D&D Tapletop Materials Help - Terminology and Product Recommendations

Enc

Hey all, I've a veteran GM online, and have run dozens of games over 7+ years via Roll20 and D&D beyond, but I'm about to set foot into the realm of F2F tabletop gaming and currently all I have are:

-About a gallon of assorted dice (we're good on this front).
-Hard copies of all the 5E books
-a 3ft by 3ft whiteboard grid for dungeons and miniature encounters.

So that part is good to go. What I know I need (and need recommendations for) are the following:

-Token sets (preferably for monsters, I was planning on printing out images on cardstock to go up against my players (who all have minis already), but cant find anything to hold my tokens. I think I don't know the terminology for what I'm looking for here. Little plastic bits to slide cardstock vertically into. Alternatively, a good set of generic monsters of varying sizes I can use for a variety of encounters. Thanks Bowen!
-DM Screen. What should I be looking for here? Bought One!
-Dice Trays/towers (are these necessary? We have a big table, but a lot of people seem to swear by them. Not doing these!
-Other tabletop things?

Any recommendations are greatly appreciated. I got the campaign already good to go, just need the tools and toys.

bowen

If you've got thick enough cardstock you can do something like this with binder clips (walmart has a big jug of them for like $5):



We don't use a DM screen very often ourselves, but we do have the official D&D one from like 3 years ago.

Get some small shoeboxes for a dice tray, cut off the top to make it smaller if you need to. You don't really need them unless you've got someone who's chucking their dice. Make sure you've got spare character sheets and paper and pencils/sharpeners/lead/erasers. Inevitably people forget these.

You also might want to actually hold onto everyone's sheets as the DM, we've run across people who change their stat rolls and gold and such. Also people sometimes forget these too.

Enc

Wow! That binder clip idea is fucking fantastic. Thanks Bowen!

bowen

http://onemonk.com/ has some good paper minis too (left hand side), but depends on if you want to spend like $50 on them. They also have some free ones:

http://onemonk.com/dryw-gallery1.html
http://onemonk.com/dryw-gallery2.html

Elvenshae

If you’re interested in spending money, you can get something like ...

https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?adgrpid=54133271417&hvadid=274709962451&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=9008160&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=12928738293036370184&hvtargid=kwd-301734644295&keywords=pathfinder+bestiary&qid=1554125871&s=gateway&sr=8-6

... which comes with a lot of stands and generic D&D style monsters. If you want to roll your own, you’re looking for something like ...

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00RKMHW34/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1

... to put them in. Then you can make the figures yourself or get any of the hundreds or thousands of pre-done monster standees. Giant in the Playground has a set with a lot of variety if you don’t mind or are a fan of the aesthetic.

Dice trays and towers are cool but don’t accomplish anything that just not hurling dice across the table doesn’t do for much cheaper.

For DM screens, I go with either my 3-ring binders stood up or a appropriately D&D-flavored one. Mostly, I use it to hide my notes, so the contents aren’t as important.

I find a handful of each of several colors of those flat-bottomed glass beads to be really helpful for tracking various statuses (red for bloodied, green for poisoned, etc.).

https://www.amazon.com/ULTNICE-Cabochons-Mosaic-Printed-Crafts/dp/B072JPXBFL/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?crid=3GP4PIWW8QML2&keywords=flat+glass+beads&qid=1554126555&s=gateway&sprefix=flat+glass+&sr=8-4

bowen

enc, sounds like a good time to invest in a 3d printer

Enc

haha, yeah. I'd love to 3d print one of my maps one day. This has all been really helpful, guys! Thanks!

I'm def using the binder clips and printing my own images through cardstock. I have a repository of about 3000 tokens I've created from Pinterest art I use in my online games that will work well. I found colored binder clips to help differentiate targets too, which is cool.

I do want a nice GM screen as a matter of pride. Going to eschew the dice trays unless one of my players insists on using metal dice (which they can bring their own in that scenario.

Other suggestions or tips?

bowen

3ring binder can double as a DM screen in the mean time until you get something more official.

Most of my group just roll on their binders/character packets.

Enc

I went ahead and bought this one, since it lets you slip in and out your own sheets and handouts:

https://www.amazon.com/Stratagem-Masters-4-Panel-Customizable-Inserts/dp/B06W5JWDMX/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=dm+screen&qid=1554128803&s=gateway&sr=8-1

DevoutlyApathetic

So you've got the whiteboard but I'm gonna suggest a FlipMat. They are way better in general while still being pretty darn cheap. Ignore the Pathfinder branding as the linked one is really just a grid. (They have preprinted ones but they sorta defeat the chief virtue to me.)

If you'd like a bunch of reasons to not use the stupid vinyl stuff just @ me and I'll rage in here for awhile.

Enc

Yeah, the whiteboard one is not the best. I want to get as much use out of it as I can (I'ts already in a state of decay from the two or three games I've run as special events over the years), but I will definitely go with those when its time to replace. You aren't the first person to recommend those flip mats to me.

bowen

We also use these:

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Interlocking-Role-Playing-Miniature-Tabletop/dp/B016H1B0RW/

Great for if you want to prep up rooms so you can lay them out as they explore into them.

DevoutlyApathetic

Enc wrote: »

Yeah, the whiteboard one is not the best. I want to get as much use out of it as I can (I'ts already in a state of decay from the two or three games I've run as special events over the years), but I will definitely go with those when its time to replace. You aren't the first person to recommend those flip mats to me.

I've always liked the idea but never found it really practical, at least not the self made stuff.

bowen wrote: »

We also use these:

https://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Interlocking-Role-Playing-Miniature-Tabletop/dp/B016H1B0RW/

Great for if you want to prep up rooms so you can lay them out as they explore into them.

These are pretty nice and appear to have come down in price a bit. They're also stupid heavy to bring anywhere so that's a knock for me. The flip mats are easy to pack with a book or two and just entirely forget about. Though most of my in person gaming has been travel based so I probably place a higher value on that than average.

Tomanta

I'm a big fan of the flip mats. My fiance has copied some Starfinder AP maps in insane detail for me that my players have loved.

But, the maps are also too small for some things... I may pick up those tiles tonite as well.

For tokens / pawns, the previous advice is solid. If you have a Half Price Books nearby, check there since they sometimes have the Pathfinder Pawn packs for cheap.

Smrtnik

I love using this to track initiative for my table
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.manzo.ddinitiative

Gaddez

When it comes to GM screens, my suggestion is that you either take a couple of 3 ring binders or just use the default one.

The binder option is good since you can put reference notes in it and just quick reference things, while the default screen is helpful for being able to look up status effects and quick role names for NPC's (which can lead to such obtuse names as Tatatem, Ched or Bar).

Enc

Thanks all, at this point I have a screen, have my tokens for tabletop play set up, and have character sheets and the like sorted out. Any additional advice is appreciated!

Radiation

So, I've been making a few of these dice boxes for some people on the forums. https://photos.app.goo.gl/AoV9Qkr1X4symVVz6
The lid becomes a dice tray. I did an engraving on top for someone bowen knows, and I've slightly changed the design a bit since then.

I'm also going to try and cast one in resin to see how it turns out. There's plenty of options for resin casting that can be done neatly, both color combos and including other materials.

I also previously made a dice tower, but wasn't too happy with the design. It's something I'd like to revisit though eventually.

I know you aren't going to do one of those, but let me know if you change your mind!

Echo

bowen wrote: »

enc, sounds like a good time to invest in a 3d printer

<_<

Radiation

Speaking of 3d printers. @Echo this might be of interest to you:
https://www.reddit.com/r/3dprinter/comments/b8c2lf/creality_5thanniversary_activity_start_from_april/

Enc

I've now also created a watermark and templates for the campaign notes so I can keep track of them in word.

I... may be getting too far into this.

HappylilElf

As far as dice go I have a plastic container with eight different trays in it that's roughly the dimensions of a rulebook but about two to three times as thick and it's worked wonderfully for years to hold probably about a little over 100 dice sorted into types. You can find them at basically any craft store for dirt cheap but I'm sure you can find them online as well.

Descendant X

If you don't have a big enough space on your table for a grid, take a look at roll20.net. The group I'm in has been playing for the better part of 20 years and we started using roll20 two games ago. It really helped with my immersion and if you're using it you don't need another player to map things out as you're playing.

Caedwyr

Something the group I play with has found very helpful for new players is the use of spell and ability cards. We're also going to be adding in item cards for items that give new options (but not things that are just modification to the player's statistics or numbers on their character sheet).

The GM provided us with a set of 5e spell cards from the PHB, but for class and racial abilities as well as spells from other sources, I've made up a bunch using an online card generator.

For the ability cards, I've used the following site D&D Next spellbook card generator. The link is to the custom cards I've made up for printing on an US letter size page, but there's lots of other stuff available already and other options for formatting if you want larger or smaller cards.

For the items and simple NPC cards (mounts, retainers, etc.), I've found RPG cards handy.

Rhesus Positive

Enc wrote: »

I've now also created a watermark and templates for the campaign notes so I can keep track of them in word.

I... may be getting too far into this.

If you’re having fun, you’re not going too far. I’ve got custom wiki pages, post-it notes, multiple notebooks and a stack of printouts, plus six or seven tabs open in browsers with information I think might some in handy some day.

The gear I use for running a session consists of:

• Battlemat
• Little boxes to keep the players’ minis and dice together
• Clip boards with document storage incorporated into them, to keep character sheets when not playing and some quick reference guides in lieu of a character screen
• iPad with rulebooks loaded onto it for quick reference
• A pile of pencils and erasers as inevitably players won’t bring them

If space allows, I like to have a separate surface for laying all my stuff out, like a side table or ottoman, to free up space on the main gaming table.

Radiation

Going over the build in the SE++ arts and crafts thread, but this dice box has been coming along nicely!

Enc

Rhesus Positive wrote: »

Enc wrote: »

I've now also created a watermark and templates for the campaign notes so I can keep track of them in word.

I... may be getting too far into this.

If you’re having fun, you’re not going too far. I’ve got custom wiki pages, post-it notes, multiple notebooks and a stack of printouts, plus six or seven tabs open in browsers with information I think might some in handy some day.

>.>
<.<

I've been doing this for the last 6 years for my online games:
https://falleron.com/

WiseManTobes

If your old toybox is still kicking around , there's almost always some repurpose-able toy that can be used for tabletop figures/terrain.

Enc

I ended up cannibalizing my Betrayal at the House on Hill and and Waterdeep expansions for minis for now. Two of my four regulars already ordered minis, which is amazing.

Rhesus Positive

I backed an Order of the Stick podcast way back in the day which came with cutout paper minifig designs

Available to buy now

They're pretty charming