From words to maps in under a minute

Describe the scene, shape it, and drop the finished map on your table.Four steps, no drawing required.

NeedAMap turns a written scene description into a top-down map for D&D and any tabletop RPG.

You type what the players will see, pick a shape, a style, and a resolution, and download a standard image that Roll20, Foundry VTT, Owlbear Rodeo, and every other virtual tabletop imports. Most maps are ready in under a minute.

1

Describe your scene

Type the scene the way you would narrate it to your players: a crumbling stone temple overrun by jungle vines, or a neon-lit back alley at midnight. One line is enough to start. Detail gives you control over what ends up on the map.

Name the place, then add two or three concrete details: cover, terrain, lighting. Perspective is handled for you. Or skip the writing and pick one of 60 scene starters to edit to taste.

Running D&D? The D&D map generator page shows six dungeon and encounter maps with the descriptions that made them. Another system? Start at the TTRPG map maker.

The NeedAMap create page with a scene description typed in and the control row showing ratio, scope, style, and resolution
2

Shape it to your encounter

Match the map to the space you are running. A corridor fight wants Wide, a tower interior wants Tall, a set piece wants Cinematic. Choose Single area or Multi-room, pick Painted, Gritty, or Ink, then set the resolution: 1K for quick prep, 2K for most virtual tabletops, 4K for big displays and print.

Not sure which shape or resolution your table needs? The VTT map maker page walks through it.

Aspect ratio

Corridors, streets, encounters that flow left to right.

Scope

One room or space, one encounter.

Style

Vibrant illustrated color. The classic look.

Resolution

Session-ready detail. 2 credits.

The same controls you’ll use in the app. Go ahead, click around.

One scene, three styles

The same throne room in each style.

Vibrant illustrated color. The classic look.

A throne room battle map in the Painted style: vibrant illustrated color

Resolution, up close

The same map exported at each resolution, zoomed to a single room.

2 credits. Session-ready, and above the grid detail Roll20 recommends.

The same map region exported at 2K resolution
3

Get your map in under a minute

Most maps land in under a minute. What comes back is a finished, high-resolution, top-down map, saved to your library and yours to keep and reuse across campaigns. If a generation fails, the credits come back automatically.

A finished top-down map displayed in NeedAMap moments after generation
4

Drop it into your VTT

Download the image and drag it onto your Roll20, Foundry VTT, or Owlbear Rodeo page, or into any virtual tabletop that accepts image imports. It’s a standard image, so there’s nothing to convert or install. Line the grid up once and you’re ready to run.

A completed map in the NeedAMap library, ready to download

Line it up on your virtual tabletop

Every map downloads as a standard image. Each virtual tabletop needs one number to line the grid up, and these guides give it to you.

Roll20

A 2K map lands at about 146 pixels per square on a 14-square page, above the 140 Roll20 recommends for maps players zoom into.

Battle maps for Roll20 →

Foundry VTT

Foundry reads the scene size from the image. Grid size is the image width divided by the squares you want across: 146 for 14.

Battle maps for Foundry VTT →

Owlbear Rodeo

Name the file tavern-14x14.jpg and Owlbear sets the columns and rows from the name. The map is locked under the grid from the first drag.

Battle maps for Owlbear Rodeo →

Also fine anywhere that imports an image: Fantasy Grounds, Shmeppy, and more. Sizing notes for every virtual tabletop.

The description is the whole trick

Three maps from the library, each with the exact description that made it.

Crumbling jungle temple with vines and golden light shafts: top-down battle map made from a text description

Jungle temple ruins

  • Wide
  • 2K
  • Painted

The description

“Crumbling jungle temple, vines, golden light shafts, moss tiles, central altar”

Cyberpunk neon alley with fire escapes, steam, and puddle reflections: top-down battle map made from a text description

Neon back alley

  • Wide
  • 2K
  • Painted

The description

“Cyberpunk alley at night, neon reflections in puddles, fire escapes, steam, futuristic technology”

Midnight graveyard with mausoleums, dead trees, and ground fog: top-down battle map made from a text description

Midnight graveyard

  • Wide
  • 2K
  • Painted

The description

“Midnight graveyard, iron gate, tombstones and mausoleums, dead trees, ground fog, full moon”

See all examples →

5 free maps

when you sign up, no credit card

Under a minute

from description to finished map

Credits come back

automatically if a generation fails

Commercial use

allowed on every tier, including free

Related pages

Common questions

Most maps generate in under a minute. 1K is the fastest and 4K takes a little longer. You’ll see a progress indicator while your map is being created.

Any virtual tabletop that accepts image imports: Roll20, Foundry VTT, Owlbear Rodeo, Fantasy Grounds, Shmeppy, and more. The map is a standard image, so there’s nothing to convert.

No. Maps are gridless, and your virtual tabletop draws its own grid over the image. Set the grid size once, using the number from the guide for your VTT, and the squares line up.

Not at all. You describe the scene in plain language and NeedAMap draws the map. If you can explain what you see in your mind’s eye, you can make a map.

Fantasy, sci-fi, horror, modern, and western are the core five, plus cyberpunk, steampunk, post-apocalyptic, and anything else you can describe.

Square, Wide, Tall, and Cinematic aspect ratios, as single areas or connected rooms, in three art styles, at 1K, 2K, or 4K resolution. A 2K map is above the grid detail Roll20 recommends.

You get 5 free maps when you sign up. After that, plans start at $4 a month, and credits scale with resolution: 1 for 1K, 2 for 2K, 4 for 4K. See pricing for details.

See all questions →

Boarding action battle map, shown behind the sign-up call to action

Try it with a scene from your own campaign

5 free maps, no credit card required.

Notify me at launch