In 2023 I took in 20 different sets of gaming dice. Some are custom dice for roleplaying games while others are just standard dice to help accessorize games. Most, however, are certainly taken in as “collectables.”
RPG Dice
ALIEN: The Roleplaying Game Base and Stress Dice Set (1x each, 10 dice per set).
These are “standard” engraved d6 dice (black for Base, yellow for Stress) with special ALIEN-themed symbols on the “1” and “6” sides. I originally bought standard Chessex dice (see below) but eventually gave in to the “theme appeal” of the franchise and bought the (relatively expensive) custom dice.
Blade Runner: The Roleplaying Game Base Dice Set (2x each).
Each set is four step dice (d6, d8, d10, d12) with additional Blade Runner-themed symbols to match the core game mechanism.
Twilight: 2000 4th Edition Dice Set (1x each, 9 dice per set).
This set is perhaps the one where buying a custom dice set perhaps makes the most sense. The set comes four Base dice (d6, d8, d10, d12) to work with the Step Dice version of the Year Zero Engine. The set also includes four d6 Ammo dice and one d6 Hit Location die. Nothing that different color d6’s could not be used for but, again, it is the “theme appeal” that wins my wallet.
Standard Dice
CHX 25602 Opaque Yellow/Black 16mm d6 Dice Block (12 dice) and CHX 25608 Opaque Black/White 16mm d6 Dice Block (12 dice).
I originally bought these dice for use in my ALIEN: THE Roleplaying Game campaigns but eventually replaced them with the custom dice. I found they work well for the Germans or Japanese in the Battle Card series of wargames.
Collectable Dice
The Black Death Polyhedral Dice Set, Black Oak Workshop, [Set of 7 dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d10s, d12, d20)]. These dice are chunky compared to most other dice. Came with a nice dice bag that will be useful for exclusively storing my Black Oak dice collection.
Halfling Mini RPG Dice Set, Foam Brain Games [Set of 7 mini dice (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, d10s)]. Cheap in price and usefulness.
MDG 412 Mini Polyhedral Dice Set: Red/Blue w/White Numbers, Metallic Dice Games, LLC [Set of 7 mini dice (d4/d6/d8/d10/d10s/d12/d20)]. Good travel dice.
MDG 752 16mm Resin Poly Dice Set – Snowflake Dice, Metallic Dice Games, LLC [Set of 7 dice (d4/d6/d8/d10/d10s/d12/d20)]. Comparable to Black Oak? Nice looking but more traditional sized.
MDG 4203 Mini Polyhedral Dice Set: Ethereal Black, Metallic Dice Games, LLC [Set of 7 dice (d4/d6/d8/d10/d10s/d12/d20)]. Good for travel but maybe too easy to lose on an airplane.
Misfit Dice: Adopt a Misfit – Mini, Fanroll by Metallic Dice Games [2x sets of mini dice (2d4, 2d6, 2d8, 2d10, 2d12, 2d20, 2d10s)]. Another purchasing experiment not to be repeated.
Polyhedral Dice Advent-ure Calendar 13 – A Christmas Carol, Black Oak Workshop [3x Sets of seven polyhedral dice, 1x custom single, 1x Mystery Dice Set (7 dice) for a total of 29(!) dice]
Sirius Dice – Maple Leaf, Sirius [Set of 8 dice (d4/d6/d8/d10/d100/d12/d20/d20 white)]. Sirius dice for serious gaming.
“That’s Classified,” custom 2d6. If I tell you more I’ll have to kill you…
Four different groups of dice here:
- Advent-ure Calendar. [4x 7-dice sets plus Bonus Die] This year is my first time supporting this Black Oak Workshop Kickstarter campaign. The entire family enjoyed the fun of opening up a new compartment each holiday!
- Playable Collections. [3x 7-dice sets plus Bonus Die and “That’s Classified”] The Sirius Maple Leaf and Black Death sets along with the Snowflake Dice are better quality “collection” dice for serious gaming.
- Travel. [2x 7-dice mini sets] Both Metallic Dice Games Mini Polyhedral sets are intended for “travel” gaming given their smaller size.
- Misfit. [3x 7-dice mini sets] Both the Halfling Mini and Misfit-Mini sets are blind bag products picked up mostly out of curiosity. Given the price, I figured I couldn’t go wrong. Discovered that a great price doesn’t counter the fact I like nice dice that are not factory misfits and random selections.
Rolling Dice and Taking Dollars
Putting the Advent-ure Calendar aside as a special purchase, the average cost of each set of the ALIEN / Blade Runner / Twilight: 2000 dice is a hefty $17.89. That is roughly double the average cost of the other sets ($8.66). Bottom Line: Dice can be expensive!
Feature image courtesy RMN
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