Whether your players are leading the charge or fleeing a superior force, no Game Master wants to spend time drawing sites for ambushes and epic clashes. Fortunately, with Paizo Publishing’s latest Pathfinder Flip-Mat, you don’t have to! This line of gaming maps provides ready-to-use and captivatingly detailed fantasy set-pieces for the busy Game Master. Whether it’s used during a huge organized conflict or simply anytime a fight breaks out, this double-sided combat map is the perfect place to resolve battles!
This portable, affordable map measures 24" x 30" unfolded, and 8" x 10" folded. Its coated surface can handle any dry erase, wet erase, or even permanent marker. Usable by experienced GMs and novices alike, Pathfinder Flip-Mats fit perfectly into any Game Master's arsenal!
On tabletops across the world, the Flip-Mat Revolution is changing the way players run their fantasy roleplaying games! Why take the time to sketch out ugly scenery on a smudgy plastic mat when dynamic encounters and easy clean-up are just a Flip away?
I am very thankful for the return to terrain pieces, rather than buildings and dungeons. This style of map will see a lot more use/reuse in my games. That said, this is a very beautifully rendered map. Both sides look great, with the bridge and river by far the better of the two maps. In terms of rendering the map it's a clear 5 star quality battle map. Unfortunately, as can be seen from the preview pictures the predominant feature in the river map has been placed diagonally across the centre of the map, this reduces the ease of use of this side. It might just be me but counting diagonal squares, and positioning across diagonals has always been a pain and just makes this map that little bi harder to use. Overall I'd rate it a 4, I appreciate aesthetic but find the diagonally placed feature harder to use in game.
While my preference is for the river side, both sides are solid representations for wandering encounters or whatever other wilderness adventure your evil little GM heart desires.
So why not FIVE stars? Aside from the already mentioned diagonal squares on the bridge (does Paizo have something against hexes? I've always found them very useful in outdoor terrain), there's a lot of war debris (weapons, armor scrap, etc.) scattered around the map. Granted, these are supposed to be "battlefields" but IMO it limits the generic potential of the maps.
In conclusion, a solid outing this time around. More like this, please. But have the Goblins tidy up the areas first.
This is what the Flip-mat line is all about! Two perfect locations, beautifully rendered. More of this please. Less of the big multi-room labyrinths that I can only use one small cramped room at a time (here's a hint, you have map-packs that are smaller and would fit that style perfectly.)
I did notice that the thickness is still down (same as Thornkeep flip-mat), and noted, as did the previous review, that the grid is diagonal as you cross the bridge, but not that big of a deal.
The Good:
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* Depicts two useful, iconic locations: A river with bridge (troll not included), and a dusty pass/ravine. I expect this guy to get a lot of use.
* Very high quality art in line with Paizo's other recent maps.
The Bad:
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* Thinner plastic/card stock first seen in Flip-Mat: Watch Station is still evident.
* The bridge on the river side is set diagonally relative to the grid, which can make life a bit of a pain.
I'm going to have to compare this to a few other flip-mats after I get it, but it would be really, really cool if future flip-mats actually fit together without ugly transitions. Yeah, I know, that would probably be a pain.
For example, I am completely in love with the Deep Forest mat, but it doesn't connect well with any other mats such as Forest or River Crossing at all.
I have do have two of the Deep Forest mats, and together they make a cool giant boulder in the middle, even if the rivers are weird because one looks like it's flowing uphill :)
(The party came in from the bottom right and was headed to the top right; behind the ridge at the center were 6 deactivated annihilator robots that quickly re-activated when sensors detected movement...)
I'm noticing that the river bridge will be awfully darn useful for one of the encounters in "Night of Frozen Shadows", and I can't help but imagine that the other side will be helpful for any desert encounter, like in Legacy of Fire...
One of my favorite flip mats. Both sides make excellent ambush locations and have enough objects for creatures to hide behind, yet not so much that the map is cluttered.
I do have 1 suggestion: The new packaging is nice, but you have nothing printed on the inside cover. Why not do 2 1-page encounters, 1 for each side of the map, printed on the inside cover?
Interesting idea.... but printing on the inside would raise the printing cost; and writing, developing, and editing the encounters would raise the development costs. Not sure we want to raise the price a buck to cover that.
Interesting idea.... but printing on the inside would raise the printing cost; and writing, developing, and editing the encounters would raise the development costs. Not sure we want to raise the price a buck to cover that.
You already raised the price a buck, flipmats were $12.99, now $13.99.
The writing and developing could be done by fans. When a flipmat is announced and the layout disclosed, let fans post 1-page encounters using the design and have a vote. Top vote-getter for each side of the map is printed on the inside cover. That builds excitement and interest in the map and gets people considering how it could be used, and you'll have at least 2 very happy fans of each map, plus buyers will have 2 encounters with the map that they can instantly toss into their games. That leaves just the printing cost (could be b&w instead of color if that helps) and editing. Between the existing $1 increase and the increased fan awareness of and interest in the maps and increased utility, that may (or may not) cover it.
I second Samurai's proposal and cost-saving suggestions. Brilliant ideas! I for one could use a springboard for ideas from time to time when trying to come up with appropriate encounters for some of the more specific looking flip-mats (and map packs for that matter). Here's hoping... :-)
The price increase is to cover previous increases in costs. I don't think we can realistically expect them to "spend" it again.
I would still like to see an encounter on the inside cover (I was a fan of the ill fated complete encounters) but accept it would cost more - not something RPG fans are always happy to hear. :/