D&D players like stuff, and DMs are no exception to this rule. I have had many conversations with others where we spend a lot of time talking about the tools (re: toys) that we use to DM with. Here’s a few of mine.
Dice
There are two rules about dice: 1. You can’t play the game without them. 2. You can never really have too many of them.
Click on the images below to view them on amazon.
I DM a lot but I also like to play from time to time. This set gives me six of everything and in nicely ordered sets that I can use for specific characters when I play a ton of my own. Also handy for lending to players who forget their dice or don’t own any yet.
This guy is a classic, and perfect for anyone who wants to build a collection of dice very quickly and have a convenient novelty bag to keep them in. Also makes a great gift for players or DMs.
OK the one I use is a different colour, but effectively it’s the same. A dice tray keeps dice from rolling all over the place (like off the table), which makes it a great gaming asset, not only for tabletop RPGs but any other dice games as well. It also protects your table surface, especially when someone is rolling metal dice. Velvet lining keeps the noise down, and the snaps allow to to be stored or transported flat.
Maps
Maps are great for a number of reasons. Gridded play maps provide everyone with a sense of scale and proportion that is otherwise lacking, unless you’re using a scale built diorama (which is a lot more work).
Paizo’s Bigger Basic is my standard go to for erasable gridded play surfaces. It’s 27″ x 39″, double sided so you can prep two maps for a session, wet or dry erasable, and folds up to a convenient size for transporting. If you’re looking for something a bit smaller, Paizo makes the same thing in a smaller 24″ x 30″ version that you can find here: Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Basic
Monster Cards
If you’re a DM playing D&D at a table, there is no greater asset, in my opinion, than monster cards. The greatest struggle I have ever seen a DM go through is flipping over multiple bookmarked pages, trying to keep track of monster stats and abilities throughout a single combat session. This is even truer if you’re using multiple books, like Volo’s Guide and Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes.
So many cards…where to start?
Well, start with the ones that you expect to use the most, and go from there. If you’re running a lower level campaign, 0-5 and NPC and Creature cards will go a long way for you. 6-16 and Epic are all from the Monster Manual, Volo’s and Mordenkainen’s are, obviously, from their respective books.
That’s it for now. I also paint and use Wizkids miniatures, but the prices on amazon are ridiculously high, and I can’t in good conscience recommend. I may do something another time on miatures, paints and brushes, but I think that’s enough for today.
I hope this has been helpful. Until next time, keep on gaming and having fun!
One reply on “Real Life DM Tools”
The pathfinder maps are very cool!!! I didn’t know about those