A ruler that counts squares the way your table does
Distance arguments end at the table when the ruler agrees with your rules. TerrainTale's ruler counts the grid in feet with the diagonal rule you pick, follows waypoints around a pillar, and reads out height along with distance.
Feet, not abstract squares
Every model is authored to the same 5-foot cell, so the ruler always reports feet, not "3 squares." Drag a mini and the readout tracks along the drag in real time.
Your table's diagonal rule
Pick the diagonal rule as a setting: every diagonal costs 5 ft (the 5e default), the 5/10/5 pattern (the DMG variant and Pathfinder), or true distance. Change it once and every measurement on the table follows.
- Waypoint a route with Space or right-click mid-drag, to measure fairly around a pillar
- Elevation-aware readout, e.g. "30 ft · 10 ft up"
- Movement is charged per turn as a mini is dragged
Same ruler for the DM and every player
In a shared room, a player's own ruler (M) is visible to everyone at the table in their colour, alongside the host's — so "can I make it" is answered without asking.
Questions
Does it support the DMG's optional diagonal rule?
Yes — 5/10/5 alternating diagonals is a setting, alongside every-diagonal-5-ft and true (Euclidean) distance.
Does height count?
Yes, the readout adds elevation to the distance, e.g. "30 ft · 10 ft up," for an archer on a parapet or a pit.
Can I measure around an obstacle?
Yes, add a waypoint mid-drag (Space or right-click) to route the measurement around a pillar or a wall corner.
Does the ruler work for players, not just the DM?
Yes, in a shared room every player has their own ruler and every ruler is visible to the whole table.
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From the blog
5e vs Pathfinder diagonal movement, and the rule in between
Three ways tables measure a diagonal on a square grid — every diagonal costs 5 ft, the DMG's 5/10/5 alternating pattern, and true distance — and which one fits which table.
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