Top 10 Tabletop Roleplaying Accessories

• Posted on 15 July 2021
• By David Lewis
• Posted in roleplayinggame, rpg
• 0

You have someone to lead the game, you have a group of friends and you are ready to take on a big quest. So what else do you need to help make your adventure a success?

Sure, you can play any tabletop game using just your imagination and some dice, but  accessories can really bring your game-playing experience to the next level. I’ve played tabletop role playing games every which way you can think of, but the ones that stand out the most are the ones that drew me into the game with certain accessories.  Let’s go over a few that really can make your game better!  In no particular order I present to you, my list of top 10 tabletop accessories.  

Dice  

Is this really an accessory? Sometimes yes - you can play all the role playing parts without any dice whatsoever. However, it’s better to have more dice than you think you’ll need, because you will end up using them all.  

Dice tray  

Dice trays are a great way to keep your dice near you and not bouncing around a table. You can find many things to use as a dice tray; from a cigar box to an intricately carved custom wooden box. Any way you look at it you’ll see how useful it can be the first time you utilize a dice tray.  

Dice tower  

These are optional accessories that can be truly useful. Utilizing a dice tower ensures your dice rolls are truly random. Dropping the dice into the tower they’ll bounce around internally eventually coming out the bottom.  

Dungeon Master's screen  

I always highly recommend a screen for all dungeon masters. It allows you to make rolls in private as well as hide sections of the adventure that you are playing. I almost consider this a must for any dungeon master when they are playing.  

Miniatures  

This is a fun addition to your game play. Instead of using coins, meeples, or whatever you're currently using you can utilize miniatures that are actually the monsters you are having the players fight. Is there anything scarier than reaching from behind the dungeon master’s screen and dropping a giant dragon onto the map for your players to fight?  

Large Wet Erase Map  

I love using this when I run an adventure. It lets me draw whatever I want for the players to see and move around. It helps bring more immersion into the game when combined with terrain that you’ve bought or built, even more so when you combine miniatures as well.  

Terrain  

Terrain can be trees, hills and fences all the way up to buildings, dungeons and treasure chests. Is that really a treasure chest, or is that a mimic? The ability to actually put physical items on the map will draw the players into your realm and provide a more immersive experience. I’ve hand created large gears for terrain when needed and the players loved the sense of realism they got from putting their miniatures on it.  

Status rings  

Status Rings take a little explaining to understand.  They are usually little rings with status conditions printed on them such as unconscious, blinded, cursed, etc. I began using these not too long ago and I highly recommend them to help both players and DM keep track of various conditions during game play.   

Laser pointer  

Why would I want to use a laser pointer at the table? The answer here is simple; to point at things from across the table. You won’t always have a great seat at the map so being able to point out things far away can be very useful. There’s no better way to do that than with a laser pointer.  

Notebook  

I always highly recommend taking notes, whether you’re the dungeon master or a player. Having a notebook on hand is exactly what you need to take notes in during a game. You can try taking notes on your tablet, but sometimes it’s just easier to jot something down quickly.  

Snacks and a drink  

Really? Yeah, really. You don’t want to get up in the middle of a game to run and grab something to drink or snack on when your turn may be coming soon. Plus, you are likely to miss something while you’re gone from the table that may be an important plot point!  

Do you think I missed something? Comment below and let me know! Until then, roll some   crits for me!