I know there's always a lot of interest in finding new or useful minis for table-top play. I wanted to jump out there and share mine. My goals were really clear. Cost, durability, good "Table Feel", and something (primarily) makes running the game easier. That's rule #1 for me for stuff on a table. Everything else is take or leave, but if the items or tools aren't making the game easier/simpler/faster to run? It's a waste.
So, we’ve tested out a number of mini solutions. Cardboard stands (too light, too fragile, seem to look nice but feel in the way). Reaper minis (beautiful but not cheap to field a whole game of NPCs and monsters with). D&D minis (beautiful and perfect, but definitely expensive) and everything else under the sun, it seems.
What we game with most times are simple to make, materially tough and robust enough to handle drops and sloppy packing and unpacking, clear and clean to see from across the table, useful for tracking actual combats, and even customizable for players.
These are our “everyday clay” minis.
To make them, it couldn’t be simpler.
Get some bulk brick of white clay – we used Sculpey Primo Art Clay because my special lady friend knows home crafts and said to get it. $15
Get some small samples of colored clay – we used the Sculpey sampler because I felt weird about not keeping all in the same brand. $15
Get some 5/8″ steel washers (you can go to Home Depot and get a dozen or two for a dollar or two), 3/4″ steel washers (also cheap), 1″ steel washers (cheap, you don’t need more than 5 or 10), some 1 3/4″ washers (harder to find), and if you can manage it find some 2 1/2″ ones. I could find the next up size online in brass as 3 1/2″. These are the different size categories from small on up. All my washers were one trip to the hardware store and I dropped about $10
$40 in so far.
Optionally, get some clay stamps (letters, numbers) or really ink stamps if they’re all you can find at the craft store. This is optional, because you can really just freehand anything you want–I did stamps because I’m picky. They cost about $10. I’m in for $50 now.
The process is easy and I regret not shooting photos of it at the time. This is for a medium (3/4″) creature:
Start with a lump of white clay about as big as the ball of your thumb. Not huge. Roll it into a ball. Press it into the washer (not too hard, you don’t need to push it “through”, just get them nestled together). Then you squish it down and roll it on it’s sides until it’s a smooth cylinder with the washer as its bottom. That’s it. Shape as desired or smooth out as needed. Stamp it with a letter or number and set it aside. Next. Repeat.
I used most of my white clay and barely a quarter of my colored clay to make a half dozen huge “minis”, two dozen medium, a dozen large or so, 15 small. Etc. Just go wild. Bake them according to the directions and that’s it.
After they cool you can paint pen fill in the numbering or lettering or just use a felt tip pen. The washers will be a little loose, so take them off and PVC (Elmers) glue them back on and let them dry.
Voila.
They’re nicely weighted, slide across a battle mat, are easy to identify by anyone at the table (“I swing my axe at the hobgoblin…!” … “Which one?” … “E”). They’re very durable and take a pounding. The colored clay I use for PC’s. Each of my players have their “color”.
And, with nearly fifty of these things in various sizes, I’m at $1 a pop and a quarter of that is a one time expense. I promise, as long as you don’t mind the imagination part, these are the best every day minis you’ll ever use.
We're doing our own book on Kickstarter! It's going to be amazing--300 pages, art, and so much high quality content you'll be drownin' in it... Click here to check it out and sign-up!
We're doing our own book on Kickstarter! It's going to be amazing--300 pages, art, and so much high quality content you'll be drownin' in it... Click here to check it out and sign-up!
Great idea! I usually use spare dice in various colors for enemies, but this would be a lot easier both for size and identification. The other creative option I tried was little paper cutouts taped to dimes for small/medium and nickels for large creatures. Worked okay, but not particularly durable.
Durability was a huge interest for me. Weight and durability. Things that would fall over if a table rocked or felt flimsy AND things that could survive some "throw it in a box" and "dropped on the floor". These things have been absolutely hardcore. I've had them a couple of years now and I haven't had one so much as chip.
We're doing our own book on Kickstarter! It's going to be amazing--300 pages, art, and so much high quality content you'll be drownin' in it... Click here to check it out and sign-up!
I know there's always a lot of interest in finding new or useful minis for table-top play. I wanted to jump out there and share mine. My goals were really clear. Cost, durability, good "Table Feel", and something (primarily) makes running the game easier. That's rule #1 for me for stuff on a table. Everything else is take or leave, but if the items or tools aren't making the game easier/simpler/faster to run? It's a waste.
So, we’ve tested out a number of mini solutions. Cardboard stands (too light, too fragile, seem to look nice but feel in the way). Reaper minis (beautiful but not cheap to field a whole game of NPCs and monsters with). D&D minis (beautiful and perfect, but definitely expensive) and everything else under the sun, it seems.
What we game with most times are simple to make, materially tough and robust enough to handle drops and sloppy packing and unpacking, clear and clean to see from across the table, useful for tracking actual combats, and even customizable for players.
These are our “everyday clay” minis.
To make them, it couldn’t be simpler.
$40 in so far.
The process is easy and I regret not shooting photos of it at the time. This is for a medium (3/4″) creature:
Start with a lump of white clay about as big as the ball of your thumb. Not huge. Roll it into a ball. Press it into the washer (not too hard, you don’t need to push it “through”, just get them nestled together). Then you squish it down and roll it on it’s sides until it’s a smooth cylinder with the washer as its bottom. That’s it. Shape as desired or smooth out as needed. Stamp it with a letter or number and set it aside. Next. Repeat.
I used most of my white clay and barely a quarter of my colored clay to make a half dozen huge “minis”, two dozen medium, a dozen large or so, 15 small. Etc. Just go wild. Bake them according to the directions and that’s it.
After they cool you can paint pen fill in the numbering or lettering or just use a felt tip pen. The washers will be a little loose, so take them off and PVC (Elmers) glue them back on and let them dry.
Voila.
They’re nicely weighted, slide across a battle mat, are easy to identify by anyone at the table (“I swing my axe at the hobgoblin…!” … “Which one?” … “E”). They’re very durable and take a pounding. The colored clay I use for PC’s. Each of my players have their “color”.
And, with nearly fifty of these things in various sizes, I’m at $1 a pop and a quarter of that is a one time expense. I promise, as long as you don’t mind the imagination part, these are the best every day minis you’ll ever use.
manysideddice.com
+ A Table of Contents That's Better Than Nothing (hundreds of creative, storied items that are "better than nothing")
+ A Table of Contents To Worry Your Players With (dozens of weird, storied traps to make your players nervous)
We're doing our own book on Kickstarter! It's going to be amazing--300 pages, art, and so much high quality content you'll be drownin' in it... Click here to check it out and sign-up!
Fantastic idea! The fact that they're a good travel size is definitely a plus. Thanks for posting this!
great idea I could even see adding tokens on top for the player
We got by on the unique color for each player, but you're absolutely right.
manysideddice.com
+ A Table of Contents That's Better Than Nothing (hundreds of creative, storied items that are "better than nothing")
+ A Table of Contents To Worry Your Players With (dozens of weird, storied traps to make your players nervous)
We're doing our own book on Kickstarter! It's going to be amazing--300 pages, art, and so much high quality content you'll be drownin' in it... Click here to check it out and sign-up!
Great idea! I usually use spare dice in various colors for enemies, but this would be a lot easier both for size and identification. The other creative option I tried was little paper cutouts taped to dimes for small/medium and nickels for large creatures. Worked okay, but not particularly durable.
Durability was a huge interest for me. Weight and durability. Things that would fall over if a table rocked or felt flimsy AND things that could survive some "throw it in a box" and "dropped on the floor". These things have been absolutely hardcore. I've had them a couple of years now and I haven't had one so much as chip.
manysideddice.com
+ A Table of Contents That's Better Than Nothing (hundreds of creative, storied items that are "better than nothing")
+ A Table of Contents To Worry Your Players With (dozens of weird, storied traps to make your players nervous)
We're doing our own book on Kickstarter! It's going to be amazing--300 pages, art, and so much high quality content you'll be drownin' in it... Click here to check it out and sign-up!
Do you sell these?
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