When you are choosing the right dnd metal dice for yourself, you may have many questions in your mind: How are metal dice made? How much does it cost? What are the advantages and disadvantages of different metal dice? What needs should be focused on when playing dnd? What are the styles of metal dice? How difficult are they to maintain? How to store metal dice? We will provide you with detailed answers to these questions below.
The process of making metal
The making of metal dice usually involves several delicate steps.
- Selection of materials, common metal materials include stainless steel, brass, zinc alloy and so on.
- The molding process, through casting or machining, etc. to make the metal raw materials into the initial shape of the dice.
- Polishing process to make the surface of the dice smoother and ensure smooth rolling.
For metal dice with skeletonized design, additional engraving process is required to carefully carve out exquisite skeletonized patterns to increase its artistic sense and uniqueness.
Consider the budget
The price of metal dice varies depending on the material and complexity of the craftsmanship. Generally speaking, more high-end materials like titanium alloy, or dice with exquisite craftsmanship and intricate carvings and hollowed-out designs will be relatively more expensive; while dice made of zinc alloy and other materials may be relatively more affordable. Determine the budget range you are willing to invest in metal dice first, so that you can avoid overspending while satisfying your preferences.
Focus on material characteristics
1、Stainless steel dice:
- Advantages: high hardness, sturdy and durable, can withstand frequent use and collision, not easy to deformation, damage; smooth surface, not easy to stain the dirt, easy to clean, just wipe with a clean cloth; density, good stability when throwing, rolling trajectory can be predicted, conducive to obtaining accurate results.
- Disadvantages: The appearance is usually a single silver gray, relatively lack of unique visual effects and decorative.
- Suitable for people: Suitable for players who often play DND games, emphasize on the practicality and durability of the dice, and do not have high requirements for the appearance of decorative players.
2. Bronze dice:
- Advantages: with a unique retro texture and color, can add a strong atmosphere and sense of history for the game; density, moderate weight, comfortable feel, and winter use will not be too cold; easy to process the carving, can present a variety of exquisite patterns and textures, high artistic value.
- Disadvantages: easy to oxidize in the air, after a period of time after the use of the surface may appear copper green, the need for regular maintenance and cleaning.
- Suitable for the crowd: the pursuit of retro style, pay attention to the cultural connotation of the game, like to play with textured items and are willing to spend time to maintain the dice players.
- Advantages: exquisite shape, plasticity, can be cast into a variety of complex shapes to meet the needs of personalization; relatively low price, the cost of pro-people; weight distribution is relatively uniform, can ensure the fairness of the game and randomness.
- Disadvantages: relatively low hardness, wear and tear, scratches may occur during the use of the process, the quality is not satisfactory when it may also rust.
- Suitable for the crowd: limited budget but want to have metal dice, have certain requirements on the appearance of the shape, not too concerned about the slight wear and tear of the players.
4. Titanium alloy dice:
- Advantages: light and sturdy, both to ensure the strength of the dice and easy to carry and use; corrosion resistance, not easy to sweat, air and other erosion, can maintain a good appearance and performance for a long time; full of sense of science and technology, the appearance of a unique metal luster.
- Disadvantages: high production cost, expensive; processing difficulty, may affect the production efficiency and quality.
- Suitable for: the pursuit of high quality, novelty and uniqueness, focusing on the dice lightweight, corrosion resistance and like modern technology sense of style players.
Consider the game requirements
- Accuracy requirements: If you attach great importance to the accuracy of the judgment results in the DND game, such as often participating in highly competitive game scenes, then dice made of materials such as stainless steel or titanium alloy with a stable center of gravity and highly predictable rolling trajectory may be more suitable for you. They can provide more reliable results in key judgments such as attack hits and skill checks.
- Feel requirements: Metal dice of different materials feel different in the hand. Bronze dice have moderate weight and relatively poor thermal conductivity, and feel comfortable; titanium alloy dice are light and may be more suitable for players who like light feel. You can choose according to your preference for the feel of the dice.
- Durability requirements: If you are a player who uses dice frequently, or often play games in different environments, then stainless steel, titanium alloy and other durable dice will be a better choice. They can withstand long-term wear and tear and various environmental tests.
Aesthetic preferences
Metal dice come in a variety of styles, from simple and modern stainless steel, to tech-savvy titanium, to vintage brass, to zinc alloy in a variety of shapes. Depending on your aesthetic preferences, you can choose dice that match your overall gaming style or personal taste. For example, players who like classical style may love brass dice, while players who favor modern minimalist style may choose stainless steel dice.
Maintenance Difficulty
Consider whether you are willing to spend time and effort to maintain the dice. Like brass dice need to prevent oxidation treatment on a regular basis, maintenance is relatively troublesome; while stainless steel dice cleaning and maintenance is relatively simple. If you are usually busy and don't have much time to take care of the dice, it may be more appropriate to choose the material that is easy to maintain such as stainless steel.
Storage
When not using metal dice, try to store them separately, avoid mixing with other hard objects (such as keys, coins, etc.) to prevent each other from scratching and crashing and damaging the surface of the dice. You can use special dice trays, cloth bags or dice boxes with dividers to store the dice, which can protect the dice and make them easy to access during the game.
Combining these factors and weighing your budget, gaming needs, aesthetic preferences, maintenance ability, storage, etc., you will be able to pick the best metal dice for you.
