Dice towers are accessories for rolling dice, which you might have already known. But, one might wonder, do dice towers provide any actual benefit in a DnD setting outside of looking really cool?
Dice towers help dice rolls. They provide a very consistent, shorter roll, that makes dice rolling consistently fair. Of course, most players don’t want or even know how to cheat dice rolls, but some do. Dice towers are great for this. The shorter rolls also help with confining the space of the rolls, so they don’t fly all over the table and disturb the playing space.
Let’s go over this matter in detail. I, for one, love dice towers because of the style and functions they provide. Read more to find out why.
What Are DnD Dice Towers For?
First, let’s get one thing straight. You generally don’t buy a dice tower if you don’t think it looks cool. That’s the primary motivation, I would say, for buying a dice tower. However, they also have some nice functions.
As I mentioned before, dice towers help you roll short and consistently. If you’re playing on a table that’s smaller, this can be very helpful. It reduces the chance that dice get sprayed on the floor on every roll.
Many people use some kind of container at the bottom of the dice tower. This is another alternative if you want to ensure easy and consistent dice rolls.
Of course, this also eliminates the discussion of whether or not you should re-roll after you get on your hands and knees, crawl under the table, and report the number displayed on the escaped dice.
Many players invest in pricey dice, and they’d hate to lose them thanks to a reckless roll. Dice towers are great for this, as they naturally prevent dice from rolling too far.
Lots of dice towers actually come with trays at the bottom, so all of your dice get caught at the end of it. If you are using metal dice, then this can be very nice. Metal dice are known to cause damage to tables. Just make sure that the dice tower also is made of somewhat sturdy material.
Read More: Metal Vs. Plastic Dice
Although all of these things I have listed are nice to have, the choice to buy a dice tower ultimately comes down to whether or not you think it would be a cool addition to your playing experience.
There are some very cool designs out there, and they can enhance the playing experience in the same way miniatures can. They also make very good gifts, so if you have a reckless roller in your group with an upcoming birthday, it’s a no-brainer!
What Are Dice Towers Made Of?
Dice towers are made from all sorts of different materials. However, the most commonly used materials are probably wood and plastic. The dice bounce around a lot in a dice tower, so it’s nice to have materials that absorb the dices bouncing and muffles the sound somewhat.
Plastic and wood are also sturdy enough to absorb a lot of rolls, which is obviously important. Dice towers made of metal exist, of course, and sometimes these are padded with a soft material on the inside.
Can You Make Your Own Dice Tower?
You absolutely can! A lot of people make their own dice towers. DIY dice towers provide a lot of freedom regarding design, materials used, and so forth.
It’s not that difficult to do, either. A lot of people choose a finished design on the interweb and then 3D print it. You can also make a dice tower from scratch.
It’s not overly complicated. You need a rectangular prism in a chosen material, used for the main portion of the building, a ramp that is used for the base of the tower, and alternatively, a little area next to the ramp where the dice will be confined after rolling off the ramp.
There are countless guides on the web, that explain how to build a dice tower. Here’s an example!
Are Dice Towers Worth It?
So, let’s conclude this article by asking ourselves if buying or building your own dice tower is worth it. Of course, this is incredibly subjective, but let’s summarize.
The price of a dice tower can vary, from around $17 up to around $60. The majority of what you pay for with the pricier dice towers is durability and style. The $17 dollar tower might look like two pieces of wood stuck together, while the $60 dollar dice tower might look like a castle.
The functions don’t vary depending on the price, however. The objective benefits you get from a dice tower are:
- Non-manipulated dice rolls
- Consistent, short rolls
- No lost dice
- No miniatures or other game pieces smashed by your incoming dice
- Space-efficient dice rolling
- Dice towers look cool!
Does this make dice towers worth buying? That’s a question that only you can answer, I personally own one and am very happy with the purchase. It makes dice rolling more fun for me.
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