Mapmaking and PFS?

[Netopalis]

So, I was working on drawing out my maps for my next scenario, and I was curious. To what extent does PFS' policy of strict adherence to the scenario apply to the drawing of maps? Obviously, I'm not referring to entirely rebuilding maps from scratch, but what about adding or removing features in certain rooms? Expanding or contracting by a square or two? Any thoughts?

[CRobledo]

I believe this has come up at least once before... If I recall correctly, we are supposed to use the maps to the best of our ability. In a lot of encounters the room and layout are part of the CR of the encounter, and you never want to be that GM that changed the map and whatever you did ended up killing someone. Storming the Diamond Gate comes to mind. Adding things like difficult terrain or more/less space MAY (not saying always) change difficulties.

Then that leads to "false positives" in the forums or in the reviews of players who were in that game, yadda yadda. I think the maps fall into the same realm as monster selection, enemy spellcaster spells loadout, etc... Try to adhere to the maps. That said, if it's a map of a cavern or such (irregular edges) I'm sure there should be no problem if you dont draw it exactly right. Those are hard to draw.

I can think of two instances where I have had to "change" a map:

1. Few instances where the map is drawn on the diagonal, where re-orienting the map makes better sense. See: Echoes of the Overwatched. Some authors seem to be more guilty of this than others.

2.

Kortos Envoy:

There is a room in the high subtier I believe where we the GM is supposed to fit like 3 large and one huge creature into a 20x20 room... Yeah... I had to draw that a bit larger...

I can think of at least 2 scenarios that suffer from the #2 problem as well.

[Trueshots]

Or which is the most often case, they build a module and don't put a map in to designate to that particular Act or encounter. Just dealt with that on Silent Tide.