Chessex Role Playing Play Mat: Battlemat Double-Sided Reversible Mat for RPGs and Miniature Figure Games (26 in x 23 1/2 in) Squares/Hexes

A perfect companion for all your RPG needs. I am a relatively new 'dungeon/game master.' As such it can be hard to know what is necessary, helpful, luxury, negligible, or 'more trouble than it's worth.' And of course, some of that boils down to play style or even ruleset. Well, I decided to go in for the battlemat, and I've never looked back. Now, it's by no means "necessary," but I would place this squarely in the "helpful" category... or maybe an "extremely helpful" category. Sure exploration can happen in the world of the mind, interacting with NPC's, even dungeon delving... but if you're drawing up complex encounters then you're going to be writing stuff down *somewhere.* Some people opt for a notebook/paper. I understand that...you'll have it to recollect things, but if you have a full party and you're facing off against more than one enemy, and if there's any sort of terrain complexity (trees, walls) you're going to be using a lot of paper or erasers. The battlemat, though, with hex/square grids on either side instantly simplifies your combat/storytelling. --It's wet erase NOT dry erase which means bumping your hand against a line won't smear it... but you will have to keep a rag/water handy. --The vinyl is extremely durable, and quickly returns to flat when unrolled. --It's large enough for most encounters and even mapping cities or dungeons, but you can fit it onto anything bigger than an end-table. This is the first one I've owned, so I can't compare it to other products, but I can praise the qualities of this one in particular. I DM three campaigns and have for about 8 months, but I can't imagine having a single session without it.

Good quality material for gaming.

I'm just getting back into D&D again after a 30+ year hiatus and was looking for a mat like the one our group used to have back in the day. The Chessex Battlemat is perfect as long as you use the recommended wet-erase Stadtler markers. I tried another brand that claimed to be wet-erase, but the color didn't easily wipe off after our session. I was able to remove the marks with a soft rubber eraser and some hard work. With the Stadtler Lumocolor markers and a wet paper towel, the ink just wipes off and the mat looks great! My advice: CAREFULLY TEST ANY MARKERS IN A SMALL AREA BEFORE USING! I really wanted a mat I could roll up when not in use, so this fits the bill nicely. I like how it has a 1 in. square grid on one side and a simlar size hex grid on the back. Worked perfectly for our first adventure and I expect to be using it a lot more in the future.

Getting this thing to look flat has been a real pain. Even now after leaving it under heavy boxes and the like for nights at a time, it still isn't totally flat. There are a few marks that I think I made on it (probably from accidentally dragging some heavy boxes across it... oops), and those aren't coming off any time soon. Maybe ever. But I'll be damned if it doesn't work great with WET erase markers and clean really easily. All things considered I think this is still a fantastic product. If the potential initial crumpled/wrinkled state it arrives in will be a big problem for you though, then maybe hold off I suppose.

This battlemat is awesome! I recently started up a new Pathfinder campaign, having not played tabletops for many years, and was looking around for the battlemat that my group used to use back in high school, then settled on this one. The mat is large, with plenty of space for play, and the square grid is perfectly sized for the standard D&D miniatures that my group is using. Though we can't plot out a whole dungeon on it, there is ample space for a few rooms or a large outdoor encounter. Wet-erase marker is easy to erase with a wet paper towel, and the mat dries quickly. The mat feels thick and substantial, and I can't imagine tearing or scarring it easily. It is also slightly padded, so it will protect a wooden table underneath from more violent dice rolls or miniature moves (yes, this has been a problem in the past). When transporting the mat, try to keep it rolled up and straight, if you kink the mat while it's rolled up, it will crease noticeably, and though these creases do come out with time, they can be annoying to deal with during a play session. Similarly, try not to fold the mat to store it, as the folds persist for a few hours. When unrolling the mat, the edges do curl a bit, but that curl goes away after pinning it down for a few minutes. For marking on the surface, I also purchased Expo Vis-A-Vis Wet-Erase Overhead Transparency Markers, Fine Point, 8-Pack Pouch, Assorted Colors which work well - note that the red color is a bit harder to erase than the others, so don't leave it on for weeks or it will be tough to remove. MAKE SURE you use wet erase and NOT dry-erase on this mat to avoid staining your mat permanently. Overall this was a great purchase and I imagine it will last decades. Every group should have one of these battlemats!