Stop Putting Monsters In Boxes

There is nothing in the DMG that explicitly says a monster has to be a square. Yet, that's the only shape we tend to use for monsters. When we tell our players a giant worm is coiling around them, but the battle map shows a static 4x4 box... It creates a massive disconnect between what we describe and what they see. It's time to break the grid. Why not allow ourselves to use more creative configurations in our tokens so that the mechanics of the game actually help tell the story, rather than fighting against it. A note on props & minis: If you play on a VTT, this technique is incredibly easy to pull off. But if you play in person and love your painted minis, no worries. When a monster needs to change shape, split apart, or stretch out, grab whatever is on the table to represent the monsters new footprint. Use M&Ms, Scrabble tiles, or spare chess pieces. Your players have plenty of imagination; they just want to see the chaos you are describing reflected on the board. Timestamps: 0:00 - Why to move beyond a square 1:03 - Upgrading the Giant Purple Worm 2:29 - Keep the box. But dynamically change the size 3:51 - Making a yokai monster feel... creepy Background Music: @MichaelGhelfiStudios https://michaelghelfistudios.com/ #dnd #dungeonmaster #ttrpg