If you've ever been annoyed by dice rolling off the table, unfair decisions, or too loud dice rolls in Dungeons & Dragons (DND) or other tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), you may need a Dice Tower.
This article will answer some of the most frequently asked questions by players in depth:
What is a Dice Tower for? Does it really guarantee fairness? How to use a Dice Tower?What are the common types and styles? How does it relate to the dice itself?What size and structure should you pay attention to when choosing a Dice Tower? Let's find out.
What is a Dice Tower for?
In short, the main purpose of a Dice Tower is to make dice rolls more stable, fair, and fun.
You just drop the dice from the top of the tower, and the dice will pass through several inclined boards or obstacles inside, bounce randomly, and roll out from the bottom exit. This mechanism greatly reduces disputes caused by human intervention or irregular throws.
Five benefits of using a dice tower:
✅ Avoid cheating (reduce "airdrop" or "dice placement")
✅ Protect dice and tabletop (especially suitable for heavy metal dice, delicate and fragile gem dice)
✅ Control noise (quieter with a cushioned base)
✅ Prevent dice from rolling off the tabletop (reduce the time of picking up dice everywhere and keep the rhythm of the game)
✅ Enhance the sense of ritual and immersion (especially in DND battles)
How to use a dice tower?
Don't worry too much, the use of a dice tower is very simple, only three steps:
- First: put the dice into the entrance at the top of the dice tower;
- Second: the dice fall freely through the internal inclined collision structure;
- Third: finally roll out from the bottom exit of the dice tower and stop;
All players can clearly see the results of the roll to avoid disputes.
Suitable for all table game scenes that require dice throwing, such as DND, Pathfinder, Warhammer, Call of Cthulhu, etc.
What types and styles of dice towers are there?
Dice towers also come in a variety of styles, and you can choose according to your favorite style. Common types include:
| Types | Features |
|---|---|
| Wooden dice tower | Soft feel, quiet and low noise, suitable for traditional gaming atmosphere |
| Plastic/acrylic dice tower | Rich colors, light, affordable |
| Themed dice tower | Design combines gaming elements, such as dragon tower, castle, etc. |
| Foldable dice tower | For example, the recommended castle model can be retracted and stored, and is highly portable |
| Mini dice tower | Use when space is limited, suitable for carrying in a carry-on bag |
Whether you like minimalist or gothic style, there is always an adventure suitable for you.
Is the dice tower fairer?
Many novice players will ask: Is it really "fairer" to use a dice tower?
The answer is: more consistent than hand throwing, but still random.
Because the dice will hit the slope many times in the tower and finally roll out randomly, it can better simulate the "perfect throw". Especially when metal dice are heavy and easy to deflect, the dice tower can provide more stable results.
Of course, this is also based on the good design of the tower structure and the smooth interior.
The relationship between the dice tower and the dice
Dice of different materials and sizes have different requirements for dice towers:
- Resin dice/ordinary plastic dice: suitable for most dice towers, no special consideration is required.
- Metal dice: It is recommended to use a dice tower with a reinforced structure or a padded bottom to avoid wear and noise.
- Extra large dice (such as 50mm D20): You need to choose a widened version of the dice tower designed specifically for large dice.
In addition, transparent dice rolling in a transparent dice tower can bring a cooler visual effect!
How to choose the size structure of the dice tower?
Ideal dice tower size: 15~25cm height, suitable for standard DND dice (such as D20, D12, D10, etc.). If you use extra-large dice, you need to choose a heightened model of more than 30cm.
A practical dice tower usually has the following structure:
- The top entrance is spacious and can accommodate 1-3 standard dice;
- The internal slope is reasonably designed, with at least 2-3 impact layers to ensure that the dice bounce fully;
- The outlet caliber is moderate and can fully display the dice results;
- The base can be stored or has a dice wall to prevent the dice from rolling out.
Summary: Is it worth buying?
If you are a TTRPG player, a dice collector, or just want to improve the board game experience, the dice tower is definitely worth having!
Not only can it improve the fairness and playability of the game, but it can also turn every dice roll into a small performance. Whether you are a beginner or an old player, you can feel the sense of ritual and the fun of "controlling your destiny" from the dice tower.
