A common question is, “Does my D&D game really need a dice tower?” To be able to answer that you have to know more about what dice towers are.
Dungeons and Dragons is a game that requires very little. Some game books, a set of dice, and the willingness to dive into your imagination and build a story. And while that’s all you really need to play, there are many other great products out there to improve your experience and fun.
Products
Some examples include miniatures, dice trays, DM Screens, gaming tables, and dice towers.
- Miniatures help players visualize a battlefield and breath more life into their characters.
- Dice trays help prevent dice from bouncing all over the place.
- DM screens allow DM’s to work their game prep magic away from player’s curious eyes.
- Gaming tables… well they are just awesome. Period!
Benefits of a Dice Tower
I find a lot of new players (and even some old ones) don’t understand the benefits of having a dice tower. In truth, dice towers serve two main purposes- randomizing your rolls and containing your dice in one spot.
Function 1: Random Results
When you roll your dice by hand, it can end in a less than random result. Meaning, players can make it land on certain numbers more often than others.
And whether or not you shake your dice before rolling the dice towers just helps make sure your results are more random. It ensures the dice bounce and tumble as they move down through the tower. This helps to make sure the way they are rolled won’t affect the final outcome.
Function 2: Containment Area
Much like a dice tray, the second function of the dice tower is to act as a containment area. No one wants to watch as their dice run away. Or, as they bounce their way off the table and knock over other gameplay components after being rolled too ferociously. Dice towers typically have a “pool” at the bottom into which the dice empty out. It keeps them from rolling away and slowing down the game.
Bonus Function
Beyond those two purposes, they have a third benefit. They are freaking cool! And they can help add to the ambiance of the game. Check out a few of these designs:
- Dice Tower by C4Labs
- Laser Cut Wood Castle Dice Tower with Tray
- Hi-Tech Laser Etched Dice Tower
- The Broken Token Modular Dice Tumbler – Gears
- Dueling Dice Tower Classic (Natural) by C4Labs
So to answer the original question, “Does my D&D game really need a dice tower?” I would have to say, no, you don’t need one. But, they sure do help keep dice rolls impartial and they provide a fun way to see an outcome.
