Tools & Platforms

Dungeondraft is a specialized, standalone map-making software designed specifically for creating high-quality TTRPG battlemaps. Developed by Megasploot (the creator of the world-building tool Wonderdraft), it was released in 2020 and has since become the industry favorite for GMs who want to build detailed, tactical maps without needing professional graphic design skills. It is famous for its "smart" tools that handle walls, lighting, and object scattering automatically, allowing a full encounter map to be completed in minutes. Description Dungeondraft bridges the gap between simple grid-sketching and complex image editors like Photoshop. It features a unique, hand-drawn aesthetic that fits perfectly with modern fantasy games. The software is built for efficiency; drawing a room automatically places floors and walls, and the integrated lighting engine allows you to place torches that cast realistic shadows in real-time. In 2026, it remains a "buy-once-own-forever" staple, free from the subscription models that have taken over much of the creative software market. System Overview & Key Features Smart Wall and Floor Tools Building a structure is as simple as clicking and dragging. The tool automatically handles corners, joins, and textures. If you move a wall, the floor expands with it, and placing a window or door automatically "cuts" the wall to fit the asset. Integrated Dynamic Lighting Dungeondraft allows you to place light sources with customizable colors, intensity, and flicker. These lights interact with the walls you've drawn, casting shadows that provide an instant sense of depth and atmosphere to any dungeon or tavern. Universal VTT Export One of its most powerful features is the ability to export maps directly into formats for Foundry VTT, Roll20, and Fantasy Grounds. These exports include the "wall data" and "light data," meaning you don't have to redraw your walls in your virtual tabletop software. Object Scattering and Paths The Scatter Tool allows you to "paint" clutter like rocks, grass, or debris with randomized rotation and scale, making environments feel organic. The Path Tool lets you draw roads, rivers, or fences that follow a smooth curve automatically. Massive Custom Asset Support While the base software comes with a complete art style, the community has created thousands of additional packs. You can easily import assets from famous artists like Forgotten Adventures or Crosshead, allowing you to completely change the look of your maps. Terrain and Water Painting The software includes a multi-layered terrain brush that lets you blend different textures like sand, dirt, and grass. The water tool allows you to create pools and rivers with adjustable transparency and "edge foam" for a professional finish. Additional links dungeondraft.net - Official Dungeondraft website and store cartographyassets.com - The primary hub for free and paid Dungeondraft asset packs reddit.com/r/dungeondraft - Active community for sharing maps and technical support

Worldographer is the easy to use world, kingdom, city, village, dungeon, & battlemat map maker for Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) and other role-playing games (RPGs). Make maps from scratch in minutes or let the program auto-generate a map you can quickly customize. Next Level Map-Making By keeping the software focused on a few specific map styles, the maps are easy to create and modify. Useful generators will auto-generate many types of maps: a world, region, city, village, shop, house, and more! /images/general-media/1774442116_n6q5GtpT.jpg Screenshot of a world map at the continent level. Hundreds of icons are built into the software, but with the pro version you can add even more. We've made thousands in other map icon packs, but any common image (.png preferred, but .jpg & .gif can also be used) can be added. Links worldographer.com - Official website store.inkwellideas.com - Software & Icon Sets

StarCar is a permanently free linear star systems cartography tool. It enables GMs running sci-fi campaigns to visualize and share star maps with their players easily. It allows a lot of different customizations for orbital bodies, like planets, secondary stars, Ringworlds, Dyson Spheres, and more. GMs can add notes to individual orbital bodies, stars, and moons. The notes can be totally customizable, or use either Traveller or Stars Without Number rules. If they want, the GM can even export a stylized PDF report that details all the notes in an easy-to-follow format. /images/general-media/1774627632_kj6M8DO6.png And if the GM just needs something right away? StarCar will roll the dice and generate a totally randomized system: random stars, planets, and even randomized plot hooks. Once the GM is finished, they can export it in a number of different formats: PNG, WebP, or JPG, or with settings like Printer Friendly or Transparent Background. Anything exported is licensed under Creative Commons 4.0, which means the person who makes it owns it. They can even use it in any products they sell, with attribution. Links starcar.grumpycorngames.com - Starcar website

Inkarnate is a powerful, web based cartography suite that allows users to create everything from sprawling world maps to highly detailed tactical battlemaps. Unlike software that requires a local installation, Inkarnate runs entirely in the browser, making it accessible from any computer with an internet connection. In December 2025, the platform launched its massive 2.0 Update, introducing a completely refined interface, advanced custom layering, and a marketplace for community assets, solidifying its position as the most versatile map making tool in the industry. Description Inkarnate is the "all in one" solution for fantasy cartography. It offers distinct styles—including Parchment, Watercolor, and High Fantasy—that allow GMs to match their maps to the tone of their campaign. While it was once seen primarily as a world and regional map tool, the 2.0 update dramatically improved its battlemap capabilities, bringing it into direct competition with specialized tools like Dungeondraft. It is a subscription based service, but the sheer volume of its asset library (over 30,000 stamps) makes it a favorite for GMs who want an endless variety of visual options. System Overview & Key Features Advanced Custom Layers (v2.0) The 2.0 update introduced a professional grade layering system. Users can now group assets, lock specific layers to prevent accidental movement, and apply transparency or blend modes to entire groups. This allows for complex "multi level" maps where you can toggle a roof or upper floor on and off during play. Brush Tool 2.0 and Layer Masks The painting system has been completely rebuilt to feel more like a traditional art program. Every layer can now have its own mask, allowing you to "paint" terrain or transparency with pixel accuracy. This is essential for creating organic transitions between biomes or hiding secret rooms behind "hidden" layers. Massive 30K+ Asset Library The paid tiers grant access to an enormous catalog of high definition stamps. From elven architecture and dwarven machinery to sci fi terminals and eldritch horrors, the library is updated weekly, ensuring that GMs always have new visuals to inspire their world building. 8K and 16K Exporting Inkarnate is famous for its high resolution output. The Creator tier allows for 8K exports, while the 2026 Studio tier supports beta 16K exporting. This level of detail is perfect for GMs who print their maps or use high resolution 4K monitors for their virtual tabletop sessions. The Inkarnate Marketplace New for 2026, the Marketplace allows professional cartographers and artists to sell custom asset packs and map templates directly within the platform. This has expanded the "Inkarnate Look" far beyond its original art style, offering community driven variety for niche genres like Cyberpunk or Steampunk. Interactive "Explore" Feed The platform features a social gallery where users can share their maps. Many of these are "Cloneable," meaning you can open another user's map in the editor, see how they built it, and modify it for your own campaign, making it an excellent learning tool for new cartographers. Additional links inkarnate.com - Official Inkarnate website and editor r/inkarnate - Official subreddit for map sharing and feedback

The Medieval Fantasy City Generator (MFCG) is a highly influential, browser based procedural tool created by the developer watabou. Since its debut in 2017, it has become the gold standard for "instant" urban cartography, capable of generating complex, aesthetic city layouts in a single click. In late 2025 and early 2026, the tool received significant updates to its District View and Building Placement algorithms, allowing for more organic street flow and higher density urban "slums" that better reflect historical medieval layouts. Description The Medieval Fantasy City Generator is a "toy" in the best sense of the word—a lightweight, highly customizable application that prioritizes "cool looking" maps over strict geographical simulation. It uses Voronoi diagrams to partition space into districts, then fills them with procedurally generated buildings, walls, and landmarks. Because it runs entirely in HTML5, it requires no installation and is a favorite for GMs who need to generate a "capital city" or "coastal port" on the fly during a live session. System Overview & Key Features One Click Generation Pressing a single key (Enter) generates a completely new city with unique geography. The tool automatically decides where the castle, the temple, and the market square go, providing an instant foundation for a Game Master to build their narrative upon. Procedural District Mapping The 2026 version features an improved "Alleys and Blocks" view. Cities are divided into logical districts—like the Craftsmans Quarter or the Shanty Town—each with its own architectural density and procedurally generated name that can be edited by the user. Dynamic Warp Tool GMs can manually reshape the city by "warping" its boundaries. If you need a city that is long and thin to fit a specific riverbank, or a circular fortress atop a hill, the warp tool allows you to push and pull the city's footprint while the buildings rearrange themselves in real time. 3D City Viewer Integration By exporting a city as a JSON file, users can open their map in the companion City Viewer app. This transforms the 2D layout into a fully navigable 3D environment, perfect for showing players the "skyline" of the city they are about to enter. SVG and JSON Export Maps can be exported as high quality SVG files, allowing them to be opened in programs like Illustrator or Inkscape for further artistic customization. The JSON export ensures full compatibility with other "Procgen Arcana" tools and major VTTs like Foundry. Azgaar's Integration The generator is natively linked to Azgaar's Fantasy Map Generator. When a user clicks on a city in a world map, it can automatically trigger the Medieval Fantasy City Generator to build that specific town, creating a seamless "World to Street" experience. Additional links watabou.itch.io/medieval-fantasy-city-generator - Official application page watabou.github.io - The full "Procgen Arcana" suite of generators patreon.com/watabou - Official Patreon for supporting the developer