Written by: Annie S.
Ancient ruins hold a special place in the heart of any adventure—these are, after all, places where history lingers, secrets hide, and danger lurks in every shadow.
From the remnants of once-great civilizations to the eerie eldritch remains of otherworldly planes, these settings provide the perfect backdrop for tales of lost knowledge, forgotten treasures, and slumbering creatures just beginning to stir.
In this article, we’ll take you through ten of our most evocative ruin battlemaps. With a variety of settings ranging from the grounded and historical to the otherworldly and strange, you’re bound to find the perfect map for that climactic showdown that your players will remember for years to come.
1. Warforged City Centre - Abandoned
Starting us strong is the beautifully desolate Warforged City Center - Abandoned map, where fantastical technology languishes in a city long forgotten by time.
This map features a desolate cityscape, filled with towering, rusted structures and intricate machinery—all slowly being reclaimed by nature. The centerpiece of this city depicts a colossal technological structure—made of entwined metal and wires and half-submerged in a cooling pool. A deep pit lies before it, hinting at underground layers yet to be explored.
Perfect for campaigns centered around rediscovery and technological mysteries, this map might see your players exploring the city to uncover lost artifacts, piece together the history of a fallen city—and, as they delve deeper, perhaps even confront the danger that led to their ruin.
This map comes with a Scene—a breathtaking player’s-eye-view illustration that perfectly captures the eerie beauty of the abandoned cityscape. Check it out here!
2. Cave Temple - Broken Statue
Where ancient devotion and the passage of time paint a scene of serene decay, this Cave Temple - Broken Statue map depicts a melancholy glimpse into a forgotten past.
This map guides adventurers along a pristine, snowy path into a sacred site carved into a yawning cave. Inside, a circular chamber is adorned with intricate mosaics etched into the stone floor, and walls lined with faded scripture. At the center of the temple sits a massive statue with crossed legs, but time has not been kind—the statue has broken from the torso up, its fragments scattered across the floor.
Use this map to create an atmospheric adventure centered on mystery and the recovery of sacred relics or knowledge. Set your players on a quest to decipher the ancient scriptures to unlock hidden knowledge, investigate the cause of the temple’s abandonment, or even defend the holy site from those who would seek to exploit it.
3. Ruined Courtyard - Deep Fog
In the remnants of grandeur of this Ruined Courtyard - Deep Fog map, the line between beauty and dread blurs in the depth of an unsettling darkness.
This map depicts a once-grand, magnificent courtyard, overgrown with lush bushes and lined with intricate pillars that speak to its former splendor. At the center of the scene, a gaping chasm cuts deep through the stone and marble floors, from which a thick, black fog flows—masking whatever lies below.
While the base version of this map offers some gorgeous palace ruins for your players’ exploration, this variant can be used to add a layer of intrigue to your ancient kingdoms. Center an adventure around investigating the source of the fog, and your players’ daring descent into the chasm to confront what lies hidden in its shadowy depths.
4. Ancient Tech Treasury - Abandoned
Forgotten magicks, ancient technology, and the inevitable embrace of decay intertwine in this magnificent Ancient Tech Treasury - Abandoned map.
In this map, a cavern system leads past an imposing gate to reveal a circular platform, ornate yet neglected, with a mysterious sphere mechanism sitting at its center—its purpose long lost to time. Surrounding the platform, waterfalls cascade into abyssal depths, painting a melancholic scene as roots and webs claim the crumbling marble.
This map is perfect for the final room of a dungeon-dive, providing any GM with tons of potential to blend exploration with puzzle-solving, discovery, and potentially combat. Have your players decipher the function of the ancient tech, restore parts of the machinery, or battle constructs that have long lain dormant, waiting to defend their home.
5. Pharaoh’s Tomb - Archaeological Site
For a change of pace, modern discovery meets timeless mystery in this Egyptian-inspired Pharaoh’s Tomb - Archaeological Site.
This map paints a vivid picture of a site nearly uncovered by archaeologists; shores are dotted with boats and tents, lining a path that leads into a hidden cave. Venturing further into the excavation site reveals grand relics and mosaics buried by the sand of time. At the heart of the site, a massive statue of Anubis stands guard over a hidden tomb.
Set the stage for an expedition into the forbidden unknown with this map; whether your players are assisting the archaeological efforts or seeking the hidden treasures for themselves, it provides tons of focal points for puzzles or combat encounters in your adventures.
6. Royal Throne Room - Ruins
The memories of a once-powerful dynasty still echo in this Royal Throne Room - Ruins map, where remnants of regal grandeur collect dust.
This map unfolds along a throne room adorned with intricate geometric architecture that reflects the decadence of a bygone era. Fading, worn carpets cover the stairs leading up to the throne, guarded by statues of heroes who once protected the land. As the throne is slowly reclaimed by vines creeping in from the massive window behind it, a skeleton sits upon it, still crowned.
Few maps can do environmental storytelling quite as well as this one, which crafts a tale of fallen kingdoms and forgotten heroes. Use this map as a dramatic, evocative backdrop for a questline that delves into a forgotten castle in search of knowledge or to retrieve an artifact.
7. Flooded Fey Ruins - Autumn
Unlike the ruins we’ve explored before, nature hasn’t just reclaimed the land in these Flooded Fey Ruins; it’s entwined with it—a breathtaking blend of magic and wilderness waiting to be explored.
Nestled in a forest ablaze with the warmth of autumn, these beautiful ancient ruins whisper of their fey origins. The path into the ruins is marked by a broken bridge that spans a deep blue lake, leading to an ornate door adorned with red gems. Ancient statues stand watch, slowly being consumed by creeping vines.
These ruins could serve as the site of a fey or elven ritual, hide a portal to the Feywild, or even serve as a treasure trove of secrets and wealth. Use this map in conjunction with our Planar Realms: Fey map series to paint a memorable, atmospheric backdrop for any Feywild campaign!
8. Magisters Market - Abandoned
A grand marketplace once teeming with life, now lies eerily silent and forgotten in this Magisters Market - Abandoned battlemap.
A large marketplace courtyard, cobblestones now cracked and overgrown with grass, sprawls before an elegant building. Once bustling with merchants, the area is now scattered with abandoned wares, giving the impression that life here vanished in an instant.
For GMs, this map’s eerie atmosphere makes it perfect for a mystery or horror campaign, where players might need to solve the sudden disappearance of the market’s inhabitants—or combat the cause. Alternatively, the magisters' building behind it could be a place where treasures and valuable information wait to be discovered by those brave enough to explore its abandoned halls.
9. Wizard Prison Part 1 - Floating Island Night
Set apart from the ruins we’ve seen so far, this Wizard Prison - Floating Island Night map breaks away from earthly confines, seeming to exist in an otherworldly realm where the boundaries of our world and the next are dangerously thin.
This map portrays a haunting scene: a barren floating island, suspended in the void of night, with a pathway of broken stone bricks leading to an ancient, ornate doorway. A glowing portal pulses with arcane energy in the doorway, but is firmly blocked by powerful wards and protections, as if to contain what lies beyond. The land surrounding the portal is desolate and scarred—remnants of a long-forgotten battle that once raged here.
A map like this is absolutely ripe with potential for an exploratory encounter framed by history and mystery—one that your party will never forget. The otherworldly atmosphere sets the scene for a showdown with some ancient, powerful being that has been held captive for millennia. Have your players fight to defend against the entity trying to break free, or even deactivate the wards themselves to access what lies beyond the portal.
10. Chrono Chaos Ruins
It may be the last on our list, but this Chrono Chaos Ruins map may well be the most mind-bending of them all on this list—pulling your players into a realm where time itself has fractured.
This map depicts a sprawling expanse of colossal gears and machinery suspended in the air, surrounding a massive technicolor clock tower. The entire place defies logic and nature, floating in a void where reality has begun to unravel. Crumbling pathways stretch into infinity, and every inch of this map exudes an overwhelming sense of chaos.
An unparalleled backdrop for high-stakes encounters and epic finales, this map is a must-have for any planar adventures or campaigns involving the eldritch or otherworldly. Be sure to introduce movement mechanics and skill-checks to navigate the disorienting landscape, and make your campaign’s pivotal moment one that your players will remember for the rest of their lives.
This map comes with a Scene—a beautifully rendered illustration that captures the chaotic splendor of these chaos ruins from a player’s point of view. Check it out here, and be sure to use it to help your players fully grasp the otherworldly nature of the setting!
Looking For Something Else?
With over 6,000 maps in our library, you’re bound to find the right one for any adventure, setting, or world—whether you’re looking for eerie dungeons, vibrant cities, or mystical forests. Discover the perfect map for your campaign right here!
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