Gaming Grids

[Dragero]

You know the kind, those grids that you use in different assorted roleplaying games, one tile represent 5 feet or so in D&D, etc.

Recently, I've realized that my set of pre-made 20 (Or so, probably less) by 20 tiles are very limiting. Not only are they huge, but it's just annoying having to say,

"Ok guys, this isn't a brightly lit city teeming with life, it's actually the lair of an Evil Death Cult. See those clowns? They're actually mutilated kittens."

I've been thinking of getting one of those gridded white boards, that you can draw on and such, but I was wondering, what do you guys suggest I get? It has to be reusable/easily changed. Preferably cheap, but price isn't that huge of an issue, but it HAS to be portable, no 1 meter by 1 meter titanium, jewel encrusted, tables.

[dsmiles]

I use a lined magnetic dry erase board. I love it.

[Skorj]

I use a clear lined board that I can set on top of printed graphics. Anything ruled and dry-erase is good though - just make sure it's really dry erase, and doesn't require a cleaning compound.

[Callista]

Laminated paper. Before laminating, print the grid on it.

If you wipe off dry-erase marker right away, it doesn't stay. A small scrap of cloth works well as an eraser. As a bonus, it's very portable.

[rayne_dragon]

My DM had a fair bit of success with the Dungeon Tiles kits, but it takes a few sets of them to get a useful amount. He also had a number of premade tiles from older kits that you might be able to find for cheap these days and that looked like they had enough tiles to be usable on their own. Another DM I had used a whileboard with tiles drawn on it and little stand up walls with the furniture from Hero Quest to indicate where stuff was - that wasn't quite as effective. I've also seen lego used quite effective in both 1 peg = 5' and 4 pegs = 5' scales.

All that said, the lined dry erase board is probably the cheapest and most versatile option, although the tiles/legos can at times be easier to use than drawing everything out.

[Vknight]

Laminated Paper, Battle Map, or something else already suggested.

You want that something which can be erased so the map can be used again. Also be careful if you lend the map to a player for a game he Dm's if he accidently uses Permanent Marker rather then Dry Erase.

[Dragero]

Laminated paper. Before laminating, print the grid on it.

If you wipe off dry-erase marker right away, it doesn't stay. A small scrap of cloth works well as an eraser. As a bonus, it's very portable.

Hmmm never thought of that.

I also got a suggestion (From the clerk at the store I was hoping to get my whiteboard from, as they where out of boards) to just use large sheets of (Regular, non laminated) grid paper, and prepare them beforehand. Has anybody here ever tried this?

[BarroomBard]

Battle Mat (by Chessex) has always been my go-to gaming grid. It's a roll of dry erase plastic (kinda what dinner mats are made of), with a square grid printed on one side and a hex grid printed on the other side. They are durable, large enough for even the biggest room, portable, and they erase very easily with a moist cloth.

[RTGoodman]

Chessex's Battle Mat (as others said) is good, and you can occasionally get misprinted ones (that aren't that misprinted after all) for pretty cheap.

I actually prefer a relatively new product, Gaming Paper. I don't know if I'm allowed to link the actual site (advertising rules?), but it's easily found via Google. It comes in a long roll like wrapping paper. I've been using it for a year or so and still have two full rolls out of my original four.

It's designed for you to cut out just the sizes you need, draw on them, then roll/fold/crumple them up. They lay back out smooth, look good, and are generally pretty durable. (You can even iron it on low heat if you spill something on it.)

[Dust]

I third the Chessex battlegrid. For only 20-40 bucks, it's reliable and easy to transport.

I own two; a large one for huge-scale battles and a smaller, 25 x 25-ish map that I use for everything else. I once forgot about the larger map and left it still covered in dry-erase marker in my closet for something like 7 months. When I finally pulled it out I was SURE it was stained for good and ruined, but no - a good scrub and it looked good as new.

You won't regret that purchase, but I advise against the 'misprint' ones - they tend to fray around the edges for reasons unknown to me, whereas the others don't.

I've wanted to try Gaming Paper for awhile, too. It looks great.

[Apophis]

I recently got two of these, and they work wonderfully. I've left drawings on them for weeks, but they still come right off when I wipe them down.

[RTGoodman]

I advise against the 'misprint' ones - they tend to fray around the edges for reasons unknown to me, whereas the others don't.

I never saw that in the two years I played on one, but I guess it's kind of a grab bag. The "misprint" on the one my friend had was that there was about a half an inch of line missing from one little section of the grid; otherwise it was fine.

I've wanted to try Gaming Paper for awhile, too. It looks great.

It's good stuff. Here's a good pic from earlier in my current campaign where you can see how easy it is to fold it up and then fold it back out. And it's as easy as a Battle Mat to draw a nice little dungeon on, but with whatever markers you have lying around. Did this one in all of a few minutes.

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[Dexam]

I use a Chessex grid battle map - single sided and made of vinyl. For drawing on it, I use Crayola waterbased markers - they erase very easily with a damp cloth or paper towel, but can leave very faint stains if you leave it more than two weeks. Although I have heard this cleaning tip from a friend: he has a Chessex map which had marker stains he thought were permanent, but came up clean as new by soaking it for an hour or so in warm water and laundry stain remover (Napisan, for the Aussies who might be reading this).

[Dragero]

Those chessex battle grids look nice, but it looks like all the square grids are out of print, and they only have Hex grids left.

And gaming paper looks very interesting, I'll look into it a bit more when I have some time.

[Kerrin]

I also got a suggestion (From the clerk at the store I was hoping to get my whiteboard from, as they where out of boards) to just use large sheets of (Regular, non laminated) grid paper, and prepare them beforehand. Has anybody here ever tried this?

Yes. I use easel sized pads of paper that are printed with 1-inch grid lines. The office supply stores around here (Office Max, Staples) carry them or they can be ordered online.

The paper works out well and because we don't play every week I can keep around the drawn out maps from previous sessions until they're no longer needed. It's also easy to flip back and forth between sheets if needed.

I've been tempted by the eraseable mats but the easel sized pads of paper have worked out well for us. The down side is that they don't roll up for easier transport, but that's not an issue for us.

[Kaulesh]

Those chessex battle grids look nice, but it looks like all the square grids are out of print, and they only have Hex grids left.

And gaming paper looks very interesting, I'll look into it a bit more when I have some time.

Really? I just searched for "Chessex" on Amazon. Two of the first three results are for in-stock mats. One, the megamat, is double-sided, squares on both sides. The other, the one I picked up half a year ago, is double-sided, squares on one side and hexes on the other. Both have squares on one side and hexes on the other.

[Dragero]

Really? I just searched for "Chessex" on Amazon. Two of the first three results are for in-stock mats. One, the megamat, is double-sided, squares on both sides. The other, the one I picked up half a year ago, is double-sided, squares on one side and hexes on the other. Both have squares on one side and hexes on the other.

Pleh, I only checked the chessex site. I ALWAYS forget amazon, always!

[Kaulesh]

Pleh, I only checked the chessex site. I ALWAYS forget amazon, always!

If you can get one, I also heartily recommend it. I've had mine for around half a year and love it.

[Ilmryn]

I laminated the battle grid that comes with the dmg. It works pretty well.

[Dragero]

I laminated the battle grid that comes with the dmg. It works pretty well.

I've never even removed mine from the book......