Your rough sketch does not need to look professional. It needs to communicate how the encounter works. Mark entrances, walls, rooms, elevation, hazards, important terrain, and anything whose exact position matters. Pair that sketch with a short brief covering grid dimensions, atmosphere, references, intended VTT, and must-have features. The artist can then turn those functional notes into a polished battle map while preserving the layout your encounter needs. The best custom maps begin with clear priorities, not better drawing skills.
The map begins as a rectangle drawn on notebook paper.
There is a circle in the middle labeled "boss." A few boxes represent rooms. One line says "bridge?" Another says "water maybe." There is an arrow showing where the players enter and a large X where the final confrontation should happen.
It looks nothing like a finished battle map.
That is completely fine.
A useful custom map sketch is not concept art. It is a diagram showing how a location needs to function. If the artist understands the movement routes, encounter geometry, important landmarks, scale, atmosphere, and features that cannot move, a rough sketch can communicate more useful information than a page of campaign lore.
The challenge is knowing what information needs to survive the journey from pencil sketch to finished VTT map.
What should a rough battle map sketch actually include?
Start with structure.
The artist does not need perfectly straight walls, detailed furniture, realistic trees, or accurate perspective. They need to understand where things are in relation to one another.
At minimum, mark the boundaries of the playable area, entrances, exits, major rooms or terrain zones, and any feature the encounter depends on.
| Sketch Detail | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Entrances and exits | Establish encounter flow and reinforcement routes |
| Room and terrain boundaries | Defines the core geometry of the location |
| Elevation changes | Affects movement, sightlines, falling, and access |
| Mandatory hazards | Keeps important encounter mechanics intact |
| Major landmarks | Shows what players need to recognize immediately |
| Approximate scale | Prevents the finished battlefield from feeling too cramped or too empty |
If a bridge must be exactly three squares wide because a Large creature needs to block it, write that down. If the altar can move ten feet in either direction without changing the encounter, that can remain flexible.
Your sketch should separate what is mechanically important from what is simply visual inspiration.
How detailed does your sketch need to be?
Less detailed than most DMs think.
Boxes, circles, arrows, numbers, and short labels are enough if they communicate the layout clearly.
Your sketch needs to explain what the map must do. The finished commission is where those rough shapes become believable architecture, terrain, lighting, and environmental detail.
Imagine you are sketching a ruined mountain temple.
You could draw a large circle labeled "central temple," a narrow bridge leading to it, two elevated platforms, a collapsed southern wall, and a staircase toward a lower chamber. Add arrows showing the expected player approach and a note that the bridge should cross a visible chasm.
That is already enough to establish the encounter's skeleton.
Do not spend an hour drawing individual stones unless the exact stone placement matters to the encounter.
What should be fixed, and what should the artist be allowed to change?
One of the most useful things you can do is divide your notes into required and flexible.
Required details are features the encounter stops working without.
Flexible details communicate the feeling you want while leaving room for the artist to solve the visual design.
| Required | Flexible |
|---|---|
| 30x30 playable grid | Exact outer shape of surrounding cliffs |
| Two entrances on opposite sides | Decorative arch style |
| 10-foot-wide central bridge | Exact bridge material |
| Elevated boss platform | Statue and rubble placement |
| Collapsed southern alternate route | Vegetation density |
This prevents two opposite problems.
Without enough constraints, the map can look excellent while failing to support the encounter. With too many constraints, the commission becomes a tracing exercise where the artist has no room to improve spacing, readability, or visual composition.
Lock the encounter logic. Leave room to improve the artwork around it.
How should you describe scale for a custom VTT map?
Give the map dimensions in grid squares, not vague descriptions like "a medium-sized dungeon."
A 30x30 battle map using the standard D&D scale of 5 feet per square represents a 150-by-150-foot playable area.
That decision immediately helps establish how far characters can move, how large rooms should feel, how wide corridors need to be, whether ranged combat will matter, and how much space larger creatures need.
| Map Size | 5-Foot Scale | Possible Use |
|---|---|---|
| 20x20 | 100 × 100 ft. | Compact encounter |
| 30x30 | 150 × 150 ft. | General battle map |
| 40x40 | 200 × 200 ft. | Large fortress or outdoor fight |
| 20x50 | 100 × 250 ft. | Road, bridge, chase, or corridor layout |
If your location needs unusual proportions, say so. A chase map might be long and narrow. A throne room might be wide but shallow. A connected multi-floor fortress may work better as several maps than one massive image.
For more on standard tactical scale, our 30x30 grid scaling guide breaks down how 5-foot squares interact with D&D movement.
What should your written commission brief include?
The sketch explains where things go. The written brief explains what those things should feel like.
A useful brief does not need to be long. It needs to remove ambiguity.
Grid: 30x30 square grid.
Environment: Ancient mountain temple built over a deep ravine.
Required: Central circular platform, 10-foot-wide bridge, two elevated side platforms, collapsed southern route, eastern staircase, visible chasm.
Atmosphere: Cold, abandoned, wind-damaged, pale morning light, scattered snow.
Use: Foundry VTT and tabletop TV.
References: Images showing the architecture, stone color, and desired mountain environment.
Notice what is not required: four paragraphs explaining who built the temple eight centuries ago.
Campaign lore can help establish mood, but it does not replace physical instructions.
How should you use reference images?
Use references to communicate individual visual ideas rather than asking for a direct copy.
One image might show the architecture you like. Another might show the color palette. A third might show vegetation density. A fourth might demonstrate the lighting or atmosphere.
Label what matters about each one.
Reference A: I like the cold blue lighting.
Reference B: I like the ruined stone arches.
Reference C: This is roughly how dense I want the forest.
Reference D: This has the type of central platform I imagined.
The clearer you are about the specific quality you like, the easier it becomes to translate that quality into an original map.
What makes a commissioned map truly VTT-ready?
A good-looking overhead image is not automatically a good VTT battle map.
Players need to understand terrain quickly while tokens, spell templates, fog of war, vision walls, and other interface elements are sitting over the artwork.
That means readability matters just as much as detail.
| VTT Requirement | What Good Looks Like |
|---|---|
| Grid alignment | The intended square count is documented and consistent |
| Terrain readability | Walls, floors, hazards, water, and elevation are visually distinct |
| Token space | Important combat areas are not overcrowded with decoration |
| Resolution | Artwork remains clear when players zoom into the encounter |
| Gridless option | Allows the VTT's native grid to be used cleanly |
A VTT-ready map should also make the important structural features easy to trace for vision and fog-of-war systems. A secret chamber, doorway, narrow corridor, raised platform, or exterior wall should be visually understandable before you begin adding software-specific tools.
Should you request gridded or gridless files?
Ideally, both.
A gridless file gives virtual tabletops more flexibility because Roll20, Foundry VTT, and Owlbear Rodeo can place their own grids over the artwork.
A gridded version is useful for direct tabletop screens, printing, quick previews, and situations where you want the square boundaries permanently visible.
Having both versions also means you are not locked into one platform later.
If you are importing the finished map into a virtual tabletop, our Foundry VTT map guide and Roll20 battle map setup guide cover the software side.
What should you review when the first draft arrives?
Review function before decoration.
The first question is not whether the moss is the exact shade of green you pictured.
Check whether the map still supports the encounter.
Confirm scale, routes, required features, elevation, entrances, and encounter geometry before spending revision time on decorative details.
Look at the map as if you were already running the session.
Can a Large creature fit where it needs to stand?
Is the bridge actually wide enough?
Can players tell that the eastern platform is elevated?
Does the alternate route still read as an alternate route?
Are the entrances in the correct locations?
Will tokens remain readable over the artwork?
Those are the issues worth solving early.
How should you give revision feedback?
Be spatial and specific.
"The map needs to feel more epic" is difficult to act on.
"Can we widen the central bridge from two squares to three so the boss can fight there without blocking the entire route?" is useful.
Strong feedback explains where the issue is, what currently does not work, what outcome you need, and whether the artist is free to choose the exact solution.
You can also mark the draft directly. Circling a staircase and writing "move here" is often clearer than writing an entire paragraph explaining its new position.
Try to group feedback together rather than sending a new tiny adjustment every time you look at the map. A clear revision round is easier to execute and easier to review.
Why do custom map commissions usually go off track?
The first problem is assuming the artist knows which details are important.
A DM might draw a staircase in the corner because the final boss enters from that staircase on Round 3. The artist sees a staircase that can move twenty feet without hurting the composition and relocates it.
Neither person did anything unreasonable. The importance was never communicated.
The second problem is using narrative language where physical language is needed.
"This place was once the beautiful heart of an ancient civilization corrupted by forbidden magic" establishes tone.
"White marble temple, partially collapsed, purple magical fissures, overgrown courtyards, ruined statues, moonlit interior" establishes drawable information.
Use both if you want, but make sure the second version exists.
The third problem is waiting until late in the project to explain how the map will be used.
If you need the map for Foundry VTT, Roll20, a tabletop TV, print, or several formats, say that early.
The fourth problem is treating every preference as equally important.
A strong brief tells the artist what cannot change, what should probably stay, and where they are free to make the map better.
When is a custom map actually worth commissioning?
Custom work makes the most sense when the location itself matters.
A random roadside encounter probably does not need a bespoke map.
A recurring party headquarters might.
A villain's fortress designed around a specific infiltration route might.
A puzzle dungeon where the geometry is part of the solution probably does.
A campaign finale your group has spent two years approaching is another strong candidate.
If the exact geography is not important, an existing battle map can usually get you playing faster. If you keep finding yourself saying, "Pretend this wall is actually over here," or "Imagine another staircase on this side," a custom map starts making much more sense.
What should the finished map be tested for?
Before calling the map finished, test it like an encounter rather than an illustration.
| Test | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Grid | Correct dimensions and clean VTT alignment |
| Movement | Routes support the intended encounter pacing |
| Creature Size | Large and Huge creatures fit where required |
| Sightlines | Walls and terrain support the intended ranged combat |
| Token Readability | Miniatures or tokens remain easy to identify |
| Must-Have Features | Every mechanically required element is present |
Drop a few tokens onto the map. Measure movement. Look at the battle space at normal VTT zoom. Check the routes players will actually use.
A custom map succeeds when the finished artwork makes the encounter easier to understand and more exciting to play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does my custom battle map sketch need to look professional?
No. A rough sketch made from boxes, arrows, circles, labels, and basic room shapes is completely useful if it communicates layout clearly. The important information is where major features go, how areas connect, what the scale is, and which details are required for the encounter.
What should I include in a custom map commission brief?
Include the environment type, grid dimensions, mandatory terrain features, entrances and exits, elevation, atmosphere, reference images, intended platform, and any real deadline. Clearly separate details that cannot change from areas where the artist has creative flexibility.
What size should a custom D&D battle map be?
The right dimensions depend on the encounter. A 30x30 grid is a useful general-purpose size and represents a 150-by-150-foot battlefield at the standard 5-foot-square scale. Smaller or larger maps can make sense for specific locations.
Should a custom VTT map have a grid?
Having both gridded and gridless versions gives you the most flexibility. Gridless maps work well with native VTT grids, while gridded maps are useful for direct display, printing, and tabletop TV setups.
How many reference images should I send to a map artist?
A few focused references are usually more useful than a huge folder. Use separate images for architecture, environment, color, lighting, or atmosphere, and explain which quality from each reference you want the artist to understand.
What should I check when reviewing a custom battle map draft?
Check scale, routes, entrances, elevation, mandatory features, creature space, terrain readability, and VTT usability first. Decorative preferences are easier to adjust after the encounter geometry is correct.
When is commissioning a custom battle map worth it?
Custom maps make the most sense when the exact location matters to the encounter or campaign. Boss arenas, recurring headquarters, important fortresses, puzzle dungeons, campaign finales, and locations with unusual geometry are strong candidates for custom work.
Whether you need inspiration for a custom location or a battle map that is ready to drop into your next session, explore encounter-focused maps built for tactical tabletop play.
Browse Battle Map Packs →Sources
| Black Lantern Forge | Battle Map Collection |
| Black Lantern Forge | How We Make Our Maps: Behind the Process at Black Lantern Forge |
| Black Lantern Forge | How to Import Battle Maps Into Foundry VTT |
| Black Lantern Forge | How to Set Up Battle Maps on Roll20 the Right Way |
