Maps VTT: New Shortcuts and Filters Make Running Your Games Faster

This update expands on the keyboard shortcuts already present in Maps, as well as adding several new token options, making it even quicker and more intuitive to use. You can jump to a monster's stat block directly from its token without even needing to roll Initiative, pan around maps at the press of a single key, and manage grouped tokens much more flexibly!

Token Browser Upgrades

A gif of the D&D Beyond Maps VTT's new Token Browser

Monster Filters 

Looking for that perfect monster for your encounter just got easier in Maps! Now, when you open the Token Browser, you can filter by monster type, size, Challenge Rating, and source, allowing you to narrow down your search and find exactly what you need for your adventure. You can also hide monsters that aren't in your content library or have the Legacy tag to remove clutter! 

Preview Stat Blocks

Think you found the monster of your dreams (and your party's nightmares), but want to make sure their abilities fit your intention? Now you can preview a creature's full stat block by clicking on the creature's name in the Token Browser and clicking the "Full Stat Block" button beneath their ability scores and saving throws. This will open up a side panel where you can see the full extent of the creature's abilities, though you cannot roll from this preview area until the monster has been added to the map. 

Shortcuts Menu

A gif of the D&D Beyond Maps VTT's Shortcut Menu

While shortcuts themselves aren't new to Maps, this update brings a dedicated menu that lists all the available shortcut options, providing you a quick reference for those time-saving key presses. You can access this menu in one of two ways. Firstly, you can access it from the hamburger menu in the top right of the screen, where you'll also find the game settings options. Secondly, you can reach it from the Game Info button and selecting Shortcuts

New Shortcuts

A gif of the D&D Beyond Maps VTT's new shortcuts

In addition to a dedicated menu, this update now also brings a selection of new shortcut options:

  • You can now hold the Spacebar to enable panning without changing to the pan tool. When you release it, you'll return to whatever tool you were using last.
  • With any single token selected, holding Shift and clicking other tokens will add those to your selection without enabling the Selection tool. You can then move or edit those selected tokens.
  • Clicking a token part of a group selection with Shift held will remove that token from the selection.
  • Holding Shift while dragging a token that is part of a group selection will move just that token.
  • You can hide or reveal tokens with Shift + H

 The full list of available shortcuts is:

  • Move - Arrow keys or W, A, S, and D
  • Remove a token - Backspace
  • Toggle visibility of all selected tokens - Shift + H
  • Select Multiple Tokens - Hold Shift + Left Click
  • Move a token as part of a selection group without moving the whole group - Hold Shift + Left Click and Drag
  • Pan without selecting the Pan tool - Hold Spacebar
  • Fog of War - F
  • Draw - D
  • Overlays - O
  • Ruler - R
  • Point and Ping - X
  • Token Browser - T
  • Deselect current tool - Esc

Update Hit Points from Tokens

A gif of the D&D Beyond Maps VTT's updating Hit Points via the token menu

When you click on a monster token now, you'll see the monster's current and total Hit Points listed. From this option, you can adjust a monster's HP without needing to open the combat menu.

Clicking this field will open the HP management flyout menu, where you'll be able to apply any damage or healing, override the monster's max HP, and view and manage Temporary Hit Points.

With this new feature, you can now manage a monster's Hit Points without having to open the combat sidebar, making it even quicker to apply damage and healing, while allowing you to see more of the encounter on screen.

Access Stat Blocks from Tokens

A gif of the D&D Beyond Maps VTT's accessing the monster's stat block from the token menu

Next to the HP information on a monster's token menu, you'll also see a new scroll button. This button allows you to quickly access a monster's full stat block directly from the token. Clicking this button will open the stat block in the combat menu sidebar.

This feature can be used both in and out of Initiative, meaning key monster information is never more than two clicks away. Player trying to sneak by your Owlbear? You can open their stat block and roll their Wisdom (Perception) check without any fuss!

A Shortcut to Faster Play

With these new shortcut options and easy access to monster information, you'll be DMing faster than a Quickling with Haste cast on it! Stay tuned for even more updates to Maps, the official VTT of D&D.

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Davyd is a Dungeon Master living in the south of England with his wife Steph, daughter Willow, and two cats Khatleesi and Mollie. In addition to D&D, he loves writing, 3d printing, and experimenting home automation, often combining all four with varying degrees of success.

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