Battle Maps

What Is a Location Map?

Location maps are tactical maps of specific places — a dungeon, a tavern, a spaceship corridor, a city block. They're designed for encounter-scale use: players can see exactly where they are, what's around them, and what zones they can move to. Location maps live inside a project alongside world maps, so you can drill down from continent to region to specific encounter.

Zone Painting

The main tool in the Location editor is zone painting. Select a zone type from the palette — room, corridor, wall, water, open ground, etc. — and paint it onto the grid. Zone types carry semantic meaning: the style engine knows what a "stone wall" looks like versus an "open courtyard", so your auto-stylized result uses appropriate visual treatments for each.

You can name any zone for keeper/GM reference. Names appear in the editor but are hidden in the exported player version if you choose.

Multi-Level Elevations

Location maps support multiple elevation levels — useful for multi-story buildings, underground dungeons, ship decks, or any scene with vertical complexity. Add a new level from the level selector in the toolbar. Each level is a separate paint canvas that shares the same coordinate grid.

During play, switch levels to show players the current floor. Export each level as a separate image or export all levels as a stacked sheet.

Exporting for VTT

Location maps export as PNG files at a resolution you specify. For Foundry VTT and Roll20, the standard is 70–100px per grid square. Set your desired pixels-per-square in the export dialog and Cartographer scales accordingly.

• Foundry VTT: Import as a scene. Set grid scale to match your export resolution.
• Roll20: Upload as a map image. Roll20 auto-detects standard grid sizes.
• Print: Export at 300dpi for A3 or larger print-and-play maps.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I link a location map to a specific place on my world map?

Yes. When creating a location map, you can associate it with a named location pin on your world map. This creates a drill-down link from world view to encounter view.

Is there a grid size limit?

The editor supports up to 200×200 grid squares. Most encounter maps are 30×30 to 60×60. Very large maps may take longer to auto-stylize.