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The Pathfinder Basic Flip Mat – My Favorite RPG Accessory
by Mike on 8 February 2016
The Pathfinder Basic Flip Mat is my favorite RPG-specific accessory. Here's why:
- It's cheap – about $20.
- It's lightweight and folds up easily. It fits perfectly in your Lazy GM kit.
- It uses wet or dry erase markers.
- It's versatile. You can draw anything on this mat.
- It allows improvisational play, letting you draw out what you need when you need it.
Eleven Tips for Using Pathfinder Basic Flip Mats
- Draw line and box mini-maps of locations the characters explore.
- Use Dyson's Map Key to draw understandable features of dungeons.
- Draw maps at smaller scales when they're big sprawling complexes.
- Draw symbols found on amulets, tattoos, weapons, wall decorations.
- Write down initiative if you're not using simple initiative cards.
- Write down the monster's AC when the players figure it out so they don't need to ask again.
- Write down damage taken to monsters based on their unique physical characteristic
- Pick up Flik Silverpen's Guide to Drawing Dungeons and practice your dungeon drawing techniques.
- Even though it's gridded, you can use the flip mat to track zones and abstract maps.
- Write down monster initials and treat it like a football play diagram.
- Use them with lazy monster tokens for a minimal RPG kit you can take anywhere.
RPGs don't get better the more you spend on it. They don't get better the more detailed prep you do. Flexible tools like the Pathfinder Flip Mat help you improvise the game as it plays out at the table. You don't need hundreds to thousands of dollars to get the most out of RPGs.
A marker and a flip mat give you countless stories to explore.
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