D&D on a table that has depth
Shard is built for 5E, with a compendium, character tools and a clean second-screen story for in-person play. TerrainTale is narrower and deeper on one thing: the battle map, built as a 3D place with painted-miniature figures and real light.
Side by side
| Topic | TerrainTale | Shard Tabletop |
|---|---|---|
| The map | A 3D scene from a realistic library | 2D maps with tokens |
| Rules content | None; system-agnostic | D&D 5E only, with SRD content |
| Character sheets | None, by design | Built in |
| Initiative and HP | Tracker, HP, conditions, movement per turn | Built in |
| Measuring | Feet with diagonal rule, waypoints and height | Grid measuring |
| Fog of war | Yes: a brush the DM paints; players are never sent what it hides; no automatic line of sight | Yes |
| In-person play | Works well on a TV or second screen | A stated focus |
| Remote play | Shared rooms by link | Yes |
| Pricing | Free plan with one saved scene; Premium $6/month | Free tier and paid tiers |
Shard Tabletop is a trademark of its owners and is not affiliated with TerrainTale. Feature notes describe the other product in general terms as we understand it at the time of writing; check its site for current details.
The map is the product
No compendium, no sheets: just a table that looks like a painted miniature setup. Walls have height, torches light rooms, and a ruler reports the drop from the battlement to the yard.
Good on a TV at the table
TerrainTale on a television or a laid-flat monitor gives an in-person group a lit 3D room to point at, with initiative and HP tracked on the DM screen.
Where Shard is still the better pick
5E groups who want rules content, monster stat blocks and character sheets in the same app. TerrainTale has none of those; it pairs best with a separate home for sheets.
Moving across
There is no Shard importer. Rebuild your key locations with the room tool or a starter scene, and drop any token images you own on the window to make standees. A scene recipe written by hand or drafted by an AI assistant imports as JSON.
Questions
Does TerrainTale include 5E rules or monsters?
No. It is system-agnostic and has no compendium. The free stat block generator on this site helps with homebrew blocks.
Can I run in-person games with it?
Yes. Put the table on a TV or monitor; the DM runs initiative and HP from the same window.
Does it have fog of war?
Yes. The DM paints fog with a brush and reveals the map as the party explores.
Can I bring my token art?
Yes. Any image you own drops on the window as a standee with a base.
Keep reading
A Virtual Tabletop for In-Person Games
Use a 3D virtual tabletop on a TV or projector for in-person D&D: top-down view, big grid, drag miniatures, measure in feet, run initiative.
D&D Map on a TV: Build a Digital Game Table for In-Person Play
How to put a digital D&D battle map on a TV or projector: three hardware setups that work, a cheap computer to drive it, matching the grid to one-inch minis, and a free 3D map in the browser.
Stat block generator
Describe a monster or NPC in a sentence and get a complete D&D 5e stat block in the 2024 Monster Manual format: AC, HP, saves, attacks, CR and XP, with the math checked.
D&D Beyond Maps alternative
Want more than a flat map? A D&D Beyond Maps alternative that builds the battle map in 3D: real walls, torchlight and height, realistic minis, a ruler in feet and initiative.
D&D Virtual Tabletop in 3D
A 3D virtual tabletop built for Dungeons & Dragons: realistic battle maps, painted-miniature figures, a ruler in feet, initiative and HP.
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