Why Use Dungeon Tiles?

[S'mon]

I want to like dungeon tiles, but I've found that they are impossible to store and organize easily. I've occasionally setup a full dungeon in advance and that works well. But I couldn't get away with doing it during a game.

Yep, it's the only thing that works. They're great for three predone "Delve" encounter areas, but terrible for general exploratory play.

They are fun to play with, though.

 

[brainstorm]

I want to like dungeon tiles, but I've found that they are impossible to store and organize easily. I've occasionally setup a full dungeon in advance and that works well. But I couldn't get away with doing it during a game.

In game set up is easy. Layout your dungeon in advance. Once you have that, either draw it out on graph paper or take pictures to reference during the game. Then put each encounter area into zip lock bags and label the bags so you know which bag holds which area. When your players get to the area, pull out the bag and set ip the area. This system has worked well for me for a couple of years now.

 

[malraux]

In game set up is easy. Layout your dungeon in advance. Once you have that, either draw it out on graph paper or take pictures to reference during the game. Then put each encounter area into zip lock bags and label the bags so you know which bag holds which area. When your players get to the area, pull out the bag and set ip the area. This system has worked well for me for a couple of years now.

I wouldn't call that in game setup though.

 

[The Little Raven]

I want to like dungeon tiles, but I've found that they are impossible to store and organize easily.

Icosahedrophilia » Laying (terrain) tiles: storage solutions

This is the storage solution I use (along with the DM's kit idea). It works great.

I plan my encounters in advance, and I use poster tack to attach them to a piece of black poster board. This saves time and keeps them in place. When I DM, I just take my notes (or laptop), my DM's kit, and my premade encounter boards.

 

[amnuxoll]

I have tried a couple times to make use of the dungeon tiles, flip mats and similar tools. I find that I get frustrated because they too greatly restrict imagination. I'd like every encounter to be completely unique. Want a forest encounter? Dungeon tiles can give you a fine one. Want a forest encounter on the side of a hill next to a stream with two fallen trees lying across it and a truck-sized boulder nearby? Well, the best you can do is approximate it with the tiles.

OTOH, drawing it on a battle map is not nearly as pretty. So I can understand the appeal of something drawn by a professional artist.

Most effective for me is to take whatever map is printed in the module I'm running, scan it, resize it so that it's the same size as a battle map and print it out. Expensive, but it works well. It seems to be the best compromise.

:AMN: