How to Make a Cheap D&D Battlegrid

A battlegrid is a must have item for every party. It is basically just a flat surface with a permanent grid of 1-inch by 1-inch squares. Using the combat rules in any D&D system would be almost impossible without a physical grid on which to place miniatures and keep track of positioning. Another great feature of most battlegrids is the ability to draw buildings, trees, and scenery on them with erasable marker. Then once the party moves on to another battle at another location, you just wipe off the old scenery and draw the new scenery.

Here are all the options I am aware of:

1. Battle Mats - Made of flexible plastic, sold by companies such as Chessex. Nice because you can roll them up for transport, although can be expensive depending on what you want.
2. Battle Tiles - Made of rigid plastic, and fit together like puzzle pieces. To my knowledge no one sells them new anymore though.
3. DIY Dry Erase - Spray paint lines on a regular dry erase board.
4. DIY Plexi Glass - Also allows dry erase, but you can put custom backgrounds behind it.
5. DIY Wet Erase - Probably the cheapest solution, and what I will describe in this guide.

Pros of using this guide:

• Cheap (probably $15 or less)
• Won't break during transport like glass might

Cons of using this guide:

• Harder to transport than rollable mats
• Wet erase, not dry erase
• Surface gets scratched much easier than glass

Image credit: Marchomer

You need the following:

• Poster frame
• Large piece of paper (optional)
• Yardstick
• Permanent marker to draw lines
• Wet erase markers to draw on finished board

First you need a poster frame. If you have one lying around the house, great! Otherwise you can get them at walmart or target for anywhere from $5-$20 depending on what size you want. Personally I prefer the standard 24 inches by 36 inches, as it gives ample room for combat while still fitting on most tables and in most trunks. If you're getting a new one, it's a good idea to make sure it has a giant piece of paper (probably bearing an advertisement) in it. That way you have something on which to draw the grid lines. Or, if you don't care if the background is white or not, you can simply draw right on the back panel of the frame. Finally, I highly recommend getting a frame that uses clear plastic instead of glass. This will make cheaper, lighter, and less fragile.

If your frame came with a giant piece of paper, the back of the paper is probably blank. Your goal is to make a grid of 1 inch by 1 inch squares on the back of that paper, or the back panel of the frame if you prefer. The easiest way (although it will take some time and patience) is to draw tiny tick marks every 1 inch on all four edges of the paper. Then just line your yardstick (or meterstick) up with two corresponding tick marks, and draw a line. Eventually you'll have a grid! Then just put the paper back in and close the frame.

Dry erase markers only work on special dry erase surfaces. Chances are they will not work well on the clear plastic in your frame. In my case they stained the plastic and wouldn't come off.

So you need to use wet erase markers. A little plain water and a paper towel will bring the ink right off. For example, I like to use the Expo Vis-a-Vis markers.

One other quick note, don't draw all the way to the very edge of the frame, as it can be hard to erase without taking the whole thing apart.

Enjoy the board!