Agree what the arrow means before moving
A player draws a route to a door. Are they proposing it or declaring the character has already travelled it? Say which before changing the piece’s position. A drawing can support discussion without becoming an established fictional event.
DMGrid 0.1.9 documents Player View drawing with eraser, undo and redo, plus map-only Player View. Our suggested “arrow = proposal” convention is an external table agreement, not an automatically detected software state.
The bridge: rehearse an agreement
Imagine a fictional map with a courtyard, narrow bridge and closed door. The character’s piece remains in the courtyard. A player draws an arrow across the bridge and says, “I want to approach this way, if the crossing is clear.”
The GM answers, “That is your intention; first let us resolve what you can see and what crossing involves.” No movement rule, distance or outcome has been established here. Those belong to your chosen system and scene.
Prepare it this way:
- Identify the current position and leave the figure there during discussion.
- Draw the route you want to discuss without treating the line as proof it is passable.
- Resolve the scene’s questions using your rules and table decisions.
- Reflect only the movement actually agreed afterward.
- Erase or adjust an obsolete proposal, keeping it distinct from recorded events.
You can rehearse on paper too. This example does not require a purchase or credit DMGrid with automatic action resolution.
Erasing a line does not undo the story
Eraser, undo and redo are documented for Player View drawing. Do not infer that undoing an arrow reverses damage, turns, notes or player decisions. If an established event changes, agree the correction and update the relevant records.
Map-only view also does not convert a proposal into confirmed movement. Before using it with your group, review the information being presented and explain your drawing convention.
Choose for the table’s actual work
Foundry documents drawing tools, and Shard Tabletop is another virtual-tabletop reference, checked on 24 October 2026. These sources do not establish identical DMGrid controls or prove another platform lacks unmentioned features.
DMGrid is an offline Windows D&D 5E campaign manager in beta. We do not promise internet multiplayer or rule resolution from a drawn line. Review its example videos and beta terms and complete facts. Download requires a purchased license, not a free demo. Start your next session with one clear agreement: drawing an intention does not mean it has happened.