I mostly use a combination of Paizo Flip Maps and Map Packs along with the WotC Dungeon Tiles.
It's pretty easy to get a collection of a wide variety of terrain types and locations, and it looks great on the table.
I add in some 3d elements like trees, rocks, tables, etc.

Brock Savage wrote:

Better DMs than I swear by Pathfinder D&D Maps and Tiles. but they don't seem like much of an improvement over the Chessex mat. I admit I haven't gamed with them, maybe they look better at the table? 

There's another brand called Inked Adventures that has a dungeon style I like. I could print them on cardstock and mounting them on black foamcore easily enough. Unfortunately, they have same issue as other DYI dungeons- the larger they get, the more crooked and uneven they look. 

I have some pathfinder maps to add color in a pinch but they are often so specialized that they don't fit the situation. Inked adventure tiles!  I love the art on these. I often add them to drawn maps to spice them up, like trapdoors, and other prop type things.
 

I think if I was going to use 3d dungeon stuff Dragonlock would probably be it:

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/166074/DRAGONLOCK-Ultimate-Dungeon-Starter-Set

Francisca noted that you could pre-assemble the rooms as needed and add them quickly as the dungeon was explored. You could build up a DF dungeon as you go but I think it would be much slower.

I have several boxed of DF stuff from I think their first KS that I haven't opened let alone used.

Dragonlock would require access to a 3d printer, but you can get the monoprice one for about $220. It's got tons of good reviews and I'm constantly yearning for one:

https://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-Select-Printer-Heated-Filament/dp/B01FL49VZE

They are coming out with a slightly less expensive one but I'm not sure the date on that.

Blackadder23 wrote:

What I actually use is a 8 1/2 x 11 piece of 1" grid paper, laminated. For combat situations I quickly drawn the walls, doors, PCs, monsters, furniture, etc. with a dry erase marker. It's easy to make new markings as characters and monsters move around, doors are opened, and so forth. The whole thing wipes clean in a second after each battle and is ready to go again.

This is a great idea.

I would recommend the home-spun route (much cheaper... I'd rather spend the $300-500 on comfortable chairs for my players). Print out rooms/corridors on ordinary paper or sticker sheets and adhere to foam board, then cut with a sharp craft knife.
 

I recently jumped in to Dwarven Forge. I absolutely adore them, but I have no plans to use them as my go-to mapping method, despite the big investment to get in DF. To me, they are for special occasions... major, final fights that wrap of story arcs, or just big and complex fights that have too many moving parts for theater of the mind. I use them to set up a single room (I would never build the whole dungeon) to give a clear picture of what is going on in the battle, and use miniatures and a tape measure to keep track of movement and ranges.

Most of the time, however, I just describe what is going on and we don't use miniatures. If questions do come up, I'll sketch a quick map with X's to represent enemy and player positions.

Last edited by Galadrin (12/16/2017 8:17 am)