Fantasy books mostly take place in fictional worlds. To avoid getting lost and not miss essential details when describing them to the reader, you should have a fantasy map in front of you. It will help you visualize events, create a detailed and believable fictional world, and write an immersive story.
Indeed, you can order a map from a freelance artist or create it with an AI tool. Some people sprinkle rice on a piece of paper, circle it, and draw a map on their own.
However, if you don’t know how to draw or don’t have the budget to hire an artist, use fantasy map generators. They help you easily create a detailed, immersive map using various tools.
Today, we share the top 10 fantasy map generators you may use. Let’s start.
1. Azgaar
Price: Free
Azgaar offers automatic map generation, allowing users to edit existing maps or create new ones entirely. In addition, the platform provides various tools that enable users to enhance their maps by adding rivers, paths, and mountains. You also can customize the map by states, cultures, religions, or temperature zones.
How to use it?
You don’t need to sign up to create a map. Initially, you will get a base image ranging from the famous “Pangea” to “Volcano.” Then, you can customize your world by changing the given map or drawing everything from scratch using the available tools. When you are done, the platform saves the image in various formats and sizes.
2. Watabou
Price: Free
Watabou specializes in creating cities rather than world maps. This platform can be helpful for authors who write books where the events happen in one or two places. The focus of this generator lies in the outline of the buildings that populate the city, resulting in a less detailed representation. However, there is still room for customization.
How to use it?
There is no need to sign up. Initially, it generates a random cityscape, providing a starting point for customization. Next, you can click on the button “New city” in the Menu to get the most suitable base. Then you can rearrange streets and change the city’s and district’s names. When the map is ready, download it in PNG.
3. World Anvil
Price: Free
The Anvil platform is designed not so much to create a fantasy map as to detail it. Unlike map generators, this tool allows you to upload and enrich existing maps with extensive world-building information. It offers a range of features, including the ability to create timelines and family trees. Furthermore, you can write articles and pin them to specific locations on the map.
How to use it?
First, you need to register and set up your profile. Next, it is advisable to go through training, as the platform offers many features that a beginner can get confused about. To start world-building, you need to upload a map. It can be a map created or drawn with other tools or a map of real terrain. With Anvil, you can add a variety of markers and elements.
4. Wonderdraft
Price: $29.99
Wonderdraft is not an online tool but software focusing on creating continental and regional maps. These images created in Tolkienesque art style captivate users with their visual beauty.
How to use it?
You have to make a one-time purchase to use this software. Then you can create cities and region maps of specific continents by adding different elements, topography peculiarities, and names.
5. Donjon
Price: Free
Donjon offers a diverse range of generators on its main page. It allows users to create new names, storylines, calendars, and more. In addition, the platform provides a straightforward fractal world generator that, while not overly detailed, boasts impressive functionality.
How to use it?
You don’t need to sign up for Donjon. This tool features the creation of world maps, allowing you to modify the distribution of water, ice, and land. Additionally, it offers options to customize the coloring style of the map and names. You also can get a random map without entering any information.
6. FlowScape
Price: $10
FlowScape works as a 3D modeling tool, enabling the creation of dynamic and animated scenes. While it doesn’t specialize in building full-scale maps, it offers a unique experience like painting vivid and immersive scenes that can significantly enhance the imagery of any story.
How to use it?
After downloading this software, you can create diverse terrain types, from snowy mountains to green forests and sandy beaches. The tool offers 20 presets you can edit. FlowScape remains to play a video game due to its 3D models and highly immersive atmosphere.
7. Inkarnate
Price: Free, or Pro version at $10/month
Inkarnate is an intuitive platform that allows you to create and customize your continents according to your preferences. The website offers both a free version and a paid subscription service. The free version provides sufficient functionality, although it does have limitations on the number of maps you can create and the available detailed stamps.
How to use it?
After signing up, you can draw and shape the land as you envision them. The platform provides stamps featuring trees, mountains, rivers, and even text, enabling you to add detailed elements to your creations. You can also choose from different map styles, including elven or dwarvish themes. Finally, you can download the final version or save it in your account to edit later.
8. Roll for Fantasy
Price: Free
Roll for Fantasy is a simple tool allowing users to generate a random fantasy map or build it from scratch from available blocks. It’s easy to use, but the map will not contain many details. However, the image can become a base for customizing in other apps.
How to use it?
You don’t need to sign up. This map creator tool offers a collection of over 1400 diverse blocks, allowing you to design and craft your unique world. It provides many natural elements, including forests, mountains, and hills. With the convenient drag-and-drop feature, you can quickly move, rotate and position these elements. In the end, turn the map into an image to download.
9. Dungeon Scrawl
Price: Free
Dungeon Scrawl isn’t a typical fantasy map generator. However, this platform is suitable for building worlds that have snaking or labyrinthine shapes. It’s also possible to create complex castles here.
How to use it?
Signing up isn’t required. The platform looks like a graphics editor where you can draw detailed plans for tunnels or buildings. When you’re done with the general layout, you’ll need to select additional elements from the image gallery, such as furniture, artifacts, and other items. Then, drag and drop the object to place them wherever you want.
10. WorldSpinner
Price: Free
WorldSpinner is a platform where you can choose from over 100 fantasy worlds and download an Atlas. But it’s not just one map but a bunch of valuable things. Each Atlas contains a world map, nation maps, cities, plots and rumors, portraits, and much more.
How to use it?
You only need to go to the platform and choose the world you like looking at previews. For example, you can select among such categories as classic, detailed, and historical fantasy. Then the platform will offer you to download a ZIP file containing JPEGs and texts.
Conclusion
Fantasy map generators are excellent assistants. With their help, authors can plot the settings and find inspiration for their stories. Moreover, a fantasy map can help to maintain consistency throughout the writing process.
Have you ever used any fantasy map generators? Share your experience in the comments.
