The 2024 edition of Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Master’s Guide Includes 15 maps for the player to use, but not all are equally good. These maps are designed to be flexible, capable of being inserted into almost any type of campaign. As a result, some of them are complex and layered, with overlapping paths and multipurpose rooms where DMs can really flex their imaginations. Others are simple, too generic for their own good.
That being said, each map clearly has its purpose; it turns out that some of them will inevitably be more fun to run or play with. They are the perfect thing to support the Damagefor new pre-made one-shot campaigns, or even to take some of the burden off the DM’s shoulders during a long-running custom game. See how each map compares to the others.
15
D&D’s ship map is small and specific
Only useful in certain campaigns
The least useful map in the new Damage is the one simply called “To send.” The most that can be said about it is that it delivers on what it promises, featuring a simple two-deck ship complete with mounted guns, captain’s quarters and lifeboats. Admittedly, this can be really cool in certain scenarios; DMs can use it to simulate boarding a party on an enemy ship, discovering a treasure-filled shipwreck, or evacuating a sinking ship.
However, the ship map is just Too specific for your own good. It is a simple, small, two-masted vessel, without much room for expansion or exploration. It works well for what it is, but it can never be anything more.
14
The caravan camp is overly simple
A small tent city
In the same vein, the Caravan Encampment map is small and has few resources. It is made up of five uncoupled carts that surround a central bonfire, evoking the image of a well-deserved rest at the end of a long day. It also includes a small grassy nook with a table and chair, and an entrance to a nearby road, but that’s about it.
The resource management and varied nature inherent in caravan campaigns can be really cool, but ultimately This map is a little too simple to be useful. If the player’s group needs to protect (or attack) a caravan at some point, it will be an excellent staging ground for the battle that will follow. But beyond that, there’s little to explore here.
13
The dragon’s lair is overly specific
Very clearly defined
The Dragon’s Lair map is a little larger, with three different floors – each very small. The first consists of what is clearly a landing platform/perch. Below are some small rooms that appear to have been designed for human quarters, perhaps dragon worshipers or riders. The third and final room is large, empty, and cavernous, clearly intended to be the dragon’s hoard or some kind of altar.
The question is that each of these rooms has a very clear function. It’s hard to justify using this map for anything else, and that limits its usefulness.
12
The wizard’s tower is overly simple
But it has potential
Running a Wizard’s Tower session can be a lot of fun. There’s a lot of potential for DMs to add strange magical items, bizarre hidden tomes, and deadly arcane traps, and laugh merrily as the player falls prey to all their tricks. There is a Wizard’s Tower map in the new Damage for players to use, but on their own, It’s a little too simple to make a really good DM.
The Sorcerer’s Tower consists of five simple, small, circular floors, few of which have unique features. There is also a small area in the basement that can serve as a dungeon, bedroom, or secret chamber – whatever the DM wants. There’s a bit to work with here, but the Sorcerer’s Tower is nothing even a beginning DM can create with some free mapping software and a free hour.
11
Underdark Warren needed to be bigger
Unrealized potential
The Underdark Warren map could have been so much more. Apparently a tunnel system existing beneath the wider world of Faerûn, it consists entirely of narrow corridors that frequently intersect. Unfortunately, it is rendered on such a large scale that just a few short passages take up the entire page. There are no large, cavernous rooms or unique features; players will almost certainly be able to explore everything in a matter of minutes.
Underdark Warren is very easy to navigate and doesn’t provide enough space for DMs to build something interesting. It definitely has its uses, but none of them are very exciting.
10
The Farmstead map is simple but effective
Defensive Strategies
The Farmstead map is decidedly larger than some of the previous entries on this list, but consists mainly of empty space. There is a small three-room farmhouse, a medium-sized shed and a large barn/stable, plus a grain silo and some rolling fields. And that’s all, making this map highly specialized.
That being said, there is some potential here for an interesting strategic battle. Let’s say players need to protect (or even destroy) a settlement’s food supply – this farm offers them the perfect battlegrounds. They will have to position their characters carefully to achieve their objective.
9
The Roadside Inn has a lot to explore
Accommodation
The Roadside Inn is another map similarly dominated by barren space; most of it is taken up by the titular road, while the actual structure is corralled. However, there is a lot that can be done even in this small space. On the lower floor there is a small tavern, perfect for organizing bar fights or exhibition sessions. There is a private room in the back, a large kitchen and a pantry. Upstairs, players will find a variety of small rooms, ideal for a night’s rest or for snooping around.
This map is perfectly fine – there’s just not much else that can be done with it. However, guesthouses are a fairly common part of almost all D&D configuration, so it’s possible to work it across a variety of different campaigns.
8
The Barrow Crypt is great for beginning adventurers
Baby’s first dungeon
The Barrow Crypt map is excellent for an early game dungeon. It’s relatively small, but not so small that players can clear everything in just a few minutes. There are some winding paths, but everything is so well connected that it is almost impossible to get lost. It contains rooms of various shapes and sizes, so a DM can fit almost anything anywhere, to suit any type of campaign.
Ultimately, it seems like the Barrow Crypt was designed with new DMs or inexperienced players in mind; is even first in the Maps section of Damage. Still, it’s flexible enough that it can be used at almost any point in the campaign – technically, it doesn’t even need to be a crypt.
7
The volcanic caves are huge
The floor is lava
The first thing most players will notice D&DThe new Volcanic Caves map is how big is it. It’s an absolutely extensive map and almost every inch of the page is used. It consists of interconnecting labyrinthine passages and narrow corridors that suddenly open into cavernous rooms. The only bad thing is that it is unmistakably a volcanic cave; It’s certainly not posing as a necromancer’s lair.
The Volcanic Cave also has a unique feature: some of its rooms can only be accessed by crossing lava. All the DM has to do is place a juicy treasure on the other side and they create an instant puzzle.
6
Fortress is difficult but rewarding
An impenetrable fortress
The Fortress is also quite large, but much more spread out; It consists of seven different floors, each of a different size, spread across an extensive fortress. Almost all floors are only accessible from a single entry point, which makes exploration difficult. Ideally, a DM will want to come up with something interesting in each of these parallel rooms, to encourage curiosity.
The linearity of the Keep map is filled with opportunities for unique enemy and trap placement. Alternatively, can be a great way to incorporate D&DThe new Bastion mechanic; have the group clean everything up and then take control.
5
The Crossroads Village is full of opportunities
Places to go, people to see
Don’t be fooled by the name: D&DThe Crossroads Village map is quite lively. This is not a sleepy little town; It’s a bustling village, filled with all types of homes, businesses, and resources. It’s a great starting area for a new campaign or a waypoint on a longer journey. The buildings and the river that runs between them can create challenging strategic obstacles or targets for exploration if players need to find a specific object or NPC.
Ultimately, there is a lot that can be done with Crossroads Village. It’s unfortunate that this is the only actual settlement map included in the new Damagebut at least prioritize quality over quantity.
4
Scary house map can be a lot of fun
Tricks and treats
This map has everything a DM needs to build a classic haunted house: secret rooms, a hidden wine cellar, out-of-tune pianos, an overgrown courtyard and much more. However, it leaves much to the Master’s imagination; It’s up to them to fill it with ghosts and ghouls, decide how to trigger its traps and uncover its secrets.
Frankly, this map has a very specific theme, which limits its flexibility a bit. But It’s so much fun for what it is that it’s hard to complain. Every campaign needs a good haunted house session, and the Damage provides the perfect structure with this map.
3
It’s easy to get lost in the mine
Twists and turns
This map, simply called Minas, is designed for players to get lost. It’s full of dead ends, confusing passages, floors with multiple entrances and all sorts of twists and turns. The brilliant thing about Minas is that the map is its own puzzle.
Players can explore it with some idea of what they’re looking for or go completely blind; either way, they will certainly turn around somewhere and let their curiosity get the best of them. Line its rooms with loot and secrets, and throw a party in this one, and they’re sure to have a lot of fun as they roam its halls.
2
The mansion is fully equipped
An old-fashioned dungeon
THE DamageThe new Manor map is the perfect setting for a classic multi-stage dungeon. It consists of a series of small interconnected bedrooms, dining rooms and living rooms. Players may have to find a key in one room to solve a puzzle in another to access a hidden passage in a third, eventually climbing the massive five-story tower to face the boss.
The Mansion can also be used in various scenarios: Maybe the party has to go undercover during a party or sneak in while the big bad is out of town. It could be the home of an ancient vampire or a powerful lord. It’s a great alternative for a Bastion player as well.
1
Dungeon hiding is incredibly flexible
The best new D&D map
As the name suggests, the Dungeon Hideout map is so nonspecific it could literally be anything: a bandit hideout, a hidden dungeon, an abandoned mine, etc. It is mainly made up of small rooms in a sequence, but each of them can be adapted to suit almost any theme.
This map also has some unique and interesting features that offer a lot for a DM to play with. Its surface level is divided into two parts, separated by a river; has a secret entrance/exit on the first floor; and there’s a large central room that’s great for a big set piece or a massive battle. Its flexibility and distinctiveness make Dungeon Hideout the best map in the new Dungeons and Dragons reference books.