D&D General Mapping: How Do You Do It?

[Reynard]

I am planning on running a big dungeon thing (using Shadowdark, but I don't think that is relevant) and I am considering options for how to deal with mapping from the player side.

My first impulse is to do "theater of the mind" exploration, letting the players map as they will (or won't; that's on them) and only drawing something out on the grid if a particular situation requires it for clarity (mostly thinking about fights, but maybe complex terrain or a trap room or whatever).

Note that I will be running this both on Fantasy grounds and later in person.

What is your go-to with regards to mapping big dungeon exploration, in person or on a VTT or anywhere in between? What have you learned to definitely do, or definitely not do? As a player, how do you prefer to deal with mapping that kind of exploration?

 

[AlViking]

Theater of the mind for exploration and details for areas where there will be combat. I don't get concerned about the players being able to regurgitate directions. Every once in a great while I may make it a character skill check, but if I do I'll ask them what their characters are doing to map things out or at least give them a chance to realize the layout is confusing. Gives me a reason to check to see if anyone has survival as a skill.

 

[SkidAce]

Small complex few rooms? Draw it out on the grid map as they go. Logic: Good visuals, no need for character mapping it was so small, good for placing minis.
Lare area many rooms? Theater of mind for hallways or simply laid out encounters, draw on map for larger more complex areas or set pieces, erase when done. Logic: They can get lost if they dont keep track themselves, no enough room to draw entire thing anyway. (corollary; if on virtual tabletop, use electronic fog of war in front and behind as they go.

 

[Shiroiken]

Since we use Roll20, I map out pretty much everything. Back when I ran IRL, I preferred using Theater of the Mind and a whiteboard map for details when helpful. In 4E, where combat almost necessitated a grid, we used map exclusively for combat encounters.

 

[payn]

This is another thing im an outlier on. I have found its going to be more struggle than its worth giving this task to the players. Constant questions, time spent figuring it out, etc.. is just time I dont want to spend during the session. In person as GM, Id use a battle mat and draw each room/section as the players arrive. On VTT, pre-made map with fog 'o' war is fantastic and a great time saver.

As an aside, I dont let the players run initiative either. I know a lot of folks want the players to help the GM by sharing the load, but it always leads to me taking over anyways. So, I just cut out all the confusion and logistics of the offload and run it myself. My players often have their hands full just running their own characters. YMMV.

 

[Marc17]

Draw a schematic as you go in theater of the mind. Detail combat areas when needed. I usually do this on the battle mat in the middle of the table. So you have one smaller map that has the basic layout of the place that they have explored so far, then another detailed (grid) map for wherever they are currently are, if needed or asked for. For really large dungeons, between games, present them with the actual map of the dungeon printed out but lacking anything they have not investigated yet. I'd print the map, cut out anything they hadn't explored, then rescan for a neat sheet of paper. Sometimes just taping new bits as they explore them from what I had cut out earlier.

 

[Minigiant]

Points and lines

Each AOC gets a number and lines connecting them to other numbers.

 

[Lakesidefantasy]

I draw a map for the players at a 1-inch = 5-feet scale on beige cardstock with sharpies and wedge-tipped black markers. I then meticulously cut out each of the rooms, and then during the game i and lay them down on the table as we explore them. This creates a fog of war effect as I pick up old, previously explored rooms when the dungeon sprawls across the table.

 

[Burnside]

Have never seen a session wherein the players were required to map as they go that did not end in a frustrating fiasco.

Also not sure what it really adds to the game, tbh. "Draw what I verbally describe" doesn't add any particular verisimilitude to the exploration.

 

[Reynard]

Have never seen a session wherein the players were required to map as they go that did not end in a frustrating fiasco.

Also not sure what it really adds to the game, tbh. "Draw what I verbally describe" doesn't add any particular verisimilitude to the exploration.

Never got turned around in a school or hospital?