Quick Answer: To import a battle map into Foundry VTT, upload the gridless PNG to your Foundry file manager, create a new scene, set the background image to your file, match the scene dimensions to the image size (4096 x 4096 for Black Lantern Forge maps), and set the grid size by dividing image width by grid squares (4096 / 30 = 136 pixels per square). Always use the gridless version. Never import a gridded map into Foundry.
Foundry VTT is the most capable virtual tabletop available for dungeon masters who want full control over their sessions. Dynamic lighting, fog of war, ambient sound, token automation, and a massive library of community modules all live under one roof. But if you are new to it, the first time you try to import a battle map and get the grid to align correctly, it can feel like more work than it should be.
It is not complicated once you understand what Foundry is actually doing. This guide walks through the full process from uploading your file to running a clean, grid-aligned scene that is ready for players.
Before You Start: Use the Gridless Version
Always use the gridless version of a battle map when importing into Foundry VTT. Foundry draws its own grid on top of the scene image, and importing a gridded map creates two overlapping grids that do not align. The result makes the map unplayable. This is the most important rule for importing maps into any VTT. Foundry draws its own grid on top of the scene image. If you import a gridded map, you end up with two grids layered over each other. Unless they align to the pixel, and manually achieving that is tedious, the result looks broken and makes the map harder to read during play.
Every map in the Dark Encounter Battle Maps Pack and the Shadows Beneath the Tavern Map Pack includes a gridless version specifically for this reason. Use that file when importing into Foundry. Save the gridded version for tabletop TV display or printed play.
Step 1: Upload Your Map File to Foundry
Open your Foundry world and navigate to the file manager. You can access this from the sidebar by clicking the folder icon, or directly during scene creation when you are prompted to select a background image.
In the file manager, navigate to the folder where you want to store your maps. Most DMs create a dedicated folder inside the Data directory, something like "Maps" or "Battle Maps," to keep things organized across sessions.
Click the Upload button and select your PNG file. Foundry supports PNG, JPEG, and WebP. PNG is the best choice for battle maps because it preserves image quality without compression artifacts. Files from the Black Lantern Forge packs are delivered as PNGs and can be uploaded directly without any conversion.
Once uploaded, the file is stored on your Foundry server and available to use in any scene in any world.
Step 2: Create a New Scene
In the sidebar, click the Scenes tab, which looks like a clapperboard. At the bottom of the panel, click Create Scene.
A configuration window opens. This is where you set everything about how the map will display and how the grid will behave. Give the scene a name that matches the map, for example "Torchlit Bridge Crossing" or "Gilded Mug Tavern Ground Floor," so it is easy to find when you are mid-session.
Step 3: Set the Background Image
In the scene configuration, find the Background Image field. Click the file picker icon and navigate to the map file you uploaded in Step 1. Select it and the image will load as a preview.
At this point you will see the map image but the grid probably does not align correctly yet. That is expected. The next steps fix that.
Step 4: Set the Scene Dimensions
Scene dimensions must match the exact pixel size of your map image. For all Black Lantern Forge battle maps, set both Width and Height to 4096. A dimension mismatch of even a few pixels will cause the grid to drift across the map during play. In the scene configuration, set the Width and Height fields to 4096 each. This tells Foundry the exact size of the canvas it is working with.
If you are using maps from other sources, check the file properties before importing. Right-click the file, select Properties, and read the dimensions from the Details tab. Always match the scene dimensions to the actual image dimensions.
Step 5: Configure the Grid
The correct Foundry VTT grid size for Black Lantern Forge maps is 136 pixels per square. This is calculated by dividing the image width (4096 pixels) by the number of horizontal grid squares (30): 4096 / 30 = 136.5, rounded to 136. Enter this value in the Grid Size field in the scene configuration and the grid will snap into alignment with the map artwork. Foundry will snap the grid to this scale and align it across the full map.
If you notice the grid is slightly off after entering this value, use the Grid Offset X and Grid Offset Y fields to nudge it into alignment. Most well-built maps have their grid starting at pixel 0,0, so offset values of 0 should work. If the grid lines fall slightly outside the squares, small adjustments of 1 to 3 pixels in either direction will correct it.
Set the Grid Type to Square for standard DnD and Pathfinder play. Foundry also supports hex grids if you are running a system that uses them.
Step 6: Set the Initial View
In the scene configuration, you can set where the camera starts when players enter the scene. For most battle maps, centering the view on the middle of the map works well. Foundry lets you click a button to set the current view position as the default, so you can pan the map to the right starting point and lock it in before your session.
This is a small detail that matters more than it sounds. Players joining a scene that opens on a dark corner or an off-center position lose the first few seconds of an encounter orienting themselves. A centered opening view puts everyone on the same page immediately.
Step 7: Configure Lighting and Fog of War
Foundry's lighting and fog of war systems are what separate it from simpler display methods. Once your map is imported and the grid is aligned, you can start placing light sources and walls to control what players can see.
For a quick setup without full wall placement, enable Fog of War in the scene settings and give player tokens a sight range. They will see within their sight radius and the rest of the map stays dark. This gives you functional fog of war without having to trace every wall.
For a fully immersive setup, use the Walls tool in the scene toolbar to draw walls along every room boundary, door frame, and corridor. Foundry will calculate line of sight from each token based on these walls, revealing only what the character could actually see from their position. It takes more prep time but creates a dramatically better player experience, especially on detailed maps with multiple rooms like the Gilded Mug Tavern layouts from the Shadows Beneath the Tavern Map Pack.
Step 8: Test Before Your Session
Before players join, open the scene yourself and check three things.
First, confirm the grid aligns with the map's artwork. Place a token and move it a few squares to verify it snaps correctly to the terrain.
Second, check the fog of war if you have it enabled. Move a token around the map and confirm that sight is working as expected and that no areas are revealing incorrectly.
Third, confirm the initial view position. Switch to the player perspective using the toggle in the top bar and verify that the opening view looks the way you want it to.
Two minutes of testing before a session saves you from troubleshooting in front of your players.
Common Issues and Quick Fixes
Grid does not align with the map artwork.
Double-check your scene dimensions match the image file exactly. A mismatch of even a few pixels will cause the grid to drift across the map.
Grid squares are too large or too small.
Recalculate the grid size by dividing the image width by the number of horizontal squares. For Black Lantern Forge maps: 4096 divided by 30 equals 136.
Map looks blurry or soft.
This usually means the image was compressed during upload. Use the original PNG from your download, not a screenshot or a re-saved copy.
Fog of war is not working.
Make sure each player token has a sight value set and that Global Illumination is turned off in the scene settings. Global Illumination overrides fog of war and makes the full map visible to everyone.
Scene is loading slowly for players.
PNG files at 4096 x 4096 are large. If loading is slow, convert the file to WebP format using a free tool like Squoosh before uploading. WebP delivers near-identical quality at roughly half the file size, which speeds up scene loading for players on slower connections.
Running the Session
Once your scene is configured, activating it for players is one click. Right-click the scene in the sidebar and select Activate. All connected players are immediately dropped into the scene from their initial view position.
From here, Foundry handles the rest. Tokens move on the grid, fog of war updates in real time as tokens move, and lighting reacts to anything you have set up in the scene. If you need to switch maps mid-session, pre-configure your next scene before the session starts and activate it when the encounter changes. The transition is instant for players.
The Dark Encounter Battle Maps Pack gives you 10 outdoor and dungeon environments to work through, each built at 4096 x 4096 on a 30x30 grid and ready to import using the steps above. The Shadows Beneath the Tavern Map Pack covers connected tavern interiors, hidden tunnels, and underground chambers that work especially well with Foundry's wall and lighting tools given how the environments flow into each other.
Both packs are $14.99 with instant download and lifetime access.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grid size should I use for battle maps in Foundry VTT?
For Black Lantern Forge maps, set the grid size to 136 pixels per square. This is calculated by dividing the image width (4096 pixels) by the number of horizontal grid squares (30). The same value applies to every map in both packs, so you only need to calculate it once.
Why is my battle map grid misaligned in Foundry VTT?
A misaligned grid in Foundry is almost always caused by one of three things: the scene dimensions do not match the image file size, the grid size value is incorrect, or a gridded map was imported instead of the gridless version. Set scene dimensions to 4096 x 4096, set grid size to 136, and confirm you are using the gridless file.
What image format works best for Foundry VTT maps?
PNG is the best format for importing battle maps into Foundry VTT. PNG preserves full image quality without compression artifacts. If scene loading is slow for players on slower connections, convert the PNG to WebP using a free tool like Squoosh before uploading. WebP delivers near-identical quality at roughly half the file size.
How do I set up fog of war in Foundry VTT?
To enable fog of war in Foundry, open the scene settings and turn on Fog Exploration. Make sure Global Illumination is turned off, as it overrides fog and makes the full map visible. Give each player token a sight range in the token settings. For full line-of-sight fog, use the Walls tool to draw walls along room boundaries and corridors before the session starts.
Can I use the same scene settings for every Black Lantern Forge map?
Yes. All maps in both the Dark Encounter Battle Maps Pack and the Shadows Beneath the Tavern Map Pack are built at 4096 x 4096 pixels on a 30x30 grid. The scene settings are identical across every file: scene dimensions 4096 x 4096, grid size 136. Once you configure one scene correctly, you can duplicate it and swap the background image for any other map in the pack.
