What do you think makes a good battlemap?
There isn’t a one size fits all set of rules, but I like:
- multiple exits and entrances. If the party needs to flee, or there are reinforcements, then they’re should be a few ways on and off the battlefield
- cover. A scattering of solid items to use as full or partial cover makes it easier for characters to move.
- multiple paths allow units to circle behind enemies.
What do you look for in maps?
color matters not too bright and not too gloomy
also no fucking grids in the art. programs do that enough
I have a very different approach on RPG map, and don’t play any games requiring to use battle map, and the more I age, the less battle occurs on my game.
I still sometimes use map mostly because It’s telling the building story. If you draw a fortress map, you have to think about stuff like : How to feed these persons, where do they sleep, how do they get rid of the shit, what about the horses. Suddently, your 200 persons well defended fortress is full of “holes” that a smart adventurer party could use to “Save the princess” without even drawing the sword.
So my answer is if it can gives me my information about how to use-it in my story without a single word. Tell me which NPC sleeps in the dorm room near the PC so I can focus on the drama, tell that the house-servant have a “hidden” corridor between the kitchen and the ball-room so they can bring food without annoying the house-master. Tell me whether the PC can jump on the stable roof, to exit by the 1st floor windows without breaking their legs, and many more
When I play that type of scenario I avoid using a map. Mostly because I take hours to create a map (which is pretty frustrating), but also because it’s too restrictive. If the players ask about something clever, I want the latitude to include it. Your example of the secret passage is a great example of the later.