Epic Stairs and Daises: Building Raised Rooms That Work

Quick Answer

For a raised room that stays stable and playable, anchor your build with a Daises platform, connect levels with Epic Stairs that have a wide enough footprint to place minis, and check alignment at every seam before adding walls. If your table space is tight or your build only needs a small step, use Wall Platforms instead of a full dais.

Why Raised Rooms Fail at the Table

Raised rooms add drama and tactical depth, but they often fail for three reasons: the platform shifts when a player reaches across it, the stairs don't line up with the floor grid, or the elevation blocks sightlines and mini placement. These problems usually appear after the build is assembled, when it's too late to swap pieces without disrupting the game.

The fix is to plan elevation as part of the floor, not as an afterthought. Start with the footprint of your highest platform and work downward. That way, every stair and dais has a defined landing zone.

Choosing the Right Base for Your Raised Room

Daises are ideal as focal points in a room and introduce elevation to your scenes. The Daises - Extensions set can build stand-alone square platforms, but it really shines when combined with other Dais sets to build larger platforms. If you want a multi-level room, combine several sets rather than stacking unrelated pieces.

Epic Stairs are designed with steps wide enough to place minis on, and they have an impressive 4-inch footprint. That width matters when a fight moves onto the stairs. A narrow stair forces you to balance minis on edges; a wide stair gives you a real play surface.

If you only need a small raised section along a wall, Wall Platforms are a lighter option. They can be combined with Inside Walls and Wall Spacers or Spacer Cubes for various wall configurations, so you can build a ledge without committing to a full dais footprint.

Stability Tips for Multi-Level Dungeon Terrain

Stability starts at the table surface. Use a non-slip mat under your build if you play on a smooth table. Then, assemble your dais platform first and press down firmly on each piece to seat the connections. Add Epic Stairs only after the platform is stable.

Check that the top step of your stairs meets the dais edge flush. If there's a gap, a mini can catch on the lip during movement. Adjust by shifting the stair set or adding a small floor tile as a landing.

When you stack multiple Dais sets, stagger the seams so they don't all line up in one row. Staggered seams reduce the chance of a single bump knocking the whole platform loose.

When to Stop Adding Elevation

Stop adding height when your tallest mini can no longer stand upright under a doorway or archway on the upper level. Also stop if you need more than two steps of elevation to reach the top platform; at that point, the build becomes a climbing challenge rather than a playable room.

If your table depth is less than 3 feet, a full raised room with Epic Stairs may crowd the play area. In that case, use Wall Platforms for a shallow ledge or skip elevation entirely and use floor tiles to suggest a change in level.

Diagnosis: Raised Room Problems and Fixes

• Platform wobbles when touched: The dais pieces may not be fully seated or the table surface is uneven. Press down on each connection and use a non-slip mat. If wobble continues, reduce the number of stacked Dais sets or switch to a single-layer platform.
• Stairs don't align with the dais edge: Epic Stairs need a flush landing. Check that the top step meets the dais without a gap. If misaligned, rotate the stair set or add a floor tile as a spacer. If alignment still fails, your dais footprint may be too small for the stair width. Use a larger Dais platform or a Wall Platform ledge instead.
• Minis can't stand on upper level: The elevation may be too high for your doorways or ceiling pieces. Measure your tallest mini and compare to the clearance on the upper floor. If clearance is too low, remove one layer of elevation or use open-sided walls.
• Build feels cramped on the table: A full raised room with Epic Stairs takes up significant depth. If your table is shallow, the build may leave no room for dice and character sheets. Switch to Wall Platforms for a shallow ledge, or keep the raised area to a single dais with no stairs.

Product Facts

• Epic Stairs (Painted): Epic Stairs (Painted) have steps wide enough to place minis on and an impressive 4-inch footprint. The wide steps let you treat the stairs as a playable area during combat, not just a connector.
• Daises - Extensions (Painted): Daises - Extensions (Painted) can build stand-alone square platforms, but really shine when combined with any of the other Dais sets to build larger platforms. Buying extensions alone limits you to small platforms; combining sets gives you the footprint for a true raised room.
• Wall Platforms (Unpainted): Wall Platforms (Unpainted) can be combined with Inside Walls and Wall Spacers or Spacer Cubes for various wall configurations. This set lets you add a narrow raised ledge without the depth of a full dais, which is useful when table space is tight.