How big should a 4E map be?

[Noumenon]

As a rule of thumb, for four characters, should the maps be at least 4x8? 6x6? 6x10? I'm making my first homebrew map and want to have room but don't have time to test. The centerpiece of the map is supposed to be a 3x3 or 4x4 tar pit with a dragon stuck in it (actually the reanimated bones of a dragon). It is supposed to function as terrain that makes the squares on each side of the pit dangerous (bite and tail sweep) to make it hard to get to the artillery -- you can jump on its back though. So I'm thinking just one square of free space on either side so the PCs can take the long way around (although they may get a frightful presence effect anyway).

 

[The Little Raven]

My maps tend to average around 15 by 25 or so. Providing plenty of places for characters to move, as well as interesting terrain features and line-of-sight obstacles makes the combat much more interesting.

 

[MerricB]

The general rule of thumb is one of the 8"x10" dungeon tiles is a good size for five characters to fight in.

However, feel free to break that rule for certain situations. It's no good if they can just ignore all the interesting terrain on the map. I personally like having a few connected rooms which the battle can take place over.

Cheers!

 

[Dice4Hire]

The bigger the better.

When one can move 6 and then charge 6, a 10 by ten room is not big neough.

Or break up the room with solid walls and things like that to make movement difficult.

 

[Chris Knapp]

Frightful Presence is Close Burst 5 so it will be a 12 x 12 square area (or 13 x 13 for a Huge dragon) that will be affected. If you want to give the players the option to avoid this, you will definitely need a bigger map.

If you follow WotC's lead, they seem to like a single dungeon tile (8x8) for an indoor encounter area (maybe 2 tiles for high paragon & epic) and large poster maps for outdoor areas.

 

[Noumenon]

Ha, in my newbness I misread "close burst 5" as "close burst diameter 5", plus I didn't think about including the dragon's space in the burst.

I will have plenty of tar pits about to keep running and charging under control, plus the bad guy will be elevated up a ramp on the other side of the pit, the better to encourage a shortcut across the dragon's back. I think I'm gonna make it like Gargantuan since everyone says that size dragon is better handled as terrain, and it will take up more of the new larger size room. Thanks for all the opinions!

 

[S'mon]

If you follow WotC's lead, they seem to like a single dungeon tile (8x8) for an indoor encounter area (maybe 2 tiles for high paragon & epic) and large poster maps for outdoor areas.

Our Invoker commnented on how fighting in an 8x8 room (using a WoTC Dungeon Delve) really played to her strength as a battlefield controller, whereas in open terrain the monsters could just walk around the control zone.

I'd say for 5 PCs, 8x8 was about the minimum advisable, and on average I'd prefer something like 15x25. When I run stuff outdoors we often use most of a Paizo flip-mat, which IMO are an ideal size.

 

[~Coxy]

I used an 20x12 battlemat made out of two sheets of A3 paper taped together and laminated, and I have to say that oftentimes lately it felt too small (5 PCs, late paragon tier.)

When the levels get higher and there's more large/huge enemies, zones and bursts everywhere I reckon the bigger the better.

 

[MortalPlague]

Generally, I like to string a couple of rooms together into one big combat area. I usually throw two or three rooms that are 4 x 6 or so, connected with 2 square wide corridors (usually just a 2 x 2 section of corridor, perhaps with a corner). For a larger, setpiece encounter, I'll usually include a large, 10 or 12 x 10 or 12 room (with terrain features, like pillars or pits or alcoves) along with a collection of smaller side chambers or side rooms.

 

[Jack99]

Anything from 1 to 24 tac-tiles...