Theater of the Mind or Battle Maps & VTTs?

When it comes to playing D&D or other tabletop RPGs, one of the biggest questions is how you and your players prefer to visualize your adventures—using the classic “theater of the mind” approach or bringing in a battle map or virtual tabletop (VTT).

Theater of the mind lets everyone paint their own mental picture, driven by the GM’s descriptions and the players’ imaginations. It’s flexible, fast, and often more immersive, since each player can imagine their character’s actions in vivid detail. For social encounters or exploration-heavy scenes, it can feel more natural and fluid—no need to fiddle with minis or maps.

On the other hand, battle maps and virtual tabletops give everyone a shared view of what’s happening. With tactical movement and clearer positioning, it can be especially handy for combat-heavy moments. Virtual tabletops like Owlbear Rodeo (or even something as simple as a shared Google Slide) can be great if you’re playing online—no fancy tools required unless you want them.

Personally, I like to mix the two. For roleplaying and exploration, theater of the mind is my go-to—it keeps the pace quick and the creative freedom flowing. But for big battles, it’s helpful to have some visual representation to track combat and let everyone see the layout. Tools like dScryb help me set the scene and build atmosphere—whether I’m using a map or not.

Ultimately, it comes down to what works best for your table. Try out different methods, see what your players enjoy, and keep things flexible.

Want to hear more about my thoughts on how to balance these approaches and some of my favorite tricks? Check out the full video—and let me know in the comments how you run your games!

Cheers,
Brian