Professional Mapmaker Creates a Dungeons & Dragons Cartographer Subclass

Professional mapmaker Deven Rue helped create a new Cartographer subclass for Dungeons & Dragons. Exploration is one of the key parts of Dungeons & Dragons, and that exploration is sometimes guided with the use of a map created by either the DM or a professional cartographer commissioned to bring the world of a D&D campaign to life. Deven Rue is one of those professional illustrators and is best known for the beautiful and detailed maps used on Critical Role. Rue and professional D&D writer Hannah Rose recently brought Rue's occupation to life with a new "Cartographer" subclass published on the DMs Guild. The Cartographer is a special Ranger subclass that emphasizes the magical connection between the cartographer and the landscape they are transcribing on a map.

One of the core parts of the Cartographer class is the Master Map, a detailed map that shows the areas that a Cartographer has traveled through. A Cartographer spends gold to continuously update the Master Map, which in turn imbues the Cartographer with a special connection between themselves and the areas they've explored. When in a location they've mapped, a Cartographer always knows which way is North and can't become lost except by magical means. When they reach higher levels, a Cartographer can magically see a chosen location on their Master Map and eventually even teleport themselves and their party to any location that was placed on the Master Map. Cartographers can also command the land itself to rise up against their foes, causing enemies to take slashing damage as they traverse the land. As with other Ranger subclasses, the Cartographer also has a set list of special spells they can learn, most of which have uses tied to either travel, terrain, or learning about the land around them.

The Cartographer subclass is a fantastic class, perfect for a player who always wants to learn more about the land that they're exploring. An ambitious cartographer can even create a real Master Map, bringing even more potential for roleplay at their table.

The Cartographer supplement is currently available on the DMs Guild for $1.49 (The price will go up to $1.99 next week.) You can also check out Deven Rue's website and Patreon.