Written by: Annie Shi
Baldur’s Gate—city of blood and opportunity—is one of the most famed locations in the Forgotten Realms. Whether your players are rubbing elbows with the nobility in the Upper City or dodging thrown daggers in the shadowy Undercellar, every corner of the city is steeped in rich lore and mystery. And the key to bringing this classic setting to life at your table is the perfect battlemap, of course!
In this guide, we’ll be taking you on a guided tour through some of the most iconic locations of the Gates, each one paired with a gorgeous map to drop your players right into the thick of action. Shadowy hideouts under the city, grimy docks, and bustling marketplaces—we’ve got you covered with everything you need to set the stage for intrigue, danger, and adventure.
1. The Lower City
No map embodies the chaotic, bustling atmosphere of the Lower City quite like this City Rooftop Chase map. Haphazard rooftops of tile and thatch slope over the crowded streets below as vibrant market stalls spill out from alleys. Clothes-lines stretch between houses and wooden planks form makeshift bridges across rooftops—creating a dizzying maze of narrow pathways.
This map is perfect for any scenario where you need to represent the cramped, gritty everyday life of the Lower City; perhaps your players have some downtime to shop at the market stalls, or are traveling from one point to another. On the other hand, this map is also excellent for chase scenes, rooftop skirmishes, or stealthy pursuits—whether your party is being pursued by the Flaming Fist or chasing a thief across the city themselves.
2. Grey Harbor
The lifeblood of Baldur’s Gate’s economy, the Grey Harbor is a bustling, salt-swept port, where towering ships dock and unload goods amidst salty air and constant bustle. Mechanical cranes, designed by Gond’s clerics at the High House of Wonders, clank and whir as they hoist cargo from ship to shore, painting the picture of a port alive with innovation and industry.
This map is great for a wide array of encounters, especially ones that revolve around trade, smuggling, or espionage. The crowded docks and mechanical cranes can make for especially creative combat opportunities, and the Grey Harbor is home to all manner of illicit goods and dealings. Just be sure not to drink the water!
3. Wyrm’s Rock Fortress
Perched on a rocky islet in the middle of the Chionthar River, Wyrm’s Rock Fortress serves as both a checkpoint and stronghold for the Flaming Fist. This Winter Fortress Bridge - Shore map perfectly captures this imposing structure, with its towering stone walls and windswept bridge spanning the river.
There are any number of reasons a group of adventurers might pay this iconic stronghold a visit: perhaps they’re trying to infiltrate it to break, defend it from oncoming assault, or navigate political tensions with the Flaming Fist mercenaries. Regardless of why they’re here, this map will be great for a dramatic confrontation where one wrong move could send the adventurers tumbling into the icy waters below or finding themselves locked up in the dungeons below.
4. Guild Hideout
The Guild runs the criminal underworld of Baldur’s Gate with ruthless efficiency, their fingers in every pie from smuggling and protection rackets to blackmail and extortion. This Thieves’ Guild Hideout map perfectly captures the sprawling nature of The Guild’s hidden operations, with its maze of rooms—including sleeping quarters, hidden stashes, a war room, prison cells, and even a storefront for laundering.
Use this map for when your players inevitably need to infiltrate or navigate the dark criminal dealings of Baldur’s Gate. Whether they’re negotiating with the kingpins, rescuing a kidnapped ally, or undertaking the bold (and foolish) move of crossing the Guild, this hideout—packed with dozens of rooms and secrets—sets the perfect stage for daring confrontations in the seedy underbelly of the Gates.
5. Sorcerous Sundries
A staple of Baldur’s Gate, the Sorcerous Sundries is the go-to shop for adventurers seeking arcane supplies, spell components, and powerful magic items. This Magic Popup Shop map can serve as this iconic storefront or—for those intent on keeping the lore of this map—a mysterious new rival shop that’s sprung up overnight in a dark alley!
Every table in this highly detailed map is packed with enchanted goods—from shimmering globes and ancient spell scrolls, to shelves lined with potions and flashy apparel. Use it to host your party’s visit to one of the most famous magic shops of the realms, and surprise your players with some wild, madcap encounters where they can find wondrous (and perhaps, dangerous) secrets on every shelf.
6. Low Lantern
A notorious hotspot in Baldur’s Gate, the Low Lantern is a seedy tavern and casino house in a landlocked galleon, where shady deals and dangerous games keep the coin flowing and blood spilling on the creaky decks. This Stranded Casino - Tavern map captures this distinctive locale, with decks crammed with tavern tables, gambling rooms, and guarded alcoves for private meetings.
The Low Lantern is such a unique fixture of the city’s underworld that it’s practically a tourist attraction for adventurers and ne’er-do-wells alike—and newcomers to the city are bound to find themselves tangled in its murky web sooner or later. Use this map for everything from clandestine meetings with underworld kingpins to high-stakes gambling during downtime.
7. The High Hall / Ducal Palace
This Grand Duke’s Plaza map captures the regal splendor of the High Hall of Baldur’s Gate, the sea of power and heart of the city’s government. With intricate mosaics, elegant fountains, lush greenery, and a towering statue of Balduran, the city’s namesake, standing watch over the courtyard, this plaza just radiates grandeur and luxury.
Use this map to introduce your players to the sheer wealth and magnificence of the Upper City—a world of difference from the Lower and Outer Cities indeed! This map can also be the perfect backdrop for political intrigue encounters, meetings with the city’s council, or any number of lavish events hosted by the upper crust of the Gates.
8. The Wide
A vibrant epicenter of commerce, this Marketplace Festival map captures the vibrant heart of The Wide perfectly. Filled with colorful tents and lively stalls, merchants and adventurers from across the realms gather to trade and barter under the open sky. A grand pavilion in the courtyard's center sets the stage for important events, performances, or speeches.
This marketplace map brilliantly captures the city’s everyday pulse—where deals are struck, gossip flows like ale, and politics are hotly debated—the perfect backdrop for when your party finds themselves seeking rare items or getting swept up by a city-wide event.
9. The Undercellar
Beneath the bustling stalls of the Wide, however, lies a shadowy world where deals are made in the dark and secrets are buried six feet deep. This Sewer Tunnels map brings the grimy, illicit atmosphere of the Undercellar to life with its winding caves, hidden docks, and dim cellars. Crates filled with contraband line the walls, and murky green waters frame a secluded dock—hinting at smuggling operations that thrive here, far from the prying eyes of the Flaming Fist.
Whether your party is mucking through the sewers because they’ve crossed the kingpins of the Guild or gotten off on the wrong foot with the corrupt city guard, this map will plunge them right into the gritty underworld that thrives below the Gates.
Use this Sewer Tunnel Scene to set the tone for tense encounters in the murky sewers, and give your players a deeper connection to the world they’re exploring.
10. The Outer City
The Outer City is a chaotic sprawl of squalor beyond the protective walls of Baldur’s Gate, and this Slum District map properly encapsulates the harsh reality of ramshackle homes made from scavenged wood, tarps, and planks teetering over muddy streets. Livestock wander freely, and makeshift bridges of rotting wood crisscross the grim and filthy landscape.
Tanners, butchers, and blacksmiths share the streets with more illicit operations: gangs, smugglers, and petty criminals who thrive in the chaos. This map is great for gritty, street-level adventures, from navigating the slums to find information to confronting the city’s criminal underbelly. Just be sure to watch your pockets!
Didn’t Find What You Were Looking For?
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Explore our full collection and discover the perfect map to bring your adventure in Baldur’s Gate—or anywhere else—to life!
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