so in the future i'd like a kit that allows a quick user friendly session
I'm thinking generic pc minis 1 set of dice per dm/pc 10 sets of extra dice for potions or wepons that require more dice rolls a dry/wet erase map mat core rule books and a desktop calculator
Anything else that may help?
Also is a giant d20 of any use or just a novelty peice?
I'd use a Dungeon Master's Screen. In addition to allowing you to hide notes and the rolls if you need to it has a lot of useful information on it.
not only am i getting a d&d screen but my lad wants to do a dr who d&d but this forum directed me to the dr who ttrpg so he'll have a screen for that to go with his starter set then if we enjoy it as much as d&d i'll get a core rule book
Gunna need a BIG shelf + cool bookends just for rpg rule books and modules ect
Before d&d we struggled to find games we enjoyed that could be adapted to 2 players(a few tradinal style games that are on our game night rotation but nothing regular) now it's like a rabbit hole ... Reminds me of when i got into TCGs but I never had a regular playgroup plus TCG require weekly funding to remain fresh lol.
Mythology nerd. 300 is one of my favorite movies. 1 and a half years experience. Make some homebrew magic items and subclasses. Will make magic items for free just message me
You don’t really need minis. I prefer them, but plenty of people prefer theater of the mind with no minis.
And probably you want more than one set of dice per person. Sometimes the dice misbehave and need a time out. Also having 2 d20s for advantage/disadvantage is useful.
And the really big die is usually just a novelty. Though it can be fun to pull out for a special roll sometimes.
We use a set of wooden buttons instead of miniatures. We play at a 1 cm = 5 ft scale, so 10 mm buttons for Small/Medium creatures, 20 mm for Large and 30 mm for Huge. We painted them different colours to help distinguish on the table. Maps are hand drawn. A bit of effort, but it’s a budget version that works well for us.
We use a set of wooden buttons instead of miniatures. We play at a 1 cm = 5 ft scale, so 10 mm buttons for Small/Medium creatures, 20 mm for Large and 30 mm for Huge. We painted them different colours to help distinguish on the table. Maps are hand drawn. A bit of effort, but it’s a budget version that works well for us.
perhaps board game tokens for pc/npc could work too as for map i'm going for a pre ruled dry/wet erase mat with a 1 meter and a 3cm steel rule for drawing streight edges as i cant do free hand at all plus i'm a bit of a stationary geek i love a ruler pencil or a calculator which is odd in a way as in school i prefer hands on or reading work to written work
I'm tempted if i use minis to use counters as stand ins for monsters rather than building a huge rouge gallary of minis again its a way to keep things flowing
You don’t really need minis. I prefer them, but plenty of people prefer theater of the mind with no minis.
And probably you want more than one set of dice per person. Sometimes the dice misbehave and need a time out. Also having 2 d20s for advantage/disadvantage is useful.
And the really big die is usually just a novelty. Though it can be fun to pull out for a special roll sometimes.
would it not add mystery to the game if the dm kept a seperat bag of dis/advantade d20s?
I'm looking primarly to tell a story but to use the rpg elements and the player interactilns to add twist(although i guess thats also the point of dnd) so i'd love for my poayers to not know that the dagger of the halfling king has disadvantage(also is that a good artifact name)
We use a set of wooden buttons instead of miniatures. We play at a 1 cm = 5 ft scale, so 10 mm buttons for Small/Medium creatures, 20 mm for Large and 30 mm for Huge. We painted them different colours to help distinguish on the table. Maps are hand drawn. A bit of effort, but it’s a budget version that works well for us.
perhaps board game tokens for pc/npc could work too as for map i'm going for a pre ruled dry/wet erase mat with a 1 meter and a 3cm steel rule for drawing streight edges as i cant do free hand at all plus i'm a bit of a stationary geek i love a ruler pencil or a calculator which is odd in a way as in school i prefer hands on or reading work to written work
I'm tempted if i use minis to use counters as stand ins for monsters rather than building a huge rouge gallary of minis again its a way to keep things flowing
Tokens or counters work well because you don’t feel restricted to using only the monsters for which you have miniatures.
You don’t really need minis. I prefer them, but plenty of people prefer theater of the mind with no minis.
And probably you want more than one set of dice per person. Sometimes the dice misbehave and need a time out. Also having 2 d20s for advantage/disadvantage is useful.
And the really big die is usually just a novelty. Though it can be fun to pull out for a special roll sometimes.
would it not add mystery to the game if the dm kept a seperat bag of dis/advantade d20s?
I'm looking primarly to tell a story but to use the rpg elements and the player interactilns to add twist(although i guess thats also the point of dnd) so i'd love for my poayers to not know that the dagger of the halfling king has disadvantage(also is that a good artifact name)
Sorry: not sure how this would work. For Advantage/Disadvantage you have to roll two d20s and keep the highest/lowest. How would you disguise that you were rolling an additional die?
You don’t really need minis. I prefer them, but plenty of people prefer theater of the mind with no minis.
And probably you want more than one set of dice per person. Sometimes the dice misbehave and need a time out. Also having 2 d20s for advantage/disadvantage is useful.
And the really big die is usually just a novelty. Though it can be fun to pull out for a special roll sometimes.
would it not add mystery to the game if the dm kept a seperat bag of dis/advantade d20s?
I'm looking primarly to tell a story but to use the rpg elements and the player interactilns to add twist(although i guess thats also the point of dnd) so i'd love for my poayers to not know that the dagger of the halfling king has disadvantage(also is that a good artifact name)
Sorry: not sure how this would work. For Advantage/Disadvantage you have to roll two d20s and keep the highest/lowest. How would you disguise that you were rolling an additional die?
you keep it untill they gain the advantage then you hand out the dice but the alternattive would be advising players they might need an extra die so they might go on a hunt for artifacts and derail the story(obviously this depends on your group)
You don’t really need minis. I prefer them, but plenty of people prefer theater of the mind with no minis.
And probably you want more than one set of dice per person. Sometimes the dice misbehave and need a time out. Also having 2 d20s for advantage/disadvantage is useful.
And the really big die is usually just a novelty. Though it can be fun to pull out for a special roll sometimes.
would it not add mystery to the game if the dm kept a seperat bag of dis/advantade d20s?
I'm looking primarly to tell a story but to use the rpg elements and the player interactilns to add twist(although i guess thats also the point of dnd) so i'd love for my poayers to not know that the dagger of the halfling king has disadvantage(also is that a good artifact name)
Well, many times the use of the extra dice is codified in the rules, so there’s no mystery to add. And the system is designed around players knowing, generally, when they will or won’t have the extra die. It allows them to make informed tactical decisions. Knowing is part of the fun. As for the times you might grant at at your discretion, I guess the theater could be cool, but really, the fun comes from the rolling, not from being told to roll.
You don’t really need minis. I prefer them, but plenty of people prefer theater of the mind with no minis.
And probably you want more than one set of dice per person. Sometimes the dice misbehave and need a time out. Also having 2 d20s for advantage/disadvantage is useful.
And the really big die is usually just a novelty. Though it can be fun to pull out for a special roll sometimes.
would it not add mystery to the game if the dm kept a seperat bag of dis/advantade d20s?
I'm looking primarly to tell a story but to use the rpg elements and the player interactilns to add twist(although i guess thats also the point of dnd) so i'd love for my poayers to not know that the dagger of the halfling king has disadvantage(also is that a good artifact name)
You have to remember that advantage/disadvantage are just mechanics that reflect what's going on in the game world. A dagger that rolls with disadvantage does so for a reason. Maybe it's oddly shaped, maybe it's very short, maybe it has a ghost in it that makes it hard to control. At any rate, most of the time these things are going to be readily evident to the people in the game world. Just because it's easy to hide a die doesn't mean that adv/dis is some mysterious unknowable force that makes things more or less accurate.
When you start treating the game like that, the world feels a lot less real and a lot more like the DM just screwing with the players because they can. Withholding information just to shock players with it later is not the same thing as a good twist.
You don’t really need minis. I prefer them, but plenty of people prefer theater of the mind with no minis.
And probably you want more than one set of dice per person. Sometimes the dice misbehave and need a time out. Also having 2 d20s for advantage/disadvantage is useful.
And the really big die is usually just a novelty. Though it can be fun to pull out for a special roll sometimes.
would it not add mystery to the game if the dm kept a seperat bag of dis/advantade d20s?
I'm looking primarly to tell a story but to use the rpg elements and the player interactilns to add twist(although i guess thats also the point of dnd) so i'd love for my poayers to not know that the dagger of the halfling king has disadvantage(also is that a good artifact name)
You have to remember that advantage/disadvantage are just mechanics that reflect what's going on in the game world. A dagger that rolls with disadvantage does so for a reason. Maybe it's oddly shaped, maybe it's very short, maybe it has a ghost in it that makes it hard to control. At any rate, most of the time these things are going to be readily evident to the people in the game world. Just because it's easy to hide a die doesn't mean that adv/dis is some mysterious unknowable force that makes things more or less accurate.
When you start treating the game like that, the world feels a lot less real and a lot more like the DM just screwing with the players because they can. Withholding information just to shock players with it later is not the same thing as a good twist.
my thinking was if you encorage players to have a huge bag of dice would it not make them think oh crap the dm is gunna screw us?
My aim is simply to tell a story but at the same time allow for smooth game play
I never want to be that guy who says no you can't enter the forrest because its not in my plan
I'd rather say you enter the forrest and make up a sub plot that may either A put us back on track to my plan or b create a whole new plan
So would you say 2 sets of dice per player is fine or should i also have a lager pool of spares for potions etc
So would you say 2 sets of dice per player is fine or should i also have a lager pool of spares for potions etc
One set of dice is a bare minimum, you can get by just fine with it, but it can get tedious. Most people have at least 2 full sets or more. Personally, I have 4 sets (plus a few extras depending on the character) I bring with me to the game, and another few I leave at home. Some people can get a bit superstitious with their dice, and won't let other people roll their dice, and also wouldn't dream of using someone else's dice. So, one set per person is usually the way to go. Also, it speeds up play if you don't have to pass dice around the table.
Multiple sets really become important for some classes, for example, if the rogue is rolling 4d6 sneak attack die, it can be really tedious to roll the same d6 four times, instead of having a handful of 4 d6's you only roll once. And that's saying nothing of a crit where you'd roll 8d6. There are many classes with similar mechanics of big dice damage pools, and most players realize quickly that they'll need more than one die of each type.
Also, rolling a big handful of dice is just plain fun.
FYI, if money is an issue, there are numerous die rollers apps you can download on your phone, many for free. And dndbeyond also has die rolls embedded in the character sheet.
I'm not sure why you'd need specific potion dice, or really any other specific-use kind of dice.
So would you say 2 sets of dice per player is fine or should i also have a lager pool of spares for potions etc
One set of dice is a bare minimum, you can get by just fine with it, but it can get tedious. Most people have at least 2 full sets or more. Personally, I have 4 sets (plus a few extras depending on the character) I bring with me to the game, and another few I leave at home. Some people can get a bit superstitious with their dice, and won't let other people roll their dice, and also wouldn't dream of using someone else's dice. So, one set per person is usually the way to go. Also, it speeds up play if you don't have to pass dice around the table.
Multiple sets really become important for some classes, for example, if the rogue is rolling 4d6 sneak attack die, it can be really tedious to roll the same d6 four times, instead of having a handful of 4 d6's you only roll once. And that's saying nothing of a crit where you'd roll 8d6. There are many classes with similar mechanics of big dice damage pools, and most players realize quickly that they'll need more than one die of each type.
Also, rolling a big handful of dice is just plain fun.
FYI, if money is an issue, there are numerous die rollers apps you can download on your phone, many for free. And dndbeyond also has die rolls embedded in the character sheet.
I'm not sure why you'd need specific potion dice, or really any other specific-use kind of dice.
money is and isnt an issue i'm not on a great wage but i have a subscription to d&d adventuer free gifts on each issue are often going to be dice sets although one is a giant d20(novelty i guess?) and one is 2d minis if i need a single d4 etc i think my lgs sells them cheap
The potion thing i was thinking of making plastic bottles with the exact dice in for rp reasons maybe
Yeah passing dice around i find whilst a fun aspect of say cluedo or yatzee it slows dnd down plus outside of combat theres no player order
I'd be tempted to use d20 spindowns for hp but i'm gunna guess in high lvl pcs thee hp will well exceed 20
so in the future i'd like a kit that allows a quick user friendly session
I'm thinking generic pc minis 1 set of dice per dm/pc 10 sets of extra dice for potions or wepons that require more dice rolls a dry/wet erase map mat core rule books and a desktop calculator
Anything else that may help?
Also is a giant d20 of any use or just a novelty peice?
in a hole in the ground you notice a halfling
I'd use a Dungeon Master's Screen. In addition to allowing you to hide notes and the rolls if you need to it has a lot of useful information on it.
not only am i getting a d&d screen but my lad wants to do a dr who d&d but this forum directed me to the dr who ttrpg so he'll have a screen for that to go with his starter set then if we enjoy it as much as d&d i'll get a core rule book
Gunna need a BIG shelf + cool bookends just for rpg rule books and modules ect
Before d&d we struggled to find games we enjoyed that could be adapted to 2 players(a few tradinal style games that are on our game night rotation but nothing regular) now it's like a rabbit hole ... Reminds me of when i got into TCGs but I never had a regular playgroup plus TCG require weekly funding to remain fresh lol.
in a hole in the ground you notice a halfling
Spelling "what" right
Mythology nerd. 300 is one of my favorite movies. 1 and a half years experience. Make some homebrew magic items and subclasses. Will make magic items for free just message me
You don’t really need minis. I prefer them, but plenty of people prefer theater of the mind with no minis.
And probably you want more than one set of dice per person. Sometimes the dice misbehave and need a time out. Also having 2 d20s for advantage/disadvantage is useful.
And the really big die is usually just a novelty. Though it can be fun to pull out for a special roll sometimes.
We use a set of wooden buttons instead of miniatures. We play at a 1 cm = 5 ft scale, so 10 mm buttons for Small/Medium creatures, 20 mm for Large and 30 mm for Huge. We painted them different colours to help distinguish on the table. Maps are hand drawn. A bit of effort, but it’s a budget version that works well for us.
perhaps board game tokens for pc/npc could work too as for map i'm going for a pre ruled dry/wet erase mat with a 1 meter and a 3cm steel rule for drawing streight edges as i cant do free hand at all plus i'm a bit of a stationary geek i love a ruler pencil or a calculator which is odd in a way as in school i prefer hands on or reading work to written work
I'm tempted if i use minis to use counters as stand ins for monsters rather than building a huge rouge gallary of minis again its a way to keep things flowing
in a hole in the ground you notice a halfling
would it not add mystery to the game if the dm kept a seperat bag of dis/advantade d20s?
I'm looking primarly to tell a story but to use the rpg elements and the player interactilns to add twist(although i guess thats also the point of dnd) so i'd love for my poayers to not know that the dagger of the halfling king has disadvantage(also is that a good artifact name)
in a hole in the ground you notice a halfling
Tokens or counters work well because you don’t feel restricted to using only the monsters for which you have miniatures.
Sorry: not sure how this would work. For Advantage/Disadvantage you have to roll two d20s and keep the highest/lowest. How would you disguise that you were rolling an additional die?
you keep it untill they gain the advantage then you hand out the dice but the alternattive would be advising players they might need an extra die so they might go on a hunt for artifacts and derail the story(obviously this depends on your group)
in a hole in the ground you notice a halfling
Well, many times the use of the extra dice is codified in the rules, so there’s no mystery to add.
And the system is designed around players knowing, generally, when they will or won’t have the extra die. It allows them to make informed tactical decisions. Knowing is part of the fun.
As for the times you might grant at at your discretion, I guess the theater could be cool, but really, the fun comes from the rolling, not from being told to roll.
You have to remember that advantage/disadvantage are just mechanics that reflect what's going on in the game world. A dagger that rolls with disadvantage does so for a reason. Maybe it's oddly shaped, maybe it's very short, maybe it has a ghost in it that makes it hard to control. At any rate, most of the time these things are going to be readily evident to the people in the game world. Just because it's easy to hide a die doesn't mean that adv/dis is some mysterious unknowable force that makes things more or less accurate.
When you start treating the game like that, the world feels a lot less real and a lot more like the DM just screwing with the players because they can. Withholding information just to shock players with it later is not the same thing as a good twist.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
my thinking was if you encorage players to have a huge bag of dice would it not make them think oh crap the dm is gunna screw us?
My aim is simply to tell a story but at the same time allow for smooth game play
I never want to be that guy who says no you can't enter the forrest because its not in my plan
I'd rather say you enter the forrest and make up a sub plot that may either A put us back on track to my plan or b create a whole new plan
So would you say 2 sets of dice per player is fine or should i also have a lager pool of spares for potions etc
in a hole in the ground you notice a halfling
One set of dice is a bare minimum, you can get by just fine with it, but it can get tedious. Most people have at least 2 full sets or more. Personally, I have 4 sets (plus a few extras depending on the character) I bring with me to the game, and another few I leave at home. Some people can get a bit superstitious with their dice, and won't let other people roll their dice, and also wouldn't dream of using someone else's dice. So, one set per person is usually the way to go. Also, it speeds up play if you don't have to pass dice around the table.
Multiple sets really become important for some classes, for example, if the rogue is rolling 4d6 sneak attack die, it can be really tedious to roll the same d6 four times, instead of having a handful of 4 d6's you only roll once. And that's saying nothing of a crit where you'd roll 8d6. There are many classes with similar mechanics of big dice damage pools, and most players realize quickly that they'll need more than one die of each type.
Also, rolling a big handful of dice is just plain fun.
FYI, if money is an issue, there are numerous die rollers apps you can download on your phone, many for free. And dndbeyond also has die rolls embedded in the character sheet.
I'm not sure why you'd need specific potion dice, or really any other specific-use kind of dice.
money is and isnt an issue i'm not on a great wage but i have a subscription to d&d adventuer free gifts on each issue are often going to be dice sets although one is a giant d20(novelty i guess?) and one is 2d minis if i need a single d4 etc i think my lgs sells them cheap
The potion thing i was thinking of making plastic bottles with the exact dice in for rp reasons maybe
Yeah passing dice around i find whilst a fun aspect of say cluedo or yatzee it slows dnd down plus outside of combat theres no player order
I'd be tempted to use d20 spindowns for hp but i'm gunna guess in high lvl pcs thee hp will well exceed 20
in a hole in the ground you notice a halfling
Your characters will have >20 hp at even low levels: a Barbarian can achieve that by level 2.
You can find dice sets on-line quite cheaply: I think the dice we use, which include seven of each size, cost less than £10.
We find a small white board (roughly A4 size) with dry-wipe markers useful for tracking things like Initiative order, HP and spell slots in combat.