resources for drawing monster encounter maps

[Nedjimb0]

so for my next session, the first combat encounter is going to take place on some hills, but for the life of me I can't wrap my head around drawing random hills with the correct percentages of "gradual slopes" "steep slopes" and "cliffs" as per the "Hills Terrain" section of the DMG

are there any random encounter map generators that do hills or mountains? or are there any random grid maps with plains or mountains floating around? I couldn't find any on the web.

[Savannah]

I once made up some grids with all the terrain types. When do you need them by? I could try to dig them out and scan the ones you need.

[Lev]

Get out a sheet of graph paper and start by marking the tips of the hills with however high they are, so draw maybe a 6 on the highest hills, then draw your medium hills with around half that, so lets say 3.

Now you have hills, to get slopes you just surround each number with a number which is 1 off of it, if you want a gradual slope then surround those numbers with numbers equal to it, then 1 off, then maybe 2 equal then 1 off.
Alternatively you could also create cliffs or drifts by marking down 2 off or more which is always fun.

For playing an encounter generally it's best to have SIMPLE hills, like the entire map is one direction of slope, ect.

[zimmerwald1915]

Another possible option, if you don't want to use colored or numbered squares, is to draw a contour map (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contour_map) of your terrain. Gradual slopes would have the contour lines (which can represent any interval of height you want) spaced, say, 6 squares apart, steep slopes can have them spaced 3 squares apart, and cliffs can have them spaced 1 square apart.

[Nedjimb0]

I once made up some grids with all the terrain types. When do you need them by? I could try to dig them out and scan the ones you need.

Wow, thanks! You don't have to, really, but if you would be so inclined I would only really need one or so of hills or mountains (it's the elevation part that really trips me up, marshes and forest aren't so tough).


Get out a sheet of graph paper and start by marking the tips of the hills with however high they are, so draw maybe a 6 on the highest hills, then draw your medium hills with around half that, so lets say 3.

Now you have hills, to get slopes you just surround each number with a number which is 1 off of it, if you want a gradual slope then surround those numbers with numbers equal to it, then 1 off, then maybe 2 equal then 1 off.
Alternatively you could also create cliffs or drifts by marking down 2 off or more which is always fun.

For playing an encounter generally it's best to have SIMPLE hills, like the entire map is one direction of slope, ect.



Another possible option, if you don't want to use colored or numbered squares, is to draw a contour map (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contour_map) of your terrain. Gradual slopes would have the contour lines (which can represent any interval of height you want) spaced, say, 6 squares apart, steep slopes can have them spaced 3 squares apart, and cliffs can have them spaced 1 square apart.

I like both of these ideas!!! I feel like using numbers to correspond with the elevation would be helpful (my last encounter pitted the party against flying creatures doing flyby attacks so the elevation was relevant) and that the contour lines would help to maintain the visual impression of actual hills.

I ended up doing a color coding system that kind of used contour lines, except the lines themselves only denoted where one kind of terrain ended and another began (I lightly drew arrows indicating the direction of slopes where applicable), but I think the next encounter (If they stay in the mountains) will use some kind of a composite of what yall suggested.

Thanks for your help.

[Savannah]

Wow, thanks! You don't have to, really, but if you would be so inclined I would only really need one or so of hills or mountains (it's the elevation part that really trips me up, marshes and forest aren't so tough).

I am not sure where they got to at the moment, so I'm afraid I won't be able to. Glad that you got it worked out.