Maps Feature on D&D Beyond Becomes Free to Use

Wizards of the Coast is making its popular 2D VTT service Maps free-to-use over on D&D Beyond. Announced today over on their website (and likely coinciding with a press event over on Gen Con), D&D Head of Franchise Dan Ayoub announced that its Maps VTT service will be free to anyone with a D&D Beyond account starting on September 16th. Anyone with an account will be able to host a game over on Maps, a privilege that was previously reserved for Master-tier subscribers.

Maps became the default VTT service for Wizards of the Coast after it started to wind down the expensive 3D Sigil service just a few days after launch. The service allows players to use official D&D maps pulled from most adventures as well as 2D tokens. Starting with Dragon Delves, the service also includes pre-made maps using encounters from adventures.

 

[smiteworks]

Shadow dark without night vision is a breath of fresh air.

So much so that I really stress, in other games, that dark vision is FAR from perfect vision.

For sure. We implemented it so the maps show up in grayscale within your darkvision range and you only see color if there is natural light from lamps, spells, or ambient sunlight.

 

[Zaukrie]

For sure. We implemented it so the maps show up in grayscale within your darkvision range and you only see color if there is natural light from lamps, spells, or ambient sunlight.

I hate this so much. I spend time making colorful, pretty maps, and then my players see gray. I get why, I really do, But it is a real bummer, real bummer.

 

[smiteworks]

I hate this so much. I spend time making colorful, pretty maps, and then my players see gray. I get why, I really do, But it is a real bummer, real bummer.

It's optional, but yes to see the beautiful color with lighting and vision enabled they will have to bring a torch or lantern.

 

[Zaukrie]

It's optional, but yes to see the beautiful color with lighting and vision enabled they will have to bring a torch or lantern.

I know how it works on FG and Foundry.......I'm just not a fan, even if I totally understand why it is how it is. On foundry I found a way to still limit their distance to dv distance, but get color.

 

[darjr]

Huh. Idea. A monster that can hide within darkvision. Without a strong light source they are invisible.

 

[smiteworks]

I know how it works on FG and Foundry.......I'm just not a fan, even if I totally understand why it is how it is. On foundry I found a way to still limit their distance to dv distance, but get color.

Yeah, you could just set something like VISION: 60 for the darkvision people and VISION: 10 for PCs without darkvision. That would still remind them they would be better served with a lamp or torch. If they use a lamp, just update the non-darkvision folks to VISION: 30, or whatever.

That is just not how darkvision is technically supposed to work. But I think it would be a nice way to let them still see the beautiful maps out to 60' range.

 

[dave2008]

@Retreater ,
since the other thread was closed (to merge with this one), I wanted to respond to a comment you made on my post. You said: "Which means you bought it. And it's not free to use."

From my understanding you will be able to use Maps freely with free content that is on DnD Beyond. So yes it is free to use in a sense. However, that as never the point. The issue was you had to have a paid subscription before and now you don't. I don't have a paid subscription, but I have a lot of content on Beyond. When 9/19 comes around I will be anble to use Maps with all of the content I already have. While that may not be a boon to you, it is a boon to a lot of people. People like me is who this announcement is for, you are not the audience.

Also, you don't have to pay for Maps now, just the adventure - so it is free in that sense too.

 

[SteveC]

Waiting for some youtuber to explain to me how this is bad

While I wouldn't say it's bad, it's more of a nothing announcement. Maps is what it is. I'm playing 5E in Roll20 right now, and it has all the issues Roll20 has always had. My DM was looking at Sigil, and we voted it down. He looked at Maps but didn't even have us in for a trial of the system. I'm not going to yuck anyone's yum as I'm sure there will be people out there playing D&D with Maps, so how could this be anything but good news?

I just think that if I'm showing D&D off in online form, I'm using another product.

 

[occam]

Huh. Idea. A monster that can hide within darkvision. Without a strong light source they are invisible.

Monster version of the 2014 gloom stalker ranger's Umbral Sight.

 

[Afroconan]

While I wouldn't say it's bad, it's more of a nothing announcement. Maps is what it is. I'm playing 5E in Roll20 right now, and it has all the issues Roll20 has always had. My DM was looking at Sigil, and we voted it down. He looked at Maps but didn't even have us in for a trial of the system. I'm not going to yuck anyone's yum as I'm sure there will be people out there playing D&D with Maps, so how could this be anything but good news?

I just think that if I'm showing D&D off in online form, I'm using another product.

I've never used Maps, I only have a Beyond account to redeem free content and Foundry is my VTT of choice and I don't think that'll ever change as long as whatever could be best is a subscription.

That said, this news are positive no matter how you slice it. At worst it's subjectively neutral if you, like I, don't care for maps. Yet I like when people get free things and there are tons of D&D Beyond users who would benefit from it, and that's good in my book.