps for "intensive" areas in which there will be a lot of encounters, or a complex encounter, etc.

 

[Arnwyn]

While I don't make my players draw a map, they are free to do so - on their own. (The battlemat, though, I take care of myself.)

 

[EdL]

Having seen how utterly frustrating player mapping can be from spoken descriptions (Hey, we can see the friken corridor/room!), I just draw stuff out on the battlemat and let the players draw their own map or not, as they see fit. As for secret rooms and such, yeah it happens sometimes. But as often as not there isn't anything there. Besides, it keeps them from checking every inch of floor/wall/ceiling as they go. (Which can have consequences of its own. )

 

[Vindicator]

man, you are brutal!!

Diaglo isn't brutal; he's old school, baby!

Why, back when we played AD&D in the early 80's, we all did our own mapping. Not to mention half the times we mapped wrong and it gave the DM a chance to screw with us. But you kids today, you want everything handed to you on a shiny platter! Harrrrumphh!

 

[Henrix]

No, I don't make them draw maps, or even encourage them to do it.

When I started DMing D&D3, after a ten years long hiatus when I didn't play D&D, we did, but found it took too much precious game time.
Nowadays I often hand out copies of the maps if they need to discuss them.

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Yeah, I know all about screwing with people with 1E mapping techniques. But the time savings when I map is more for fun since I can draw the map wrong anyway...and people trust it more because I drew it!

 

[Mishihari Lord]

I don't make them map, they can do it or not as they like. But if they get lost, they get lost. Not my problem.

I would probably draw a map for them if one of the characters invested in a Cartography skill and brought pen, paper, and ink with him.

 

[ThirdWizard]

There is no reason for the Players to need a map of their own.