So you’re looking to run a dungeon for blind and visually impaired players? Great This blog features several options for presenting dungeons in an accessible format.

Before we get started though, I want to present the golden rule: Ask. If you are unsure of your player’s needs, offer them a safe space to come to you with barriers or concerns. Moreso, if your player has disclosed that they are blind or visually impaired, ask which method they would prefer for presenting dungeons. We’re all different and what might work for me, may not work for you.

Anyways, onwards!

Orientation

Speaking of onwards: before we jump into presenting maps, let’s first understand how blind and visually impaired players might interpret them. Orientation is a concept some sighted game masters may be unfamiliar with, so let’s highlight the importance of it for blind and visually impaired players. Orientation isn’t just about knowing where you are, it’s about understanding how spaces connect, what choices are available and how to navigate confidently. While some of these concepts are mentioned again in establishing map options in this blog, it’s important to have clear definitions laid out upfront.

Tactile Orientation: Tactile maps, whether made from braille, LEGO, raised markers or textured materials, require a clear starting point and consistent spatial logic. Begin by identifying a “home” location, such as the dungeon entrance. With the player’s consent, gently guide their hand to this point and explain its significance. This anchors their understanding of the map’s layout. When laying out the map, stick to a cardinal orientation (North, East, South, West). This helps players mentally track movement and avoid disorientation. Use tactile markers (e.g., stacked bricks, textured dots, raised lines) to differentiate corridors, rooms and special features. Explain these conventions clearly before gameplay begins. Importantly, ask if the player wants to reorient or revisit the map. Offer to guide their hand again if needed, always with consent and sensitivity.

Descriptive Orientation: When describing a dungeon without tactile aids, clarity and consistency are key. Describe the overall layout, “You’re in a circular chamber with three exits: one to the north, one to the east and one behind you to the south.” Avoid vague terms like “left” or “right” unless they’re anchored to a known position. Instead, use compass directions or relative positioning (“to your left as you entered”). Let players know when they’ve entered a new zone, “You’ve left the mossy tunnels and entered a dry, echoing stone hall.” This helps them mentally segment the map. Refer back to known features, “The fountain you passed earlier is now behind you to the west.” This builds spatial memory.

Orientation isn’t just about navigation, it’s about trust. Players should feel empowered to ask questions, revisit descriptions and explore creatively. Encourage curiosity and respond with detail. If a player wants to retrace their steps or clarify a route, treat it as an opportunity to deepen description, not a disruption.

Braille

Braille maps are an option for presenting dungeon layouts to blind and visually impaired players. Whether you’re using a slate and stylus (braille pen and paper), a brailler (braille typewriter) or an embosser (braille printer), there are two main approaches to consider: Tactile Route Mapping or Symbolic Location Coding.

Tactile Route Mapping: Uses the physical shape of braille cells to represent paths and intersections. By arranging braille dots to mimic corridors, turns and rooms, players can trace the dungeon layout with their fingers. This method doesn’t require fluency in braille, just an understanding of how the dots are positioned relative to the braille output. It’s intuitive and tactile, making it ideal for quick comprehension and requires little-to-no braille literacy to produce.

Symbolic Location Coding: Assigns specific braille characters to represent different dungeon features. For example:

• A = Corridor
• B = Corner or turn
• C = Crossroads
• D = Small room
• E = Large room

These maps are smaller and quickly communicate large amounts of information about the dungeon locations. This method requires a legend or key, but it allows for more detailed mapping and can be easier to reproduce consistently.

Folks reading this may be unfamiliar with some of the tools used to produce braille, so you will find a quick crash-course below:

• Slate & Stylus: Very affordable and portable. Best for on-the-fly mapping. Requires manual dexterity.
• Brailler: Expensive and requires maintenance. Precise but labor-intensive. Input is line-by-line, so pre-planning is essential.
• Embosser: Very expensive. Ideal for complex or large-scale maps. Allows for digital layout and automated printing.

I wanted to also address electronic braille output, for anyone who is unfamiliar with this option. Refreshable braille displays connect to a computer system or smart device and produce braille output. They generally show only one line at a time, which makes them unsuitable for spatial mapping. At the time of writing, the main multi-line option available is the HumanWare Monarch, a device designed for tactile graphics. However, with a price tag in the tens of thousands, it’s not a practical solution for most players or game masters. At this time, electronic braille displays are not a viable option.

Large Print

When people hear “large print,” they often picture a comically oversized sheet of paper, something the size of a drywall sheet, featuring a blown-up dungeon map. While that might make a fantastic bedspread for a low vision adventurer, it’s not always practical to produce or use at the table.

Printing large maps is still a valid option, whether on a single oversized sheet or across multiple smaller pages, but we live in a digital age with far more flexible tools. The simplest and most adaptable solution is to share the map digitally (on Discord, Google Drive, email, etc.). If your player has access to a smart device and an internet connection, they can customize the map using their preferred accessibility features:

• Too small? Zoom in with a digital magnifier.
• Poor contrast? Enable high-contrast mode or color filters.
• Fancy but unreadable font? Use OCR or AI-based description tools to clarify the key.

If you are producing large print handouts of text for players, use high-contrast (black font on a white background), sans serif fonts at 14–18 point size, with clear spacing, left alignment and simple layouts.

LEGO

LEGO is an effective and widely available tool for creating tactile dungeon maps for blind and visually impaired players. With a LEGO baseplate and a handful of bricks, you can build a dungeon layout that’s both intuitive and hands-on. Importantly, it also functions for sighted players too!

To build corridors, place bricks in a continuous line, touching edge to edge, to represent hallways and paths. The shape of the route can be felt easily by tracing the connected pieces. To distinguish rooms from corridors, stack two bricks on top of each other. The raised surface signals a change in elevation, helping players identify room locations by touch. This method works well for simple dungeon layouts and offers a clear tactile distinction between different map elements. Because LEGO bricks connect at right angles, your dungeon layout will naturally follow a grid-based structure (North, East, South, West). Diagonal paths or curved corridors aren’t easily represented, so plan your map accordingly.

LEGO has produced a line of braille bricks designed for educational use. These feature raised dots that correspond to braille characters, offering more possibilities for labeling rooms or adding narrative elements. Unfortunately, braille LEGO isn’t widely available for purchase. If you’re determined to get your hands on some, your best bet is to contact LEGO directly and maybe offer a small sacrifice to the dungeon gods while you’re at it.

Tactile Tools

Adapting printed dungeon maps for blind and low vision players is surprisingly easy with a few affordable tools. These tactile enhancements allow players to explore layouts by touch, adding a new layer of accessibility to your game.

Tactile liquid markers function like regular markers but leave behind raised, textured lines that can be felt by touch. You can trace over existing dungeon paths to make corridors and walls tactile. If you’re familiar with braille, you can even use the marker to create raised braille dots to label rooms or key features directly on the map.

Braille labelers produce adhesive braille strips that can be placed on the map to identify locations. Many braille label makers include a visual alphabet for selecting letters, so you don’t need to know braille to create accurate labels. This makes them a great option for sighted game masters supporting blind players.

Combing tactile liquid markers with braille labels would allow you to print out a copy of the map and then make it tactile in a short time. This may be a more appealing option to sighted game masters, as braille alone can sometimes feel intimidating.

Dungeon of the Mind

While many of the options in this blog focus on tactile mapping, there are times when those tools aren’t available, due to affordability or when presenting a dungeon virtually. In those cases, clear and evocative verbal description becomes your most powerful tool.

Start by presenting routes and choices in a straightforward way. Use clear directional cues and avoid overcomplicating navigation. Traditional maps often rely on architectural complexity (secret passages, winding tunnels, oddly shaped rooms) to break up the monotony of square layouts. Described dungeons can feel flat if reduced to “go north, then east,” but the magic lies in how you bring each space to life. A visual map can afford to be sparse in description because players see the layout. A described dungeon, however, thrives on rich sensory detail and thematic contrast. Keep navigation and choices simple, but make the locations feel alive!

Below are some tips on using description effectively when presenting a dungeon:

• Never, Eat, Shredded, Wheat: Only use North, East, South and West directional cues. While the map you may be interpreting has exciting directional variety, folks relying on your descriptions require clear and simple choice. Breakdown complex locations into simple descriptions or you will all become very confused, very quickly.
• Three Elements: Use a trio of sensory or thematic cues to define each location. Sound, smell, texture, mood, or lore. This anchors the space in the player’s imagination. It’s important not to go beyond three key points, players have a limited attention span and our brains don’t always like too many details upfront.
• Macro to Micro: Begin with broad strokes, the overall feel of the area, its look, its feel. Then zoom in to describe specific features as players ask questions and explore. However, if something is immediately relevant or dangerous, be sure to quickly communicate that up front, as this is what your brain would choose to focus on when entering a new space.
• Group Locations Thematically: Organize rooms into zones or blocks with shared themes. This helps players orient themselves, track their progress and recognize when they’ve entered a new area with different challenges or atmosphere. It also provides players with expectations of what they may consider asking when exploring. If players are entering the wine cellars, they know there’s booze and dark passages. If players are venturing into the catacombs, they know tombs and treasures lay here. If players are entering the sewers, they know to plug their noses.

Give players ample context and favor clarity over mystery. While occasional surprises can be thrilling, consistently withholding information breeds distrust and disengagement. Instead, build tension by letting players know what’s ahead and challenging them to overcome it. This fosters agency and satisfaction. You don’t need to anticipate every question or have every detail prepped to do this. What matters is your responsiveness, reacting to player curiosity, supporting their ideas and encouraging creative problem-solving. Descriptive dungeons are collaborative storytelling at its finest. When you’re unsure, lean in favor of the players.