Best games according to redditors
We found 13,176 Reddit comments discussing the best games. We ranked the 4,685 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 13,176 Reddit comments discussing the best games. We ranked the 4,685 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
That's the most expensive way to get dice I've ever heard. Just buy a Bag of Holding, brah.
I made this list for /r/NintendoSwitchDeals since someone asked about games. Figured I'd share here. Most of the games I've played, I've indicated where I haven't. Bolded prices indicate lowest price on CCC according to the plug-in.
* Agricola | $32.89 | 1-4 Players | 30-150 Minutes | 8.0 on BGG - I have never played this but you can find lots of excellent discussion about this on BGG and /r/boardgames. Ultimately it's a beefier board game about managing your farm to take care of your family. Sounds thrilling right? Well apparently it really is. It's currently rated the 25th bestboard game of all-time, and is often mentioned among some of the great games out there. This is an excellent price for this game new, so if there's any interest, go watch a review of two.Deal is done.* Pandemic: Fall of Rome | $27.99 | 1-5 Players | 30-60 Minutes | 7.8 on BGG - This is a variation of the much beloved game Pandemic. In this variation, you and up to 4 other players are taking control of Roman armies to defend against the oncoming tribes attempting to take over a weakened Rome. You will use your unique powers and randomly drawn cards to work together with the other players in this cooperative game. If you've played base Pandemic you will know what to expect, but this version has some cool thematic changes that have many reviewers calling it the second best iteration of the Pandemic series.Dead deal.We build a 12-players GoT boardgame based on "A Game of Thrones: The board game (Second Edition)". The base game is for 6 players only and we thought “That can’t be all!”. Luckily for us we weren’t the first who thought that. We used the template of those guys http://theironthrone.eu/ and added a few things by our own. (Yeah I know it’s German :/ ) We spend around ~200€ for the materials but it was totally worth it!
Playable Houses are:
Any questions? Feel free to ask!
(Edit: Formatting)
(Edit 2: Just wanted to point out that this is a custom made expansion if it wasn't obvious already, linked the original")
For the DM: If you don't have the money or space for enemy minis for every encounter, consider getting your DM a set of Pathfinder Pawns. It's technically for another system but comes with over 300 cardstock pawns (full color, same image front and back) along with a pile of bases for a wide variety of creatures and sizes. There are several collections (I have the Bestiary Box and the NPC Codex) but you can get away with subbing in something that resembles your enemy instead of buying them all.
​
​
The Risk board is really nice aesthetically, but try the Game of Thrones strategy game for actual gameplay. It's a lot of fun if you have a few friends and 7-8 hours to kill!
A battle mat, used to play out any combat during sessions: https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
Betrayal at the House on the Hill is included, super great game
It is bizarre that this is a "deal" when you can get this.
In the top 3 political/strategy board games and miles ahead of Risk in board game design.
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Fantasy Roleplaying Game Starter Set (D&D Boxed Game) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965592/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_Yoefvb0F5P4G9
$12 for this starter pack is a crazy price. This box has a really good storyline, prebuilt characters, and a basic set of rules that are extremely easy to get into. Best way to start!
Edit: Snag these too. That way you don't all have to share one set of dice!
100+ Pack of Random Polyhedral Dice in Multiple Colors Plus Free Pouch Set by Wiz Dice https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_DTffvb0WSX43P
Cards Against Humanity - $25. If you haven't played it, you've probably heard of it. A great party game, and a good gift for the offensive people in your life.
P.S. You can get the game plus 2 expansions for <$50 right now
https://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Board-Second/dp/1589947207
Ticket to Ride
https://www.amazon.com/Days-Wonder-DO7201-Ticket-Ride/dp/0975277324/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1539595327&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=ticket+to+ride+board+game&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=61wLscAHHSL&amp;ref=plSrch
Cute
You'd probably get a better response from this over at /r/rpg Your product is useful for that type of gaming, with miniatures and stuff like that, while this subreddit is generally for modern boardgames, and games that are a complete product, which generally won't need this.
That said, for some useful crituqes, I think your updated design would be hard to use. With all the various different lines, it would be hard to keep track of exactly where the hexes are. You don't really need multiple sizes, because most miniatures are all around the same size, with different sizes for different creatures, but those generally take up multiple squares. I don't know exactly the size, but I think they are around 1" diameter at their base for a standard size. Personally I'd like to see something that just has a square grid on one side and a hex grid on the other side. I have a mat like this one, and I think you'll find that is what most people are using. So if you want to get RPG business, you're competing against them. They are clear and large, but personally I can say that the map is really big, and its a real pain to transport and store. So you're product is nice that it folds up and you can store it where ever. If it was as usable as the mat I linked too, I would definitely consider buying one.
As others have pointed out, the essential book is for 4th edition and is not compatible with what you are doing.
Here is a list of books
After you have run the starter set:
That will keep you busy for years. Don´t worry about investing in 3D terrain, or getting all of the books, unless you really want to.
Some tips:
Player: "Ok so I want to like do like a somersault above the monster and while I am in the air try to hit him with my swords!"
DM: "As it happens there is a chandelier right after the table and before the monster, you can run up on the table, grab the chandler to get enough height and momentum, do a dex check".
If you are referring to this one https://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Board-Second/dp/1589947207 then yes.
If you really love board games and you have enough friends that would embark on the journey that is the GoT board game, def buy it. My friends and I play it a few times a month. It's a very complex(yet at the same time simple) board game. It takes about 4 hours to complete, however. If you don't think you'll have enough people to spend the time and brainpower on the 4 hour game I suggest buying the expansion packs which are for four players. If you try to play the original version with 5 or 4, it won't end fairly due to the open lands being too easy for southern house to snatch up.
Overall... yes. It rules.
This is what I bought! Wet erase markers only
Chessex Role Playing Play Mat:... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IUAAG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share
If they like that you should get this game..
https://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Board-Second/dp/1589947207
Its wonderful.
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-The-Board-Second-Edition/dp/1589947207 Risk-type strategy game completely centered around Game of Thrones. I have it and it's amazing.
As a player and Dungeon Master, it makes me so happy to see /r/DnD making it to bestof more than once. :)
For those interested, the newest edition being released book by book right now is 5e (previously D&D Next when it was still in the playtesting phase). Player's Handbook (PHB) and Monster Manual (MM) are the only rule books out right now. The main storyline book out right now is Hoard of the Dragon Queen (HotDQ) and soon The Rise of Tiamat (RoT).
What you need to play D&D IRL:
If you want to play a D&D online tabletop:
Shameless plug: My group streams D&D 3.5e (older edition) on Twitch almost every Monday night at 8pm EST. I also play and DM 5e, so I'm happy to answer questions about either edition!
I vote for Settlers of Catan because I hear it is an awesome game!
I own all of these (plus quite a few more), and enjoy playing them regularly. Prices are approximately accurate at places like Target, walmart, Amazon, etc. Most games below can be played by up to 4-6 players (some more), but all support a minimum of two. (An important distinction, as many games require 3 or more players.)
$5-10:
$10-20:
Here, we start getting into some really interesting ones...
$20-30
$30-50
A bit pricier here, but some very interesting gameplay is to be found.
That's right. Here's some price data taken from /r/lowestprice. Its more like a 20 to 30% discount witch is still pretty great
|Name|Price|Usual Price|
|----|----|----|----|
|Forbidden Island|$10.19|$14.50
|Resistance The 2nd Edition|$12|$15.50
|7 Wonders|$28|$33
|Pound-O-Dice|$16|$21
|Dixit|$20|$25
|Say Anything|$15|$19
|Dominion|$59|$74
|Flash Point Fire Rescue 2nd Edition|$24|$30
|The Walking Dead Board Game|$21|$27
|DC Comics Deck Building Game|$23|$30
|Zombicide Base Game|$54|$74
|The Castles Of Burgundy|$22|$29
|Summoner Wars Master Set|$30|$39
|Formula D|$32|41
|The Big Bang Theory: The Party Game|$17|$22
|Axis and Allies 1914 World War I Board Game|$59.39|$75
|Risk Godstorm Game|$30|$36.50
|Saint Malo Strategy Game|$20|$27
This is the pack I purchased. Was expecting each die to be random, not 15 random full sets. I only wish I hadn't gotten 2 translucent green. A different type of red instead would have been ideal. Not bad for $20 though.
Went and bought myself a bag of holding so no one has an excuse
Uhhhh. Pandemic is a good game if you want to lose horribly. I'd recommend Forbidden Desert instead. Many similar mechanics. A lot faster. Fewer "Welp, we lose in 5 turns and there is nothing we can do to stop it" issues. And it doesn't suffer as badly from the "Table Captain" problems. It still HAS them but not as badly.
My personal recommendation for a fun competitive game that's relatively easy to learn and doesn't suffer "You fucked me over!" annoyances? 7 Wonders. Another good choice in this theme would be Ticket to Ride. This also has the benefit of actually being available at Target or Walmart, so you don't have to try and find a hobbyist store or order it online. King of Tokyo and Tsuro are both fun, easy-to-learn games as well. I've seen all of these at Barnes and Noble, so depending on what you have locally, they can be easily found.
Yup. That's why the WizDice bag of dice is a much better buy. They're a dollar cheaper, and another poster recently noted they almost always come in complete or near-complete matched sets.
Ordered by increasing gratitude:
Gave you a bandaid when you cut yourself:
http://www.amazon.com/GameScience-Blue-Moonstone-d20-gold/dp/B001GL0H5U/ref=sr_1_25
Covered for you while you went to the clinic (don't ask):
http://www.amazon.com/GameScience-Precision-Coal-Black-7-Dice/dp/B006TF2UM6/ref=sr_1_11
Bought and delivered new pants to you, on the toilet (again, don't ask):
http://www.amazon.com/Random-Polyhedral-Dice-Multiple-Wiz/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=sr_1_14
Saved your damn fool life:
http://www.amazon.com/Steel-Dwarven-Metal-Seven-Piece/dp/B0014HN7QM/ref=sr_1_7
I'm surprised no one's mentioned Betrayal at House on the Hill. One of the best games I've ever played. The game is different every time you play it. With 50 different scenarios, and a house that is basically built as you go, it's almost impossible to get bored. It's also published by Wizards of the Coast.
I'm excited to see your post, because I was going to write something similar. In particular, I wanted to link to the five geek social fallacies which is all about why nerdy gamers feel obligated to include socially awkward friends at the table, even when they're disruptive. And then, I wanted to suggest that OP transition this high-anxiety friend over to a different social event, and your suggestion of board games is perfect. Board games do not require role play in which a socially awkward person bungles the social interactions. Here are some of my favorites that seem to work well with socially difficult people:
Good luck OP!
If you guys can pool ~$30 you can get a Chessex Battlemat and some wet erase markers. It'll be just a little bigger than (what I'm guessing is) 8.5x11 and just as functional/reuseable as your option.
SOMEONE SHOP CATANZARO'S FACE AND NAME ON THIS IMAGE STAT!
^^^^please
They already have one, and its an amazing game. Admittedly it isn't Risk per se. I actually think that it plays better than Risk, but yours looks pretty sweet though.
Just a reminder that there is a really good Game of Thrones Board Game and that we have an active community on /r/AGOTBoardGame
Dominion
Ticket to Ride
Settlers of Catan
I bought this before the first time I DMed. I got 15 complete sets, a partial set missing the d20 and d12, and immediately gave away probably three of them. Then a few more. I think I'm down to about eight sets now.
No one wanted the pink dice, so I use them as the dice of shame. If someone does something stupid, I take away their dice and make them play with the pink set.
Or better yet buy the game on amazon and support the awesome result of a kickstarter project
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity/dp/B004S8F7QM
Also, I recommend a proper battlemat. They're pricey at first, but they last a long time, can improve overall table stuffs, and you can use erasable markers on them without too much trouble (note: red seems to stain a little if left on too long, while the other colors do not).
Look for ones like this (I think by Chessex): good mat
Do not buy the one that looks like this: bad mat
Some that standout to me:
Feast for Odin: $67Now $80Queen Domino: $15
Forbidden Island: $12
I think you'd be a big fan of Cards Against Humanity. The only skill you need to play is a sense of humor :-)
Where is this 6 sets of dice for $9 you speak of? The closest I've found are these:
https://www.amazon.com/6x-Sets-10-Polyhedral-Dice/dp/B00JNV7QG8
EDIT: Oh, and actually these look okay: https://www.amazon.com/SmartDealsPro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/ref=pd_day0_21_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B01ABST9S4&amp;pd_rd_r=6J3Y84Q3BG935JH4XYAH&amp;pd_rd_w=stSf0&amp;pd_rd_wg=cDK0I&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=6J3Y84Q3BG935JH4XYAH&amp;dpID=51TLq9O7vtL&amp;preST=_SY300_QL70_&amp;dpSrc=detail
2nd EDIT: Aha! These are actually pretty good! 6 sets for less than $10.50, and better ratings than the previous two links. Also, you get precisely the colors shown (which could be a negative for some people, I suppose):
https://www.amazon.com/iFergoo-Polyhedral-Polyhhedral-Dungeons-Dragons/dp/B0719X9SQZ/ref=pd_day0_21_11?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B0719X9SQZ&amp;pd_rd_r=6J3Y84Q3BG935JH4XYAH&amp;pd_rd_w=stSf0&amp;pd_rd_wg=cDK0I&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=6J3Y84Q3BG935JH4XYAH
I highly recommend NOT going for a chessex pound of dice as a new roleplayer. They do not come with neat sets and the spread over the different kind of dice (so your standard d6 then, d8,d10,12,d20 etc.) is very uneven.
I highly recommend a wizdice pack if you want a solid amount of dice. They are cheap, and come with mostly full sets of dice (i had 16 in one pack). So even for more experienced roleplayers this might be a better choice, or a great gift to new players as you get them.
Here are some comparison pictures from /u/Airos_the_Tiger :
Chessex pound of dice: http://i.imgur.com/LVjeKWt.jpg
Wizdice dice pack: http://i.imgur.com/clFrt0L.jpg
I recently bought the WizDice random pack on Amazon and would highly
recommend it. Came with several full sets and several partial sets for only $20 or so. I also bought my players dice bags as a small Christmas gift, and was able to give each of then three dice sets and save several more for myself. The whole thing cost me maybe $40 for four people, although the dice itself was only half of that. http://www.amazon.com/Random-Polyhedral-Dice-Multiple-Wiz/dp/B009R6J8RY
Cards Against Humanity $25.00
Because its so cheap, ~$20 for 100+ dice. Of the "random set" a lot of people get matched sets. That being said, not everyone gets them.
I ordered these too last time it was posted here. From the 123 dice I received, I got just 1 color-matched (opaque red) set besides the guaranteed set (radioactive orange), and was only able to make 2 other sets. The full pack only contained 4 d10s, but had 29 d00's. I was able to make a total of 7 sets out of all the dies, because that's how many d20's it contained (I used a sharpie to change some d00's to d10's). While the above is disappointing considering all the reviews I'd read, its still within the product description. The biggest disappointment was the quality of the dice. While a fair amount were pretty good, at least a quarter had visible defects, either ink outside the lines, or a few with barely visible numbers.
So, it's really kind of a gamble. If you don't like what you have, you can always head over to /r/diceswap and see trades you can make.
Forbidden Island game because it's so fun to play! £12.99
Not to try and change your mind, but for those who are curious, here are some great boardgames at or around the $20 price point:
Forbidden Island
Race for the Galaxy
The Resistance
Innovation
For Sale
Roll Through the Ages
Glory to Rome
Citadels
Acquire
Qwirkle
Bohnanza
https://www.amazon.com/Smartdealspro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/ref=zg_bs_1265808011_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=D1Y99S8YTAQSHR3Y5XWC Here's 5 sets of dice for $10.
Alternatively, there are a ton of free apps - though I do find apps to not be as satisfying and very easy for people to cheat with, especially with younger players.
Pathfinder Pawns might be a good start.
Monster Codex Pawns
Beastiary Box Pawns
If you're playing 5E they won't match up exactly, but $30 for 300 "minis" ain't bad. Otherwise start dropping $120 a brick for the official minis or check ebay for the occasional lot of prepainted plastics. They seem to be around $1-2 each at the moment.
Chessex makes a much better product, which is designed for use with wet-erase markers. It's a thick expanded vinyl product.
Chessex Battle Mat
1" squares on one side, hexes on the opposite.
A Chessex Gridded Role Playing Mat really helped me out (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015IQO2O/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1). Obviously things like dice are helpful too - I'd recommend this https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-001LBCHX-Pound-O-Dice/dp/B008C0KXYS/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1481377749&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=pound+of+dice because who doesn't want a pound of dice lol.
Miniatures on the other hand are a really fast way of blowing through whatever budget you have and should imo be the last thing you get
Do yourself a favor and get yourself one of these, plus some Wet Erase Markers. http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1450276466&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=erasable+map
I have way too many Pathfinder battle maps and even the Pathfinder map tiles. They come in handy every once in a while, but unless your players keep coming back to the same location, they aren't generic enough that you can use them all the time.
My drawing skills are terrible, but once you GM enough, you discover your players don't expect art. They just need a rough idea of the terrain, pointing out walls and things that can be used in combat (cover, partial cover, rocks for high ground, lava, etc) and even simple lines and circles can cover most of that.
http://www.amazon.com/Random-Polyhedral-Dice-Multiple-Wiz/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=pd_sbs_t_1
All the dice you could need. Generally comes with at least a few complete sets, fairly basic colors.
A lot of people seem confused. OP didn't make a board game, they custom made an expansion to increase the possible players for an existing game
https://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Board-Second/dp/1589947207
If you like game of thrones and risk type games, it's an absolute blast. However, I highly recommend spending a loooot of time reading the rules to fully understand it or bring a friend to "lead" the game if you know someone who knows how to play, as it can be confusing for six beginners.
And nice work, OP! I imagine it's just total chaos and very game of thrones-y with the fake alliances and such you could do with that many people playing.
I think it's this Chessex map, but there different types, prices and sizes, this one is like a tablecloth. Note you cannot use regular whiteboard eraser on it, you need "dry erasers", and then just a damp rag or something to wipe it off at the end of the session (it it's there for longer the color can stick a bit).
~rings doorbell wearing a bright, over-enthusiastic smile~ Oh, hello friend. I hear you and your friends might be interested in getting started on the road towards board gaming! This is excellent news! There are many excellent resources to help guide you and yours towards many fun-filled experiences with friends and family. ^Please, ^don't ^be ^afraid!
~Whips out a bunch of pamphlets, waving them at you~ I would recommend checking out the /r/boardgames community here on reddit, especially this wiki post on what games you should try if you're new to modern board games. It's got a ton of great suggestions with descriptions to help you figure out if you might actually enjoy the game. That wiki and the subreddit itself also have tons of easily accessed info for you, if you need. They can even help you find your nearest FLGS (Friendly Local Game Store)!
Also you might check out some reviewers like Shut Up & Sit Down, who are my favourites and have a ton of articles and video reviews, or The Dice Tower, who have lots of videos of lists and reviews like the one I linked that can give you some ideas of what to get. (Sometimes way too many ideas... ~waggles her overly long games-to-buy list~) SUSD even has a great Intro to Board Games video for people who are hesitant or starting into the hobby and don't quite know what it's all about or where to start - it's a few years old, but still very relevant, and I recommend any of their videos. I find them hilarious.
And if you decide you're really getting into the hobby, you might start visiting the marvellous, dank morass that is BoardGameGeek, aka BGG or 'the Geek'...
As for recommendations straight from me... The hardest and best thing with board games is everyone likes something different? But I find one can't go wrong most of the time with these:
Most of these are fairly simple and relatively short, but they're all fun starter games that are easy to pick up and play, and I've never known anyone to not enjoy themselves when I've brought out any of these. I often do game nights with different mixes of friends, to which I will usually bring an Ikea bag full of games, and there's almost always at least one or two of these particular games in that bag. I'm pretty sure they're all in print, too, so they shouldn't be too expensive!
Also, if you guys are looking into tabletop RPGs but don't know where to start with that, and you don't have anyone who knows how to DM/GM handy, the newest edition of D&D has a Starter Set out - it's a pack that includes dice, pre-rolled characters, a starter rule book and a pre-written starting adventure. I will always recommend Red Boxes/Starter Sets, D&D does a great job with these and makes it really easy for you to get into it, even if no one in the group is familiar with rpgs to begin with.
tl;dr - Board/card games are amazing, there's lots of resources out there for you, I hope I didn't scare you off with my enthusiasm. Welcome to tabletop gaming!
^Edit: ^Now ^with ^more ^links!!
Forbidden Island is great for kids and cooperative. Castle Panic might be a bit advanced for him at 6, but, again, it's a co-op game, so you can help him out. He could probably play King of Tokyo. There's always Hey, That's My Fish!. Also, pretty much any board game by HABA
Cards Against Humanity
If you guys are carrying booze, this is the perfect complement. Also, not heavy (just cards) and endlessly amusing. ProTip: pack it in using ziplocks to keep it safe in case the pack goes for a swim.
100+ Pack of Random Polyhedral Dice in Multiple Colors Plus Free Pouch Set by Wiz Dice
$19.99 on Amazon.
Not scientific means and standards knife edge quality, but far from junk, and you are promised to get full sets. They will even fix things for you if you get a bad batch.
Highly recommend.
Edit: Here's the link I should have added in the first place, but I was in a hurry and forgot to add.
http://www.amazon.com/Random-Polyhedral-Dice-Multiple-Wiz/dp/B009R6J8RY
If you're just starting out, I recommend the 100-dice package from Wiz Dice. Even as a player, you'll find having multiple sets really handy, and the quality's a little bit better than Chessex's equivalent.
Here's something I typed out for someone else who asked the same question a while back.
Basically a quick guide to what you should get to get started:
------
Here's what I'd buy, in order (5e):
As for non-book stuff, I'd highly suggest the following:
Good luck!
MSRP of Catan and Dominion are both $45; nice try though. I'll give you Betrayal; I didn't realize it was so cheap, especially considering how good it is. Still, Ticket to Ride: $40, Power Grid: $45 MSRP, Pandemic Legacy: $70 MSRP, (the original game is $40), and I could keep going. The notion that most board games are under $30 is flat out wrong.
Settlers of Catan is great fun, I also highly recommend adding the expansions like Cities and Knights.
Dominion is another great card/board game you should check out. It's simple to learn but offers a fair amount of depth, pretty elegant design.
If you want to go all out I recommend checking out the The Game of Thrones Board Game it's pretty hardcore but amazing.
Similar to the MtG cutout idea, Pathfinder uses some nice looking printed stock pawns. Amazon link for example
Pathfinder Pawns!! I just got some for my campaign!
NPC's- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601254725/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
A few Monsters- https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601255616/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
Monster Codex- http://paizo.com/products/btpy9g25?Pathfinder-Pawns-Monster-Codex-Box
The NPC one is perfect for Player Characters and Villagers n stuff. And the Monster Codex would hook you up with monsters. And the Bestairy Box is just more monsters and devils and stuff.
They are pretty freaking dope my players love em
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ABST9S4?psc=1&amp;ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_title
The Resistance. Good for larger groups (Plays 5-10).
It's not the wrong sub at all! It's just the right sub for us to tell you to pick up The Resistance instead! Perfect for that size group
Your best bet for this is going to be your local gaming shop. They usually have drawers of sorted dice and let you mix and match whatever you need for like ten cents a die.
If you can't go to a local store wiz dice has good, cheap bags of dice.
Love Letter (http://www.amazon.com/Alderac-Entertainment-Group-5104AEG-Letter/dp/B00AGJ4HC2) + Dominion (http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG370-Dominion/dp/B001JQY6K4/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1395249359&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=dominion) = just under $40.
I believe it was the Paizo Flip-Mat. Basically a foldable cardboard mat.
If you’re looking for low cost I would recommend reaper bones or wizkids deep cuts/nolzurs marvelus miniatures. Depending on the size /set it’ll run you $4-$100. $4 being an individual Meduim sized mini $100 being a boxed set of a lot of them or a single large set piece like a huge dragon. Both of these options are unpainted and you should be able to find whatever you’re looking for. If you just want best bang for your buck I would recommend pathfinder pawns they’re card stock minis and usually get a couple hundred for around $15-$40 depending on the set you get. Another option is to find board games that use minis like zombiecide or some of the d&d board games
This is the cutest game of dnd i have ever seen.
But to answer your question you might want to check this out
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1371126295&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=chessex+battlemat
You can use wet erase markers on it and create levels on the fly.
For miniatures you can use these coins that you make instead, you can learn how to make it at this site
http://newbiedm.com/2008/11/22/newbiedm-tutorial-counters-tokens-or-pogs/
(great tool for creating tokens http://www.rptools.net/index.php?page=tokentool)
With all this you can save you a lot of money but still give you a official feel.
Chessex makes two sided vinyl mats that are awesome.
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
Make sure you get the proper markers for them, normal dry erase markers will ruin them.
The idea is you draw out the dungeon or area as it is explored. It works pretty well for pre-made dungeons.
Personally I had 3 of the 23x26" ones. That way I can map out a larger area of a dungeon without needed to erase, makes letting the party backtrack much more easy.
On the back side they are hexes which work real well for outdoor wilderness exploration. (scaled down)
Most of your prices are way too high. They're still used games, you can't sell them at new prices.
Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of Ashardalon
Chronicle of the Godslayer - Storm of Souls -
Rise of Vigil - Immortal Heroes
Munchkin
Munchkin Impossible
Battlestar Galactica
Dungeon Twister
I'm getting tired of this so I'm going to skip ones that are good deals...
Carcassonne: The Catapult
Van Helsing
Zombie Fluxx
Dresden Files
There are a few games that would be good deals, but most of them need to be re-priced. To make it worth people's time to buy from you then you should really price $20 under Amazon (for bigger games) if you want them to pay shipping. Then it'll even out to only $10-ish less than Amazon for them.
You don't want to see the Brazilian version... cringe galore. Half the house's and character's names are comically translated and the other half in the original English versions.
I had to order the A Game of Thrones: The Board Game from amazon to Brazil because the Portuguese version takes the names from the translated books and is both laughable and confusing
This isn't an MMO, but if you didn't know there is a GoT board game that is a lot of fun. My housemates and I play it ever once in a while (it can last 5-7 hours) and love it.
For a friday game night I would love for them to play the game of thrones board game, or ticket to ride, or the many amazing board games out there
I actually recommend the second edition. It's like Risk, but everyone goes at the same time. 3-6 players (recommend 6). Alliances are absolutely required or else you end up locked in eternal war. There is politics, favoritism, and requires a solid strategy.
For added fun, use the Tides of Battle Cards as well, which will change the outcome of every battle, and just makes things chaotic and you really have to weigh your combat options.
That's the 1st edition. Definitely want the 2nd edition over the first.
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-The-Board-Second-Edition/dp/1589947207/
You could ask everyone in your party to chip in for a WizDice set of 100. Comes out to $3.33 ($4 if you're good on dice) and everyone can get at least one set.
First of all,
>are those the only items?
These are the only pre-made items, obviously. But are they the be all and end all of the magical items available to you? Not at all. As DM and the master of your world you are free to create magical items to your hearts' content, making them as weak or as powerful as you feel like.
The short of it is yes, yes you can make any kind of items you'd like for your friends to find or enchant.
>are there 'rules' to creation?
No, not really. If you want your player(s) to have a +5 Sword of Awesomeness, you go ahead and give it to them (read: let them get it).
>how would my players go out getting a +5 Sword of Awesomeness?
Once again, as the DM, this is really up to you. If you want there to be an NPC that sells magical items in the city/village/wherever your players are, then you do that. Or you can work it into an adventure. Perhaps your players overhear an NPC talking about the nearby tomb of Melvin Awesomesword. They decide to go investigate, and once they overcome the challenges you present them with, lo and behold, there lies Melvin in his tomb. And with him? Why, it's a +5 Sword of Awesomeness! That's just an example, obviously. You've got to make it your own. There really are no rules as to how you give items to your players. If you want it to fall out of the sky in a meteorite, fine. Do it! My advice would be to not make it too easy for them however. It should be a challenge. You (in my opinion) don't want to offer them stuff on a silver platter. There's no better feeling than completing a challenge or winning a fight and being rewarded accordingly!
>tools for making a decent playing mat?
Not really my area of things, but I use this and it works great. You can draw whatever you like on it, and simply erase it afterwards.
Sorry this was a bit wordy! Hope it's helpful...
I use a Chessex Play Mat for the bulk of my encounters. It works well for quickly drawing out a smaller dungeon or combat encounter. It's about 20x25 squares.
If I need additional space or need to be creative with my level design, I use Gaming Paper. The grid dimensions are 1 inch squares, so it works perfectly with the play mat. Also the gaming paper is durable enough to use repeatedly if you have a few encounters in the same kind of area, like homes/taverns. You could also glue the gaming paper to something like foam board, and create your own dungeon tiles for cheap.
You can get the mat, a roll of gaming paper, and a set of wet erase markers for around $30 USD.
Hopefully that helps!
Honestly, this reminds me of Betrayal at the House on the Hill. A sole survivor, fleeing that cursed mansion, as it slowly consumes itself and everything left inside.
I will also take this moment to shamelessly plug this fabulous game.
Amazon.com link for easy impulses shopping.
Buy a couple of Pathfinder Pawns boxes. You are done. haha
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishng-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns/dp/1601255616/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1485202736&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=pathfinder+pawns
Prefer of paper with a character's picture? I've also seen people download pictures and make sandwich boards with character art on them.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=pathfinder+pawns&amp;qid=1562347695&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=pathfinder&amp;sr=8-1
Would that work for you?
If you're the type, playing board games/card games with friends is relaxing and sociable, and can also exercise your mind. A deck of cards is super cheap, and while board games have larger up front costs, you can play the same one tons of times. I'm not talking older/classic games (like Monopoly) but rather new, designer board games like The Settlers of Catan, Carcassone, or Ticket to Ride. Card games I like are Hearts and Euchre.
I prefer Wiz Dice because they have less random ones in the set. I don't need a LRC and Backgammon betting die, just more d12's I'll also never use.
$20/lb, or $25 for Chessex.
I've seen dice seconds sold in bulk at Cons, but rarely online. I'm sure they're out there somewhere but you'd have to do some hunting. I think nowadays they mostly get remelted and recast.
Well, how about a Dice Bag of Holding?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01476QV14/
The starter set for the current edition is $25: https://smile.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Starter-Set-Roleplaying/dp/B00SI774U6/
Everything you need to run a game when everyone is new. Dice, pre-built characters for players to choose from, and a story for the Dungeon Master to run them through.
Alternatively you can buy the player's handbook and the dungeon master's guide individually:
https://smile.amazon.com/Players-Handbook-Dungeons-Dragons-Wizards/dp/0786965606/
https://smile.amazon.com/Dungeon-Masters-Guide-Core-Rulebook/dp/0786965622/
and some dice
https://smile.amazon.com/SmartDealsPro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/
With those you can do the same thing as the starter set but there's a whole lot more information available about all the different classes, races, weapons, combat rules, spells, etc. I'd recommend the starter set and if y'all are interested in going further getting the rest.
Set aside a few hours one evening to play a session. A lot of groups will do a shorter session 0 where they discuss what characters they're going to play and make sure they've got a decent grasp of the mechanics and rules.
In the course of about 2-3 hours you'll probably get through one combat encounter and one non-combat encounter (talking to townspeople, investigating something, dicking around at the tavern) but it all depends on the choices the players make based on the options presented by the DM.
You can buy the starter set it’s a good base point for little money to start at. It will give you a taste of the game. It comes with pre-set characters you guys can choose from and an adventure book for any one that wants to DM in your party. I would recommend it before you spend money on any of the core books. All pitch in about 5 bucks and get started. Have any other questions?
Dungeons & Dragons Starter Set: Fantasy D&D Roleplaying Game 5th Edition (RPG Boxed Game) Plus Additional Bonus Set of 7 Dice https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CNF823R/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Blg8Bb5V31EWV
Also you are going to need dice luckily they sell it in a set of 5:
Smartdealspro 5 x 7-Die Series Two Colors Dungeons and Dragons DND RPG MTG Table Games Dice with Free Pouches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ABST9S4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_pmg8BbNCJBS3G
Its a chess ex matt! I have a local Black Diamond Games. Heres an amazon link : http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0015IUAAG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1462230024&amp;amp;sr=8-2&amp;amp;pi=SL75_QL70&amp;amp;keywords=chessex
To give people an idea, Dominion is 11.8 x 11.8 x 2.9 inches (according to Amazon, and the internal box size listed on USPS's site is 23.69 x 11.75 x 3 inches.
So, two Dominion-sized boxes should just fit side by side, but it will be a tight fit, and not allow for any additional packing.
Amazon:
Game|Sale $|Reg $|Sale %|BGG Rating
-|-|-|-|-
COH Guadalcanal|43.3|73.95|41%|8.2
Star Trek Panic|21|41.95|50%|7.1
Santorini|24.99|39.95|37%|7.7
Coal Baron|24.89|38.95|36%|7.3
Kingdomino|18.71|25.99|28%|7.4
Dragon Island|27.53|43.95|37%|6.3
Monopoly Gamer|19.79|29.99|34%|6.5
Wits and Wagers Party|22.46|29.99|25%|6.9
Dungeon Lords|73.92|91.95|20%|7.4
Forbidden Island|16.98|21.95|23%|6.8
Scythe|59.99|69.95|14%|8.2
Deception: Murder in Hong Kong|29.16|33.95|14%|7.5
Mangrovia|34.73|40.95|15%|7.2
Boss Monster|18|21.95|18%|6.3
Anomia|12.71|14.95|15%|6.6
\^Credit to jrahhali on bgg for most of these.
That's pretty much regular price on Amazon
http://camelcamelcamel.com/Asmodee-SEV-EN01ASM-7-Wonders/product/B0043KJW5M?context=browse
Why would I pay more than $25?
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC-CAHUS/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1415212675&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=cards+against+humanity
It's actually the exact same price on Amazon because it's sold through Cards against humanity's store there.
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC-CAHUS/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1420672554&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=cards+against+humanity
Let's add Last Night on Earth and Cards Against Humanity.
This battle mat is absolutely amazing. You can draw on it with overhead projector pens and erase with water when you are done.
This is extraordinarily thorough. So thorough in fact, that you should also consider board gaming. Reading this, it just makes a lot of sense for you. I think board gaming would fit you like a glove.
1. Video games have moved away from couch co-op. You've made a great list here with a lot of solid points, but I doubt you would have ever reached your conclusion, had you considered board games. Keep Talking is certainly a good entertaining game, nothing against it. It's just, that game feels plucked like a needle out of a haystack. Like you've biopsied out a very small node from inside a large mass.
You don't really have this problem with board games. Literally every single board game in existence is designed to be played with people immediately around you. I hesitate to use the phrase "played co-operatively" simply because most board games are NOT co-operative - though there are notable exceptions like Pandemic or Ghost Stories. Both great games.
Board games use human beings as the engine the game runs on. That's not to say board games pit intellects against each other in some sort of valid competition of "who's the most smartest", but to say: humans are social machines and will surprise you with their grasp of system thinking. If I have five or six people in the room with me, I'd prefer the game that we're playing to exist in the head-space between us rather than on some electronic device.
People have come over to my house in the real world. Why not play a game with them that also exists in the real world? I can play videogames over online multiplayer until I'm blue in the face. Just last night I reinstalled Bad Company 2 and played with a few old college roommates. If I had those old friends over to my house, we'd play a board game. It seems crazy to me that someone has taken the time to drive over to your place and you set them down in front of a computer.
2. Because boardgames have always been designed around a social experience taking place in the real world, they're just better at it. This is definitely subjective. You can feel free to disagree with me all you want, but there are mechanics that I just don't see in videogames. Sure, I could load up Gremlin's Inc and replicate what is probably the best roll n' move game I've ever played, but roll n' move is a Monopoly era game genre. Board games can move past this.
You can't play Two Room's and a Boom on a machine. You can't play Bid n' Bluff games like Liar's Dice, Sheriff of Nottingham, or social deduction games like Coup or Love Letter. You can't play physical dexterity games like Jenga (still great fun btw), Flick em' Up, or Catacombs.
There are just games that play better with groups of people because they exist in the real world and make use of humans as the operating system.
3. Board games are much more open to much more people. I don't know about you, but in my experience board games are just more accessible to a wider range of people. I'm maybe going to get a round of Mario Kart out of the adults in my life that love me, but I've sat down with people over 50 and had a great time with Ticket to Ride. At family reunions I've enjoyed Dominion with young children and grandparents alike. Settlers of Catan, Blockus, and Carcassonne are all genuinely fun games I played to death with my family.
How crazy is that? I would really look forward to playing one of those games with my whole family. I can't think of even one videogame that fits that criteria.
4. Perhaps most simply, there are incredible games that just don't exist in videogame form - even though they could. Is the total conversion mod for Crusader Kings II not giving you that full heady Game of Thrones experience? Why not just play Game of Thrones. This is probably my favorite game and it's just not on computers. I can imagine a version of Cosmic Encounter played over online multiplayer, but why? It already exists in perfect form. If I want to play El Grande, or Arctic Scavengers, or Lords of Vegas - well . . . those games just don't exist as videogames.
5. Just honorable mentions. Seven Wonders. Splendor. Blueprints.
TL;DR. There are a ton of great board games out there and if you actually are struggling to think of something that you and your friends can enjoy together in the same room - maybe give it a shot rather than lament the lack of couch co-op in videogames.
[A Game of Thrones Boardgame] (http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-The-Board-Second-Edition/dp/1589947207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1342542427&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=A+Game+of+Thrones+Board+game) on amazon. published by fantasy flight games. Very cool. Check out r/AGOTboardgame
Chessex battlemaps and Pathfinder flip map are two of the common maps.
As for miniatures, Pathfinder paws are the biggest bang for your buck. They are thick card stock and fairly durable and would be the easiest buy. If you want miniatures, sites like miniature market has around 160 for $2 or less for each miniature, the cost can add up quickly, but are pre-painted.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=pd_aw_sim_21_2/133-7432255-0356119?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1601255616&amp;pd_rd_r=35b2487c-6cfe-11e9-9ffd-03efec45caec&amp;pd_rd_w=VLUug&amp;pd_rd_wg=B8Cvs&amp;pf_rd_p=469620d9-3e90-496d-9dc8-b19f900ba5fe&amp;pf_rd_r=7CYTFFC8JZMCXA8G012B&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=7CYTFFC8JZMCXA8G012B
2d minis, contain several hundred. One of my most used purchases.
Edit: for the record, I posted this before the lasybugs thing took off
You're not going to make any great progress on a PC build for that price. Besides, PC tech is changing so quickly, you shouldn't buy any one piece of it until you can buy all of it.
If you're looking for X1 games, I'm a huge fan of Destiny, but it's not for everyone. If you're looking for more of a sure hit, check out Shadows of Mordor or Dragon Age: Inquisition.
If you want to change things up a little, here are some of my favorite purchases (I'm a minor Amazon addict):
Check out my sub /r/everymanshouldhave for more recommendations like this. It's not super active of late, but it has some great suggestions if you look at the history
I can't speak for the Chessex Pound-O-Dice but I just bought this dice set a few weeks ago. I personally got 17 complete matched sets of dice, in 15 unique colors. The only defects that are obvious are painting problems that make some of the faces hard to read.
Depends on how much goes into that pitcher, but I think you can get far better deals.
The Chessex Pound-O-Dice currently goes for $31.95 on their website, but if you check Amazon you can get it for $20.76. So that's a full pound of random dice, bit over 100 in my experience, plus one matching set of seven.
Wiz Dice does a similar thing with their Bag of Holding, which clocks in at $19.99 for over 100 random dice (though in my experience less random than Chessex') plus a complete set. They also offer their Bag of Devouring at $22.29 for 140 non-random dice, consisting of 20 sets and a bag.
And that's not even counting the amount of cheap sets from less known (possibly lower quality) companies that are floating around.
Started Set
Bulk Dice
The starter set is a great way to introduce players to the game. I have never played it, but it comes highly recommended as far as I can tell. Wiz Dice is awesome. I got a bulk set for Christmas and it contained at least 10 complete sets. Well worth it. Good luck!
http://www.amazon.com/Random-Polyhedral-Dice-Multiple-Wiz/dp/B009R6J8RY/
Stop providing ALL the necessities for every other player. I give one set of 7 dice to every new player.
I buy a pound at a time here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009R6J8RY
I let them borrow my PHB for initial character build and 1 session, then they buy their own.
7 Wonders · $30
Azul · $21
Crypt · $14
Great Western Trail · $55
Lords of Waterdeep · $30
Mysterium · $40
Photosynthesis · $35
Root · $50
Scythe · $40
Secret Hitler · $35
Terraforming Mars · $49
Viticulture Essential Edition · $46
Wingspan · $55
&#x200B;
Total: $500
&#x200B;
Didn't really think this through lol, had to remove Skullport because I had gone over by $25. I obviously couldn't include some classics, but I tried to make it somewhat varied and accessible for everyone.
Deals almost always come back. Amazon intentionally creates a sense of urgency with deals to encourage people to buy. Check out this graph of pricing on 7 Wonders. Every time the price drops suddenly is probably a sale. In fact, that first dip to $30 probably seemed like a great deal - lowest price it had ever been! Then the price drops into that region or lower every three months or so.
So don't stress. Just be patient, there are always more deals.
I do not recommend the Chessex bag.
Get this one by Wiz Dice instead.
The Chessex one often has messed up dice and rarely gives you full sets in my experience. The Wiz Dice one gave me 15 full sets and was two dice away from completing the 16th set. They're all good dice (no factor mishaps or anything like the Chessex ones include), and it came out to be cheaper than the Chessex bag when I did it.
These dice are about 20 cents each. These are probably about whats in the machine.
I agree with the others that have commented on here. You lose the concept at that level. You need to break it up into smaller groups. And 8 - 10 groups could work. You could teach people how to DM, and then run a bigger campaign for all of them to be involved in.
Here is where it could get interesting.
You could have all the campaigns involved in a single battle. Have them interact then. And then swap into other groups as they get jostled around during the battle.
They can get lost along their journey. Or left behind because of an injury. Or their player character can die, and they would have to start over. And have all of the parties discovering different aspects of the adventure, so they have to share information to figure out the bigger picture.
IT WILL REQUIRE MAPS!!! HUGE MAPS!!!! IT WOULD BE AMAZING!!
I used to be a science teacher, and a swim coach. My wife is a professor at a university. We could do this. We could figure it out. You would need a lot of dice. And you would need books. I can give you some digital ones that I found online.
What if it were like this. They all have to knock down an evil force. And they have to work together, so they would have to meet up at the local inn and find out from each other what they learned. Then they get a map, or some piece of information. So there are watch towers all around. And they would each have to disable a watch tower at the same time. So they would have to coordinate.
Back it up even farther than that. Have them all start in other towns, have them meet each other and decide they want adventure. Then have them find a flier that says 'Looking for Mercenaries'.
Then they can hunt and travel to the place that is hiring mercenaries. They have to hunt to make money, they can come across bridge trolls and werewolves and other things. But they need to up their levels during this trip, get magic items that they will need, and buy armor and weapons. They will also need to develop skills such as metal work for fixing armor, and making arrows.
We could do this. We could even build it into a lesson plan. You could have some of them team up to build trebuchets and have them build them out of popsicle sticks. We could include the Periodic Table of Elements if we got really creative.
You could have the find information that was in the library. Identify artifacts. You could blend it really well.
Yeah, as others have said, for beginners do try out the D&D 5e Starter Set.
It has enough rules for the small premade adventure they give you to start up, the small adventure itself (which is no small thing for a beginner Dungeon Master), a few pregenerated characters and a set of dice.
You could add to that a few miniatures (or just use paper tokens) and an extra set of dice.
The Starter Set goes to level 5 only (out of 20 max). If you like it, then go ahead and buy the Holy Trinity of D&D Books:
The other books, such as Curse of Strahd, Out of the Abyss or Tales from the Yawning Portal, are simply adventures that you can buy if you don't want to make your own. They are fun to play and way less of a hassle to DMs... but after a while most will like to make their own stories.
On another note... While obviously I can't recommend that both because supporting creators is important and because of subreddit rules, you can find pdfs of all those books online, if you don't want to spend the money. Or simply because Ctrl-F is better than manually searching.
*They have added a few more options is some adventures or the Sword Coast Adventure Guide, and there are some unofficial elements that are being tested in the Unearthed Arcana, but trust me with the core books you have enough to play with for a while.
Amazon sells a kind of pricey replacement piece but it does include a bunch of extra stuff you may or may not need. Still less than the original MSRP.
https://www.amazon.com/Betrayal-At-House-Hill-2nd/dp/B003HC9734
I use the Chessex Battlemap. Its pretty big about 35x48. Its wet-erase but as long as you don't leave the drawings on it they will wipe off clean.
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IUAAG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1511382060&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=chessex+mat
I really recommend using paper minis if you're on a tight budget. If you have access to photoshop then they are incredibly easy to make from any image you can find for free on google. If not then Printable Heroes is a great resource for cool looking minis. You can contribute a small amount and get access to a ton of them but there are also a bunch of free ones here.
They don’t take long to put together, either. This video shows you the best way to assemble them. I would also ad that I use 3/4 inch binder clips for the base as they fit perfectly on the grid and are a bit cheaper than buying bases.
I also really recommend a Chessex Battle Mat in whatever size you think works for your game. Make sure you also buy wet erase markers as dry erase will seep into these maps and become permanent markings.
As far as landscapes go, I just draw any features of the map that can be seen on the ground on my map. I've never tried it but there are printable folding paper environments that you can make and use. I don't because I don't like having an obstructed view for me or the players.
I hope that helped!
I bought this from Amazon some time ago and it has been a great product. Wet-erase only, but super durable, huge (but not unwieldy), and durable as hell. It rolls up for storage quite simply, and is overall a great buy. They sell smaller ones as well for slightly less. Check them out. I highly recommend them.
The lans I go to are too small to really bear much advice to you on the questions you listed.
Where I can provide some insight is in the types of table top games you should consider. Lots of folks (in the lan community) have been exposed to traditional pen/paper stuff like DnD. If you're looking to spice things up a bit, consider trying out some of the modern board games that are out. I'm sure some of your attendees will have already been exposed to these, but for the rest that haven't, they'll probably strike at least an interest or a few questions. BoardGameGeek has a list of the top board games out right now, some of which you might not have heard of. Settlers of Catan, Dominion, Race for the Galaxy, Carcassonne are some of the most popular. They're flashy, they're interesting, and they're usually under an hour (if not usually under 45 min) to play. They're an up and coming type of gaming that's spreading fast among the table-top/CCG/comics folks.
Edit: In retrospect, I kinda seem like a fanboy for this post, but holy shit they're really awesome games.
Im a big fan of Ascension personally. Had the app forever and am finally getting a physical copy in the mail next week. Its not incredibly interactive though, only occasionaly forcing players to discard cards and such. Its all about getting points by killing monsters from the center deck (which also holds extra cards for your deck).
I cant speak to the other games you listed but if you want to pick up Dominion its super cheap right now. Amazon has it for $20 on sale. And if you have prime and live somewhere that is serviced by prime now you can get it for $10. Use the promo code PRIMENOW10 which gives you $10 off of a $20 order. I just ordered a copy for myself last night. A friend of mine already had it but its hard to turn down a $45 game for $10.
Betrayal at House on the Hill is down to $30 as well: http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-266330000WOC-Betrayal-House/dp/B003HC9734/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_T1?ie=UTF8&amp;coliid=I2W6YISAG1FCFB&amp;colid=8UTFGWKKEQL7
I agree with /u/raisedbynarcoleptic - you need a structured non-threatening activity with the kid. Start with all four of you, don't suddenly take the scared kid out alone.
Honestly, I'd wait six months before bringing up the potential for marriage. Wait until you and he have had a conversation, he's smiled at you, and he's volunteered something positive about you to his mother. Also, STOP TEACHING HIM, if you haven't already. Move him to another teacher or studio. Stop muddying those waters.
I'm a board game person, so here's what I would do:
And so on.
The hobby doesn't have to be board games, of course, but that is the general outline of how I'd recommend handling it with a kid who literally shakes at the sight of you. Excruciating baby steps.
Games I'd recommend for this:
My favorite game is to play with friends is Betrayal at House on the Hill
A great resource if you like games is Wil Wheaton's youtube channel Tabletop
Kudos for doing that, but couldn't you just have bought the official Pathfinder Flip-Mats for way less moneys?
I found the cheapest, yet still very nice solution are the Pathfinder tokens (monsters and NPCs). There so many to chose from, all in one box and very reasonably priced: https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616
With all the love of my soul, you need some better board games.
Ticket to Ride is my favorite "gateway" game. No more complicated than Monopoly et al but so much better: http://www.amazon.com/Days-of-Wonder-DOW-7201/dp/0975277324
Coup is another. If it takes longer than five minutes to play a round, you're not being aggressive enough: http://www.amazon.com/Coup-Card-Game-Resistance-Universe/dp/B00GDI4HX4/
When you're ready for something a little more strategic, Settlers of Catan is a classic: http://www.amazon.com/MayFair-Games-MFG3061-Settlers-Catan/dp/B000W7JWUA
Hop on over to /r/boardgames some time!
Are you looking for something efficient or something pretty ?
I use those flip mat for d&d, like this https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O (I also like this one because the hex side is easier on the eyes imo)
They're not especially good eye candy, but they're enough for the whole game area (without players, but it helps set up a visual delimitation imo), they're not too expensive, and we draw the connections between the various locations on them, which is actually fun to do.
I don't like the idea of a mat with dedicated player space anyway, because of all the ways you could gain or lose equipment space (bandolier, charisma, items that take 2 slots, like flamethrower or enchanted blade, ...)
I use the Chessex battlemaps, they are tan on both sides but super durable, and pretty affordable all things considered.
I have both the both the battle map and mega map, and they have seen near weekly use for the last 3 years without any problems. The only down side is that blue ink does need to be washed off quickly or you will have a faint stain there.
I used a chessex vinyl mat. Wet erase markers are perfect on it. https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
I play 5th edition and all advice is for that edition. 5E is pretty wallet friendly if you don't get it all at once. Here's a bunch of stuff you can look at to help your decision, though not all of it is mandatory.
So now that books are out of the way, let's talk figurines. You really don't need them, because ANYTHING can represent things on a board. But they're a fun thing to collect and use. BUT they are a great and fun thing to have. What we do at my table is have everyone acquire their own. I like to buy from Reaper Miniatures, but local comic book and hobby shops might have them as well. Make sure you have bases that are less than an inch wide (A square inch works best), because if you're using miniatures, then you're using a battle grid.
Speaking of battle grids, they're also not entirely necessary, but they definitely help. This is a very reliable one if you take care of it and don't crease it too much. But the fun thing is, if you have a printer, you can print your own Battle Maps! Just set it to print a grid set to 1-inch increments and have as big or as small as a battle mat as you need. 5E technically uses a hex grid for outdoor maps, but we've always ignored that at our games.
As for dice, I think it's the players responsibility to acquire their own dice, but on the off chance you just want to buy the things for everyone, I find a lot of enjoyment in picking through a Chessex Pound-o-Dice, or a Wiz Dice 100+ pack just so everyone has some. Plus, you never know when you'll suddenly need 20d6 for maximum fall damage!
Other than that, just have pencils, paper, and a good way to keep notes handy and you're set.
This is far from a comprehensive guide, and probably the worst thing you could do is buy everything or nothing right at the start. Consider asking friends or checking libraries for these books (And secondhand bookshops near you!) to save a penny or two.
So, in summary, if I were starting out DMing and buying anything, it would be a player's handbook, a set of dice, and if I weren't confident in my ability to homebrew, I'd buy a module or a dungeon master's guide. But you can go further or less far if you like.
I use this one from Chessex and I love it. Not sure if that's the size I have or if I went with the one that's 1 bigger. I think the linked one is the same size as what came in the beginner box.
Just be sure to use wet erase markers and erase it within a few weeks or it bleeds into the material a bit.
In my opinion, a battle mat is a must have for any campaign. Check around your local game shop if you have one, they probably have some cheap dry erase ones. I am fond of Chessex mats, but any will do.
As for miniatures, I'd say that they aren't necessary, but can really help new players feel connected to the game. Being able to see your avatar is useful, especially if you guys are having trouble visualizing battles.
You should definitely start with a live tabletop game to get your hooks into them. Typing in a macro and rolling imaginary dice while talking over Skype isn't for newbies. That's for filthy addicts who need another crit just to get through the day. Myself included.
I recommend running a short, concise campaign that has a clear ending but leaves it open to further sessions. Build up a MBEG (Medium Bad Evil Guy) that they can capture or kill after 4-5 encounters including one 'tutorial', some overland travel, and 2-3 good puzzles. Drop nuggets about the world at large, and once they kill MBEG have them find a map/instructions/scroll that hints at his even evil-er master. This way you need a commitment only of two weekend nights (or one mega-weekend) to get them through a legit story. I'd recommend making them level 3-5.
In terms of cost, there's a few ways to approach it:
A) Pay money, but go the budget route. Get an erasable battlemat, a big bag of dice, some washers, and a gluestick.
B) Do theater of the mind. It's going to be a bigger leap for new players to get into it, and for you as a new DM, but you can still have fun with it.
I recommend 5th edition because it's so simple to pick up and play. The Proficiency and Advantage/Disadvantage system is SO much easier than the endless adding and subtracting of numbers I got used to with 3.5e. I never played 4e, but really as long as you engage them in a lively way hopefully it'll stick.
The D&D Castle Ravenloft (original inspiration for CoS as noted in the Introduction) Board Game is my answer as well. Almost all ~40 miniatures can be used at one point in the CoS campaign, which works out to a fantastic price per mini ratio (a little over a dollar per).
The only downside is that the Strahd mini isn't EPIC enough, so I purchased a separate mini just for him.
Amazon Link
Painted Castle Ravenloft Minis
Hey, so I don't know what your budget is, but I'm going to make a few recommendations.
Those are: Any of the D&D Board games from this list:
The Legend of Drizzt $50
Castle Ravenloft $50
Temple of Elemental Evil $45
Wrath of Ashardalon $50
Tomb of Annihilation
May seem pricey, but lemme tell you why I recommend these: they come with a shitton of minis, the minis are high quality, they come with DUNGEON TILES, they come with loot cards, they come with tokens for HP and stuff, and they can be used to play a game that has different scenarios if you're into that, though the game isn't D&D proper (though it is D&D flavored).
So here's a picture of all the minis that Wrath of Ashardalon comes with
ALL of that. That's 42 minis right there. If the box only came with minis, that would be about $1.20 a mini. You're not going to find minis of that quality that cheap pretty much anywhere else. It is an insanely good deal.
So then we have the tiles. They interlock with each other, and are compatible with tiles from all the other games I listed. [Here's a pile] (https://spalanz.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/imag3329.jpg) , here's some assembled, and that's 12 tiles. The box comes with 40.
Lemme give you a breakdown of what WoA comes with in terms of minis:
Ashardalon, Red Dragon
Bellax, Gauth
Cave Bear x3
Duergar Guard x3
Gibbering Mouther x3
Grell x3
Heskan, Dragonborn Wizard
Human Cultist x3
Keyleth, Elf Paladin
Kobold Dragonshield x3
Kraash, Orc Storm Shaman
Legion Devil x3
Margraath, Duergar Captain
Meerak, Kobold Dragonlord
Orc Archer x3
Orc Smasher x3
Otyugh
Quinn, Human Cleric
Rage Drake
Snake x3
Tarak, Half-Orc Rogue
Vistra, Dwarf Fighter
Not technically on a big sale (but usually ~$20 on Amazon than retail), but the Dungeons & Dragons board game series (example: Wrath of Ashardalon) have a great D&D feel to them but are far easier to play (an adventure is typically 1 - 2 hours).
You can play through most adventures with just 2 people, and you can also write up your own stories if you wanna get nerdy about it. Even better, the various sets are cross-compatible, so if you get into it and get several sets going, you can mix/match tilesets, heroes, monsters, etc for a pretty much endless combination of scenarios.
Risk has come a long way. These aren't just reskins most of the time. Though I don't know anything about this edition. Legacy is entirely different as well as the Metal Gear one. Both are a ton of fun.
I'd probably just buy The actual Game of Thrones game for almost the exact same price though. It's absolutely one of my favorites when played with the right people. (And not played often enough to memorize optimal moves and things...)
It's pretty similar to Risk, I feel. It's the exact same game as this, in fact.
I was just thinking Cards Against Humanity is a super fun ice breaker! (just dirty and stuff). I was playing at a party we were hosting and my aunt and uncle stopped by, I thought my aunt would be a total prude about it but she ended up winning the game!
My D&D group hovers around five to six players, and we often end up with someone using "spares" or lacking a matching set. We decided to pitch in for more dice, and settled with Wiz Dice's 1 pound bags of dice. Total cost came out to $43, for 32 different sets. Overall, we've been really pleased with these, and would recommend them to anyone who needs more dice.
Wiz Dice has a 100+ dice bag as well, that has multiple complete sets with maybe a few extras.
7 Wonders is great from 3-7 players (scales really well).
It's $30usd on Amazon.com right now (cheaper than Cool stuff Inc which is $40)
Isn't theme heavy, easy to learn, and everyone is active all the time because turns are done at the same time.
7 Wonders for sure, you need more than 2 to play but it is tons of fun.
[cant go wrong with CAH] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=wl_it_dp_v_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=11SHI0E3P2I3Y&amp;coliid=I1WP2E5AUM65JC)
Cards Against Humanity
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_rj6otb1XSQXB1
A few games I like that would probably fit the bill:
Spot It. Super fun game, easy to learn and quick to play. Not the deepest game but it's lots of fun for all ages and a nice quick game to play when you want something short or as a break between longer games. Good for any number of players.
Dixit. A storytelling game. Each turn one of you is the "storyteller" and tells a short story (one word to a sentence) about it. Everyone else picks a card from their hand that they think fits the story. The cards are mixed up and everyone guesses which one the Storyteller had. The interesting scoring mechanic is the storyteller only gets points if some people don't guess right. If everyone or no one guesses right, the storyteller gets no points and everyone else gets points. Plus, if it's not your turn but someone votes for your card, you get points. The cards can be somewhat crazy and surreal but are definitely safe for a 9 year old. The game is a fun casual game.
Ticket to Ride. Fun game where you lay out train routes. You can block people's routes and you will be angry at whoever does that to you. Only takes 5 people though.
Tsuro. Another somewhat shorter game. You take turns laying tiles and moving your Dragon along the path they create trying to stay on the board. Near the end of the game it gets hectic and you might end up knocking each other off.
TransAmerica. A train game like Ticket to Ride but faster and a little less complex. Rounds go quickly and it has an interesting scoring mechanic. Each round you lose points if you don't connect to your cities and the game ends when someone is at zero. The winner is whoever lost the least points.
7 Wonders. A fun game that involves playing cards that you draw from a hand you pass around. Takes up to 7 people but might be slightly too complex for the 9 year old.
Shadow Hunters. A hidden roles game where you will be on teams but you won't know who's on your team. Throughout the game you try to figure that out and it can get very competitive. Again might be slightly too complex for the 9 year old but maybe not.
Castle Panic. This game is slightly different because it is a cooperative game. All of you play against the game itself to try and defend your castle and defeat all the monsters. It's a pretty fun game.
There are a ton of other good games but I'll stop for now since I've probably listed too many as it is. Two things I'd recommend to try to find new games that your family might like beyond these. First, see if there's a board game store near you. A lot of them will have board game libraries where you can go in and try out the games at no charge. Most (in my experience) are pretty friendly to newer players. Second, check out TableTop. It's a show hosted by Wil Wheaton where he explains games and then plays through them. My wife and I used it as a good way to see new games that we might be interested in without having to buy them sight unseen, since boardgames can be expensive. The demo part of the show has sold us on a bunch of games (several of which are listed above). Hope this helps and enjoy the family game nights.
7 Wonders is on a great sale and it's a relatively short, easy to play game. I've taught it to my family at Thanksgiving and many of my friends and they all love it!
Edit: here is the link
Technically no board involved, but Cards Against Humanity is a lot of fun.
And they have an expansion pack now!
Don't print them… draw your own on a reusable surface. Your maps don't don't need to be super detailed.
Get a $12.00 flip mat and some wet erase markers and just sketch out the corridors to scale.
Another solution is a chessex map. If you're really going to get into the hobby then this is a longer-term solution than the flip mats.
A final option is to buy a roll of 1" grid paper and some sharpies, and draw your own.
All of these are cheaper than buying a projector or printing each map to a 1" grid scale.
I'd go with chessex.
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
There's one twice that size for a few dollars over 30.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015IUAAG
I personally find it good to have the grid, tokens, and minis. It clears up a lot of miscommunication between the DM and the players.
I have played in a group that chose not to use any grid or props besides tokens. As a player I was constantly confused as to where the tree line was, where the door was, what door I was doing a perception check on, and so on.
The best example of this was when the party said "we will stay a few feet away from the door while we rest." The DM took this as we were literally huddling around this small door. The monsters beyond the door hear us, got a surprise round, and we almost wiped.
My recommendation to you is to get a grid and some wet erase markers. You dont have to stay in the squares, and if you want, you can even use the hex side.
When it comes to large scale maps, ones where a square represents more than 5ft, I do prefer that it is just drawn sloppily on a piece of paper or something. As long as everyone understands where they are, what way is north, and how they can get from one place to another. The best way to do this, in my experience, is to have a drawing.
TLDR: Get a grid mat and some wet erase markers. Less set up time than Roll20, more customization than almost anything, and it is sufficiently accurate for almost all D&D encounters.
The Chessex battlemat is definitely the gold standard here. I’ve had mine for ten years and it’s still in great shape. They’re wet-erase, but don’t let that dissuade you.
The flip mats are great once or twice, but they lack reusability. Not bad for Pathfinder Society or if there is a blank side, but overall, I would recommend a battle mat instead (https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0015IQO2O/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1526744894&amp;sr=8-3&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=battle+mat&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41i0qiG8fUL&amp;ref=plSrch) Maybe not as much details or as pretty, but good quality and lasts ages.
As for fog of war with flip mats, post it notes.
> Or am I supposed to just describe the rooms? If I should describe them, what if a fight occurs?
You can absolutely play without a map, it's called theatre of the mind. Usually, the DM keeps track of locations and the players ask things like "How far is the closest monster" or "Am I close enough to hit Y" and so on. It's a little abstracted, but some people like it more than maps-and-miniatures. Personally, as I use maps with line drawings of the locations, I give way more detail in descriptive words than my map contains.
> . My question is how you usually make maps (mainly for dungeons). All I have access to are A4 sheets of paper and a printer for those sheets. The maximum amount of squares I get on those are 8x11, which means that I'll have to use several sheets of paper even for small dungeons.
Honestly not unusual if you're home-printing. Personally, I use a large battle mat about the same size as my table surface. This mat has allowed me to draw out full dungeons in most cases, but it's also the size of a medium dining room table. I also have a smaller square battle mat in case the dungeon is too large or I want a specific subsection or another place included in the same session. For instance, I'll draw the keep they start in on the small mat, and the dungeon they're traveling to on the large mat. Then, the keep-mat can even be used to obscure areas they haven't seen within the dungeon-mat, at least for a time. Fog of war can be handled by not drawing the full area ahead of time, or using something like paper or towels to physically cover the mat.
For both, I use dry erase markers for a simple outline of dungeons (Crosshatch in between-walls places where there is no space to exist, for clarities sake), and might include some basic fluff like rock piles, stalagtites/mites, etc. I also have a bunch of clay and cardboard miniature set pieces I use to accent the maps - barrels, fires, rocks, fountains, statues, etc. These bits are my own make, so there's some time involved, but you can buy premade miniature items to use as well, or just forgo the accents entirely. It's not necessary, I just like it.
My setup looks like this, all-told. (Was before I got the big mat, so this is just the smaller one). This one mat contained an entire wing of a 3-part dungeon, enough for a session and a half or so. The next section was a large labyrinth and is why I now own a larger mat.
> they also includd things only the DM is supposed to read anyway, like Trap Locations or Secrets.
Often there are two maps - a DM version and a clean Player version. Alternatively, googling 'placename dungeon map' will usually find you plenty of cleaned up or player-made versions of maps, sometimes better than what's in the actual module.
> To my knowledge, you always need a map for a fight,
As I said earlier, nope. It's easiest for at least the DM to have a map to mark things on themselves, but you can in fact go 100% mapless, and it works just fine. Just have to be used to it, pretty much. If you're not providing a map for your players, as a new DM I'd say keep your own printed map and some little markers like pennies or dimes to track locations so you can be ready with information. Even just some gridlined paper you can draw out as you go is plenty for your own tracking purposes.
/r/boardgames
But I'll third the recommendation for Ticket to Ride. It's easy to pick up and pretty fun compared to standard board games you'd find at Wal-Mart or Target (e.g., Monopoly).
I'll also recommend Dominion. My wife hates board games and I hesitated to introduce this game to her, but she caught on really quickly and became quite obsessed with the game for quite a while.
Also check out this thread on board game geek for the top 100 gateway games
Forbidden Island is exactly what you need.
You guys are bee-you-tee-mous maximus today indeed!! As always, of course :)
If I'm dreaming big, then this is what I would ask for - it sounds like such an awesome game, and board games are my favourite way to spend quality time with my boyfriend. It sounds like a ton of fun, we actually went looking for it for an anniversary gift to each other, but we couldn't find it anywhere locally so we put it on the back burner.
Under $20, this guy - it's an inside joke, there are a group of us who play "minion" to my friend's "mad scientist", so it makes me smile.
C'mon...gimme three cheers for rasta and the numbah man, two of my favourite people in RAOA :)
Betrayal at House on the Hill
a few good games you could start with are, King of Toyko , or Pandemic, or Catan, or Betrayal at House ont he hill.
There is also a great youtube channel called Tabletop run by Wil Wheaton that showcases a ton of games where you can watch them play and get a feel ahead of time if its a game you think you would be interested in. http://geekandsundry.com/shows/tabletop/
The heavy stock "pawns" from Pathfinder and similar "standees" are a really nice and much cheaper alternative to minis. You can store and transport so many more so much easier. Great art.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=pathfinder+miniature&qid=1566055384&s=gateway&sr=8-4
I have a box of Pathfinder pawns and they are pretty great. You get a selection of bases. I got one of the evil races boxes but the Bestiary Box 1 seems to have a pretty good overlap with 5e's MM.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1522671422&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=pathfinder+pawns
Artisan DiceCould give better suggestions if I knew your budget
I agree with counseling. Even if you don't absolutely need it, it still helps to talk to someone who is paid to help you understand yourself.
I went to the counseling center because I couldn't pick a major and they helped me figure out what I enjoyed doing etc.
I also went another time when I was having a fight with a friend and I just wanted someone to give me perspective on the situation and help me be a better communicator.
People go to counseling for things other than depression. I used to not know what counselors were, but they are sort of similar to psychiatrists.
What are your interests? What is your major? I can give you tips on how to pick student organizations based on your interests. I had a hard time picking student organizations at first. Student organizations are an AMAZING way to meet people. Heck, my alma mater just had a reddit meet up this past week. You can meet people through reddit. Have you been talking to people at your school on their subreddit and asking for their advice?
It is scary, but you have to try new things even if they make you uncomfortable. Not everything will work out, but you will eventually meet people if you try different strategies and change your ideas about how to meet people.
Edit: Don't be afraid to try new things. Say yes to hanging out with people and doing somethings that is unfamiliar. Say yes to almost everything. If I was a freshman again I would probably have Netflix parties, GOT parties, or play CAH or Settlers of Catan. I would also have used yelp.com to check out new places nearby. I got really into hiking when I was in college. I wouldn't have guessed I loved to hike as much as I do. I also started going to markets and swap meets a lot. You have to try new things and push forward.
Other people are scared too.
It might be making you depressed because your reality is not living up to your expectations and you don't know how to cope, and you are still in shock because you left your family and friends. Have you ever seen that Expectations vs. Reality scene in 500 Days of Summer? You have to learn how to make your new reality work for you. It takes some time to get used to not seeing your friends so much, but if you find new ones, then the transition will be easier. Don't be afraid to invite your friends to come visit if they are within a three hour distance. I visited my friends at their dorms and apartments a lot, we went to different colleges throughout Southern California. I've been to 8 or 9 campuses I believe.
Ever since the first time I saw my first Cards Against Humanity card that read "Mecha Hitler" and said outloud "Whisky-Tango-Foxtrot?", I've been hooked. What I really love is the spirit of the guys behind it. They made it open-source and gave it to the masses for free in the form of do-it-yourself cards. The drawback is, your cutting skills almost certainly suck.
In the same spirit of wanting to make this game available to everyone, including those who are so astoundingly lazy that they won't take the time to properly cut their cards, I give you Business Cards Against Humanity. It's pretty much the same as the do-it-yourself cards, but it's set up to work with common business card cutters you'll find at most print shops. The result is nice, very uniform cards. Here's how it works:
Here's some tips.
Any feedback on this is much appreciated. I've got more that I want to do with the sets, but I'm pretty busy at the moment. Eventually I'll have the expansions when I find out if they too are Creative Commons licensed like the original game, I've heard conflicting points of view on that. I'll also have a way for you to make your own cards, this was actually made using just Publisher and Excel, I'll get the files up once I can make it easier to do.
Lastly, I have no affiliations with CAH. The original game, and all glory go to
the hypnotoadthe fine folks at Cards Against Humanity. I made this just as a fan of the original. Speaking of which, go buy a copy. It's much nicer than this version, this is mostly so you can have nice cards when they are sold out/you have $10 to print but not $25 to buy the real thing.I don't know if you are looking for specific sets of dice but if you just want a lot of sets for cheap, this is probably the best dice deal you can find
Player's Handbook (Dungeons & Dragons) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965606/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_jc4JwbCDD6G4A
Dungeon Master's Guide (D&D Core Rulebook) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965622/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_7c4JwbBVGGET8
Monster Manual (D&D Core Rulebook) https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786965614/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_yd4Jwb88PWSB0
These books, dice, and a bag of Lego men is all we had on day 1.
The PHB has all the basic rules and lists the races and classes and walks you through building characters. DMG has info for creating encounters and building your world. MM is a giant list of creatures, info about them, and their stats.
If nobody has ever played dice games before and you don't have any dice, it wouldn't be a bad idea to just buy something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_Kj4JwbCDMRFGF That'll be enough for everyone to have a matched set plus extras.
Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=aw_cm_cr_asin_lnk
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
I personally like this set -- over 100 dice, and at least for me they came in nice sets of 7
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009R6J8RY/
Here's my haul:
http://imgur.com/CRVUkz1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009R6J8RY#
100+ dice from Wiz Dice. I got 17 complete sets d20-d4 with only 1 "bad" die, it was a percentile die that the numbers weren't stamped deep enough. Tons of dice.
If I'm getting a pound of dice, I would rather go with Wiz Dice brand. Chessex just uses random discarded and extra dice, so you never know how many of each you're going to get. Wiz Dice pound of dice bag comes in full matching sets, plus a small dice bag that can carry two sets.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009R6J8RY/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i02?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
And it's only $20. Downside? It's not Amazon Prime, so there is shipping on there.
May I suggest this instead? WizDice Bag of Holding :) It's the equivalent to Chessex POD, but you know what you get and the Bag of Holding looks awesome.
There will be a second BOH from WizDice soon with the new colors (and, from what I've heard, a different bag). The new colors look awesome.
The reason I suggest this is because WizDice are known to be pretty fair dice (unlike Chessex) and their Customer Support is awesome.
This!
A good way for everyone to get their own set of dice cheap and quick if you don't have good game shops locally is:
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Holding-Polyhedral/dp/B01476QV14
They are not as nice as chessex dice and are a tad bit smaller but they are nice for a DM to have on hand (to loan new players or player that forgets theirs) or a group to split up.
For the massive amount you need for a decent price, I'd recommend you to get the pound of dice online. I personally ordered 140 dice (20 complete sets). That'll give you like a set of dice for a pair of players if all will be playing at the same time. Otherwise, it'll cover two groups of 5 or so occurring at the same time (much more likely). If you wanted, you could either have players order their own dice or buy two bags so everybody has a set and have them pitch in a few bucks. If you had everybody pitch in $5, you could order about 6 bags so that everybody gets three sets.
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Holding-Polyhedral/dp/B01476QV14
I got the Wiz Dice Bag of Holding. Twenty complete sets of dice (140, compared to the pound-o-dice ~100), which aren't factory seconds like the pound-o-dice. Plus it was like $4 cheaper than the pound-o-dice when I bought it.
Munchkin might be a bit much if your friends aren't 'board game people,' its bit more involved compared to a party game like CaH.
I've been having a lot fun playing Codenames at parties. It's easy to learn and it's flexible with regard to the number of people that can play.
Telestrations is another good party game, it usually degrades into raunchy territory quickly.
EDIT: And I just saw there is an adult version of Telestrations. I may have to get that.
EDIT 2: Completely forgot Codenames, which is easily the biggest hit in my collection with non-gamers. Amazon link
I would recommend, in this order:
Splendor- Portable (just take the stuff out of a box and put it into a much smaller box), very small learning curve, 30-45 minute play time tops.
Dominion- again, it's just a bunch of cards, so you don't need the whole box. Pretty much the same specs as above.
Both of the above are "Engine builders" where the objective is to accumulate parts (metaphorically) early in the game that will be able to generate a lot of points later in the game. Then you need to time your transition into point-grabbing appropriately in order to win. Splendor is little less black-and-white, since you can start point grabbing right away, but it's all about finding that sweet spot.
Forbidden Desert is a nice cooperative game that comes in a pretty small metal tin.
Sushi Go is very portable, as portable as it gets. But it's also exceedingly simplistic. Still fun though.
Coup is a top notch bluffing game. Also very small natively.
Love Letter is a bluffing game as well, but not as good as Coup (IMO)...Coup is meaner which I like.
Citadels was one of the games that got me into the hobby, but I don't care for it much anymore.
/u/r2d8 getinfo
EDIT: Forbidden Desert: r2 is going to keep my spelling error up for all to see...little bastard.
Also same price at Amazon wioth Prime shipping.
lottery tickets, remote control plugs, DropStop seat gap filler, glass tupperware set, squatty potty, Code Names (or any board game), Yeti colster, hydroflask bottle, packit freezable cooler, a set ofoutdoor globe lights, gift wrap organizer
< Am a teacher:
First go to your principal and see what the school needs. Normally there is a process to get a new club started but since this was already a club it shouldn't be as hard. A lot of schools need a supervising teacher etc, etc, etc. If you ask the principal to send out an email there's a chance that one of the teachers in your building is already into dnd and can help you out.
&#x200B;
to answer your specific questions:
&#x200B;
&#x200B;
&#x200B;
&#x200B;
sorry for the long post, but i really hope you can set this up and have some luck doing it.
i linked cheap dice(10$ for 5 sets) and the downloadable phb
https://www.amazon.com/d/Role-Playing-Dice/Smartdealspro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/B01ABST9S4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1541318360&sr=8-1&keywords=dnd+dive
&#x200B;
https://media.wizards.com/2014/downloads/dnd/PlayerDnDBasicRules_v0.2_PrintFriendly.pdf
You can grab one of the D&D boardgames; if you find one for under $50 it comes out to just over $1/mini (including usually 2-3 "big" ones) and includes some easy-to-use dungeon tiles.
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Castle-Ravenloft-Board/dp/0786955570/
There's been five released so far (ordered below oldest to newest):
They are each designed to be cooperative adventures where there is no DM but instead all of the monsters are designed to run themselves according to a set of rules outlined on monster cards corresponding to each creature (Note if you buy one, keep the two decks of cards separate until told to combine them in the adventure book -- this is not clear in the rules). The players face off against different scenarios in an adventure book which prescribes what monsters and tiles to use or set-aside and then they generate a random dungeon through drawing dungeon tiles from the stack as they explore.
They can of course be played on their own and are a moderately enjoyable (some even have one of their adventures that is suitable as single-player). Though I own all of them I've only played Elemental Evil, but I hear that they experience improves with each one released.
They can also be lots of use for a budding DM; there lots of useful stuff in them that can be borrowed or raided.
Useful D&D Elements
But there's also downsides:
Look up board games like Dungeons and Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786955570/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_ZnL1DbHF1BRN7 which comes with
3 Zombies
3 Wolves
3 Skeletons
3 Flaming Skeletons
3 Ghouls
3 Rat swarms
3 Spiders
3 Kobolds
3 Wraiths
3 Gargoyles
1 Flesh Golem (2x2)
1 Zombie Dragon (2x2)
1 Dracolich (3x3)
1 Kobold Sorcerer
1 Vampire
1 Werewolf
1 Hag
and 5 hero characters
1 Dragonborn fighter (male)
1 Human Ranger (female)
1 Human Rogue (female)
1 High Elf Wizard (male)
1 Dwarf Cleric (male)
There are other similar games thar have different minis. You can usually find them for $35-50 and with three number of minis you get it works out to like $1 or less per mini.
Amazon.ca for $56 with free shipping. Otherwise you can take a look at any online boardgame store for ~$60 such as Board Game Bliss or 401games.
It is: https://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Boardgame-Second/dp/1589947207
It's pretty good, though it takes a round or two before the rules make sense.
I usually don't post but you can get the actual game of thrones board game by Fantasy Flight Games for around the same price.
The board game I just listed above is rated as one of the 100 best board games by Board Game Geek as well instead of in the top 3000 in the case of Risk: Game of Thrones.
If you absolutely must have a risk board game, I would look into Risk: Legacy which is usually lauded of as the definitive version of Risk in the board gaming community.
Just buy this, it's way better than risk because it adds the politics and backstabbing that we all love from the show.
You can not like it, but to say it isn't a roleplaying game is disingenuous. It's fine if your opinion is that it should have been a board game. it isn't fine if you're stating for a fact that it was not a roleplaying game and is really a board game.
Saying D&D 4e is not a roleplaying game is not acting in good faith. Lots of people act in bad faith. That doesn't make it right.
Have you played the D&D board games from the 4e era? Castle Ravenloft, for example. That is what a 4e board game looks like. It's almost nothing like the 4e D&D rolepaying game. By calling D&D 4e a board game you're saying it's basically Castle Ravenloft.
Come on. Nobody can believe that.
Do you mean the board game Castle Ravenloft or the campaign setting? I think people may be suggesting campaign setting ideas while I feel you mean this.
If you are considering unpainted at all then I recommend you look at the official board games. I will spell these horibly wrong:
I paid $65 CDN for ashardalon. you get 42 or so unpainted minis per board game, 5 of which are heroes. So if you bought all of them you get 20 heroes and 140 or so monsters. For reference a full brick is $280 for me, so this is way cheaper.
Edit: link
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0786955708/ref=pd_aw_lpo_21_bs_img_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=P0B2CESWQAES8CEWZBTS
Buy whatever games you want, I own CAH and Munchkin too and I do not care if anyone hates a game I enjoy.
Recommended Essential Games:
Recommended Social Deduction Games:
Oooh, I looooove board games. From what you're describing I feel like Ticket to Ride could work really well; there are a good amount of instructions but they're pretty easy to follow along with (it's mostly for scoring purposes).
For something way more light/fun, there's also Sushi Go! or Love Letter -- they're both card-based games that look deceptively simple but are never played the same way twice. My wildcard choice would be Carcassonne, which is definitely more of a hard sell -- you build a Medieval French town with picture tiles -- but I promise is really, really fun. Again, the scoring is where it gets slightly more complicated, and it can be intimidating-looking, but the game is really fantastic. Lots of strategy and luck needed, and it's a really unique experience.
Whatever this is for sounds like it'll be a lot of fun!
Ticket to Ride
Fun little game for 2 to 5 players that takes about 30 minutes to an hour depending on number of players and such. Super easy rules.
Build train routes between major cities based off ticket cards in your hand that give you points for each completed route. Careful though, unfinished routes make you lose points at the end.
Check out the Tabletop Episode to see a video of it being played.
Amazon has it for $43 and eligible for Prime shipping.
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Board-Second/dp/1589947207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1323363440&amp;sr=8-1
I just use a Chessex Megamat. Works great for drawing any terrain. I've had TONS of huge, fun battles all over it, drawing and erasing and redrawing easily. I use either scraps of paper for monsters or my friend's miniature collection.
I've been DMing LMoP for a few months now, and I did so much prep work, I got in trouble at my real job for it. I have maps of EVERYTHING as PDFs with notes for every single room.
The upshot of this is that I barely referenced my notes last session because I have it all memorized. But notes are absolutely essential.
And like others have said, dungeons just need maps. My group tried theater of the mind for about two seconds before I went "OH MY GOD, I'll just draw it!" I'd recommend getting a big battle mat for that. It's pricey, but definitely worth it. I have this one, it's fantastic. Gotta be careful to use the right markers, though. But you definitely won't run out of room!
Lightning Deal: amazon
Here's some concrete examples; they're all on sale right now for some reason so a bit cheaper than expected, but these are some of the games I was thinking of:
2.Terraforming Mars
My list would include a variation of games
Code Names - $16
Sushi Go - $10
7 Wonders - $26
Tsuro - $19
Castles of Burgundy - $27
Total: $98
Explanations:
First, I want to preface these selections: our play group varies in size from week to week with anywhere from 4-10 players averaging 5-6. So, we often get caught "splitting the party." That's fine at times, but sometimes, we all want to jump in on one game together because splitting up feels bad man^TM since we're all there to socialize in addition to playing games.
As such, I wanted to include games that ran the gamut and for the most part games that scaled well from 2-X players.
First, Code Names. Now, we've played this game so many times, we actually purchased the expansion Code Names Deep Cover which is a fun variant which adds tons of more playability. This is the go-to "party" game as, for our group, Cards Against Humanity has grown a bit stale. At least it hits the table much less frequently than in years past. Code Names is easy to teach, easy to understand and difficult enough for some of your more entrenched board gamers. In general, I find this a great starter to transition from your Milton Bradley games everyone knows (and hates) into board games that offer sustenance.
Secondly, I offer Sushi Go (cheating a bit here as you'll probably have to buy a couple copies for larger groups or just get Sushi Go Party). Sushi Go is our groups go-to game to introduce games that use a drafting mechanic and to teach that board games can be cute, fun, and delightful while also requiring strategy, maths, and a bit of hope (our group tends to dislike dice-rolling games so for the most part, we stick to games where we can mostly "control" our own fates - YMMV). This game is super quick, so you don't get bogged down at the table for hours. I feel for new board gamers, quicker games are a MUST as many people may not be able to handle the length many of our Beloveds require.
7 Wonders comes next. We tend to introduce this game right after Sushi Go as the mechanics are super similar and the newer players feel like they already know what's going on for the most part. There will be questions, there will be some confusion and oversight, but this game follows easily and feels like a natural step up from Sushi Go and gets players right into the mix of heartier board games. Oh, and I could personally play 7 Wonders every week, especially with all the options offered through the expansions Cities, Leaders, and Tower. The interchangeability of these expansions has kept this game on our table long past many others and continues to bring it back. Again though, YMMV as we all have different tastes.
Tsuro, our board game palatte cleanser. This is another quick game which offers a lot of replayabiliity with minimal rules learning. Aside from those positives, the artwork is what sent this board game over the top for me. I am mesmerized by the board, the tiles, and the pieces each time we open this. This game offers a quick break between your heavier meeple-laiden board games so even after we've surpassed "newb" status, we often come back to this.
Castles of Burgundy I included as a final game because ultimately, we need a game with a strong theme and wonderful mechanics which offer replayability from a more traditional Euro point of view. This game really surprised me. I loved it the first time we played it, and though it may not hit the table but once every other month due to time constraints, it always feels like reuniting with an old friend. It offers a setup for further Euro games and sets the scene on what's really out there in weightier board games. I know there could be other games that fit this description, but at the price, this game is amazing for what it offers.
And that's the list. I know there are many criticisms of these games and I don't devalue those. All my favorites have points in them where they fall a little flat at times, or don't elicit the enjoyment I thought they might, but many times, it's usually my perception and frame of mind. I can often come back months later with renewed enjoyment for them, so trust me, I know there are imperfections; I just choose to ignore them for the post. These games, while some may take a bit longer to learn, offer a great springboard into board games and offer the new player a slow wade into the pool without feeling too slow or drab as one might feel with something like Settlers of Catan. Will I stand by this opinion in 5 or 10 years? We'll see.
Use camelcamelcamel to set up e-mail notification for when the price drops again.
Yesterday, Amazon had boardgame deals. OP's link today was probably a regular price drop, which shot back up as people bought the game because the price was low.
On the e-mail notifications, you have to be quick because the price can shoot back up in minutes, because a lot of gamers user camelcamelcamel.
Keep an eye on http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity/dp/B004S8F7QM
I got them for $25+shipping.
Yes, battle mats are pretty necessary in 4e. It would be easier to switch to a different edition than to decouple the need for grids.
That said, the most common thing you'll find is a rollup battle grid like this one that you can draw on with wet erase markers.
Also, check out the official Waterdeep: Dragon Heist subreddit for an entire host of questions, answers and resources just for that book. https://www.reddit.com/r/WaterdeepDragonHeist/
> 1) what do you recomend to do?
I'd personally start with 5e, because it is a much more simplified system that allows for more aspects of role-playing, which is great for everyone - especially new players.
A nice start for new groups to DnD is a starter set. Here is a link to buy a starter set which comes with a 64-page adventure pre-made module book, a 32-page rule-book for playing characters level 1–5, 5 pregenerated characters, each with a character sheet and supporting reference material, and 6 dice. If you are playing 5e, you need the 5e books - the 3.5 books won't work for 5e, they are completely different games due to additional information added over each new edition.
I'd also recommend that you all sit down together in the same room, hook up a computer to a TV in the room, and watch some good DnD games to figure out what role-playing means, how DM's look in action, and how the game runs overall. Shows such as Critical-Role, or Acquisitions Incorporated are amazing.
Here is the playlsit for Critical Role on Youtube:
Here are the Acquisitions Incorporated games on Youtube:
> 2) what dices do we need to get either way?
You each need a 7 set of DnD dice, and DM's do well to have some extra dice for faster group monster rolls. Plenty of bulk dice sellers on Amazon:
> 3) do we need to get board/minutures?
You can if you want, it's a nice visual aid. I'd recommend to use a large table to play around, and then buy some battle mats which can be written on with wet erase markers. Mineratures are all over the place for sale, so just google them. Or if you don't want to spend a ton of money on physical maps, you could use a virutal set-up in an IRL game, like my party does. You can use Roll20 which hosts privtae game rooms with virtual tabletops on which you draw maps into and insert images. Plug a laptop into a huge TV, and boom, you have a giant virtual battle-mat to use during the game!
Tons of other info on the sidebar of this subreddit, or just search the subreddit for other "starting DnD" posts, because there are a ton of them with good info.
This, is your new lifelong roleplaying friend, treat him well, and he'll take you anywhere you want to go. - http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
::edit:: also, this http://donjon.bin.sh/pathfinder/encounter/
The Chessex pound-o-dice is nice enough, but I would recommend the Wiz Dice pack
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009R6J8RY/ref=aw_cm_cr_asin_lnk
Seems like it tends to produce more sets.
This is an excellent deal on quality dice to get you started.
Here's a nice metal set at a good price, but need a rolling tray when using metal dice.
In addition to what others are saying about the SRD and basic rules versions being free to use, next month a gift set containing the core three books (Dungeon Master's Guide, Monster Manual, and Player's Handbook) along with some other goodies is coming out. It's a decent chunk of change, but if you guys decide you like the free version enough it might be something to save towards https://smile.amazon.com/Core-Rulebook-Gift-Wizards-Team/dp/0786966629 (or if you have a local gaming store sometimes they're cheaper there, and some are getting an exclusive version with some pretty sweet alt cover art). You can get a decent starter set of dice sets for pretty cheap, https://smile.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Devouring-Role-playing/dp/B01KP4T6TQ (20 complete 7 die sets for ~30 USD, might be a bit overkill for starting out) https://smile.amazon.com/Smartdealspro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/ (5 complete 7 die sets for ~10 USD, might be a bit more reasonable)
The only Thing a player needs of their own to keep things "smooth" is a set of dice.
If I were you I'd go on amazon and buy a bulk set of dice
Both of these are cheap (even though they're not sexy) options for having enough dice at the table for everyone to share and everyone can have their own d20 instead of having to pass around 1 or two.
The PHB is less of an issue because you can turn the act of character creation into a group activity and for first time players that can be fun and efficient since everyone is learning at the same time.
First, I'd recommend that you keep the box and all of the components in good condition, so you can consider re-selling it once you're done with it. The Red Box seems to be out of print and is selling for far above its $20 MSRP, and if you can recoup some of the money you spent on it to buy some resources that will have more lasting value, it might be worth it (depending on how highly you value your time), since you will have little use for most of the contents of the box once you're through with the initial adventure.
Or, if it's not too late, you may want to cancel your order. The Starter Set is a relatively gentle introduction to D&D, but not necessarily the best one and certainly not the cheapest.
To prepare, you might want to read, and have everyone else read, the quick start rules. You can also have the players choose pre-generated characters from that document and print off the corresponding character sheets. The Red Box method of character creation involves running through a solo "choose-your-own-adventure" book, which you might not want to do 3 or 4 times in succession for each of your players. Note that the the quick start rules uses slightly different versions of the character classes presented in the Red Box, but the characters/systems are compatible.
You will not immediately need to create your own group adventure, as one is included with the Starter Set.
Also, as an alternative to the Starter Set, /u/Dracoprimus posted a bunch of links to free adventures. You can also choose to run one of these adventures after you finish with the Red Box.
However, neither those those links nor the Red Box will not give you the resources needed to build your own characters or advance them past level 2, nor do they contain the info a DM needs to create his own campaign, or extensively modify an existing one. For that, I recommend getting the following resources (buying some of the books used may yield a good savings):
With those three products, you have everything you need to run a level 1-30 campaign. A D&D Insider subscription can substitute for those resources to a large extent, and supplement them with tons of content, but it's most useful as a convenience and reference. I would still recommend getting the core books even if your group has a DDI sub.
On top of that, a few game aids are nice to have:
I HIGHLY recommend Paizo's flipmats. They are cheap and you can use wet erase, dry erase, and apparently sharpie.
I swapped from my old wet erase Chessex to them. You can even get them with terrain on them (and I got some white chalk pens so you can see the ink on the dark terrain) if that floats your boat.
They fold up to a squareish shape the size of a piece of paper and they cost under $20.
The basic one is $14 on Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-PZO30024-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat/dp/1601255381/ref=sr_1_2?crid=39IMFAIP4GZIU&keywords=paizo+flip-mat&qid=1568080272&s=gateway&sprefix=paizo+%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-2
They have a larger one for $20: https://smile.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Bigger-Jason-Engle/dp/1601257821/ref=sr_1_1?crid=39IMFAIP4GZIU&keywords=paizo+flip-mat&qid=1568080294&s=gateway&sprefix=paizo+%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-1
I HIGHLY recommend them... I've used a ton of things in my over 30 years of gaming and these are what we've landed on that hits that sweet spot of utility + convenience + cost effectiveness.
I like to draw the outline of areas at home with wet erase pens then when I'm at the table, I fill in details with dry erase as they explore/do things. A LOT less messy that way.
I have a 3d printer so i just make them now (and never paint them), but I also use Paizo Pawns to fill in the gaps - there's like 300 monsters/NPCs in each box in a series of at least 6, and pathfinder has a ton of overlap with DnD. It's amazingly cost-efficient if you have that upfront money.
&#x200B;
Alternatively, you can check the local thrift stores for old games - there's chess and occasionally Zombies!!!, but if you're lucky you can find Arena of the Planeswalkers and get a pretty nice set of minis for $5.
&#x200B;
Alternatively alternatively, there are printable monsters on DriveThruRPG for hella cheap too (example)
While not explicitly Minis I found the Paizo Bestiary boxes a great budget way to get a broad set of creatures realized on my matt for cheap. I encourage most new DMs to check them out. Believe there are six general ones and some campaign/theme specific ones.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616
Your best bet is to combine Pathfinder Pawns with D&D Dungeon Tiles Reincarnated.
I hate when that happens. The game is Settlers of Catan. It's a board game that I can best describe as Civilization meets Monopoly. It's based on strategy and can be played with 2-4 players. Up to 6 players with the purchase of an expansion. Games take about an hour. I can't recommend it enough. The gameplay is engaging enough for even casual board gamers.
The references above are to the resources you get. You need them to build and expand your civilization. You can also trade which leads to exclamations like, "I have wood for sheep" being commonplace even outside of New Zealand.
Settle that shit!
If you don't know
I just ordered Cards Against Humanity Amazon Link. Fellow Redditors unite!
I'm also gonna throw in on a boardgame, politics/pre-law is making me lean towards Secret Hitler even though I think The Resistance is a slightly better game. Or Werewolf is an excellent party game if you get more than 10 people together. All three are social deduction games which will let him practise his arguing and cross-examination skills :p
Wizdice
Or apparently their new set that I just noticed series ii
I've picked up 3 lbs of the first link, came with almost always complete sets, with maybe 5 random extra dice that didn't match.
Edit, found a picture of the last [bag] (http://i.imgur.com/JZVxCQE.jpg)
wiz dice pound
edit: formatting skills
As expected, most are pretty poor. Here are a few people might consider.
Heres a copy and paste of a previous comment I made
> I'm about to show you something amazing. You want to hang out with your friends and family and just have a great time playing games?
> Try board games! I know what you're thinking, "Monopoly is for kids!" That's ok we hate monopoly too!
> The world of board games has come so far since then.
> Give some of these games a try
> Ticket to Ride: A classic gateway game where you are trying to lay down tracks between cities.
> Pandemic: A co-op game where you and are friends are working together to fight diseases as they break out world wide!
> Resistance: If you like lying to your friends this game is for you! The resistance movement aims to overthrow the government, but there are spies among you aiming to sabotage your movement.
> Codenames: This game won the biggest board game award this year. It's a hilariously fun word relation game.
>These are all "gateway games" they are easy to play and understand. But most importantly they are fun! You can even get Ticket to Ride and Pandemic at some Walmarts!
I would add Cosmic Encounter as an amazing game too. Not too complicated but it is incredibly fun
I was not planning on entering but was going to suggest Coup, that and The Resistance are both a lot of fun!
Alternativ kann ich Abenteuer-Brettspiele empfehlen. Es gibt eine ganze Welt von Brettspielen, die den Rollenspielgedanken aufgreifen und innerhalb eines Regelwerks Zugang zu einem Abenteuer ermöglichen. Natürlich bedeutet ein solches Regelwerk auch eine erhebliche Einschränkung hinsichtlich der möglichen Rollenspiels und der Geschichte, die man erleben kann, aber der große Vorteil ist, dass die Lernkurve sehr viel flacher ist und dass man sich entlang des Regelwerks und der Spielutensilien in den Rollenspielgedanken hinein tasten kann. Gute Brettspiele erzeugen sogar Spannungsmomente innerhalb der Gruppe und schaffen aus dem Regelwerk immer neue Spielsituationen, so dass man diese Spiele ohne viel Vorbereitung jederzeit spielen kann.
Der Einstieg in ein Pen&Paper ist grundsätzlich sehr einfach. Regelwerk kaufen, Charakterbögen ausdrucken, und mit einem der meist mitgelieferten Abenteuern die ersten Schritte wagen. Ihr werdet aber feststellen, dass die Hürden für richtig gutes Rollenspiel recht hoch sind und viel Erfahrung benötigen, und spätestens wenn euch die vorgefertigten Materialien ausgehen werdet ihr auch merken, dass Pen&Paper viel Arbeit und Vorbereitung bedeutet. Andere Leute hier haben es ja schon gesagt: Seht zu, dass ihr wenigstens einen erfahrenen Rollenspieler in der Truppe hat. Mit einem RPG-Brettspiel übernimmt das Regelwerk gewissermaßen die Funktion eines erfahrenen Rollenspielers, der euch in die höhere Kunst des Rollenspiels und der Spielleitung einführen kann.
Ich bin selber ein Fan Dead of Winter, einem kooperativen Zombie-Survival RPG-Brettspiel. Was ich an diesem Spiel sehr schätze sind zum einem die Spielmechaniken, die immer wieder für neue Spielsituationen sorgen (die andernfalls ein Autor oder eben erfahrene Rollenspieler/Spielleiter erschaffen müsste). Weiterhin hat das Spiel eine tolle Mechanik, die jedem Spieler versteckte Spielziele gibt, die nicht immer dem Interesse der Gruppe dienen. So ist es grundsätzlich ein kooperatives Rollenspiel, aber immer auch mit der Gefahr, dass ein oder mehr Verräter am Tisch sitzen (als Spielleiter habe ich ähnliche Mechaniken eingebaut, um mehr Rollenspiel zu erzeugen).
Davon mal ab eignen sich Spiele dieser Art auch sehr gut, um in den Spielfiguren mehr als nur Pappfiguren zu sehen, und den Spielfiguren mit Rollenspiel mehr Leben einzuhauchen.
Und für eine schnelle Spielrunde zwischendurch kann ich The Resistance empfehlen. Ein ganz simples Spiel, dass man in zwei Minuten beginnen kann, und auch kein echtes Rollenspiel, aber es trainiert Gruppendynamiken, die im richtigen Rollenspiel dazu beitragen können, aus dem stereotypen High-Fantasy-Rollenspiel auszubrechen.
Ich spiele übrigens nur noch Abenteuer-Rollenspiele, einfach weil diese weniger Arbeit "drumherum" bedeuten. Außerdem glaube ich auch, dass Gamer die visuelle Präsentation, die bei einem Brettspiel in der Regel besser ist, sehr zu schätzen wissen und das "Hineinversetzen" in die Spielwelt erleichtern.
Got them in a Wiz Dice 100+ bag
this one ?
Extra Idea to bring along:
Bags and Dice so you can just give away a free set to each person joining you to play. Having their own dice lets people feel more invested in your game.
This one.
Hot Damn. I now wish I had an extra $20 laying around. I got excited just looking at the damn things on amazon.
5e is a great system. Super easy to just pick up if you have experience with any previous editions. The starter set is great, though you'll probably want to pick up some extra dice since it only comes with the one set. The Lost Mines of Phandelver (the included adventure) is really well written, and I don't think it'll require any tweaking to make it age-appropriate for your girls.
Yea but it's cheap and easy. I got 13 sets of dice for $20.
Go big or go home.
Buy cork for counters like one of the other posters suggested, or even use things like othello counters or poker chips. Really anything you can mark on ("G is for Goblin guys, H for hobgoblin").
Buy a dry erase board and some markers/eraser for it, it is a bigger investment, but it can at least be used for other things later if you don't end up playing in the long run. Mine serves double duty for homeschool and D&D and I leave it unmounted so we can lay it down on the table we play on.
Buy reaper minis for just the player characters and any really big baddie you are going to face. This gives the players a little more incentive to play and a touch of personal flair. They should pick out their minis that best represent their character concept. If your campaign has a big dragon as the end boss, you could splurge and buy that model to bring out in the last of the campaign as an exciting bit.
Paper models are all over the net. You could even have a whole small village in paper models if you wanted, but make sure if you spend the time investment it can be reused later for other adventures. Generic houses and such are easy, but the "Bridge of Durkon Bronzeweaver" might be a little too specific.
Go on Amazon and look at bulk bags of dice, we bought the Wizdice 100 random dice bag for $20 and had enough for 17 players to have full sets if we wanted.
http://www.amazon.com/Random-Polyhedral-Dice-Multiple-Wiz/dp/B009R6J8RY
Really worth it since you could have the players pitch in a little bit and have a huge return in selection. Really nice as a dm too to be able to have different color dice represent different monsters.
200$? Challenge accepted.
Buy the books for 100,76$
players handbook
dungeon master's guide
monster manual
To be fair, you're already set now. I would advise the players to also buy a player's handbook or at the very least download the free basic rules
If you need figurines you can google what you want, print them off and use them or you can use this from u/printableheroes and pay him 10$
You don't need an erasable battle map to play, you can just draw everything yourself but I would highly recommend it and it's not that expensive. just 21,66$
For the dice, just buy a bag of everything for 19,99$
you're now all set to go on epic adventures for a combined total off 152,41$
If you have any money left that you would want to spend, I would recommend buying the starter set, so you can learn how it is to DM before making everything up on your own. And at 29,99$ it's really a steal
This would bring your money spend on 182,4$
Allright we're 17,6$ under budget. You can use that to buy some drawing paper, pens and what not.
Then if you want to start DM-ing go and watch these videos, You will learn a lot from them. Also, if you want to start playing on wednesday, you're either going to have to read as a maniac or use the first adventure that u/mattcolville talks about in his first videos. If you make up a town with a few NPC's and have them travel there with an encounter (let's say wolves in a forest), you've already got a few hours playtime. However, you will all need to roll up characters which will also take some time. Especially if you are all new at this. Maybe use the templates from the starter set to get the feel.
Also, because they are fun, awesome and it will help you understand what d&d is and to grow as a DM, watch some critical role.
In the spare time you have left, contemplate on how much time you had before you started this awesome hobby and how you wished somebody else would DM so you could just sit down on a lazy chair and kill things.
Congratulations, you're one of us now.
You're welcome! You may also want to buy some more dice since the starter set only comes with one set. A set of dice looks like this:
Polyhedral 7-Die Opaque Dice Set - Blue with White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UQ7OD0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_BbzOzbJ6X8GTS
They come in all different colors. Try to pick a set where the numbers stand out from the body so they are easy to read at the table.
Or you can buy a big bag of random dice like this and share:
Wiz Dice Random Polyhedral Dice in Multiple Colors (100 + Pack) Bundle with Wiz Dice Pouch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_6czOzbHQCRM29
Downside is that your colors may not match up. But that doesn't affect gameplay at all.
Edit: also forgot to say that if you have any DM questions feel free to send me a message to ask questions. I'm always here to help those new to the hobby.
Edit2: don't forget to download these rules for free and give to your players:
http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules
The method of sorting is one unique type of dice for each category. Categories are solids (top), pearlescent (middle) and clear (bottom). I also acquired many other dice of the exact type as well as a d30 (not sure what to do with that).
Overall I'm happy with the variety, but disappointed with the amount of complete sets; only the two that came in the small paux-velvet bags.
Edit: Link for people who are wanting to get a bag themselves.
I'm getting a 100 Pakc by Wiz Dice. Most of the reviews put it above Chessex's Pound-o-Dice. It should get here tomorrow and I can let you know how it goes if you're still interested.
7 wonders plays to 7 players with a few expansions making it play to 8. It is a quick game to play and the time to play actually does not increase with more players. I'd say 45 minutes for 8 players is about right.
It is pretty easy to explain, with a lot of different strategies available, some of which aren't even obvious your first 5 times playing. You'll see one strategy dominate, then you'll all try that same strategy next game only to find the reason it dominated was because no one else was going for it.
It's a drafting game. You have a hand of, say, 10 cards. From that, you pick one of them that you can play, and pass the remaining 9 to your left (or right depending). Everyone reveals what card they picked and show they can actually play it, then you pick one from the 9 remaining...etc. You do this for 3 'ages'.
Setup consists of shuffling 3 decks of cards and dealing X to each player (depending on # of players). The longest part is taking out the cards that are for a certain number of players, but this usually only happens for the first game as the # players probably doesn't change between games. It really only takes about 5 minutes to start a new game.
Oh, bonus...you're looking at $31 with prime available.
There are a lot of expansions already that will make the game more interesting if it starts to get stale.
-----------------------------
Saboteur plays up to 10 and has basically no setup time. There are a majority of good guys and a minority of bad guys in each of 3 rounds. Good guys are trying to find gold. Bad guys are trying to stop this...and also trying to not get caught.
I don't think it's nearly as deep as 7 wonders...but it does have a traitor mechanic similar to resistance (except no one knows who is good/bad). I thought the game was OK...nothing great. I only played once, but I felt like there was just not enough strategy, mostly luck. If you want, you can try it out at BoardGameArena for free!
----------------------------------
Avalon as you said seems like a logical choice. It really is, based on what you like. I think it's a strict upgrade to base Resistance. I don't think you'll be upset picking that one up.
Thanks for doing this contest.
Have you tried buying/using the blank cards? Half the fun I find in taking my CaH set anywhere is making sure people fill out at least one white or black card so new things are always popping up. But yes, having played enough CaH at cons for a life time I can understand just wanting to put it down and not touch it forever.
Werewolf is a fun giant group game. Also so is 7 Wonders.
this for $24.46
this for $25
The base set contains the best white card
Why? Because it has "A Micropenis". A card so versatile and hilarious that it is a near guaranteed victory within my group.
Since I don't write on my white cards and instead have everyone playing write up ones that then get voted on and put on little sticky notes... my personal favorite from the times we've played was "Receiving anal from a raptor and having it call you a clever girl."
Cards against humanity http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC-CAHUS/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=YVDORA25Y012&amp;coliid=I6Y2FAZHVRI9B
pairs with...
The Regular Show
http://www.amazon.com/Regular-Show-The-Slack-Pack/dp/B006JN87XO/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=YVDORA25Y012&amp;coliid=I2VLH6JPFRLVWW
Imagine, a perfect pair for spending time your friends and family. All you have to do is get the cards game to build people up and get their funny bones working and then "Bow!". You hit they with the dvd, sending then into a comedy coma.
This year I made an amazon wishlist, and the nice thing about it is you can add items from any website to it (there's a google chrome extension but you can do it from your amazon wishlist, as well.) Some things that I added:
I basically just took a few hours one evening and surfed the web and added things that looked cool, then revised it the next day and removed anything I didn't actually want. A lot of it is stuff I probably wouldn't buy for myself but I'd enjoy having. I tried to add a variety of stuff in the price range department and I thought listing out gift cards to specific places for clothes/etsy stuff was a better idea than them picking it out because that's usually hard.
For etsy itself, I have a few different lists - things I'm going to buy, things I'll probably buy, and things that are maybes. If certain people (my mom, my sister) wanted to see it and pick something out from it I'd let them and that's part of the reason I've organized it that way (and so I know what I like from which stores without having to search through the whole store)
Hey! My group of friends have a very similar interests to your boyfriend, and we recently got Cards against Humanity http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC-CAHUS/dp/B004S8F7QM
We use it as a drinking game, and also for a bit of banter! Only cost $25 but could be bundled with some other gifts!
Amazon.com often has issues shipping stuff to Canada. It's not like it isn't available on Amazon.ca though.
Wait, I just ordered (and received) my copy a week or two ago. Did I get my order in just before it sold out or something?
Edit - Amazon link
In stock there and qualifies for amazon prime...
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC-CAHUS/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1451593786&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=cards+against+humanity
$25 delivered in two days. Or You can even next day it for $5 more.
Also why are you spamming like this? This kind of post on reddit ensures I will never buy it now.
here
So ... there are a lot of different Dungeons and Dragons. There's the tabletop game which started it all (pen and paper and dice - you can read about its long and storied history here).
There's a ton of video games from various eras ranging from I think the late 80s, early 90s to present day, including Dungeons and Dragons Online (don't know if that's still up or not).
You can go to GOG.com and find a lot of D&D computer games (and there have been console releases of some of them); Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate are a couple of the D&D computer games.
There also have been several D&D board games to choose from.
So ... as to what you need to start playing, it depends which one!
The D&D board games are actually really good for 1-5 players, it's short campaigns no DM needed.
I buy video games and board games mostly. Since I have started I have bought
Guild Wars 2
Fall of Cybertron
Borderlands 2
Ravenloft Board Game
Lord of the Rings: the living card game
Wife is pregnant so I am using only beer money to buy the fun stuff right now. Putting my normal "fun shit" monthly portion of my pay check towards baby stuff now.
The board games, while based on 4th edition, are super basic and very easy. I sometimes use them to introduce people to the game since it feels less nerdy, as little set up time, looks great and is easy to learn.
Here they are:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786955570/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=AAE5SU76RYVA
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0786955708/ref=ox_sc_act_image_4?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=A1JIUYKA8QS5H6
There is also a Drizzt one of the same type, and a slightly newer but less cool looking imo temple of elemental evil one.
I would buy a D&D board game like Wrath of Ashardalon (there are a handful of others) which comes with pretty good quality miniatures, about 30ish that are all "useful" in D&D and are great to practice on. There are some 25-30mm ones that come in batches (like 3-4 goblins) that are identical, but there are also larger minis like drakes and of course, Ashardalon the dragon. Can't beat it for the money.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786955708/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_Nt2sDbZ4X21J0
This one is the actual Wrath of Ashardalon, but there's also a Ravenloft one, a Drizzt one and one based on the Tomb of Annihilation. Possibly others. Can't beat the mini selection for the price. You could probably find a used one on eBay for cheaper!
Good luck and have fun!
If you've got Amazon Prime you can get the Magic the Gathering board game for ten bucks. The minis aren't amazing and most aren't painted but you get a total of 35 figures for just $10. You can do the same thing with the official D&D board games. They are more expensive but are specifically geared for D&D. All of these minis are really only good for enemies to put on the board instead of being used as PC's though. Hope this helps and I hope your club is an amazing success!
The lost mines of phandelver that comes in the starter set is the best first adventure.
As for miniatures your best bet is places like eBay. My wife and i bought all the dnd board games such as
They are a bit pricy but include a ton of figures including large and mediums. They are unpainted, but a decent price per figure as well as some tokens, tiles, etc. they are stand alone games based on dnd, but the figures are to scale and the same models as many painted figures and there are like 4 or 5 themes so you can find one you like.
There's also the board game line, such as Wrath of Ashardalon.
The nice thing about those is that no one is the DM.
Very true. I recommend you try the Wrath of Ashardalon board game.
For Gift One I would choose the Ticket to Ride For my Husband. I know how much he has been wanting it. For Gift Two I would pick Spirited Away For my son, who's birthday is coming up and he is a huge Studio Ghibli fan. So, C'mon...gimme You both are wonderful for being so generous, I'm sure you look Smashing! Thanks! :D
Do your guests already like board games? I love them but in my experience getting people to learn new rules is like pulling teeth, especially when it's out of a rule book. Unless your guests are well-seeded with experienced/enthusiastic gamers who are willing to teach the rules, I'd stick with games that people probably know or have rules for kids. Scrabble, Monopoly, checkers/chess/go, Chutes and Ladders, Sorry, Candyland and decks of cards (perhaps with chips). I would also consider party games like Balderdash, Taboo, Cranium, Charades, Fishbowl, Telephone Pictionary which are really fun in groups. Maybe you could designate a charismatic friend as a "Master of Games" or something to form groups and get the ball rolling on the pen-and-paper games.
If you have a geekier group that likes more modern/European board games, there are a few games I think are totally worth a try. I'd look into: Red Dragon Inn (my FH says it might be too complicated but I think it's approachable), Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, Dixit (I haven't played this but my FH says it's like Apples to Apples with pictures), Castle Panic and Fluxx in all its many varieties. Settlers of Catan is a bit more complicated but people are more likely to be familiar with it. It might not be great for newbies but I can't pass up the opportunity to plug Pandemic which is a fantastic cooperative game.
If you're looking at getting into more involved games, Ticket To Ride is always a good gateway. Lots of fun, simple rules. Usually found most places.
Catan is also a good starter game.
I don't think I've ever seen games at Hobby Lobby. At least not the times my wife has dragged me in.
$15 - Codenames is a great party game where you have to use one-word clues to communicate to your teammates which words you must guess in order to win. It's a race against time because both teams are trying to find all of their words first, but one word is an assassin, and by choosing it, your team loses immediately. It's creative and stressful. Really fun, for $15.
$33 - Ticket to Ride is a classic that lots of people love. It's relatively simple, and has up to five friends placing trains on tracks, trying to complete their routes around the US. It teaches quickly, has some opportunities to mess over other players, and is pretty and plays fast.
$30 - Splendor is a fast, strategic, card-buying game. Players take turns grabbing gems to eventually purchase cards, that act both as points and gems. It's great and hilarious in hindsight, because you realize everyone sat in utter silence for a half hour, because for some reason, Splendor makes people quietly brood and think and be silent. Occasionally, you might take the last gem someone else needed, and they burn inside, sometimes letting out a long, long sigh. It's a wonderful, pretty, well-produced game.
$22 - Sheriff of Nottingham is a 3-5 player, bluffing, negotiation game. Players try to get chickens and apples into town, while smuggling extra goods and contraband. Player rotate as the sheriff, and must be bribed with goods or coins, because if the sheriff decides to check their bag, and they lied about the contents, that player loses what they lied about. It's sweat-inducing, and makes for lots of riotous laughter and shouting. Also beautiful and easy to learn. Great game.
Join us over on /r/boardgames because that's where I learned a lot about modern board gaming. It's an amazing hobby that's growing quickly.
Hmm... maybe Exploding Kitten. I haven't played it, but my friends seem to enjoy it.
You can try 'Tickets to Ride'. It is 2-5 players. You get a map, and try to get to the place by building a train to there. If you do not get there, you will lose points.
Also, the game Ticket to Ride is extremely fun. It's not directly TAZ related, but their is a train adventure in the podcast & there are a few people on the box that might remind them of podcast characters
if this if what you bought you should know it's an amazing board game (one of the best ever IMO) and I'd love to teach you guys how to play. But to be fair it take a bit to understand, takes long to play (3-5 hours) and really becomes fun when you have 4+ people playing.
So while it's amazing it has a few requirements to be able to fully enjoy.
Or you could just play the actual board game, which is fucking AMAZING. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Game-Thrones-Board-2nd-Edition/dp/1589947207
Updated version coming at the end of the month for AGoT!
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Board-Second/dp/1589947207/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1320359240&amp;sr=8-1
I'm still confused, are you talking about this or this? I think /u/Chimpeye72 is talking about the latter, which I can confirm is an amazing game. I've never played the former before myself.
This board game is amazing and you could pretty easily draw it out on your table. http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-The-Board-Second-Edition/dp/1589947207
https://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-Board-Second/dp/1589947207/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1482861169&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=Game+of+thrones+board+game
That one is quite good.
I love camping/outdoor stuff too and I've gotten a lot of fun gifts over the years. Here's a few that I think any outdoor lover would enjoy.
Flint fire starter
Compact camping hammock
Camping Tomahawk (Seriously, me and my friends had so much fun learning to throw this)
If you're really stuck you can always just take a trip to REI, that store is like candyland for the outdoor lover, although they can be expensive. Camelbacks, lanterns, oudoor cookware, and all other cool stuff can be found there.
If you're leaning towards a gaming gift that can be harder unless you know what he needs, and most parts for a gaming computer are probably going to clear your budget. But you mentioned he likes GoT so I could reccomend the Game of Thrones - Board Game. I've played this and it's a lot of fun.
There is a Game of Thrones board game that incorporates a lot of those characteristics. Not sure if you know about it, but each player plays as a major house and has "house cards" that help determine battles. Its not as much "luck" based as risk.
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-The-Board-Second-Edition/dp/1589947207/ref=pd_sim_sbs_t_1
I got one of these and I use it all the time. They're meant to be used with wet-erase markers. I usually just draw things out as the party explores. There's lots of ways to go about this, and these mats are highly reusable!
I used this battle mat
Amazon Link
Some rubber cement
Amazon Link
Also some kind of sanded particle board from Lowes/Home Depot. I can't remember what it was called, but 1/8" thick. At the time I was in college and had access to the school's laser table and was able to cut using that. I couldn't see why a table saw wouldn't work though.
I made all the tiles powers of two (Computer engineer, can't help it). If I remember it was like 1x1, 1x2, 1x4, 2x2, 2x4, 2x8, 4x4, 4x8, and 8x8 tiles. You can do any other sizes or increments, that's just what I am most comfortable with.
We use a chessex mat (like this).
Don't draw the whole dungeon on the mat, just the room(s) combat is happening in.
For the dungeon map, you can have your players draw it on a sheet of paper from your descriptions.
Campaigns I run at home I just draw on a [Chessex battlemat] (https://smile.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IUAAG/ref=sr_1_5?crid=4WKSOITKESTV&amp;keywords=chessex+battle+mat&amp;qid=1569130255&amp;s=gateway&amp;sprefix=chessex%2Caps%2C218&amp;sr=8-5). Just doodle whatever I need.
I ran a few on d20, which I mostly used a mapgen program. What I want is usually something fairly large so players can flank, move, fly, etc. Like 50x50, most of it can just be wilderness with trees, etc, I just want them to be able to move if they want. I want some interesting terrain features, I want clear, visible lines for cover/and what stuff is. I prefer a theme if possible.
edit I agree with the other guy, NO GRIDLINES. Pain in the ass to deal with those.
For me:
hand to my players should they want to go shopping.
For Combat:
For my players:
I've got this one in two sizes
Chessex Role Playing Play Mat: MEGAMAT Double-Sided Reversible Mat for RPGs and Miniature Figure Games - 34 1/2in x 48in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IUAAG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jSZNBb10389Q9
While the commercial maps might be somewhat expensive, the [Chessex Battlemap] (https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IUAAG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1503572042&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=chessex+battlemat) has been our go to for years.
We bought one 5 years ago and it still looks great, the material is soft so it folds easily, and it is easy to clean. $30 for 5 years is totally worth it: Chessex makes high quality stuff.
TL;DR If you want large, vinyl, hexes, and wet erase: look to Chessex. If you want large-ish, laminated, no hexes, and dry erase: look to Pathfinder. I'd say measure your game space first.
The mat you're most likely talking about is the Chessex MEGAMAT.($30) This is by and large the most popular battlemat on the market. It's vinyl, rectangular (3' x 4'), hex reversible, quality make, but it's wet erase. (You'll probs need to buy wet erase markers) This is also the mat I have. Here's my brief critique: it is larger than I have ever needed, though I will admit I have sometimes been encouraged by the mat's size to make a larger battlefield. It's so large that it barely fits on the table, giving my players little room for their papers, making it difficult for me as a DM to quickly access all parts of the map, and making transporting it a minor annoyance. The wet erase is only slightly annoying, but if you're going to be doing a lot of erasing, you'll quickly tire of the rags and water. However, it is very high quality, plenty big, and terrific if you have the right space and table to use it.
A very similar mat is the regular Chessex Battlemat($22) It's smaller (2' x 2'), vinyl, square, high quality, hex reversible, and still wet erase. Really again a great mat that's very similar to the MEGAMAT, just a little less. . . MEGA.
Another large vinyl one more similar to the MEGAMAT is the Wiz Dice Battle Mat.($32) It shares all the same qualities of the MEGAMAT, but owners have claimed that is does not erase quite as nicely. However, it is a clean white mat, rather than the sort of textured beige of the Chessex mats.
Finally, the most viable dry erase mats are the Evolve Skins battlemats($28) which come in white or beige, are not hex reversible, are laminated, are 3' x 2', and seem to not be entirely dry erase. A better choice would probably be the laminated, 2' x 2.5', dry erase, not hex reversible, Pathfinder battlemats.($13)
I'd recommend measuring your game space, prioritizing what you think are the most important qualities, and then comparing these options that I have presented.
I have this one, it is quality and large worth the money imo
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IUAAG/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1450652471&amp;sr=8-7&amp;keywords=gaming+mat
I played 1e and 2e for many years, and every group I was in always used theater of the mind. When I returned to D&D a year ago, the group I was playing with used a battle mat and minis and it was a revelation for me: I really like being able to see where all the creatures are, and having a good set of wet-erase markers means we can draw anything we need to on the mat. When I started DMing again, I bought a battle mat and a set of markers and it makes things very easy, especially for younger players (one of my groups is 4 11-year-olds). Being able to make a custom mini (using something like HeroForge) means that everyone can get a mini that really expresses their character concept, which helps people get invested in the game. Also, Lego minifigures are almost exactly the right size, which is awesome, and you can print your minis on paper as well (better for monsters, IMO).
Having said all that, Sly Flourish has a really good guide to Theater of the Mind combat and there's a lot to recommend it.
Gaming carry bag - like the Bag of Holding.
Battle mats, maybe a big one.
d20 socks, cause who doesn't need socks?
One Round T-Shirt would be good - gamers love shirts. Penny Arcade has a bunch. They also have some cool prints that are table gaming related.
Just giving some non-dice suggestions, as I have a crap-ton of dice myself.
I have been very happy with the Chessex dry erase grid. If you could find wrapping paper with a 1" grid, it would work great.
I'm a big fan of Chessex, it works great as long as you don't mess up and use a permanent pen on it...
For long-term flexibility, I'd recommend getting one of the bigger multi sided ones (like this one). For $33 it's a great buy.
Get yourself a chessex map!
Chessex makes an amazing battlemap with squares on one side and hex on the other.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0015IUAAG
You should try Dominion too (if you want more tabletops to consider). It's really fun, and it's easy to get new people into it.
Also, what cider?
Hahaha yeah. I discovered Dominion last year. I now own every expansion and have made my own custom wood-burned box to store everything. That's a whole different post, though. :-)
Edit: Just realized you might be referring to League of Legends, like /u/LeeeSin was - I was talking about the Dominion card game.
http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG370-Dominion/dp/B001JQY6K4
http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG422-Dominion/dp/B003YXZB22
There are a lot of good options. I enjoy all of these with 2 players, and all except 7 Wonders Duel scale well with more players. Just pick 3 that are close in price to maximize the deal.
Castles of Burgundy $29
Dominion $30
7 Wonders Duel $24
San Juan $26
Carcassonne $21
Here are a couple of options I have been enjoying:
Betrayal
Small World
Power Grid
Dominion
Most of these are slightly out of your price range, but you get what you pay for. If you are willing to spend slightly more, you open up a whole new world of possibilities.
If you do want to stick to cheaper options, Fluxx or Exploding Kittens is always a good, fun choice.
Dead of Winter is a great game, takes quite a while to set up though, and maybe not really a game that you can play casually.
Dominion is more of a card game, but there are many expansions.
Following the card game theme, you also have Legendary. Both Legendary and Dominion are deck building games, Legendary is Marvel themed and I believe have other versions/expansions.
Superfight is a debating game, I really enjoy playing this with a lot of people, I got into an hour debate with my dad over who would win in a fight, a samurai, or a 7 member boy band.
I have some more recommendations that just aren't coming to mind right now. If you want to know more about a particular game, feel free to PM me. I really love Board games.
Almost all of these are $15 and under (plus shipping):
Best value:
2 only:
The 2-3 player weird spot (it's harder to find games good at this player count):
Great with 4:
Great for 5+:
You're pretty wide open for recommendations, so I'm not sure how to steer you to any of these.
this ok ill go from this game, this game was featured on an episode of table top with Wil Wheaton,Wil Wheatons brother Joss created Dr horrible's sing along blog. one of the characters in this epic tale is captain hammer. i know what you are thinking, " wow Twisty that is a pretty good jump to hammer, but what about squeaky?" and my reply is to hold your pants on cause im getting there :P. in the movie with captain hammer is a girl named penny, penny is a very shy girl some would even say mousey. mouses are known for being squeaky! BUT WAIT THERES MORE!!!!! penny is played by the beautifully nerdy Felicia Day! who just so happened to be on an episode of Tabletop with Wil wheaton, the very same show that did an episode about my chosen item!
I swear to puppies I'm going to throw a psychotic fit.
Actually in stock at Amazon.
Betrayal at house on the hill
> Betrayal at House on the Hill
...psst...it's in stock right now...
Interesting idea. There are some good six-player games that might constitute an adventure.
Betrayal at House On The Hill is a game that follows the tropes of horror B-movies, exploring a haunted house until eventually someone at random becomes the bad guy and has to try to kill everyone else. Maybe a little mature for the younger kids, but it's one of my favourite games. Review here, although he's kinda critical of it in a way I think is unfair. It's a lot of fun, it's just more that you're watching the story unfold than actually using great skill to win it. Which is great for new players.
Escape the curse of the temple is a chaotic co-operative game in which all the players are exploring a temple, Indiana Jones style, trying to roll dice to beat challenges. The twist is that everyone's playing at once, rolling dice as fast as they can and getting curses like being unable to talk or keeping one hand on their head. Here's an entertaining review.
Flick 'Em Up is a cross between a western and Subbuteo. You flick your characters and little wooden bullets about in a Spaghetti Western town made of wooden blocks. It's actually probably a fantastic gift because it comes in a lovely wooden box and the whole thing's so tactile. Review here.
What kinds of games does he like? Cooperative? Competitive?
One of my favorites right now is Betrayal at House on the Hill. Basically you're exploring a haunted house that you build as you move along and at some point, one of 40-something "haunts" starts which changes the game objectives. Very fun, cooperative for 3-6 players. It has a very Lovecraftian theme, so suggested age of 12+ is pretty accurate I'd say.
I know that feeling. I bought this a few months back and I've played it once so far.
If you're looking for a completely different type of board game, Betrayal At House on the Hill is great! https://www.amazon.com/Betrayal-At-House-Hill-2nd/dp/B003HC9734/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1478873479&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=haunted+house+on+the+hill
That’s a really neat idea. You’ll probably find that an Othello board is too small, though. An 8x8 grid doesn’t give you much room to maneuver.
One suggestion I have, if you’re willing to forgo minis and play more fast and loose is to get yourself a small portable whiteboard, and a cheap pack of dry erase crayons. I use this exact thing when I’m trying to travel light:
https://www.amazon.ca/School-Craft-Supplies-Crafts-Crayola/dp/B00BAGADOQ/
The crayons are great, as they wipe off easily but don’t accidentally smudge. Perfect for drawing out gridless situations and maps. The set is dirt cheap, too.
If you definitely want a grid, though, I’d suggest a Paizo flip-mat. They’re light, cheap, and laminated for use with dry erase markers. They fold down to a size smaller than the PHB, and very thin.
https://www.amazon.ca/Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Basic-Revised/dp/1601255381
For cheap minis, I’ve seen folks get a lot of use out a plastic dollar store chess set, using the pieces to represent various PCs and monsters. Again, light and cheap.
Canadian here too. I picked up an awesome blank grid in a pathfinder box from 411 games in Toronto for 20$. Allows dry and wet erase.
This is the product on amazon. Highly recommend it.
http://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishng-Inc-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat/dp/1601255381
Hey man!
Super happy to hear you're enjoying D&D with your GF and getting more into DMing!
For supplies:
Dry Erase Game Mat - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Paizo-Publishing-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Basic/dp/1601255381/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1458214248&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=dry+erase+game+mat (That's exactly the one I use). You'll need some dry wipe pens, I recommend NOT super big ones so you can do detail.
The tiles I use are Dwarven Forge, (http://dwarvenforge.eu/) very expensive but very cool! You can also get pre-printed card tiles, search for Pathfinder Adventure Tiles.
As for Minis, we luckily had Yogs buy us a set of 32 booster boxes of the Pathfinder Red Dragon set. Other minis I use include the Reaper Bones series, but they need painting (painted by myself, Trott or Katie).
I buy booster boxes from: https://www.tritex-games.co.uk/
Hope this helps!
This. I bought it along with a set of dice when I started playing and we use it all the time, I can't imagine using anything else. We also bought a couple of markers in different colors, so we can easily draw things like spreading fire.
These are the mats I'm talking about: https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-PZOSQW30024-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat/dp/1601255381
Another thing you could try is just get basic blank flip maps like these. My group and I just draw terrain with dry erase markers on them. Works pretty well if you don't want to but 800 maps.
I understand where you are coming from, my players as well like the grid more. Combat for us is like 20-30% Theater of the Mind and 70-80% Grid.
But those 20-30% is often an extremely trivial encounter or some sort of chase/trap event.
A grid does make it easier for AoE spells or Auras on how many they hit. The grid often brings clarity to the group on how they can spend their abilities. It also removes some DM pressure of telling them every time how many enemies a spell can hit.
If you live in the US it could be cheap starting a Grid.
Pathfinder Flipmap!
I just use that one and use what ever tokens, bottle caps and so forth you have at home.
I normally draw the whole map on grid paper beforehand and cover parts of it with plain paper, then reveal it as the players explore. I also use these reusable grid mats for impromptu locations, which might be good for you if you want to stick with drawing maps as you go.
I would make them a bit larger - maybe 1m square. You could use paper instead of cellular rubber unless you're planning on making permanent model scenery. Not sure dry erase markers come off of the rubber and they might store easier.
Squares are probably easier to add than hexes and work just fine. There are also pre-made battle mats printed on laminated cardstock.
Pathfinder pawns work well for D&D... you get 300 cardboard pawns for under $50.
The Angry GM did a very good article recently on metagaming. (If you're unfamiliar with Angry, he has a very different style than most gaming writers. If you're able to get past his "f&%$s" and "s@#&s," you'll find some very well researched and reasoned advice, and some good humor as well.)
I've been actively DMing for about four or five months now, and one of my players is the group's original DM and a DM for a Roll20 group. She uses the more prevalent definition of "metagaming," while I use Angry's, and it's been an interesting transition in the group.
Essentially, if the players are able to come to the correct conclusion about a major part of the storyline, while circumventing all of the deflections and delays I had put in their path (as happened recently), I don't see any reason to punish that. I rewarded that player with additional XP for clever thinking, even if I had to jump well passed what I had planned. If the bard knows a monster's weakness, they probably heard about it in some ballad. If one player acts on information on another player that they haven't formally discussed in character at the table, well, they've been traveling together for the better part of a year in game; the characters must have talked about it in the would-be-boring travel scenes that I gloss over.
As far as the monster inventory situation is concerned, I recommend getting some Pathfinder Pawns (I've linked to the two boxes I have on Amazon). They let you surprise your players with a huge variety of them. If you go on Paizo's website, you can buy printable versions for cheaper. The art is pretty good, and it's hard to beat the variety you get for your dollar.
In the end, everyone has a different playing style. I prefer to resolve differences when I can. Encourage some frank, open discussion at the table and away from it. If you can't resolve your different styles with your roommate, it might be best if they don't continue with the group. The overall group's fun level is really the deciding factor.
Paizo (the Pathfinder publisher) puts out Bestiary Boxes that have loads of cardboard tokens and pawns for characters and monsters and such.
Just a heads up for anyone that wants to buy these after viewing the link. Here is a cheaper one of what I think is the same thing
I traded for all the W&D board games to use as miniatures. They are terrific.
Did you know that paizo makes pawns specifically for that purpose? I use them for my 5e game. Bestiary 1 box has a lot of cross over with D&D but some of the other ones I would check the contents. Paizo can get a bit weird.
Depends, are you looking for actual miniatures, or are you just looking for representations of monsters? Because Pathfinder makes a decent box set of bulk monsters for $50. They're called Pathfinder Pawns, and they're basically cardboard standees. This box is less than $50 for 300 paper miniatures, and is as cheap as you're likely to find, especially if you value your time.
As for bulk miniatures, the D&D board games like Wrath of Ashardladon, Castle Ravenloft, and Legend of Drizzt are all fairly good sources of actual 3d miniatures, but they are unpainted. Aside from that, Reaperminiatures.com does have some cheap packs of unpainted miniatures, but overall, no miniature company truly sells in "bulk" that I've noticed.
For throwaway undead, I use these while I wait for actual undead miniatures to paint. They're a bit smaller, but you can't beat that value.
Aside from that, if you're looking for actual painted miniatures, good luck! The only pre-painted ones I really see are either on E-bay as second hand, or the random "loot box" style of package such as here.
I love painting miniatures, and do some quality work depending on how detailed you want to commission. I am actually in the process of updating my Etsy shop with prepainted "sets" of miniatures. Any questions, ask away!
Reaper Bones is a solid set of minis that you can pick and choose.
See when this goes on sale for tons of monsters from the Monster Manual.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616
They aren't mini's, but they are amazinfg or the price you pay.
&#x200B;
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543341358&sr=8-1&keywords=pathfinder+pawns
Are you doing a remote game, with players that can't get together? Cause if not, I'd go with a mat, preferably double sided with both grid and hexes, so you can support multiple games and modes. You don't need proper minis (though those are particularly nice for players to have something for there character), when I first got a mat, we used chess pieces. You can also find free printable paper minis that look pretty good. If you want something a bit more durable, I'm like Pathfinder Pawns, the stands in it are great for paper minis too.
Overall, my group has greatly preferred grid combat. Since everyone knows the distances and sizes of everything, it makes the game feel more tactical and less arbitrary. And it is just cool to see everything laid out.
I found minis to be pretty expensive, which has been a major deterrent for me. However, I purchased three sets of Pathfinder Pawns like this one
I now have the NPC, bestiary, and summoned creature sets - and that gave me a ton to work with.
I would say go for a Grid and markers. You're looking at $30 from a FLGS, tops.
Then I suggest maybe having your PC's look at the Reaper Bones and Wizkids miniatures. Nolzur's Marvelous Miniatures has a TON of different Player Character minis to pick from, and they're great. Reaper Bones does as well.
Have everyone get their own mini. That's <$5 per person.
Then just use tokens.
If you decide you want to expand your portfolio a bit, consider getting the Pathfinder Pawns boxes. You'll get ~300 heavy cardboard minis of a wide array of monsters.
Pandemic, Cash'n'Guns, Settlers of Catan are all decent games that are easy to pick up
Ticket to Ride is the most accessible game for newbs.
You should get The Settlers of Catan. I have a friend who can't shut up about how much he loves that game.
Catan is my favorite board game by far. Thanks for the contest! :)
This is neat! I love Catan.
Whoa, whoa. Settlers of what?
Guys, we've got a phony here!
Chessex Battle Mat is the best product for such things. It is $26 and uses wet erase markers to draw on it.
Now, if that's too much, you have a few other options. For the longest time, we used a cheap plastic frame like you'd get for holding posters. Then you either print out grid paper, buy some, or draw it yourself on the cardboard and you can use markers on the plastic. It isn't perfect; the plastic isn't perfect for the markers and over time it will tinge. Also, test every marker you use in a corner (let it dry for 5 minutes, then remove) because some colors seemed to be far harder to remove than others.
For the truly low budget, you can do some sheet of paper with grid lines and tape them together. I'd set it up to print without margins and overlap the paper by a full square (1 inch) so you can easily tape it.
New double-sided gaming mat:
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
Best purchase if you have minis.
Get a chessex as fulganger said.
They are amazing. http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407451534&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=chessex
that is the one i got, it is the 2 by 2 or length of an armish.
Now the key is to not buy the expensive wet erase markers they recommend. They're overpriced. Buy crayola washable markers. They have big giant WASHABLE on the front. If you buy during back to school time, they are as little as 1$-1.5$ for 8 markers! Such a steal compared to wet erase.
Also baby wipes are amazing for them. Towel+ spray bottle of water is cheaper though.
If you want to use pdf versions of the books, you'll have to look for them, piracy isn't kosher in this sub. Character sheet is easily found by searching "4e/3.5/Pathfinder dnd character sheet" depending on what version you choose.
There are some free published adventures available online, but I'm not familiar enough with them.
As for dice, I bought a ~100 dice set on amazon for $30 (or you can buy 5$/set at any game/hobby store, and they're a bit nicer), and a wet erase mat from Chessex for $30 (this one), and I use Sorry pieces and extra dice for monsters and Lego minifigs for players and companions.
The only product I really recommend buying is this Chessex battlemat:
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1324057800&amp;sr=8-1
Also pick up some WET-erase markers (not dry erase). You can draw the walls of each room as they enter.
Miniatures are cool, but not necessary. Coins, paper tokens, cardboard (D&D Monster Vault) all work fine. But I think that having a map with miniatures helps everyone visualize the battle much better. It's practically a necessity for 4E.
I also really recommend making your own campaigns and adventures if the DM is up for the time and challenge. They are usually better because the DM has a deeper understanding and knowledge of his own world, and can customize it to his players better.
I use Battlemats. They use Wet erase markers and you can draw what you want on the fly, and afterwards a quick bit of windex and a paper towel and its all gone. Takes some $ up front (just under $30), but after that as long as you take care of them, it will last years.
You can get chessex mats from amazon or other sites. I live in Belgium and my local game store even has them in stock most of the times. I have even ran with a whiteboard on which I drew a map with gridlines. Takes some time but it works.
I just bought a mat. You can use dry erase markers on it, then wipe it down when you're done. Rolls up for easy storage. You can also buy a large pad of grid paper and just draw on it, then toss the sheet when you're done. They sell them in most office supply stores. The pads are large, intended to be placed on an easel and used in presentations.
I have something like tthis which I think is great.
What you're looking for is what the community refers to as an FLGS (friendly local game store). Usually these aren't chain stores. So, unfortunately, you'll have to do a little bit of searching. Often times you can just google "D&D store" or "game store" and your city/town name and you'll get a good place to start. If your town has both a video game specialty store (at least one that isn't Gamestop) and a tabletop gaming specialty store, usually the employees of both will know where the other one is and will happily send you to them. Your FLGS will have all the books you need (and if they don't, they'll order them for you) as well as the official character sheets from Wizards of the Coast, and all the dice you could ever need.
Here's the shopping list for you to get started strong.
The following are optional enhancements.
Buy the starter set.
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Starter-Wizards-Team/dp/0786965592
Buy a pound of dicehttps://www.amazon.com/Chessex-001LBCHX-Pound-O-Dice/dp/B008C0KXYSBuy 18 sets of dice
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01FRQI6CA
Buy a battlemat
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
That's all you need to get started. Don't spend $300 buying EVERYTHING. That's just a silly thing to do.
That's a Chessex Wet-Erase Battle Mat, a very useful tool if you're playing with miniatures.
I make use of the Chessex Wet-Erase battlemat (comes in 2 sizes and is reversible for hexes vs squares) which works well for my games.
Alternatively you can buy some large 1" grid paper. Which is great if you want to do prep work for your dungeon and draw out nice looking maps ahead of time. Typically this allows you to have more detailed maps because you're not under the pressure of doing it at the table before combat starts. I want to start doing this more often, but even more so I want to get some props and do more elaborate battle sets.
I suggest either buying gaming paper or a Chessex mat (which you can use wet-erase markers on) like this one.
If you can't afford those I'll make some A3 sized grids for you later, just remind me :)
I'm not trying to be flippant. It really depends on your group and the type of game they want to play. I've played war gaming D&D where the battlemat was the game. I've played narrative D&D where it was faster to just go with the flow.
I'd start without one. Just have some paper and a pencil handy if you need to draw something out for clarification. If you find yourself needing to draw a lot of stuff, you might want a battlemat.
For miniatures, be warned that the Heroclix and Mage Knight minis, while useable, are mostly larger than the 1" standard width (for a medium character or creature) - this is generally not that big of a problem but if you're going with modular terrain it means they may not fit well, especially along with other miniatures beside them.
Ebay is a good choice for miniatures, especially if you have particular needs for certain things - you want that male elf archer in leather armor, or are you looking for a beholder? You can find and get them there. Here's my favorite seller for these things, shipping is definitely reasonable and the choices are expansive:
http://www.ebay.com/usr/auggest?_trksid=p2053788.m1543.l2754
Another option to miniatures are tokens, and they are much, much cheaper. These are small cardboard circles that fit a 1" block as standard size (larger creatures will fill more, of course). The best starter set for this for a DM is the Monster Vault, but there are a ton of others as well. I suggest ebay for these for the most part, there are some that sell them by the sheet and others that sell the full boxed sets. You can get these for characters as well as monsters. Here's a link to the Monster Vault so you can see what you get with it:
http://www.amazon.com/Monster-Vault-Essential-Dungeons-Dragons/dp/0786956313/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1420725056&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=dungeons+and+dragons+Tokens
Cheapest and most versatile "professional looking" option for the map / terrain is a chessex battlemat - make sure you have WET ERASE markers, not dry erase and keep it clean between adventures. Below are links to one of their mats (there are other sizes, just search on amazon) and to some excellent markers:
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1420724703&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=chessex+mat
http://www.amazon.com/Expo-Vis-A-Vis-Markers-Colored-16078/dp/B00006IFGW/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1420724703&amp;sr=8-9&amp;keywords=chessex+mat
Cheapest option for modular-type terrain would be tiles. These are cardboard "grids" that most often have designs on them and come in different sizes. The best starter set out there is the Dungeon Tiles Master Set - The Dungeon. It has a lot of tiles and is pretty versatile, at least for base grid options like dungeons and general floors. There are a ton of other options for them - again I suggest you look on ebay for these because you can often find used ones that are in perfect shape sold as a set, or even individual tiles if there's something in particular you need. This is the link to the aforementioned base set on amazon so you can see what it has:
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeon-Tiles-Master-Set-Essential/dp/0786955554/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1420724907&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=dungeon+tiles+master+set
If you want to spend more money and go with something much more dynamic, there are 3-d modular sets ranging from paper to near-stone like quality but they can cost a ton. I have a large set of Dungeonstone (www.dungeonstone.com) that I bring out and always get oo's and ahh's. But they're heavy to carry around a lot, especially if I need the whole set. Another option, that's generally slightly more expensive than dungeonstone is Dwarven Forge. You can look them up - but I only mention this in case you decide to spend more money than you want to at this point. :)
Good luck! I hope this helps.
The starter set can be run without maps entirely, I really think a battlemat (like this one from chessex: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_WqKHzbYV6YRQX) helps the players a lot
This can help out a lot.
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1342943910&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=battle+mat
If you're willing to pay a little, there are nice erasable mats out there. Cheaper in the long run than using paper and certainly much more transportable/manageable.
I'm guessing that you're thinking of a Chessex Battle Mat, which allows you to use wet erase markers to draw out maps. You can also use graph paper to accomplish much the same function, although this will mean that you'll have to pass the combat map around, which may not be as good as everyone being able to draw on it at a given time.
welcome.
here are a few simple things that i have found a newbie like me make things easier...
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504364342&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=chessex+battlemat
I just ran my first session as a new DM with LMoP last week! I'll jot down my experience running a group of 4 beginners. (so take my advice with a grain of salt as a beginner that has not finished the campaign)
---
First, read through the books in the Starter Set! (If you can afford the Player's Handbook, that is a good idea as well.) I highly recommend going through the rulebook (or Basic Rules) then at least skimming through the entire LMoP module. You don't have to memorize everything but as a DM it is important to have the idea of the setting in your head.
For combat, you have to decide if you are going to run "Theater of the Mind" or battlemat+miniatures for combat. Theater of the Mind is more flexible and requires less preparation but battlemats give great visuals at a cost of preparation and supply.
Then you have to decide if you think your players would want to make their own characters or not. For my beginner group, I decided that they would be a lot more invested/excited if they could identify with their own creation so I chose to not use the pre-generated character sheets. Once you are comfortable with the rules of D&D enough, set a date to meet with your group.
Since we had to make characters, I held a Session 0 to introduce the basic concept of what to expect in committing to D&D as well as character creation. I highly suggest making characters together a separate day before Session 1 because it usually takes a decent amount of time for the first time (3ish hours for me).
My Session 0 looked like this:
After everyone was done, I let them take home the character sheet and work on character appearance, personality, and background story.
The week after, we had Session 1. Make sure you actually read through the LMoP module in depth, at least up to Part 1-2 beforehand. I also decided to take some elements of this supplement Part 0 for LMoP to use as a tutorial for my players. Then, begin your adventure! My party took a lot longer than I expected and only got to the entrance of the Cragmaw Hideout after 3 hours.
Good luck to your campaign, I'm looking forward to my second session!
---
Some recommended guides I used:
---
Supplies I personally prepared (BUT ARE OPTIONAL):
Well I suppose you said you've played before, but I'm going to give you a basic resources spiel, so forgive me if I'm saying anything obvious. The basic things you're going to want are a set of dice /for each player/ (a d4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 20, to be clear). I mean, you can get away with a single set of dice, but it's a pain to pass them around. Personally I like to have enough dice so I can roll all at once for a given ability - a spell that deals 4d8 damage? I have 4d8s. Of course, people with smartphones could get an app like Dice Ex Machina, too. Then, if you want to play with a board (I understand some people can play certain systems like 5e by just having the DM describe how far apart things are but that sounds maddening to me), you're probably going to want a playmat (http://smile.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=smi_www_rco2_go_smi_2053972162?ie=UTF8&amp;%252AVersion%252A=1&amp;%252Aentries%252A=0) and some Vis-a-Vis wet erase pens to draw on it. Lastly, you're going to need /something/ to represent people on said playmat. Miniatures are super expensive, so you can theoretically, especially starting out, scrounge up various little things that fit in the 1 inch squares - pieces from other board games, whatever. Now, if you've got more money to spend a great deal that's much more cost efficient than minis are Paizo's Pawn Boxes such as this http://paizo.com/products/btpy8x1f?Pathfinder-Pawns-NPC-Codex-Box
Now, you could also go the super cheap route and grab graph paper, and then write letters to represent characters, then draw and erase when they move. This is how I started - it sucks, but it's free. Another free way to circumvent ALL of these play resources by playing on the computer: https://app.roll20.net/home. This has obvious pros and cons but it's simultaneously free and fancy if it works out. If you use that, you'll want this too: http://www.rptools.net/tools/token-tool/
As for systems, I have two recommendations. My biggest recommendation is for the new 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons. It is excellent, and most importantly it's really easy for beginners. You can get the starter set for a mere 20$, which comes with 4 pre made characters, a good adventure and a set of dice. And maybe a DM shield? Anyway, free basic rules here: http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/features/basicrules
After that, there are 3 books, the Players Handbook, Dungeon Master's Guide and Monster Manuel. They're all great. And 50$ each. If you try the starter set, like the system and have a dedicated group of players, I definitely recommend them if you can afford them. If you can't, however, there's my other recommendation:
Based off of 3.5e Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder is a great system with tons and tons of content, and with the exclusion of published adventures and flavor books, it's all free: http://www.d20pfsrd.com/home
It also has a free module you can try out: http://paizo.com/products/btpy8j5w?Pathfinder-Module-We-Be-Goblins
Thing is, it's also quite complicated. For beginners to learn it without a veteran to teach them - to learn just by reading the rules - would be very very difficult. No way I would have been able to learn by reading. Plus, that 'tons and tons of content,' while awesome, makes it all the more overwhelming for beginners. Still, it's freeeeeee.
I don't print maps for my players at all. I only draw a map when a situation is complex enough that we need the help tracking where everyone is. I use something like this mat with wet-erase markers as a reusable surface for drawing maps on: http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
TL;DR: can push pins be used as miniatures on vinyl mats without doing too much short-term damage? We are looking at this mat.
My group and I are just getting started, and so far we kind of improvised a paper grid on top of a cork board so we could use color coordinated push pins instead of miniatures. We really liked this because it meant we didn't have to worry about anything bumping/shaking the map, even if we left the table for a while.
We are looking into a more permanent option now, and I see that the vinyl mats seem to be the preferred option for most players. I just want to make sure we know one way or the other, before we accidentally wreck a brand new mat!
Ideally we'd be reusing the same pin hole on any given square as much as possible, so hopefully that would minimize the damage from using the push pins...
I'll usually use something similar to this:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0015IQO2O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1481173019&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SX200_QL40&amp;keywords=Battle+grid+mat&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41i0qiG8fUL&amp;ref=plSrch
I'll use wet erase markers and either draw something ahead of time, or draw quick outlines and erase them and redraw as needed if my players go off course.
The fact that it's double sided comes in handy too. You can use one side for improv battles and the other for preset encounters.
I usually only use maps for encounters, I'll use smaller drawings for world or city maps. I typically don't draw too much detail. The outline of the encounter area/room and major defining features that could come into play in the battle(a giant chasm in the floor for example). I'll rely on descriptions and any questions my players may have to fill in the blanks and give any other relevant information about the area.
As far as LMoP goes, in planning each of your sessions you'll probably have a good idea of what you'll be going through in each sitting so you should be able plan accordingly and really only have to improvise if your players go off the rails or decide to pick unplanned fights.
It's also perfectly OK to not use grids at all and just describe the area to you players and let them know where the enemies are on relation to them. You don't have to spend money on this part, especially if it's your first time, but Ive found it easier to use a grid especially for new players. It definitely helps keep things straight.
My group primarily uses one of these, which is a really good investment along with some
drywet erase markers. Other this I've seen is buying large grid paper from Staples or some other office supply retailer, which you can also have laminated to use as a dry erase mat, but often costs the same or more than ordering the chessex mat.Edit:I made a mistake, you should be using wet erase markers for chessex mats. Dry erase can ruin the mat, and even with thorough care, dramatically reduces its life span. With wet erase markers, the worst it will get is you need to give it a thorough cleaning once in a while with something other than water. There are some tips and guidelines here to help maintain the life of the mat.
I'm happy with this one. It's big but still fits nicely on my table, and has a square grid on one side and a hex on the other, and I generally like the hex better but many times I use the square for an indoor halls-and-corridors type setting.
I bought the Bag of Holding with 20 complete sets when I started DM'ing again.
Gave the bag of devouring to one of my players for her birthday.
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Holding-Polyhedral/dp/B01476QV14/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1520722403&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=bag+of+holding
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Devouring-Polyhedral/dp/B01KP4T6TQ/ref=pd_bxgy_21_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B01KP4T6TQ&amp;pd_rd_r=CPW9QQNV8BM67GYA17F5&amp;pd_rd_w=kWJtV&amp;pd_rd_wg=GIb1t&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=CPW9QQNV8BM67GYA17F5
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Tricks-Role-playing/dp/B079DY4FKL/ref=pd_sim_21_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=B079DY4FKL&amp;pd_rd_r=QZCFND2YDJC6SPXQ0JTW&amp;pd_rd_w=g2esz&amp;pd_rd_wg=nhf38&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=QZCFND2YDJC6SPXQ0JTW
How do you not have enough dice?!?! Are you new to this?
Here, this will help. https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Holding-Polyhedral/dp/B01476QV14
Wiz Dice actually has a "never" bag of holding, which contains 140 dice in 20 guaranteed complete sets.
amazon link
I saw some board games that are must haves for your shelf but it was cheaper at Amazon even after the discount:
Your two links will work. You're correct, it does seem very confusing. There's so many printings of Catan at this point, but the only major differences between 4th and 5th editions of the game is the artwork. Everything else is the same.
If you want a game that can include pretty much everybody at a lower price point, I would recommend Codenames. It plays from 4 up to pretty much unlimited and is a great casual game where people can chill and play as they see fit.
Amazon has it for 6.99 as well:
https://www.amazon.com/Czech-Games-00031CGE-Codenames/dp/B014Q1XX9S
Have you heard about Codenames?
It's a pretty new game but has become very popular in a very short time. The fact that BGG (which is not known for appreciating casual games) has it as the #20 board game overall, and #1 party game, is a testament to how good the game is. Or you can check out the Amazon page for more reviews (4.8 out of 5 stars with 800 reviews) and answers to some questions.
Even if the 5 year old can't read yet, they can join in the discussion about whether a word would fit or not, so I think it's something everyone can enjoy.
> Let's have some holiday tips!
My plan is to focus on the people and not food. I'm hoping to get a lot of visiting in and play some family games. I bought a game called Codenames, which is supposed to be really fun according to reviews. A few other fun games we play are Phase 10, Farkle, and Bananagrams.
Have a great day!
Hi there! I just introduced my family to D&D over the weekend as well. Let me answer your questions.
Truthfully, everything you need can be found online. The D&D starter rules (for both playing and DMing) can both be found on Wizard's website. Others will recommend the Starter Edition, which is great place to start mind you, but the adventure is definitely not a one-shot. It can take up to 3-4 sessions to complete it.
Because of this, I opted to create my own one-shot adventure and I watched Matthew Colville's wonderful intro to DMing guide on Youtube. It's actually a lot easier than you think. For a one-shot all you need are at least 5 encounters; puzzle, trap, combat, dialogue/story, final boss. Put it in a dungeon; keep it simple. Dungeonographer is a wonderful program to help you maps and interior locations.
If you keep your adventure simple, DMing is very straightforward. Set the story and the adventure hook (why is your party going on a quest/adventure), lay down some breadcrumbs that lead them onward, and manage the experience. Remember that players roll the D20 for just about everything, but feel free to throw your own flair as well. For instance, I often had my family roll "luck" to see how fortunate they were in certain circumstances. Specifically, the party was fleeing from town and my father was like, "There's gotta be boats at the dock, let's go!" And I tell him to roll a D20 to see how fortunate they were to find one (or if one was actually there). I made up the chances (based on the story) and the outcome was up to the roll.
The guides obviously will break everything down in very good detail, but what helped me feel more comfortable DMing was to prepare some additional materials.
Check out the video link I posted earlier. It really helped.
Oh, and I ordered 5 sets of dice from here. $9.99 for the lot. Great price!
Here dude I'll get a link from Amazon and edit this comment for you to get some good cheap dice
Here you are: https://www.amazon.com/Smartdealspro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?keywords=dice&amp;qid=1569179055&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-8
And here's another: https://www.amazon.com/Assorted-Polyhedral-Drawstring-Complete-Dungeons/dp/B074WPY4ZM/ref=mp_s_a_1_12?keywords=dice&amp;qid=1569179055&amp;s=gateway&amp;sr=8-12
I love playing tabletop RPGs! I got hooked when I was around 8 or 9 years old when my dad took me over to his friend's house, handed me a character sheet, a pencil, and a set of dice and we continued a game that had been going on since the 80's. It was my dad, his friend (dm'ing), my uncle, another adult, my dad's friend's son, and myself. Been playing ever since. I have a little bit of a problem when it comes to dice and can never have enough!
u/fairypants Get your Trekkie Self in here!
amazon has 5 sets of dice for $10
This set is five sets for $10. It even comes with five dice bags. They look really nice and I can personally attest to their quality because I use them all the time.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01ABST9S4/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1524512869&amp;sr=1-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51TLq9O7vtL&amp;ref=plSrch
This is what I went with. The dice are fine quality and they come with individual baggies if you want to play with friends and loan out some dice to them. Maybe they chip in a buck or two and it only costs you like $5 or less for your set. Though I don't know the shipping rates to you.
If price is an issue, don't go with chessex. It's not worth it.
Amazon has a bulk buy of polyhedral dice for like 10 bucks I think. I believe it comes with like 5 color coded sets
&#x200B;
https://www.amazon.com/d/Role-Playing-Dice/Smartdealspro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/B01ABST9S4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1551029473&sr=8-3&keywords=dice+set+d%26d
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009R6J8RY/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
These aren't as pretty as Chessex dice, but if you need a lot of dice for GMing, these are what you want. I ordered from them and got 16 full sets of dice. The one downside would be that they don't come in a nice velvet bag, but you can grab one of those yourself.
The WizDice is 100+ dice they only guarantee 1 full set of seven (d20,d12,2d10,d8,d6,d4) with bag, but most people receive 15 full sets of the 'random' 100 dice
I should note that you do not get to pick your sets. They are selected for you, but if you end up with what most people have you'll have 15 different choices in sets for just one ~$20 purchase.
Sorry I'm late, but I also run a small club, so I wanted to give my 2 cents.
I've tried a few things, but my current set up seems to be working fairly well. At the end of each meeting, the players get to role a number of 'prize dice' according to how well they did. Then from what they roll, they pick the 1 they want. This way everyone gets something, and there is still an incentive to win, but even the worst player has a chance at the best prize.
The prizes I currently have are :
> There's another company that does a pound o' dice who's name I can't remember
You're probably thinking of Wizdice. They have The Bag of Holding & The Bag of Devouring. Can attest to the dice in Bag of Devouring to be very nice!
Wizkids 140 dice (20 sets) with Bag of Holding for $30
1: You can get 5th edition for free, by googling the "Starter Set" (someone will surely link it in another comment)
1.5: The starter set, I believe, comes with an example adventure
2: If you write your own adventure or use the SS, read it more than once and understand it. Why does the bad guy want to do a bad thing, why does the party want to stop him.
3: I would recommend buying as many sets of dice as you can afford, because I don't like passing dice around between everyone. 1 set of dice between the DM and a bunch of players is a nightmare, especially if someone needs to remember what they rolled while waiting for someone else to collect the right dice and roll something else.
4: I bought this the other day. It has enough dice for 20 players, and will give you every type of dice you need (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, d100)
5: If you're on the fence and don't expect to enjoy D&D, I would invest as little money and time as possible. While I personally love it and wish more people played, it can be an expensive money sink and nothing stings more than buyer's remorse.
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Holding-Role-playing/dp/B01476QV14
20 sets at $1.50 each? Hard to argue with.
And this is what they cost in Germany... :D
I got 15 full sets in mine, plus 2d6, 2d4, 2d8 and a d10. For $10 more you can get 20 complete sets and a large dice bag:
http://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Holding-Polyhedral/dp/B01476QV14
Wiz Dice. https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Holding-Role-playing/dp/B01476QV14
There are various collections. 30 bucks USD gets you a sack full of dice in matched sets.
If thats too much 13 bucks gets you a 5 set cup
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Cup-Plenty-Polyhedral/dp/B0771W4TX9
I keep all my non-game dice in the Bag of Holding that came with this: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01476QV14 Not very practical or pretty, but I like it.
For Dice Masters, I use Plano trays.
Definitely a dice-aholic then. I've bought like 8 sets individually, but that was too slow. I then went online and bought the Bag of Holding. 20 fairly nice sets all at once. And in a nice bag!
Sadly I still need more dice. I need things like d2's and d3's. Maybe some d32's. And an actual d100 would also be nice.
Been addicted for a decade, not going to stop now.
I got this from my wife and LOVE IT
Wiz Dice Bag of Holding: 140 Polyhedral Dice in 20 Guaranteed Complete Sets https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01476QV14/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_yZWUAbZ5K7XT1
I picked up these:
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Holding-Polyhedral/dp/B01476QV14/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1482648256&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=bag+of+holding
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Bag-Devouring-Polyhedral/dp/B01KP4T6TQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1482648256&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=bag+of+holding
And then gifted out the dice sets at random during the game, then the MVP of the game got the bag of holding, and the Bag of Devouring went to a player of my choice (ended up being the guy without a dice bag, long story).
I also went a little monty haul in-game as well, but nothing too ridiculous.
Oh, and we had a 5 lb hershey bar.... so there's that.
Just get two of these.
Unfortunately that'll mean you're not guaranteed to have uniquely-coloured sets. If you just want to roll 20 attacks you can roll the damage dice along with and pair them up by colour. If there are duplicate colours then you'd need some other mechanism to guarantee that you don't pair up misses and low-damage rolls preferentially.
This is what I am getting:https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01476QV14/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB
I love CAH!
We’ve been really big into a game called Codenames lately. I always enjoy games like those where everyone gets to be involved more than the competitive/strategy types.
If you can find a local game store, I'd go and ask what their policy is on returns. You could just go with a gift card to the place, though I know that can be impersonal, but if they allow it on unopened games, I'd get him something small like Zombie Dice, Hive, Codenames, Forbidden Island, or Sushi Go (all between $5 and $20 generally). If he has the game he can return it for some dice, or something else he needs, but I think the thought of going out and researching what good games are out there is nice.
Note: I generally hate board games due to the time commitment and need to wait around. But this past summer I got coerced into playing a game called "Codenames" and it was very fun.
That's my pick - currently.
Oh god, look at all these dog whistles.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Shit they are everywhere!
Even Amazon is in on it! Look here and here. I guess they're trying to get to our kids.
Dixit and Codenames are my two go-tos for that style of crowd. I also had an absolute blast playing a newer game called Werewords. It's an odd sounding mashup of 20 questions and One Night/werewolf. In which the players try to guess a secret word by asking yes and no questions while one secret player is the werewolf who tries to derail them. We played it for hours at my last party.
Dixit:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00SXP5I5Q/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_p32FzbCP6274K
Codenames:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014Q1XX9S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_YV2FzbTJ83V5T
Werewords:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XWTTD2Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7W2Fzb0X252XM
Bohnanza
$14.14 - 2-7 players
Codenames
$14.47 - 2-8+ players
Pandemic
$21.24 - 2-4 players
San Juan
$22.02 - 2-4 players
Dominion
$25.49 - 2-4 players
Ticket To Ride
$32.29 - 2-5 players
Agricola
$44.99 - 1-4 players
Race For The Galaxy
$22.90 - The base game, 2-4 players
Race For The Galaxy: The Gathering Storm
$18.95 - Expansion #1, adds a 5th player and solitaire play
Race For The Galaxy: Rebel Vs. Imperium
$17.99 - Expansion #2, adds a 6th player
Unearth is a really great board game, linked here:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B06XHM4NZQ/_encoding=UTF8?coliid=I2VZY2ZOBDFT1U&amp;colid=292XWXY7H8LOB&amp;psc=0
Element is another good one:
https://smile.amazon.com/Rather-Dashing-Games-700001-Element/dp/B01M2C05PZ/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1519960108&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=elements+board+game
Finally, you should def look into Codenames!
https://smile.amazon.com/Czech-Games-00031CGE-Codenames/dp/B014Q1XX9S/ref=sr_1_3?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1519960153&amp;sr=1-3&amp;keywords=codenames
Do you know what games they have? Three of my favorite inexpensive games (all under $20) are Love Letter (this one comes in different themes, too, like The Hobbit and Batman), Codenames, and Bang.
Merry Christmas All!
I ended up getting pretty sick, slept through a good portion of Rogue One because of the cold meds yesterday.
Today has been really nice so far, the Moscow Mules are keeping the coughing in check.
My son got his girlfriend a Yoga Trapeze and watching all of them try it out while it is hanging in the trees has been hilarious. Many face plants into the dead leaves.
One of my kids got Codenames and we have been playing all day.
A high quality coffee mug that won't spill as you take it all over campus and sit it on those stupid tiny chair-desk surfaces with all your notes/laptop. These are great, for example..
Party games are great for making friends and unwinding. I hear good things about Codenames.
If you know where they go, maybe a gift card to nearby cafes/restaurants or movie theater.
A good backpack.
Headphones.
Subscription boxes
A gift subscription to Audible. I'm in grad school, and during all my years of college I really missed reading for fun. But I always have so much academic reading that I feel super guilty reading anything optional. Audiobooks fixed that. I can now listen to books while I commute, do chores, etc, and I'm now getting to consume so much fiction guilt-free! It's been a game changer.
Just trying to help. You might want to reajust your prices.
Example: Your currently asking over MSRP (20$) for Codenames. Its normally free shipping for 15$ brand new. You are asking 25$ +S/H for a used copy.
This is the one I bought: https://www.amazon.com/Czech-Games-00031CGE-Codenames/dp/B014Q1XX9S
I'd get:
One of these:
https://www.amazon.com/Dragons-Play-Multipocket-Dice-Green/dp/B07DJ18RRB/
Or this which is less fancy but comes with dice:
https://www.amazon.com/Smartdealspro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/
Maybe this:
https://www.amazon.com/Embossed-Leather-Stone-Unlined-Journal/dp/B006T92BTO/
Or this:
https://www.amazon.com/Leather-Refillable-Notebook-Handmade-Journals-Sketchbook/dp/B077B7KDY7/
This kinda cool:
https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Hardback-Binder-Organizer-Planner/dp/B06XGQZY2D/
A copy of the Player's Handbook would be nice too but she may already have that.
Spell Cards are also super cool, but class dependent so find out what she's playing first:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=D%26D+spell+cards&amp;ref=nb_sb_noss_2
I just got 5 sets of 7 Dice for $10 on Amazon that are pretty nice. You could also go the pound of dice route if you want to share with the communal dice-bowl style of play.
https://www.amazon.com/SmartDealsPro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/ref=sr_1_8?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1509865091&amp;sr=1-8&amp;keywords=dice&amp;dpID=51TLq9O7vtL&amp;preST=_SY300_QL70_&amp;dpSrc=srch
I like these, though im easy to satisfy so...
5 sets for $10 though you can give a set to your friends
If you buy local you may pay as much as $1 per die. If you’ve got amazon prime the link below is $10 but gives you five sets of dice. Especially if you are a caster it will be more convenient to have multiples, because situations may call for 6, 8, or even 10 dice. But if budget is king you can totally play with only one of each. Enjoy your adventures!
Smartdealspro 5 x 7-Die Series Two Colors Dungeons and Dragons DND RPG MTG Table Games Dice with FREE Pouches https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ABST9S4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TNXLBbSX3JTJY
Just get this: or any comparable item from Amazon.
You get a ton of dice for like $10, and these ones in particular look pretty nice.
Plus, if you have friends who don't remember to bring theirs, or lose one from a set, or have an attack that requires 4d6, etc...
If you're going to get more than one set, might as well get five.
covering all dice you need, pretty, cheap, at your doorstep with prime asap: https://www.amazon.com/SmartDealsPro-Colors-Dungeons-Dragons-Pouches/dp/B01ABST9S4/ref=sr_1_4?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521667654&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=dnd+dice+set
A pack of 5 full sets is like 10 bucks on Amazon. Probably not the best quality, but it'll get you started.
Amazon link
It was a joking description. I was talking about the D&D board games (Castle Ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon, and two others I can’t remember the names of, but have to do with frost giants and the underdark, respectively). The official D&D board games include full sets of miniatures for whatever campaign they’re based off of, but otherwise are regarded as sub-part board games. As a result, the majority of the sales of the game are from people buying the games for the purpose of cannibalizing the minis and using them for mini painting and actual D&D games.
If you read the amazon reviews you see that nearly everybody talks specifically about the minis.
Try the D&D board games (Castle Ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon, Legend of Drizzt). Mechanically, they aren't D&D, but they do mirror several aspects of it in abstract tones.
Arguably closer to D&D in terms of playstyle, though not there by any means, is Fantasy Flight's 2nd Edition Descent: Journeys in the Dark. It's exciting, offers campaign play, involves dungeon crawling of a sort, and offers a chance for one player to "Overlord" against "hero" players, the latter of which controls one or more characters who gain equipment, abilities and so forth as the campaign progresses. Great fun and probably your closest shot at getting her into a D&D boardgame without making the jump to D&D itself.
There are a few swarms like that in some of the older DnD lines. The Castle Ravenloft game has a rat swarm that's low and flat, and I think there's a spider swarm in one of the other DnD games. The older versions of those games have a really good $/figure ratio and everything in the box is designed for use in DnD so they're pretty good investments if you think you'll use about half the stuff in the box.
Now, keep in mind, that unless your swarm is taking up more than a single square, you don't want a mini that's bigger than 1", unless you're using a 1 1/4" grid because it will create conflicts between figures. You don't want to have a complicated combat situation fall apart because you had too many figures sitting crooked and slanty on top of irregularly sized figures and bases.
>co-operation between players
I want to piggy back this with the Castle Ravenloft board game.
It's a focused board game experience with D&D elements, mostly focused on skills and combat, less on RP and story. I feel like it's a good alternative in the current wave of YouTube D&D popularity focused on ridiculous stories, silly voices, and character stereotypes.
Turnkey miniatures has sets of townsfolk, animals, royals, etc. Pretty reasonable too. http://www.turnkeyminiatures.com/Sets_c_14.html
Ceasar Miniatures has packs of 30ish minis in 12 or so poses. They are a bit under sized (22mm v 28mm). But I think it looks good for smaller beings. Their website is awefull, and Amazon is pretty expensive for them but check eBay. They have ratmen, goblins, skeletons, orcs.
Always look at Reaper bones. Here is a six pack of goblins. https://www.miniaturemarket.com/rpr77024.html
Another thing to do is get the d&d board games. They come themed to the game and have around 40 minis each. The games are okay, but the minis are great. I would wait for sales too. A few times a year they drop below $40. Here is the ravenloft game. https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-Dungeons-Dragons-Ravenloft/dp/0786955570
Edit:added ravenloft
I think you should get this game to play with yourself, or others, and let me know how you like it. :)
Wizards of the Coast Dungeons and Dragons: Castle Ravenloft Board Game https://www.amazon.com/dp/0786955570/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6uUKBbPWXXRDN
Stand alone D&D board games like: https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Castle-Ravenloft-Board/dp/0786955570/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504049722&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=ravenloft
are really solid and even if he hates it, he get some good minis out of it.
Or, Lords of Waterdeep is really good, but to deep for a 4 year old.
You can buy this:
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Castle-Ravenloft-Board/dp/0786955570/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1504115168&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=ravenloft
It comes with 40-50 unpainted miniatures straight from the CoS campaign (and a whole separate board game) and will save you $$$. And I personally enjoy painting the miniatures!
We played a couple of one-shot scenarios at PAX Prime. To be honest, I felt like it was a dumbed-down version of Descent or Super Dungeon Explore. If you're looking for a DnD style game, I really don't think this is it. You would be better served by any of the Dungeons and Dragons boardgames. Castle Ravenloft, Legend of Drizzt or Wrath of Ashardalon
Since your deck is also your hitpoints, the better player you are, the less variety you will see. For example, we had one payer who was doing amazingly well, rolling high and never taking damage. For the entire game she only drew two cards, so her playable hand NEVER changed (or least not in any real significant manner).
The roleplaying opportunities are almost non-existent, and it really isn't breaking any new ground for mechanics-based combat. I honestly think the only reason a lot of people are enjoying it is because of the name tie-in with "Pathfinder". Without that logo on the box, it's really not that compelling of a game.
It does have an ongoing campaign, and that is pretty compelling. Character development and seeing your characters grow in skill and gain new abilities is always fun. (That's the "gateway drug" for MMOs, after all!) But there really isn't enough game here to make it worthwhile.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0786955570/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=ALGFOCA5V1VAN&amp;psc=1
this is correct seller . Seller has good reviews
Normally D&D is more about imagination, and less about boards and miniatures(these are great supplements that enhance the game).
BUT the board games are good starting points if you are 100% new. They will help you learn terms and ideas, before you move on to winging it.
Actual D&D books can be a bit confusing to a new player, as they have expansive contents.
If you want to stay on the board game route. Wrath of Ashardalon is a modern D&D board game. http://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-5511558-Wrath-Ashardalon/dp/0786955708/ref=pd_bxgy_t_img_y
If you want to try actual D&D the 'Red Box' as many users have mentioned is a great starting point.
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Fantasy-Roleplaying-Game/dp/0786956291/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1395670764&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=d%26d+red+box
You can find copies of this at your local nerd or book store for much less than 60 I think.
Wrath of Ashardalon $50
Miniature Market after-market D&D minis $20
Discounted Warhammer Skaven Clanrats box $25
Awesome gamer friends *priceless
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Wrath-Ashardalon-Board/dp/0786955708
Buy that it has everything you should need to get started.
D&D board games, such as Wrathof Ashardalon, come with roughly 40 unpainted plastic miniatures. Youcan get em on Amazon for around 40 bucks a pop, bringing your mini cost to around a buck apiece, whether you throw the entire rest of the game into the trash or keep it for game night fun.
If it seems a little intimidating to jump in at the deep end, the starter set is around £16 and can be found in game shops and even waterstones. Also there are the D&D boardgames (which are a little more expensive, but you get a ton of miniatures) and games like it which are a big step up from monopoly and games like it. These can be found on the D&D website under boardgames. These games such as Castle Ravenloft, Wrath of Ashardalon and The Legend of Drizzt can be a great middle ground between boardgame and D&D (they are often referred to as D&D lite)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wrath-of-Ashardalon-Board-Game/dp/0786955708/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1498141205&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Wrath+of+Ashardalon
As others have said if you have the time whilst in hospital then perhaps get a few other children involved, the games are always better with a few more players and are a great way of developing social skills.
$20 map making
Map - draw them yourselves on graph paper
https://www.amazon.com/School-Smart-Grid-Chart-Tablet/dp/B003U6KWAY
Get pencil crayons from the dollar store. For color, use the black to deepen outlines.
Roll them up with an elastic or two for storage.
Tilesets are very limited for the cost and premade maps tend to focus on dungeons.
$80 miniatures or tokens.
Tokens for monster n enemies with pcs being minis is a cheaper way to start.
Token sets are not my thing, but you can find some on ebay or usually with starting box sets.
As for minis my average price is $5 a mini. With 2-3 being a good price (CAD) some stores have buck a mini bins where you can get peoples old minis or armies for cheeper.
Bones minis fall into that grouping
http://www.reapermini.com/Miniatures/Bones
Some of games workshop troops fall into that as well
https://www.games-workshop.com/en-CA/Goblin-Warriors
Even board games can sometimes have have decent cost per units.
https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-Dungeons-Dragons-Ashardalon/dp/0786955708/ref=pd_aw_fbt_21_img_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=W96KFH6R06XCE19JE79S
And the dnd HD collection by wizkids (unpainted) though a bit small are around 2 minis for $6.
As for paint, if your worried about cost you can go to your local dollar store and get acrylic painta for $1 each. Water them down and layer them when painting for best use.
To better keep the paintjob if you want a primer will do the trick. Or fuck it for your first batch. And use all purpose cleaner to rip the paint off them later.
Protip if your going in the more expensive direction or future use. A black primer hides your mistakes a white lets colors show. Use both to create shadows n color pops.
----- so now we're 100 in and have our minis where do we store the 30ish guys we got?
Usually on a shelf. You cannput them in a display case or cabnet if you have one but shoving them in a box for the time being wont hurt much.
As far as pre-painted minis most are sold in randomized booster packs of 4. If you need specific ones you can search http://www.miniaturemarket.com
There are also official bundles of specific minis:
http://dnd.wizards.com/products/tabletop-games/miniatures/icons-realms-starter-set
Wizards also has a (discontinued?) miniature based game called Attack Wing that uses pre-painted minis. There are bundles of some enemies like goblins: http://www.miniaturemarket.com/searchresults?q=dungeons+%26+dragons+attack+wing#/?page=1
You can get unpainted minis from Reaper or from some D&D board games (best value) https://www.amazon.com/Wizards-Coast-5511558-Dungeons-Dragons/dp/0786955708
I asked this same question in April for my RL cake day. I ended up getting this. It's pretty fun for 2 people but kind of challenging. It's totally worth it if you have someone who won't troll you 'til the end of your days for playing D&D.
I picked up the Wrath of Ashardalon game before we started this adventure to fill out my mini selection - http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Wrath-Ashardalon-Board/dp/0786955708
There's a good variety of minis in there and they all look pretty solid.
I see that you're into video games, so maybe you're interested in dungeons and dragons. These are the board games that I've played with just my husband, as well as a group of 4-5 people.
Temple of Elemental Evil
Wrath of Ashardalon
The way it works, is you have a stack of dungeon tiles. On each person's turn they place a new tile if they explore the edge of the one they're currently on. On each tile there are monster symbols, which you then draw a monster card and place the corresponding monster on the tile. You control the monster. I'll explain that in a minute. Each tile has a white or black arrow. Black arrow means you draw an encounter card. Encounter cards can be anything from "An Earthquake happens on your tile, roll a d20 (included in the game box), +10 to hit," to "You lose 100 gold or take 2 damage".
Each player picks their damage skills (there are cards that have the skills written out). Each player also has a MAX HP and an AC (armor class, mostly around 14-16).
There are a lot of rules, little things to understand, but once you go through it and read it it becomes second nature. As far as I'm aware there are a lot of youtube videos explaining, as well as I'd be able to help if you needed it.
The gist of this game is you and buddies go through a dungeon following a story but the dungeon is different every time.
For 4-5 (No DM) players I would look into this:
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Wrath-Ashardalon-Board/dp/0786955708
It has premade characters with some customization and doesn't require a DM.
or for 4 players (No DM) this:
http://www.amazon.com/Mice-and-Mystics-Board-Game/dp/B009TNOF9G/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1427499846&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=Mice+and+Mystics
(I don't know too much about this one except it's got some hype).
Or, if you're inclined for non-fantasy roleplaying, this:
http://www.amazon.com/Bully-Pulpit-Games-BPG-005/dp/1934859397/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1427499923&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=Fiasco
This game is amazing with the right group - but does better with 3-4ish, doable with 5 definitely but it gets kind of cluttered.
Other than that, I would just suggest home-brewing a D&D 5th edition campaign. Character generation is easy, or you can find some premades (I think someone made levels 1-20 for each class). It can be as combat heavy or as political as you want. It would be a lot of work, but you can always steal ideas from the various D&D reddits. You can do a new theme each time you play with new characters - horror, politics, war, ect. It takes a lot of work and flexibility as a GM, but it's completely worth it if your players are invested.
There are long lasting non-rpg board games as well... Diplomacy, Twilight Emperium are the ones I think of off the top of my head, but if you are looking for a fantasy D&D 5th edition is your best bet in my opinion.
this one - 45 pounds, I am offering 10 of my premades
book- 20 pounds - 5 premadespayment: amazon.co.uk gc, giftrocket, many vids tip or crypto
premades lists here!
If he is into gaming you can't go too wrong with a steam gift card.
Just techy in general an amazon echo dot is an great for a techy and is ideal for your price
An amazon fire tv stick or Chromecast might be a good idea
If he is into Electronics and/or emulating he may like a Raspberry Pi (basically a tiny computer that you can do DIY electronics on or setup to play old nintendo games on). You could even setup the emulator for him and load him some games if you wanted to link here (pm me if you want to do this and need help with the install etc)
Board games could be a good idea if he is a gamer but it would depend on what kind of board games he likes. Some good ones of the top of my head though. Ticket to Ride, Coup or Catan
But you are literally saying the exact same thing xTheOOBx was saying other than "I don't agree".
If the game is well stocked, it is significantly cheaper than local stores. If it isn't well stocked, it is only a little bit cheaper than your local stores. The only exception is MayFair games, where they have a cap on their retail discount.
And for what it is worth:
BGG Top 10
Some other games I just stumbled across.
24% Off,
31% Off, 34% Off
It looks like when I said "frequently between 30% and 40%, I was pretty damn close. It's okay to want to support the local game stores, as we all have said, they provide something more than just the game. I visit the same exact stores you do, and I know "not that much cheaper" is down right false. Buying games online is almost a buy 2-3 get 1 free - and that's not considering any significant sale.
Apples to Apples, Dixit, Jungle Speed, Pictionary, Anomia, SET, Loaded Questions, and Jenga are a few that come to mind where the adults wouldn't necessarily have an advantage over the kids. Also Fluxx and We Didn't Playtest This are both hilarious card games that would be perfect for kids in that age range, but I have a blast playing them with other adults on a regular basis too; Spaceteam looks like another good one but I haven't personally played it. If you're looking for more involved strategy games, Ticket to Ride and Carcassone would be fine for that age, just require more of a learning curve. Cranium and Quelf are silly games that involve a variety of tasks (drawing, acting, singing, trivia, etc) and although they're supposedly aimed at adults, kids love them too (just skip cards that are too hard; or you could also consider the kids' versions of both games, Cranium Cadoo and Quelf Jr.). Uno (or Crazy Eights with a regular deck of cards) is always a classic, and you can always play charades or the category game!
edited to add: not sure about a good choose your own adventure story, but Mad Libs are always fun!
Some of the more popular choices on this thread are listed below for you.
Ticket to Ride
King of Tokyo
Forbiden Desert and Forbidden Island
Takenoko
Dixit
I wish I would have played more board games when I was underway. Recently I have loved playing Ticket to Ride and Catan.
There's actually a good amount of fun games for under $40 on Amazon that I would suggest looking at.
These are all pretty popular games and I think they give you a good start into the different genre's of modern board games.
Ticket to Ride
I am surprised nobody's done this one yet! It's a ton of fun: an award-winning, train-building strategy game... which, yeah, sounds sorta /yawn, but you use routes all over the US, and you can play with just two (my husband and I play it often). It's already such a pitched battle with only two, I'm not entirely sure how more could play. But they do have various expansion packs for all over the globe, which is kinda cool.
Why it's the greatest:
Give it a look, you might enjoy it!
Isla Dorada
Boss Monster
Small World
Ticket to Ride
For PC games, there's Minecraft and any of the three Borderlands games. You can get Borderlands 1&2 for pretty cheap during Steam sales. There's also Portal 1&2, which are puzzle games with an awesomely horrifying AI leading you along the way.
For tabletop/card games, Fluxx is awesome for the whole family and doesn't take forever. It also has different themed versions like Zombie, Pirate, Space, and Monty Python. Ticket to Ride is a bunch of fun and fairly easy to play. You can get it on Amazon too. My nine year old loves both of these games and she's been playing them for a while, so your six year old shouldn't have a huge problem as long as they have a little help the first time or two. Munchkin is another awesome card game, but can take a while to play. Even so, my daughter dominates at it and has an evil laugh just for when she does something to screw other players over...
If you check out Tabletop they play a lot of games so you can see the gameplay before deciding to buy. Ticket to Ride, Star Fluxx, Munchkin, and Betrayal at House on the Hill are all games we bought after viewing a Tabletop episode.
https://www.amazon.com/Days-of-Wonder-DOW-7201/dp/0975277324/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1482290318&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=train+ticket, should work.
I haven't played the actual board game version, but I enjoy the iPhone version of Ticket to Ride.
Ah well, then as a kid playing another kid I'd probably try to screw them over and answer "no" here :)
ps: If you and your husband wish to play an entertaining boardgame with your kids, check out Ticket To Ride.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHmf1bau9xQ
Or if you want to play something similar to "Guess Who" or "Clue", then check out "Mystery of the Abbey".
Board games (not just children's), books, sex, and lots of work.
&#x200B;
Example of fun board games since it is a hobby of mine
Is this game on prime? Sorry for being so annoying, I just want to try and give my family the best Christmas I can...
Really frustrated with my knee tendinitis and the PT place that I go to. At my most recent appointment last Friday, I was told that I needed to get a final measurement done to submit to to my insurance if I needed more treatment. At the end of my session, I didn't have any measurements taken, and I asked if I needed to get them done before I left and the people at the front desk told me that they will do that at my next appointment. So I left to get ready for lunch with my mother. When I was nearly home, I got a call from the office and they said "oops, we messed up, we need to get your measurements today, can you come back to the office?" With my work and gym schedule, it's hard enough to schedule appointments, so I was not happy that they didn't tell me they needed the measurements when I was already there. I said I couldn't because I was already home and had other commitments, and that I would talk to them later.
&#x200B;
On Monday, I get a call from them asking if I can come in for ten minutes to get the measurements done. I asked if I could come Wednesday, but they said that might not be enough time for the insurance to approve my Friday appointment, so I settled for going yesterday at 3:30. That was frustrating in itself because I get off work at 3:00, and the PT office is just under a 30 min drive, so I really have to haul to get there. Furthermore, I had a Crossfit class at 4, and I couldn't go to a later class that day because I had a book club meeting at 6. So I get there, get my measurements done, am told that while my quads and hamstrings are very strong my hips are still tight and weak. I told them that I feel a bit frustrated with PT, because while I'm getting a a bit stronger and my mechanics are improving, my pain is still there (kneeling it tough, and when I'm seated for long periods of time it starts to ache.) and the therapist pretty much said that the only way to guarantee that it gets better is to stop Crossfit. I said I did that for 2 weeks and that it really didn't help, but she said that it should ideally be months, and that I shouldn't be doing any squatting to parallel, which is a problem because the majority of our workouts involve that. I had to rush the conversation because of my tight schedule, but we ended it by not submitting the info to my insurance, and instead electing to wait a couple weeks to determine whether I want to continue treatment or do work on my own.
&#x200B;
I feel so stuck, frustrated, and honestly a bit sad. I'm frustrated and upset with my body for acting the way it is and for being stubborn with my pain level even though I have been working my ass off in PT. I'm frustrated that the answers I have been getting about the causes of my pain and my options on dealing with it from my orthopedist and PT (my ortho wouldn't do an MRI even when I said I was concerned about potential significant damage to my patellar tendon.) There has got to be a way that I can better treat this pain without having to cut off my training or excessively modifying it. I consider myself a pretty positive person and it takes a lot to really bring me down, but this just sucks :(
&#x200B;
And to top it off, I have had the biggest sugar craving all week. I want donuts and ice cream very badly, and I usually don't have a sweet tooth!
&#x200B;
On the plus side, I did buy myself an early birthday gift to myself. I got the Game of Thrones board game. My roommate wants to play it: now I need one more person to play a trial run!
&#x200B;
And with my birthday coming up, I need to update and add to my flair. Any suggestions on what to put?
I don’t even watch the show but I can confirm, it is one of the most fun board games I’ve ever played. It relies very little on rng so you’d think it would get stale, but it does have rng elements and enough unknown factors that it never seems to. They also have an expansion that adds House Arryn and Targaryen and I haven’t played it but my brother had it and I’ve heard great things. If you have a friend with it, try it out. If not, go to a board game cafe to test it out. If you are willing to spend money already because you’re that confident of the quality here’s a link.
I'd love this mug if I win! It's so cute.
Maybe this for your boyfriend?
Oh my Zazzle!
Thank you for the contest!
Yeah its the Game of Thrones: The Board Game Second Edition board game somewhat similar to the Diplomacy board game but with more features.
There is also a GoT board game that's pretty cool, but complex. Also cool, they released an expansion that takes into account where the houses are in books 4 and 5.
(Note, links to Amazon store page/product description might be spoiler-ish).
They have a GOT board game that I've heard good things about http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-The-Board-Second-Edition/dp/1589947207/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1419026533&amp;sr=8-5&amp;keywords=game+of+thrones&amp;pebp=1419026544425
Nope, while this bears similarities as to how a Risk board is layed out, territories and all that, this is a gameboard made specifically for this. A super complex strategy game set in Westeros, requiring the use of advanced strategy, cunning diplomacy, and a healthy amount of bloodshed to best your opponents and conquer the Iron Throne.
The Thinkgeek page listed above has a nice bit of info about the game, but you can buy on Amazon for $15 less.
Hey! It sounds like the Game of Thrones board game is exactly what you're looking for!
http://www.amazon.com/Game-Thrones-The-Board-Second-Edition/dp/1589947207
It's territory based, and has army placement themes similar to Risk, but it is so much more complex, and there are a ton of really really interesting, fun mechanics added in.
I had heard good things, and when my rooomates and I decided to buy it, it instantly became one of our favorites!
I guess he means this one.
Arkham Horror
Mage Knight
Twilight Imperium
Arcadia Quest
Dead of Winter
Robinson Crusoe
Game of Thrones
Rampage
Above and Below
Have fun :9
You've gotta get the Game of Thrones board game! It seems to be very popular as it's got a bunch of expansion sets available too!
I am sure you are aware of/already own the Game of Thrones game, I haven't played, but I have heard good things.
I haven't played this pirate version, but these B-Movie card games are super fun!
Here is a link to the board game: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1589947207/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1525743999&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&amp;keywords=game+of+thrones+board+game&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=61TIielKgKL&amp;ref=plSrch
Since it's $48 on amazon I am asking half price. I am pretty sure it's just the box that was damaged but if you don't mind me taking it out of the shrink wrap I am happy to open it and check. Up to you
Reaper minis are the cheapest I've seen, by far. If you're not set on minis, you can use army men, tokens, or anything really.
&nbsp;
As for maps, I personally use this mat, but I'm thinking about switching to paper maps. I just had Staples print a 3ftx4ft Wave Echo Cave map for me, and it was only $7.29 (engineering print).
Have you taken a look at these yet? I think it would solve your problem pretty handily.
http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Basic-Paizo-Publishing/dp/1601255381/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1407112231&amp;sr=8-14&amp;keywords=gamemastery+flip+mat
I'm gonna have to join the rest of the world on this one and say Cards against HUmanity
And ma handwriting
Yours: Because my husband and I LOVE this game
Mine: I'm introducing childhood favorite movies to my son and this is one I'd looooove to have!
Thank you so much for the contest and I love Kevin! <3
272 rubber bands? xD
Edit You can rap them around a deck of cards against humanity :P
http://cardsagainsthumanity.com/ and right now on Amazon they are only $25 plus your shipping...
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=sr_1_1_ha?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368467177&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=cards+against+humanity
It looks lame, but trust me, you'll be happy you got one.
If you have an Iphone 4 or 4S
A little big, but can store a lot
For when friends come over
Because sometimes you need to take a break
For whipping up healthy drinks
The obvious accessory to most college dorms
Retractable extension cord
A little expensive, but c'mon...
Make lots of friends in the most childish way possible
And finally, the most important thing of all...
Would you like a falafel with that?
Thanks for the contest! I PM'ed you the answers ;)
I would love Cards Against Humanity to give my boyfriend for Christmas since money is a little tight. He deserves it since he is such a sweetheart! (or surprises are great too!)
Check this out. Super fun game right? You know when a good time to play a super fun game is? College, that's when. You know what's special about college? I'm starting college in about a week. You know what's awesome about super fun games? they make me friends. So when you buy me this super fun game, you're really buying me college friends too.
I had to look up the word conviviality and now I can say that when my new college friends and I play this super fun game, we will be doing so convivially.
I wanna buy CAH but alas im broke and would rather gift someone if i got an amazon card/cash/whatever
My friend, if you have never heard of [Cards Against Humanity] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004S8F7QM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1369186270&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SL75), you are in for a treat!
Oh neat! Seems fun. Fear cuts deeper than swords.
BONUS
Anything that has my real name on it.I don't know your real name, sadly. ): Maybe someday!Any of the things I have noted being on Private lists
I would be happy to send you the link to for proofcan be seen here. :) Also your wishlist names made me chuckle. :DAlso also Happy Birthday to my dad! <3
Here are some links for the product in the above comment for different countries:
Link: expansionpack
|Country|Link|
|:-----------|:------------|
|Japan|amazon.co.jp|
|Canada|amazon.ca|
This bot is currently in testing so let me know what you think by voting (or commenting).
Thanks for the contest!
My favorite white card is from the Pax East 2013 Pack C, but that's not on Amazon anymore (I guess someone actually paid the ridiculous amount the seller was asking for, or the listing was removed), so my favorite card from an available expansion is from the First Expansion.
Insatiable bloodlust
This card gets chosen by me almost every time someone plays it when I'm czar.
I made this card as a nod to one of my favorite /r/firstworldproblems post. It's so true and everyone can relate!
Thanks!
:-)
its wayyyy to quiet in here
Did you kniw that the Pistol Shrimp uses its huge claw to stun prey with the air bubble it produces? It can travel up to 60 mph!
So, I'm just going to link you to a [Cards Against Humanity expansion pack] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005JFNE8G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=H9Y6HYPJPYUX&amp;coliid=I1IKI8V6V4B6GQ). I wanted to link you to a Munchkin Game but they're all more than ten dollars. If you haven't played Munchkin, you need to. It's amazing.
Cards against humanity are perfect for staying occupied on a rainy day! I hate going outside in the rain, so staying in and having a blast playing this game would be great!
The old man is snoring
Halloween! :D
Linky link
Thanks for the contest! <3
CAH
:]
Cards Against Humanity because nothing says "America" more than freedom of speech, no matter how vulgar that speech may be.
EDIT: grammar
So the other day I got kicked out of a casino because I was having a furious argument at the roulette table over what was considered an odd number CAH Please
1.) Something that is grey.
Silver is grey, right? ;)
2.) Something reminiscent of rain.
When I think of rain I think of cuddling up with a good cup of coffee.
3.) Something food related that is unusual.
Coffee chocolate Not that weird... but pretty amazing.
4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!)
Bones for my dog because he hates being alone!
5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!
I haven't read this yet, but it's supposed to be amazing!
6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related!
This book
7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...)
meow.
8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it.
I don't think any nail polish is useful, but I love this color
9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why?
Shawshank Redemption Come on, it's amazing. And sad. And Stephen King.
10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.
These would be particularly useful because I could keep my hair out of my face so I can see zombies better to kill them!
11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals.
skip for now
12.) One of those pesky Add-On items.
Apparently you can straighten your nose with this interesting little item Ohhhh, China.
13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why?
This book is the most expensive item on my list. Dream item? Nah. A kindle would be my dream item, but not feasible to have on list right now.
14.) Something bigger than a bread box.
This big enough?
15.) Something smaller than a golf ball.
This ring is itty bitty!
16.) Something that smells wonderful.
This air freshener. Mmmm
17.) A (SFW) toy.
Amazon lists this as a toy, so I'm going to have to go with that!
18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.
These would be great to hang papers and reminders up on the fridge.
19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.
I'm obsessed with books, so uh... most of my wish list. Or this bookmark that symbolizes all that is books.
20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand.
I'm sure you've seen this but come on! It's John Snuhhhh!
Bonus! Oregon Fruit
Fear cuts deeper thank swords! Thanks for the contest. =)
please let G0ATLY be safe this year
Halloween is my favorite holiday... But it hasn't always been my luckiest. One year I went all-out at a Boo & Brew party and spent hours with a friend wrapping myself up in gauze that I had specially stained the week before so I could be a mummy. It looked great! The only thing was that I couldn't do a trial-run with it, so about an hour or so into the party I started to unravel. I wasn't wearing much underneath, no one was in a position to drive, so I hopped the first bus back to my place to borrow a roommate's naughty baseball outfit. I didn't care what I looked like, I just wanted to get back and party.
So I get back to the party... and notice that I can't bend over. The dang thing is so short that if I bend over my booty will immediately show and I did not have on bloomer-style underwear. I guess when I first it on I was too rushed/tipsy to notice. Spent the party sitting at a bar table. Still had an awesome time.
What I wouldn't change about myself- I am constantly reflecting on myself to make sure that I am constantly improving as a person to be the ultimate person I want to become, and I am always looking to experience new things to broaden my horizons. I don't really know anybody else that spends so much time worrying about the person they're becoming, but each year my hard work causes me to love myself more and more :) (this coming from someone who spent a good decade being suicidal... I'm gonna toot my own horn and say I'm damn proud of my progress).
I'm dying to play this game everyone on Reddit talks about.
You have to buy it online (though I think there's one shop in Canada that actually stocks it. You can get it here, with expansions one, two, and three.
There's also a "crappy little third-party, unofficial, unauthorized" expansion called Crabs Adjust Humidity. They're currently out of stock but should be back soon.
I've never been gifted, but I'm super proud of myself for making it through the first term of my senior year in nursing school without having a [mental breakdown] (http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-First-Expansion/dp/B005JFNE8G/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=3BUYPKWBAKDBD&amp;coliid=I15N9TAOLHBCE0);) It's harder than I thought it would be, and the worst is yet to come!
My facorite game is... this! It seems to be a neat game on the cheaper side of board games (who the heck prices these things, they are sometimes more expensive than video games!). 5 to 10 players is perfect, as we usually have about 5-7 people during our get togethers.
Thanks for the awesome contest, new, used, refurbed doesn't matter to me!
:)
I also just caught up on all of the Adventure Time episodes recently. OMG SO GOOD! I like how it went from silly, incoherent adventures to a legit, interesting story line!
The Resistance is always fun and plays up to 10 people really easily. Although, some people say Avalon is better
Zombie Dice is an option for lots of people and super easy to teach.
The Resistance won't be found in department stores like some games. Amazon is a great place to find this and many other games.
I upvoted so people could see this, not because I agree with what you are doing.
If you want a copy of the game, here you go.
> is there a rule set available online somewhere? So many questions!
Travis has asked people not to make such content available online. Why not do as he asks?
If you guys want to play something similar that involves bluffing and is fun check out the game The Resistance. It's a fun game if you have people that are good at lying and keeping a straight face.
Alternatives that I've seen mentioned both here on Reddit and over at /tg/
https://www.amazon.com/Polyhedral-Multiple-Complete-Percentile-Included/dp/B00W9PJMPS/ref=sr_1_sc_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1466252168&amp;sr=8-2-spell&amp;keywords=Wizdice
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Random-Polyhedral-Multiple/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1466252168&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Wizdice
If you are in Europe Amazon UK
If you are in North America Amazon.com
Or if Chessex ain't your thing, this works too!
The beginner's box is cheap but, if you want to play FOR FREE, it is entirely possible to do so using the free ruleset that has already been mentioned and linked and a dice rolling app on your phone, tablet or computer. The free ruleset has less races and classes, but it's still enough to keep you and your friends hooked for months.
If you feel like this is your thing, then you and your friends can save up and get the core books and maybe even Wiz Dice's Bag of Dice and you will be set for pretty much as long as you'll ever want. After that, getting pre-made adventures, new settings or even new editions will be entirely up to whether you feel like spending more money or not.
If the entire group is using the same set of dice that can really slow down the pace. One set of dice goes for like no more than $4 at any kind of comic and games shop and there are good deals online like this.
Don't be afraid to end the session mid-adventure. Try your best to avoid ending it mid-combat, but other than that feel free to end it at any time really. Good stopping points are right before/after combat or right before/after a short/long rest. Make sure to just write everything down if you end before a long rest - things like HP/Hit Die/Spell Slots and Class/Feat specific resources like Ki and Superiority Dice. Also make sure to prep the beginning of the next adventure if you end towards the end an adventure.
As it turns out, this spatula is the cheapest thing in my entire wishlist. Go figure.
As for the higher price item I want, I figured that I'd leave it to the fates and you, /u/tinyblondehuman, to decide. I'd like either a 100 plus set of dice or this here plastic model kit.
Thanks for running this contest!
The question becomes, how fancy do you want to go?
If you want just some nice stuff, Chessex dice your local game store for the rest. (
http://chessex.com/
http://www.crystalcaste.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&amp;Store_Code=CC )
or
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009R6J8RY?ref_=sr_1_1&amp;qid=1456462016&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=bag%20of%20dice&amp;pldnSite=1 (Bag o' Dice, lots of sets)
If you want fancier things;
Dice:
http://www.artisandice.com/ (though some people have said that it's on the iffy side in terms of pure quality.)
http://www.metallicdicegames.com/
http://q-workshop.com/
Dice towers:
https://wyrmwoodgaming.com/ (also carry rolling trays)
Rolling trays:
etsy, just search "rolling trays" or "dice towers" they have a lot of different stuff.
https://www.elderwoodacademy.com/
Minis:
http://www.beholderthebargains.com/
http://www.beholderthebargains.com/against-the-giants/
Other:
http://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Spellbook-Bundle-43-230/dp/B00YASPZNA/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&amp;dpID=51l8C36ZokL&amp;dpSrc=sims&amp;preST=_AC_UL100_SR100%2C48_&amp;refRID=1AF97TTP7RF180DFG8Q1&amp;ref_=pd_aw_sim_sbs_21_4 (cards for all the spells in the game, a good way to keep everything near and you don't constantly have to look in the book because you have the spells in front of you)
http://dmdavid.com/tag/photo-guide-to-dungeon-masters-tools/ (purely a reference source for all sorts of things)
https://www.reddit.com/r/geek/comments/ecweu/im_looking_for_really_cool_dd_dice_are_there_any/ (another place to look for cool dice)
Hope that gets you started
What I would recommend is looking online at WizKid's $20 assortment. The assortments tend to be pretty good, you can look around /r/diceporn for various unboxing pics, they tend to give you several complete sets.
If the cost is scary, talk to your gaming group and ask if they feel like chipping in for the cost in exchange for (potentially) a new set of dice for a few bucks.
You're gambling with what you get but when I bought mine, I got some great dice and it seems like most people who buy it tend to get really nice sets.
I would get a big bag of random dice for players to borrow from. Keep your personal dice seperate: you'll never get them back once you start loaning them out.
Practice making characters before session 0. It's a difficult thing to do, and the first time filling up a character sheet is a lot of numbers that don't have any context. I always tell my players they will have the option to re-make characters, so that the initial stakes are low. Give them a chance to explain their character to the group.
Start with a simple, quick quest that has tangible rewards. Something they can achieve in one session- kidnapped children is usually a decent hook. Throw in a simple puzzle for them to figure out, and be sure to pile on the rewards. An NPC companion healer to prevent them from dying can stave off a lot of frustration- you don't want anyone having to sit out of the action on their first session.
It can be frustrating to DM, especially when you're just starting out- but you set the tone. Praise their choices. Laugh. Take your time. Take breaks. Have a water bottle or two, you'll be talking a lot.
Are you looking for bulk dice or fancy dice? because that changes things.
If you want bulk dice, you can get the chessex pound-o-dice or wizkid's random polyhedral dice. I believe the pound-o-dice is generally considered better, as the dice are slightly more well made (i.e. more balanced and such).
If you're looking for fancy dice, i'm pretty fond of artisan dice, though i've heard some people who had horror stories with them messing things up.
I've never purchased anything from Q workshop, but i have heard of them. They're fine for dice, as far as I'm aware.
Just like /u/legendofhilda said you can Chessex or Wiz Dice "pound of dice" bags. I have bought the Wiz Dice (original version) and am happy with it.
Here are links to different ones:
Wiz Dice (original one): https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Random-Polyhedral-Multiple/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=sr_1_11?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521891356&amp;sr=1-11&amp;keywords=wiz+dice
Wiz Dice II: https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Pack-Random-Polyhedral/dp/B01KN7REWQ/ref=sr_1_6?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521891356&amp;sr=1-6&amp;keywords=wiz+dice
Wiz Dice III: https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Polyhedral-Translucent-Treatments/dp/B07885N371/ref=sr_1_7?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521891356&amp;sr=1-7&amp;keywords=wiz+dice&amp;dpID=61mucRANYJL&amp;preST=_SY300_QL70_&amp;dpSrc=srch
Chessex: https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-001LBCHX-Pound-O-Dice/dp/B008C0KXYS/ref=sr_1_24?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521891356&amp;sr=1-24&amp;keywords=wiz+dice
Then there are other companies. Some say they include complete sets, like the ones above, and other say you get random dice.:
Monster Protectors: https://www.amazon.com/100-Gaming-Dice-Monster-Education/dp/B00XLTADMW/ref=sr_1_5?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521891591&amp;sr=1-5&amp;keywords=pound+of+dice
Risky Actions: https://www.amazon.com/Polyhedral-Dice-Set-126-Complete/dp/B01N6OC2OV/ref=sr_1_17?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521891591&amp;sr=1-17&amp;keywords=pound+of+dice
Dardugo: https://www.amazon.com/Polyhedral-Multiple-Complete-Percentile-Included/dp/B00W9PJMPS/ref=sr_1_29?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521891591&amp;sr=1-29&amp;keywords=pound+of+dice
You can also buy a Pound of D6's from Chessex: https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-CHX-001d6-lb-o-D6-Dice/dp/B0015IUA7O/ref=sr_1_18?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1521891591&amp;sr=1-18&amp;keywords=pound+of+dice
Then there are the chinese sites like AliExpress but they will take longer to get to you: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/T-G-Wholesale-Bulk-Plastic-Multi-sided-Dice-Set-100pcs-set-In-Random-Color-style-for/32831291403.html?spm=2114.search0104.3.2.1eeb333ddQ59F0&amp;ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_5_10152_10151_10065_10344_10130_10068_10324_10342_10547_10325_10343_10546_10340_10548_10341_10545_10696_10084_10083_10618_10307_5711215_10313_10059_10534_100031_10103_10624_10623_10622_10621_10620_10810_10811,searchweb201603_49,ppcSwitch_4&amp;algo_expid=fed1d4cb-58d6-4265-9547-9b9ccec5312d-0&amp;algo_pvid=fed1d4cb-58d6-4265-9547-9b9ccec5312d&amp;priceBeautifyAB=0
There are probably others and you can always contact the different manufacturers directly to see if they can sell you bulk dice.
/u/MeishkaD said that my entry disappeared, so here it is again. I've deleted my previous entry now (after you said it disappeared), just to make sure it doesn't show up twice.
---
1.) Something that is grey. [Not on wishlist]
2.) Something reminiscent of rain. [Not on wishlist]
3.) Something food related that is unusual.
4.) Something on your list that is for someone other than yourself. Tell me who it's for and why. (Yes, pets count!)
This is for my classroom mostly. One of the projects the student's like to do is making board games. They like using various types of die, but when we made cardboard ones, they fall apart.
5.) A book I should read! I am an avid reader, so take your best shot and tell me why I need to read it!
I can't give too great a reference. This book is on my wishlist, as I've not read it, after all. It's supposed to be really funny though, with an interesting story. The downside is that getting the whole series is too expensive.
6.) An item that is less than a dollar, including shipping... that is not jewelry, nail polish, and or hair related! [Not on wishlist]
7.) Something related to cats. I love cats! (keep this SFW, you know who you are...)
These are pretty awesome.
8.) Something that is not useful, but so beautiful you must have it. [Not on wishlist]
I've wanted one of these for ages, but they're not useful enough to justify.
9.) A movie everyone should watch at least once in their life. Why? [Not on wishlist - I own it]
It's incredibly funny and almost everyone has seen the film it's based on. A lot of people have never even seen a parody movie, so it's a new genre to a lot of people and thus a new experience.
10.) Something that would be useful when the zombies attack. Explain.
A bit of a different item than normal. When the zombies attack, we're going to need to be well rested. Baseball bats and the like are common enough, but a good pillow is hard to find.
11.) Something that would have a profound impact on your life and help you to achieve your current goals. [Not on wishlist, as Amazon.co.uk item]
A book about learning to become a Primary School teacher. After my current teaching job, I want to go back and train as one in my home country.
12.) One of those pesky Add-On items. [Not on wishlist - the base game is on wishlist].
13.) The most expensive thing on your list. Your dream item. Why?
Playstation 4. It's not on my wishlist as I think anyone would ever buy it, but more to remind myself that it's region-free and only $400 in the US if I can get enough giftcards someday. In my home country it's about $550. The why is mostly Kingdom Hearts 3 and Final Fantasy XV - both series which I've gained a lot of enjoyment from. There's also that some of my favorite series such as Disgaea are Playstation-exclusive.
14.) Something bigger than a bread box.
15.) Something smaller than a golf ball.
16.) Something that smells wonderful.
17.) A (SFW) toy.
18.) Something that would be helpful for going back to school.
(For reading digital textbooks on)
19.) Something related to your current obsession, whatever that may be.
Disgaea D2. My current obsession has been trying to convert my old Disgaea 3 save, which has 120 hours and my Disgaea 4 save which has 95 hours, so that I can use it on another PS3.
20.) Something that is just so amazing and awe-inspiring that I simply must see it. Explain why it is so grand. [Not on wishlist.. but it should be]
The toilet throne. It's amazing that someone has thought of it, if nothing else. Now you can feel like a Queen or King, while going to the restroom.
---
Bonus: Made in Oregon
Raffle: fear cuts deeper than swords
If your short dice there are plenty of dice smart phone apps. There is nothing like rolling real dice though and having phones around can cause other distractions.
Here is a cheep bag of 100+ dice. Some of them may be a little off but the majority of them are good dice.
Here is an example of a possible wizdice spread
For those who would like an op haul [Wiz Dice 100+ pack] (http://www.amazon.com/Random-Polyhedral-Dice-Multiple-Wiz/dp/B009R6J8RY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1373221338&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=wiz+dice). I bought it and got 6 sets of matching colors and 7 other sets of dice. Worth the $20 and never have to worry about dice again.
I love Kevin and my favorite item is this
you can pick for me :)
I can't pick! I love all the helmets and swords (specifically this one and Pocky is like crack. The collection of dice is awesome cuz I love games and numbers.
I love Kevin lots!
If I have to pick something off my list, I really need a new laptop battery but my face needs eyeliner and I drink a lot of tea and water. Honestly, whatever you would pick would be great!
Something incredibly awesome for you!
Something very random and I think is pretty darn awesome for me!
I love Kevin!
omg dice...I love them because I'm an old school D&D geek and they make me happy...and sometimes kill me.
I love Kevin!
Crafting books make me happy
I love Kevin!
woo 100 dice
i like games
Your List
My List
I love Kevin! He is awesome!
I have a big bag of these for my players and they are quite nice for letting them pick "sets" out (I have a handful of bags so they don't have to sort every time) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B009R6J8RY
I got mine on Amazon (USA). There are multiple sellers that may have different shipping policies: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009R6J8RY
You could also try directly from Brybelly, but I think they are more of a wholesaler:
https://www.brybelly.com/products.php?categoryId=896&amp;productId=5228
I also found the WizDice facbook page that some more info, but mostly points back to Amazon: https://www.facebook.com/wizdice
Those are the Wiz Dice pack of 100+, right? I got some of them here for a lady friend and I and was very pleased with the quality.
If you are in need of a bunch of colorful cheap dice. Check these out. I order some a while back got 17 complete sets of dice in 16 different colors. Well worth it!
Give everyone dice:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009R6J8RY?cache=58d233ee12d986b748be90cd4a423fdc&amp;pi=SY200_QL40&amp;qid=1414770966&amp;sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B009R6J8RY/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;smid=A2L0LODUJGR5H7
Should do it.. Hopefully, as I'm on my phone at the moment
I'd suggest one set per player, and two for the DM (a set consisting of one of each d20, d12, d8, d6 and d4, and two d10's).
Go online to amazon and buy a bag of 100 die. I ended up getting at least 15 full sets with a few random dice. For only $20 plus shipping. Seriously, its your best option as buying individual sets of dice run about $5 a set. Below is a link.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009R6J8RY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
There are also free apps for smartphones that roll dice for you. While this isn't as satisfying as rolling physical die, it is cheap.
Price History
ReviewMeta: ★★★★✮ 4.7/5 from 89 valid reviews
CamelCamelCamel - [Info] │ Keepa - [Info]
CamelCamelCamel - [Info] │ Keepa - [Info]
ReviewMeta: ★★★★✮ 4.6/5 from 336 valid reviews
CamelCamelCamel - [Info] │ Keepa - [Info]
ReviewMeta: ★★★★✮ 4.6/5 from 420 valid reviews
CamelCamelCamel - [Info] │ Keepa - [Info]
ReviewMeta: ★★★★✮ 4.7/5 from 11 valid reviews
CamelCamelCamel - [Info] │ Keepa - [Info]
ReviewMeta: ★★★★✮ 4.6/5 from 206 valid reviews
CamelCamelCamel - [Info] │ Keepa - [Info]
ReviewMeta: ★★★★✮ 4.7/5 from 191 valid reviews Warning - Has potentially fake reviews
CamelCamelCamel - [Info] │ Keepa - [Info]
ReviewMeta: ★★★★✮ 4.5/5 from 1191 valid reviews
CamelCamelCamel - [Info] │ Keepa - [Info]
_
Never fear, PriceKnight is here!
^(Info) ^| ^(Developer) ^| ^(Inquiries) ^| ^(Support Me!) ^| **[^(Report Bug)](/message/compose?to=The_White_Light&subject=Bug+Report&message=%2Fr%2FNintendoSwitchDeals%2Fcomments%2Fcdgju6%2Fthe_best_nintendo_switch_deals_for_amazonprime%2Fettymql%2F%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0APlease+explain+here+what+you+expected+to+happen%2Fwhat+went+wrong.)**
If they're also into board games (or seem like they might be), I'll suggest the seven wonders board game. I've played it recently with a few friends and it has a civ feel to it, lots of fun.
http://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-SEV-EN01ASM-7-Wonders/dp/B0043KJW5M
What's the money limit? Amazon shows $32 so it may be over that limit, depending on your budget and the suggested amount.
Many games (including 7 Wonders) are currently on a big sale on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/Asmodee-SEV-EN01ASM-7-Wonders/dp/B0043KJW5M/
30 bucks is a bit of an awkward number. Thematic games tend to be pricier as well. Here are some recommendations off the top of my head, some end up a couple bucks over 30:
Death Angel
[Red November] (http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Flight-Games-SL08-November/dp/1616610638/ref=pd_sim_t_60)
[Eminent Domain] (http://www.amazon.com/Tasty-Minstrel-Games-1005TTT-Eminent/dp/0984155856/ref=pd_sim_t_57)
[Infiltration] (http://www.amazon.com/Fantasy-Flight-Games-VA79-Infiltration/dp/1616613963/ref=pd_sim_t_17)
[Power Grid] (http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG240-Power/dp/B0007YDBLE/ref=pd_sim_t_7)
[Flash Point] (http://www.amazon.com/Indie-Boards-Cards-PSI-IBCFPF1/dp/B005YXFW1U/ref=pd_sim_t_9)
[7 Wonders] (http://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-SEV-EN01ASM-7-Wonders-Game/dp/B0043KJW5M/ref=pd_sim_t_6)
I too recommend allocating a couple extra dollars if it means getting a game you really want. Anyway, hope this helps :)
Thanks for all the input, much appreciated. Just bought 7 Wonders on sale https://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-SEV-EN01ASM-7-Wonders/dp/B0043KJW5M
Looks like it's on the Marketplace. There are a couple new with Prime shipping for more like $24: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/ol/B0043KJW5M/ref=olp_tab_new?ie=UTF8&amp;condition=new
mine would be cards against humanity which is crazy because the game itself is crazy (https://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC-CAHUS/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=sr_1_4?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1484533961&amp;sr=1-4&amp;keywords=cards+against+humanity/0
You are this many
You don't have to give birth to someone to make a family.
this is a thing
this is a second thing
this is a third thing
I'm still a kid at heart!
My most recent favorite memory was playing Cards Against Humanity at my friend Sarah's most recent Birthday party. We took so long in between rounds because we were all socializing so much, which was a good thing! We so rarely connect to that depth with real human beings because we're so technology-centric, and a "like" on a photo is supposed to tell soneone, "Hey! How are you doing? I'm great. You look nice today. I hope you have a good week..."
My other favorite is when I brought my 3 Gameboys to my college graduation and passed along my games and systems to my fellow teaching graduates. We played Tetris, Tony Hawk Pro Skater, Mickey Mouse, Pokemon, etc. together during the 3-hour ceremony and goofed around in the back row like hooligans!
---
$25.00 (Prime) Cards Against Humanity!
Thanks for the contest! ♥
Violently passive is a strange phrase, lol. Thanks for hosting this contest! For a specific item, I'd like [Cards Against Humanity!] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=39ZDFX2E6F4TE&amp;coliid=I125IKJ8HXIOEI)
I absolutely love being a horrible person, so much that I hate it.
It's not like I'd push someone down the stairs, that's just plain wrong, but man will I think about all the things that could happen if I did while I pass by them...
So of course, this would be my item of choice. All the benefits of being evil, without all the consequences.
I love trivia! Even when I get it wrong, I still learn something new, which makes it so much fun!
I'd love anything off my lists, but I've been wanting [this] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=1S1WUCPFB5PU4&amp;coliid=I3F4S6Y785I6TX) for a while, now!
People call it trivia because they know nothing and they are embarrassed about it.
Thanks for the contest!
Every Harry Potter fan needs a Hogwarts sweatshirt or a Deathly Hallows phone case!
Cards Against Humanity!!!
Thank you for doing this contest!! I like picking things for other people!
After a tough day I always feel better when I come home, throw on my yoga pants and a big comfy hoodie, order some take out (preferably Bob Evans - because comfort food), and get snuggled under my Brookstone N.A.P. blanket with my hubby and our beags.
On a related note, if I've had a rough day at school I always make a "good news" phone call before I leave the building. Meaning, I'll call a student's parents and share progress the child has made or something great they recently did in class. Sharing positive messages about my students and hearing the pride in their parents' voices always lifts my spirits and reminds me of how much I truly love my job.
Playing [CAH] (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=1JO70KSHHD8UU&amp;coliid=IAA8MREJ5UORW) tends to make me feel pretty friggin' wonderful too! ;)
Thanks for the uplifting contest!
Cheapest item
most wanted under $60 definitely Warehouse 13 season 4. Favorite show in the world. Either that or cards against humanity
189
This because __ is like _____ with a __.
Cards Against Humanity!
Did anyone else notice their 5th product feature on amazon.com? Made me lol.
For those too lazy, here's the spoiler:
0% of the proceeds will be donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation
It's on my Amazon wishlist:
Cards Against Humanity
$30 on Amazon.ca
Happy birthday! Have an awesome 21st, but don't party TOO hard!
Could always celebrate by buying yourself something cool and classy for school/work/other
A game to play that goes well with friends and booze with always great.
Everyone should have those Just saying :)
I shall be eating all my moms treats and napping a lot, glad to be out of class!
My favorite holiday recipe is peanut butter balls!
And this would for sure break up the monotony!
What are you and /u/Wmichaelis going to do tonight, Brain?
You would like this portable charger because it's seriously something everybody needs.
I'd like [this honeybee dress] ( https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0711B5N7Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YHbqzb3RESXB1) because bees are so essential to our ecosystem and it's summer so it's dress season 👗.
***
Alternatively, we'd both like Cards Against Humanity because it's such an awesome game.
Thanks for the contest and congratulations!
I cruised solo on Norwegian once and had a great time.
Bring some party activities that'll be fun to break out when you meet people and make friends. You can't go wrong with a basic deck of cards (people will invariably wind up suggesting some sort of drinking game), and I really highly suggest Cards Against Humanity.
Ever play Apples to Apples? Same concept. If not...
There are two kinds of cards: white cards, and black cards. These are separated into stacks. Every player has a number of white cards in their hand: this amount varies depending on whether you're playing by the book rules or house rules.
Every turn, one player draws a black card ((this position is rotated around the group.)) Black cards have a short phrase or question on them, like
>What do old people smell like?
>What will I bring back in time to convince people that I am a powerful wizard?
>In Michael Jackson's final moments, he thought about ____.
The remaining players in the game will then put down a white card from their hand that they think the person who played the black card will pick as the best answer. White cards, like black cards, have many different things printed on them, like
>The hardworking Mexican.
>Silence.
>Natalie Portman.
>Michelle Obama's arms.
The white cards are shuffled up, and the person who played the black card lays them all out and then selects a winner. The winner tacks the black card and creates a pile of black cards that they've won. The person to reach X cards (again, depending on rules) wins.
There are a couple nuance rules, like betting black cards to play more white cards, the haiku, etc. But that's the jist of it.
Personally, our group loves playing this game. It says it's a card game for horrible people for a reason. You will come up with racist, sexist, disgusting, and downright awful combinations of cards. You can play it straight, of course, but often the humor turns "dark." It's fun, but it's definitely not a game to play with, say, your conservative Christian parents.
We have the actual game and a couple expansions because we play with a larger group. However, I know you can print your own game off the internet. You can buy it off Amazon as well.
I'm super happy I stumbled on this contest!!
I feel as though /u/poweredbyanxiety is very deserving of a gift. I've had a lot of people bring me a wonderful feeling of acceptance here, however she's really opened her arms to me and has given me someone to talk to. c:
Although it's just a tad over $20, I feel as though this would be a really awesome gift for anybody really. I mean come on, who wouldn't want to give the gift of... well... crude humor. :D!
I PM'ed you my answers.
I enjoy surprises.
I PM'ed you my answers. lol
i pmed you my link too im sleepy, lol
would like this game
I PM'ed you my answers. And I'd looove these tights or cards against humanity.
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1341462049&amp;sr=8-1
How much!?!
Thats not Amazon Prime eligible, Cards Against Humanity is and checkout r/TheBestOfAmazon
EDIT: 55 Gallons of Lubricant looks like fun though.
Cards Against Humanity!!! ($25)
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC-CAHUS/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1381235707&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=cards+against+humanity with free shipping included. That's MSRP from the seller themselves. ( http://cardsagainsthumanity.com/ )
My whole DVD wishlist pretty much defines me, because I am totally addicted to anything movie-related. My top five favorites, though, are Inception, American Psycho, Donnie Darko, 500 Days of Summer, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
I also have a messed up sense of humor, and I'm into anything horror basically. I have a little bit of a nerdy side. I'm just me :) And one day if we ever meet, we shall high five.
1.21 Gigawatts
My weekend plans are just to relax at home with my little family.
Cards Against Humanity
Make up brush set
Case for my tablet
Thank you so much for this contest. You are awesome.
You can now buy it off Amazon again http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity/dp/B004S8F7QM/
A not so expensive option for reusable is something like this. Now I don't know your full budget but I know that I used one of these for a long time and it was great. Also if you get one only use black ink and use wet erase not dry.
> The starter set is that fifth edition
Yep, the one you mentioned (With Lost Mines of Phandelver, it's included) is for 5e. If you're learning rules for anything BUT 5th, you may get a little confused while relearning.
> Also if I am designing a campaign do I have to find a way to systematically make sure they hit the main points of the story or just adapt.
Both. Use hooks to draw the characters to the right starting point/NPC/location, but don't expect or force your players into the exact situation you want. If they ignore your hooks and go in another route, adapt your plans. For instance, if you want them to visit the best Mage in town to learn of some danger, but they just keep talking to shopkeepers, maybe have those shopkeepers mention some evil happenings or point them toward the Mage. If you want them to go through Door A, but they go Door B, you can always just move what was behind A to behind B, and they'll be none the wiser.
> I understand most of it is rpg but in terms of battling where do I get/make maps.
Dry-erase gridded battle mats can be bought online and you can draw maps directly onto it. You can also just google 'Dungeon map' or 'DnD castle map' to get ideas or complete maps to use, or just draw out your own. There are many resources for dungeon/location mapping ideas and methods, and tons of free generation/creation tools online. Pre-made modules like the books sold by Wizards (AND the Lost Mines of Phandelver module from the starter set) include maps for important locations, though they may not be separate maps you can just drop on your table.
You can also run theater of the mind wherein your players may not have a map to look at at all - some people like this more, some hate it, so be wary of forcing it onto players.
I have this one, and I love it to death. When I run a campaign the players love to doodle and take notes on the edges, and it provides a grid for all kinds of encounters- small dungeons, forest clearings, caravan ambushes, taverns, marketplaces, you name it. Pick up a good set of wet erase makers and you're set. While not really "theatre of the mind," it lets me skip the prep work and ad-lib a lot encounter spaces as I go.
I reccommend this map instead: http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1371126295&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=chessex+battlemat
Much easier to erase after sessions, looks better, rolls up nice
I use a wet erase. Pro tip on miniatures as long as you don't mind that they don't match your PCs... go to a gaming store and ask if they have a box of old miniatures from older games people don't play. The gaming store I went to were selling them for $0.10 each.
The huge advantage of Wet erase is that hands, dice, books, miniatures moving over it don't erase the map.
If you do decide to get a battlemat, I recommend this one.
It looks like Amazon has them for sale. The Chessex mats have both grid and hex patterns which is nice.
As a starter DM maybe a wipe clean battle map and some dry wipe markers?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
Or (and I know this sounds daft) some mepples! They can come in lots of different colours so you can have player meeples and enemy ones all on different colours. Fighting goblins? Green meeples! Meeting a king? Use a gold meeple! cheap and often effective :D
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pack-of-8-Mini-meeples-in-1-of-12-colours-/251804417776?var=&amp;hash=item3aa0b67ef0:m:mVgWi7j9-8H5snivz-6uIRw
Awesome! That's how I play!
Here's a list of things I suggest as a DM:
Chessex Mat
or [Megamat](Chessex Role Playing Play Mat: MEGAMAT Double-Sided Reversible Mat for RPGs and Miniature Figure Games - 34 1/2in x 48in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IUAAG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KvY4xbHM414K4)
[Vis-A-Vis Markers](Expo Vis-A-Vis Wet-Erase Overhead Transparency Markers, Fine Point, 8-Pack Pouch, Assorted Colors https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IFGW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_DwY4xbQVVNKTA) to write on the map
[Starter set of minis](D&amp;D Icons of the Realms: Tyranny of Dragons Starter Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LSZQXSY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.EY4xbCF5B5AH)
Goblin Minis
Search Reaper Minis on Amazon and you'll find some fun stuff
I also use flat glass marbles as place holders for NPCs that I don't have minis for. They were super helpful when I was first starting.
A graphing notebook and drawing paper
Mechanical pencils and a set of his favorite pens
I can't think of anything else
5E D&D can be played mind's eye theater style with no board. In that case the DM just describes distances and makes a gut call on if someone is, for example, within 120 feet for a magic missile to hit them. Alternatively you can use a grid map (like this one) and either miniatures or tokens for the characters and monsters. Either style is supported and it's just a matter of preference.
I'd very much recommend getting the starter set. It comes with pregenerated characters (even if you create your own it's nice to see examples), and a fairly lengthy adventure (which, again, is helpful for a first time dungeon master). I picked it up even though I've played every edition since 2E.
If you have any rules questions feel free to ask here, or over at /r/DnDNext.
It's really hard to beat Chessex dice... I've tried several more expensive sets (including a synthetic turquoise set) and none of them were worth the money. The dice I use are all Chessex.
I think the grid is worth it, it doesn't really matter what kind you use. We use this one which I didn't realize was also Chessex until right now... it's nice because it's wet-erase (we tried dry erase, but it's nice to not have your walls disappear while you're moving around your minis) and it has the dual side, so you can use square or hex grids.
My groups use one of these. They are perfect with a set of wet erase markers. The only thing is that it seems like each mat has a specific color that does not like to be erased from it (for mine it's red).
I have considered getting a digital projector and running with digital maps but I just don't have the cash right now. If I did do this I would probably use photoshop for my display program. Just create a layer for your map and another layer on top of it as a mask. When you need to uncover another area on the map you just turn off the projector (or your laptop's external display port), make your masking layer opaque so you can see the map below it, select and delete the are you want to display, make the mask layer solid again, and turn back on the projector. This takes more pre-game time to setup but much less time than drawing out each room you need for combat and explaining funky architecture. Just remember to have a DM map with secret doors and traps marked on it, and another map for the players that does not contain this info.
Chessex Role Playing Play Mat: Battlemat Double-Sided Reversible Mat for RPGs and Miniature Figure Games (26 in x 23 1/2 in) Squares/Hexes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_RfhEDbZVNC3NG
I use that mat with wet erase markers, mostly just using black. Wet erase and black because it’s the least likely to stain the mat and won’t get smudged during play.
Unless you're running things entirely theatre of the mind style, you'll need some kind of figures and maps for combat. I recommend a Chessex playing matt and some wet erase markers, but you can always just use paper and roughly eyeball distances on it.
Minis can get pricey, so you can work around them. You can honestly use anything; I used unused dice as enemies for the longest time. A more cost effective thing is Paizo's Pathfinder Pawns, which come in bulk sets that include lots of different monsters, and are all flat and easy to store. Plus, they're just cardboard squares, so another thing I'd do is just print out pictures of monsters I'd want to use and just tape them over the pictures of creatures I wouldn't use.
I would suggest OP purchase:
I feel like the inclusion of the PHB and MM are self-explanatory.
The battemat is something I own and I have used to great effect - It's supremely durable, survived multiple moves, and still looks great. I'm moving more towards tiles now that I have a little bit more money to spend on D&D, but the mat was one of my biggest tools when I was first starting out as a DM.
The token bases are from pathfinder, a related tabletop RPG, but can easily be used in DnD 5E. Simply print out pictures of the monsters that you've found online, cut them out, and place them in the bases, and viola - instant miniatures! They can help tide your players over while you build your own miniature collection.
N.B. I agree with many of the other posters here that the use of a map and miniatures is not at all necessary for doing D&D, however, I have found that using them greatly enhances the experience, and it is my opinion that I like them. If you feel so inclined, OP, instead of the battlemap and bases, purchase the DM's Guide, which contains great advice in building and running your own adventures and campaigns, which might interest you down the road if it doesn't already.
Total cost: $95.86 on amazon.
If you are talking about a play mat you can get them on amazon.com or your local game store might have it.
You just need a rough sketch of the area. I use a Chessex Battlemat similar to the one linked at the end of the comment. You could easily use 4 sheets of paper with one inch squares drawn or printed on them. Then in pencil just mark out the dungeon walls or whatever.
I personally think using a battlemat makes the game better. It adds something new to the game that it didn't have before (tactical battles). Now mind you, that battles aren't super technical but it certainly makes them feel more technical than just trying to describe things.
I personally don't get much enjoyment from the DM saying, "You backflip off the wall and slice the guy's head off." I can have fictional battles in my head where I'm awesome any time I want.
Using a battlemat also marks a huge difference between social encounters and battle encounters. Social encounters are all done as theater of the mind, so do you really need another encounter that uses the same technique? I think not.
>I was thinking maybe doing no map but for main encounters throw a map on
I've thought about doing this as well, but haven't actually done it. The bonus about it that I can see is that it allows you to fit the expected battles per day, which is what forces the players to manage their limited resources and abilities. (spells, healing dice, ki points, etc.)
In the end I probably won't end up doing that and will just continue to push the players to make their decisions quickly. If they make an "nonoptimal" decision then so be it.
I think the reason battles slow the game down so much is that players plan too much. Too much time is spent on, "Hey who wants bardic inspiration? ... Who's next in the initiative order? Oh, Sally goes before Bob. But Bob would benefit from the inspiration more. Bob, do you mind if I don't give you inspiration this time? What's that Sally? Oh you're going to be using an action that won't benefit from it okay... Then Frank you can have it."
Whew. Longest bonus action ever. Let's hope that player never has to make a decision about movement and provoking an attack of opportunity! Just do your think players!
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
My buddy has a chessex battle mat, It works well. we use white board cleaner to get the marks off.
I just got in my wizdice battle mat and have not had a chance to play on it yet.
My AL dm uses washable kid markers on his and it comes off super easy.
Edit Fixed the link
Is this what you are referring to?
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_3kiNybQHGBYRT
Are you playing in person? You really don't need minis at all, everything can exist in the theatre of the mind.
But if you like minis (and I absolutely do!), a cheap way to get all set up is:
And done!
Possibly:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Paizo-Publishing-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Basic/dp/1601255381
or
https://www.amazon.co.uk/d/e5m/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat-Double-Sided-Reversible/B0015IQO2O
Looks like the same on my DM uses, not sure on the brand though
Consider getting a wet erase grid mat and some markers. They're cheap and work really well. Grab something cheap for monster tokens and you're all set. Maybe use an app for character sheets, there are plenty. I have a pdf of the 5e character sheet with editable fields if you want it.
I have this mat
The group I used to play with (hopeing to be able to start a new one soon) had a few simple things. The main things are going to be your standards:
I'm hopefully going to be introducing Dungeon World (/r/dungeonworld) to a group of friends. It's a rules light story forward RPG system which is great for beginners. There was a link posted the the Dungeon World subreddit for running a 4 hour long one shot (link here) which brought up using index cards for on the fly map generation which I think is good to have for any RPG adventure.
edit: Forgot minis... How did I forget minis???
This is very helpful
A monster manuel may be nice to have.
You could always check out dwaven forge for inspiration.
The mat under the ship? My friend got me a Battle Board. I really like it, it takes up pretty much the whole table and is very easy to clean. I have a smaller Chessex one that is good too. Links for both below:
&#x200B;
Battle Board:
https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Grid-Game-Mat-MATERIAL/dp/B01N6RQ3DT/ref=pd_sbs_21_2/138-4846148-4203743?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01N6RQ3DT&pd_rd_r=b471178b-8183-11e9-b4c5-ef907af3647f&pd_rd_w=Axi6R&pd_rd_wg=o3t9e&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=5KWW2MJGMH6FT887PT86&psc=1&refRID=5KWW2MJGMH6FT887PT86
&#x200B;
Chessex:
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=battle%2Bmat&qid=1559073798&s=gateway&sr=8-5&th=1
I got mine online.
Oh! I see, I misinterpreted what you were looking for.
Since this is more battle-mats than dungeon maps, the generic solution that everyone does is a Chessex wet-erase Mat, but you could also try Paizo dry/wet erase flip mats. If you're not pleased with the $20 range and want even cheaper, Gaming Paper for $4, or Graph Paper Notebook for $6.
I think it's nice of you to volunteer what skills you have, and great that you want to contribute.
The sad truth is that I doubt people will want to accept what you're trying to offer.
So I hope this doesn't sound mean, but I'm going to be direct:
No hobby game programmer I know is in need of an ideas guy. I have a trello board full of ideas that I just wish I could get to, plus I need to practice art, rewrite my base code so I can open source it, learn to make music, experiment with foley sound effects, do a lot of experimental marketing, try voxel magic to see if I can make a 3D game feel right, make a networked game, produce a series of youtube video tutorials, the list goes on for quite a ways. And that's just the gamedev hobby list. Life is short, and I'll never get to all the things I want to study, learn, and do. Ideas are not the bottleneck here.
Sorry if that sounds hard. But the truth is if you want to be the idea provider, you just need to learn to make games for yourself.
If you cannot program and don't believe you can learn it, perhaps you should buy a hex/square double-sided game mat like this one and gather a pile of tokens. Now you can create a tabletop tactics version of whatever roguelike ideas you have.
If your ideas are algorithmic and well-justified, then you should be a good board game designer.
You also talk about complex universes. If you prefer something more narrative than mechanical, you could focus on writing and learn to use the twine interactive story engine which everybody says is easy to learn.
Of you could look to rogueliker, who is launching a kickstarter for his tabletop RPG game, he managed to make a game without any programming! Wormhole on Kickstarter
If you can almost learn to program but not quite, there are several nice options for you, such as the Playmaker system for Unity and RPG maker. These tools are specifically designed to allow someone with algorithmic thinking but no ability to code to make their own games without a programmer.
My point is that nobody is going to make your games for you, you have to make them yourself. There are many ways to get that done, and the lack of a technical skill cannot prevent you!
So get to work today, and good luck on your journey! :)
Chessex is a good brand for gaming things. I second the recommendation for the pound of dice.
Gaming mats are also great, with WET/DRY erase markers (Check the product first to see whether it works with wet or dry markers). Toss in an empty spray bottle and a washcloth for a wet erase, or an eraser and maybe a bottle of cleaner for a dry erase, and you've got a great gift set.
Also, a DM screen is great to have.
Essentials, Pen, Pencils, Paper, Players Handbook, and some dice.
Most of that can be purchased at Target/Walmart/CVS. PHB can be bought from B&N, a local came store, Amazon or other online retailers.
As far as extras go? I'd get some sort of layout. These work really well for me. And then something to act as miniatures. You can get actual minis if you have the money. If not; coins, dice, lego men or any other small objects work.
Other than that, a story, some good imaginations and a group are all you need.
Here are some suggestions in that range
http://www.amazon.com/Burning-Wheel-RPG-Gold-Edition/dp/B005N2GN2E
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1418611134&amp;sr=1-1-catcorr&amp;keywords=RPG+battlemat
http://www.amazon.com/Octagonal-Dice-Rolling-Surface-Wiz/dp/B00DDY7WCO/ref=sr_1_cc_3?s=aps&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1418611166&amp;sr=1-3-catcorr&amp;keywords=die+rolling+box
http://toddlyles.com/tiny-epic/
Battlemap via Amazon https://www.amazon.de/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
Qua mini's will marktplaats nog aardig werken, of als je een heroquest spel kunt vinden
First trick is deciding which edition you want to play, for new players I highly recommend sticking to 4th edition, the rules are simpler and combat is generally more interesting. If you guys are brand and are new starting with nothing, I highly recommend picking up the 4th edition DM Manual 1, Monster Manual 1, and the Player's Handbook 1.
If your DM wants to take his hand at designing his own adventures I also highly recommend picking up a wet erase play mat as well as wet erase markers. I recommend wet erase over dry erase as dry erase can easily be wiped off during combat and such.
You'll also want to buy some dice for everyone to use, there are a few ways to go about that, you can mismatch dice from local hobby shops, you could buy dice sets or you could purchase the Chessex "Pound of Dice" for the whole group's use and ease. I, as a highly superstitious gamer, own 2 dice sets of my own and an additional lucky D20 that I don't let anyone touch (as they'll likely suck the luck out of it), so figure out what kind of gamers you are and what dice will best suit you.
As you guys grow and expand you may want to look into getting the other Player's Handbooks, to increase your options as players, as well as the other monster manuals for easier adventure creation for your DM.
I also highly recommend your DM (for his ease in adventure creation) look into reading materials on the internet (easily found for free) to help create the most interesting and fun adventures possible. One I can recommend off-hand is Chris Perkin's (a writer for the D&D books and "professional DM") "blog" called "The DM Experience."
Also if you have any other questions feel free to ask me in a comment or message me, I love to see new player getting into the game and would like to help in any way possible.
Just be sure to have fun, happy gaming :D
If youre still looking to do dungeons sometime, I have a great site that generates them! I used it all the time its so handy.
http://donjon.bin.sh/5e/
A couple notes, play with the dungeon generator to figure out how big the dungeons are, remember that bigger is not always better, and small corridors force players to choose their actions very carefully sometimes and makes it more exciting.
Also, when you get the stats for the traps/monster look through them before you run the dungeon. I know the traps in particular are very strong in this gen and its ok to nerf them if your players are new.
Also its .. really worth getting a grid mat, even a small one. I have one like this and I love it
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1421947212&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=square+grid+on+vinyl&amp;pebp=1421947216413&amp;peasin=B0015IQO2O
Con respecto a los mapas, si buscas versatilidad por precio, recomendaría comprarte un BattleMat, o busca el básic mat de Pathfinder, es lo mismo que tú hoja A3 pero más grande y podés usar marcadores para dibujar y después borrar tus dungeons o escenarios de combate, yo uso uno y me resulta más fácil para dibujar sobre la marcha pasadizos secretos recién descubiertos, etc. ( https://www.amazon.es/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O )
Ahora, si querés algo más lindo y elegante, compra tiles, son escenarios ya dibujados (de forma muy profesional y realista) que podés combinar para extenderlo, el único problema con este método es que llega un punto que reciclar lo vuelve monótono, aunque es más realista por las imágenes del mapa que el battlemat. ( https://www.amazon.es/Dungeon-Tiles-Reincarnated/dp/0786966300/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=dungeon+tiles&amp;qid=1570868315&amp;sr=8-1 )
Con las miniaturas, lo mejor que te puedo recomendar es que busques las cajas ICONS OF THE REALM de D&D, vienen 4 miniaturas por caja, al azar, 3 medianas o pequeñas y una grande, allí encontrarás más que nada enemigos, algunos muy interesantes, otros meh. ( https://www.amazon.es/dp/B0155L0OKO/ref=dp_cerb_1 )
De la misma línea hay unos basados en el starter set que vienen heroes básicos (un enano clérigo, un humano guerrero, un elfo mago, etc), quizás ahí veas una oportunidad para buscar algo más representativo a tu grupo. ( https://www.amazon.es/WizKids-72779-Realms-Miniatures-Starter/dp/B0722N48N2/ref=mp_s_a_1_15?keywords=d%26d+icons+of+the+realms&amp;qid=1570868365&amp;sprefix=d%26d+icons&amp;sr=8-15 )
Espero te sirva :)
>I hadn't thought of the dry erase board...
Try this! I love that stupid thing.
> Should I let them build there own characters, or should I bring pregens?
This is up to you and your players. I’d ask each of them what they’d prefer. Personally, I would have pregens (or ones you’ve made) available as backups.
> As wargamers, we have TONS of minis, but no battlemat. Is there a cheap alternative? Do I really need one? I could pick one up at my LGS, but it'd be a bit more than I'd like to pay atm.
It’s not required. I know plenty of DMs who don’t use a battlemat.
I paid $35 for my mega mat so it depends on your budget. You can get a smaller one for $23.
Standard battle/megamats have 1 in. squares. You can find graph paper with that size squares at hobby lobby type stores or office supplies stores. You can get 8 ½ x 11 on up.
> I don't really want to purchase an adventure, but homebrewing the first game is kind of daunting. I mean, I know these guys would be perfectly happy being dropped in a dungeon and killing every last monster in the place without any kind of motivation whatsoever, but I really want at least some roleplay, if only to see how they react. I'd be grateful for any advice in this regard.
Dm guild is a very good resource for free campaigns or modules.
Something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
It seems like a great idea to hold off on miniatures. I'll probably use some kind of cheap stand-in in the meantime. Thank you for your response!!!
This.
Or maybe instead of the DMG, buy a mat/whiteboard and some pathfinder pawns or something for minis. Up to you really. You could always do theater of the mind, but having minis is so fun!
Edit: Found these for a quick comparison of the prices
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0786965606/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_ikjsybH67VV0Y PHB £27.41
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0786965614/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_GljsybN0V9304 MM £27.29
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0786965622/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_VpjsybZWA65JC DMG £38.99
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_cojsybDFPYPQR Mat £21.99
Looks like the DMG is the most expensive bit.
Regarding the map, all you really need to draw out is the area directly important to a combat encounter, everything else you can just describe. You could be a larger dry erase map like this.
You can always have someone else run your girlfriend's character while she's away, if she doesn't mind. Or if the party has a group of hirelings she could step into any of those. I have a lot of players come and go, and until recently just ignored how they were all popping in and out of the existence week to week.
If you're feeling lenient you could secretly roll for characters when they are about to trigger a trap as a sort of emergency danger sense. It's something you probably don't want to do very often, because there's a price for foolhardiness! Try to include descriptions of possible traps when you're describing a room. Don't make it obvious, but some flags to spur them on to further searches.
I'm sure there are rules for both werewolves and necromancers in some book or online somewhere.
So do you want a reusable one? If so, a Chessex battle mat is what I use. It works with wet-erase markers, but don't use dry-erase on it. If not or if you want something you can use colored pencils on or something, then the post-it thing that exleye mentioned would work fine.
I've always used something similar:
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O
This is what I've seen 2 different DM's use as a map. One drew right on it and the other put plexiglass over it to erase easier. Either way works, and it's a huge help to the realness. I've never played without one but have seen pictures of people who have. I don't know how they do it.
You can also get roll up mats (like this ) which allow you to use washable marker to draw dungeons out.
I find them very handy when complicated battles break out.
The other guys have explained D&D vs Pathfinder very well. As for the mat, one of the more versatile solutions is to buy a wet-erase mat like this one and draw your own maps. It's easy to change things, improvise, and you can just mark locations of characters mid-combat and pick up next week.
Look around for maps. I've seen fan-made versions that you can print out, but unfortunately I don't have links handy.
For serious though, just buy one of these guys and some wet erase markers. Draw as you go!
I have been running games for a long time but haven't used a grid before. I'm about to start a new campaign and wanted to give it a go. I'm a dad of young kids, so I'm time and storage space poor. Here's what I'm doing:
Should cost me nothing now that I've made the initial outlay for the grid, markers, and bases.
Chessex Role Playing Play Mat: Battlemat Double-Sided Reversible Mat for RPGs and Miniature Figure Games (26 in x 23 1/2 in) Squares/Hexes https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_5CxOCbSK7ND37
EXPO 16078 Vis-A-Vis Wet-Erase Overhead Transparency Markers, Fine Point, Assorted Colors, 8-Count https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IFGW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wDxOCbB3WHT45
If I don't have a mini for the monster I need I use a cheap, solid color dice from a big set I bought. Looks like the one I got is no longer being made but this is similar:
Yellow Mountain Imports 42 Polyhedral Dice, 6 Colors with Complete Set of D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D20, and D% https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07586H7KJ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_1ExOCbK31AJD9
Pathfinders Bestiary Box 1 goes on sale for 20 something dollars sometimes, tons of monsters from the Monster Manual at a decent price:
Pathfinder Pawns: Bestiary Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601255616/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_nGxOCbJB02KBK
I wouldn't worry too much about having minis, and terrain, and everything as dnd is more about the imagination and sometimes too much detail at the table can detract from that. My friend runs his campaign mostly "theater of mind" style but has a little tiny dry erase board he draws on to show relative positions and obstacles and it works great.
Hope this helps!
You could do that, or use one of these. It will last you just as long if not longer, and you won't be throwing away all that paper every week.
Plus it's got a grid.
For miniatures, it's really hard to beat the tabletop Warhammer minis. Yes, they're a little pricy, but a Cadian Command squad comes provides a LOT of flexibility, and averages out to about $4/mini, which isn't any worse than something from Reaper (the company that makes the Pathfinder minis). I've heard that the Necromunda minis are also great options.
For a map, a Chessex Dry Erase Mat is a great option. However, it occasionally gets annoying to handle multiple maps in a single session. I picked up a huge pad of 1"x1" graph paper from my local art supply store, and I absolutely love it. I use my dry erase mat for things which I didn't anticipate, and I use the graph paper to draw out maps before the session.
I also saved a couple of links for custom tokens:
http://www.reddit.com/r/rpg/comments/qnedr/reddit_cakeday_gift_to_myself_156_custom/
http://www.reddit.com/r/DnD/comments/16v798/my_alternative_to_miniatures/
This one, but really, I am kind of disappointed with how wavy they are. The creases and such keep it from lying flat. If I had to purchase a new one, I'd get the one sided roll out kind. All told, it is still usable and the double sides have come in handy.
Phew This'll be a long a post, but certainly reward to read by the end of it. Playing D&D/Pathfinder really is the Nerdiest, Nerd thing I've ever done, and it is a lot of fun! Watch +DawnforgedCast's Session 0 video and download his checklist here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0FmGxmJLiw It's meant for a GameMaster/Dungeon Master, but that checklist will help you out greatly in understanding what you want when starting out in a new group, with or without veteran players. If you aren't able to find a group locally (I don't recommend online groups for your first introduction) then taking up the mantle of leadership as the GameMaster/Dungeon Master, can be both exciting and overwhelming at the same time. However, if you're one with a vivid imagination, or are good with thinking on the fly (believe me, it gets better with time) then you'll already have a headstart on the majority of GMs out there. A great beginning module that has a little bit of everything, adventure hook (i.e., reason why your players should be doing this), NPC interaction, wilderness adventuring, dungeon crawling, is the Hollow's Last Hope module for 1st Level Players as it works for both D&D and Pathfinder. You don't really need the print version, since you can download it for FREE at Paizo's website https://pathfinderwiki.com/wiki/Hollow%27s_Last_Hope
I greatly recommend you get the Pathfinder RPG: Beginner Box ($25-$35) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601256302 it is a different game, but the rule set is uber-simplified and honestly, superior to the D&D Starter Set ($15), and is worth the extra money. The Beginner Box literally has the all of the beginning needs for play. Pre-generated characters, blank character sheets for the four classes (Wizard, Rogue, Cleric, and Fighter) with either of the three races (Elf, Dwarf, and Human) that are easy to introduce new players to, a flip out map that you can use dry-erase- or wet-erase markers, and permanent markers on (all of which can be erased off, I use these wet-erase makers that are $9 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006IFGW because I'll draw camp fires with brown, yellow, orange, and red colors, green helps with trees and shrubbery, blue for water, and black for everything else), a Hero's handbook, and really, really, good GM guide, plus thick, cardboard punch-out marker pawns of various Monsters, NPCs, Player characters, and other creatures, that amount to a wealth of miniatures that would take a lot of money and time to paint them all up, plus they're easier to store in the box. Unfortunately, it only comes with one set of dice, so it wouldn't hurt to get these on these 7 sets ($12) on the cheap https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MDJNE93 and pass them out to your players, or if they have their own, then you'll have plenty of extra multiples of dice, which will come in handy during combat with spellcasters and sneak attacks by Rogues. I handed them out to my players after they told me what their favorite colors were. =P
That'd would be all you'd really need to start, $30ish Beginner Box, plus $10 for markers, and $10 more if you or your players need dice. Now, what follows is what I used for my first GMing of a game, based on many different people's recommendations. In order to make combat work in a logical way that I could understand, I bought the Pathfinder Combat Pad $20 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601255470, along with those wet-erase markers from earlier. It's usefulness has been far better, and worth it's price in gold, to use than a cheap $1 store notebook, when I would have to erase or rewrite when players would defeat monsters or would hold their actions, or would tell them the wrong initiative bonus to start (lol!). Again, rather use a dollar store binder, I bought the Pathfinder GM Screen $16ish https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601252161, because it was short enough for me to look over rather than 3-ring binders or a paper folder at the actual game table. Speaking the table, I bought the Chessex Battlemats https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IQO2O this is a link to the smaller one ($20), since I bought the Megamat ($35), only because I had a large table, and players could use it as a coaster for drinks too (even though I did have coasters, to prevent spillage). As an added bonus, I recently discovered the Condition cards $10 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601252854, to use with Pathfinder, and they are great to hand out to players (as you would already know these conditions since it's written behind the GM Screen) so they know what condition they are in at a glance. Keep in mind though, you only get 4 or each, so if you are lucky enough to have more players, it wouldn't hurt to buy an extra set (however, it would be strange if all of your players had the same condition).
Now, let's say you enjoy Pathfinder, and you bought the Core Rulebook $20 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601258879 (if it's a hardcover, always look inside for the Sixth edition printing, the paperback will already be that edition) but are getting tired of looking up Monster stats online, then grab the Paperback version of the first Bestiary $16 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601258887 which has the great majority of all of the "regular" monsters in either D&D or Pathfinder. If you're not much of an artist, then there's the recently released Pathfinder Traps and Treasures Pawns Collection $25 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601259719 but be warned that you only want to place on the board AFTER the players find out what it is or after they trip it since it does have text explaining what it is as a trap, and if you're use the treasure ones, make sure you add whatever is actually printed on the tile is IN the list of treasure you give the players, because they can and will ask about, "can't I grab that cup or sword, it's on the tile?" ;)
Lastly, if you enjoy being the GameMaster/Dungeon Master, the storyteller, the world builder, then I'd recommend getting the Pathfinder Gamemastery Guide $15 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601259492, which again, can be applied to both RPG games. And if you what better weather effects to throw at your party than what is presented in the CRB and GMG, then Pathfinder Ultimate Wilderness $30 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601259867 has all that you need, and then some, plus some cool spells and tons of new animal companions and familiars for spellcasters alike, and a new shapeshifting melee-fighting class called the Shifter, which is pretty neat to use (albeit, you may want to check out Paizo's website for any official errata or clarifications, just in case). If you want to actually create a campaign and are having a hard time coming up with ideas, locations, groups/factions, kingdoms, races, then one more purchase, which is what +DawnforgedCast used for his Pathfinder games seen here is the Inner Sea World Guide $45 https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601252692 It is pricey, but again, very much worth it, to create your own world or to use the pre-made world, as well. Remember, the Beginner Box, Markers, and Dice is really all you need, the rest of this is to expand out. I hope this helps you and anyone else out as well. =P
If you want tactical combats and visible layouts I'd just use a wet erase or dry erase battle mat and draw out the rooms with marker. Much less expensive than using tiles. Something like this https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Double-Markers-Polyhedral-Playing/dp/B075WS9DGL/ref=sr_1_4?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1526490898&amp;sr=1-4&amp; or this https://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IQO2O/ref=sr_1_4?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1526490786&amp;sr=1-4
If you want tiles though, you can make them fairly inexpensively from cardboard and other found or cheap materials. DM Scotty and other youtube channels are devoted to this. Here's Scotty's build of some tiles for a zombie apocalypse. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjILvmafKfM
Also if you're trying to save money you might consider using print and play miniatures rather than buying traditional ones. You can use small binder clips for the bases rather than mounting them so they're easy to store. You can find lots of free or cheap ones online or make your own. Some methods for making them are here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWWu9Ny8cW8 and here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQy_Ur5erWU
You can find free premade ones here https://www.patreon.com/posts/free-paper-7956662 and here http://onemonk.com/downloads.html
You mean like this?
Yes! I'm messaging my DM now and I'll post the link when he sends it my way
Edit: This is where my DM got his mat for those wondering.
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0015IQO2O?psc=1&amp;ref=yo_pop_mb_pd_t1
I use this mat with wet erase markers. If you don’t want to spend money on miniatures, legos work in a pinch. Last campaign we used a bunch of skylanders figures my nephew had. They were a little too big for the map but worked in a pinch. You could also print out paper miniatures and glue them to little bases.
Brand new DM here. Currently running LMoP for 3 first-timers and 2 (barely) amateurs. Bought these for my party. $17 USD
Google “LMoP paper minis” for the enemies/villains. Use some common coins as and some Elmer’s Glue for a base. It honestly takes 2 hours (with breaks for beer and Reddit lol) to cut and paste once you assemble the materials.
Otherwise get a double sided battle mat, like $22 USD and some dry erase markers, $6 USD
Skip the party’s minis if you want to save some money. But the battle mat and markers can be used FOREVER.
I bought a Chessex roll-up battle map about twelve years ago. I still use it today. You can write on it with crayola markers and wash it off after. Best $20 I ever spent on DND.
Anyway, that's what I draw on. Usually I only draw encounter maps, dungeons, and exploration areas on it. It's great for minis because mine has a 1" square grid.
I usually just draw town and world maps by hand on sketch paper, and use those as general reference. I give these to the party when they arrive in a new town or are planning to set out on the road.
When I'm planning an encounter or dungeon, I usually sketch out a rough idea of each room, with a few notes on where terrain, hazards, monsters, and traps are located. I try to use the same notation marks as the official published maps, but, c'mon, ain't nobody got time for that.
Then, when my party starts a dungeon or enters a new room, I sketch it out a bit more carefully on the battle map. Pro tip: use black markers for dungeon walls, brown for terrain and hazards, dark blue for features, and never use red (it stains the mat).
I had a real problem sourcing some UK based battle map resources, be it paper or re-usable mats. In the end I took the hit and ordered one of these. It's quite expensive but really is good providing you use dry wipe pens and don't stain it.
Obviously that wont help you for tomorrow but have you considered simply drawing the outline of the area itself on an A1 piece of blank paper? You can get them cheap enough from Ryman's or WHSmith and obviously won't have a grid on but from my experience once you're in the heat of combat no-one will really mind.
Looks exactly like this one I ordered a week or so ago.
All the other options are probably better, but Roleplaying mats or grids are always useful. Chessex is a solid for the price. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0015IQO2O/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1449084728&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=SX200_QL40&amp;keywords=rpg+grid+mat&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41i0qiG8fUL&amp;ref=plSrch
But there are other options out there as well.
Anyone have any ideas on gifts for the DM/player who has it all?
I was one of the oddballs that started playing D&D on 4e and moved to 5e. And honestly, 4e wasn't as bad as many people make it out to be if, and this is the big if, you are fine with doing a lot of mental calculations and tracking of abilities. This edition turned virtually everyone into casters, which means you can customize your character's combat identity to be exactly what you want no matter what your class, but makes you essentially a muscle-wizard, magic-wizard, sneaky-wizard, etc.
Level ups are crazy, too, requiring you to recalculate almost every stat on your character. The power creep is real in that edition, and you will eventually become an unkillable force of nature. No, seriously, epic destinies in that game often go "You hunt gods for fun, and respawn unharmed 6 seconds after you die."
However, to your original question, combat can easily be done using anything to represent your characters: we used everything from pogs to minis to coins. A battlegrid is still a life-saver, and I'd recommend biting the bullet and getting something like this. Otherwise, prepare to use a lot of paper for crudely drawn maps, because you pretty much need a grid for that edition.
And the good thing is you can use that mat for any other edition as well. And personally, I would actually recommend starting with 5e unless you're all engineering types who have fun with math and like the epic-hero power fantasy, or have some experienced players who can help teach the rules of combat. Otherwise combat, even at level 1, would take forever. My first group was a bunch of engineers and math minors at college, so we enjoyed the number crunch, and the DM and 2 of the 5 knew the system already.
Solutions I've used in the past:
There are tons of options, and you can do whatever works for you.
If you're looking for beginner friendly then I have to suggest the 5th edition. Since the core books are still being released it's not as bloated as the other editions. It also helps that the basic rules are available online for free.
To start, you can grab the Starter Set. It includes pre-made characters and an intro adventure (careful, it's notoriously difficult).
For grids, I've fallen in love with the Chessex Megamat. It uses wet-erase markers and is top quality, sturdy stuff.
The last thing you'd need is dice for everybody.
Good luck!
28" 70" is a weird shape. Most playmats are closer to square.
You could get a standard 34" 48" mat (like http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IUAAG/) and cut it in half to get two 34" 24" pieces that added lengthwise would be 24" 68" that's not far off from what you're looking for.
The other option is just to get raw material of the type you'd like the surface to have and cut it to shape yourself. You can search for stuff like "poker table felt" and you'll find raw material in the size you'd nee to cut to size.
I'm not an ultra-light packer by any means, but the dice might be worth their weight because of their intrinsic novelty value and entertainment for kids, who might not really enjoy the tabletop / roleplay if it's way too spartan / basic. I know even my adult friends like the RP experience with some embellishment. I use a roll-up map like this one with some markers to help draw out the situation as we go and some folding paper "figurines."
Maybe use a dice roller app on your phone with a nice animation, but some cheap clear dice or mini-dice might be worth taking.
Also, "ranger beads" or pace-counting beads can pull double duty for keeping count of things. You can use regular coins or currency to sub in for Fate Points and other things.
chessex battle mat
http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IUAAG
you need to use wet erase (which is surprisingly hard to find) (crayola washable markers work really well)
mats are cheap and super high quality. I bought two. No regrets
The Chessex ones on Amazon are pretty reliable and ready to clean.
Chessex Role Playing Play Mat: MEGAMAT Double-Sided Reversible Mat for RPGs and Miniature Figure Games - 34 1/2in x 48in https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0015IUAAG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_II0NzbAZG0FAE
This has been one of my best friends. This and a couple of wet erase markers and you're golden. Just don't let anyone spill their beer.
I believe I use a Chessex mat, 4'' by 3' I think. It was a touch expensive when I bought it as a poor college kid, but it's lasted for well over a decade and has seen plenty of use.
Here's more or less what I use - http://www.amazon.com/Chessex-Role-Playing-Play-Mat/dp/B0015IUAAG/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1368969213&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=chessex+battlemat
Mine doesn't have the hexes on the back and I'm certain I paid more than $30 for it so it looks like prices have come down on them.
I've also seen people make their own, but usually it's out of whiteboard material and I like the ability to roll up the Chessex for storage.
I use Vis-a-Vis wet erase markers for drawing on it. The multiple colors are useful for differentiating terrain and whatnot. Only thing is that you need to erase it each night because if you leave the marker on it for a few days it sort of taints/stains the mat. The stains eventually come out (I think re-writing on the mat with marker must lift the pigment out from the previous use when you clean the new marks), but it's sort of irritating to mess with.
We take picture of battles if we end up having to call time in the middle of a battle due to work the next day.
I bought this product from amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B0015IUAAG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
You write on it with wet erase pens (like you use for a OHP). I can draw the dungeon map out ahead of the session and bring the mat along with me. The pen won't come off unless you use a wet cloth, so no worries transporting it. Then I just cover unexplored areas with sheets of paper, removing them as the player move through the dungeon. I find it a lot easier to have all the drawing done before hand, so we don't waste time with me drawing stuff out.
Bonus is that it has hexes on the back, so I can actually have two maps drawn out and ready, or use the reverse for improv maps and encounters which I can sketch out quickly.
Plus it's almost 3x4 foot, so loads of room to draw out a decent sized dungeon!
I personally don't want anything, but I want to get this for my wife because she's been in a gaming mood lately and we're running low on "new-ish" games to play with friends.
Congrats for getting trained like a boss!
Favorite game right now is probably Insurgency. I'm also really into Blade and Soul (my first MMO). Favorite game of all time is probably Europa Universalis IV, though Civilization IV and V are close behind. For "board" games, my current top game would be Dominion. My law school friends play this all the time. Personally, I would prefer to be playing Risk, but I like playing with my friends.
http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-RGG370-Dominion/dp/B001JQY6K4/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1449772210&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=dominion <Enter> It isn't a bad price, was on sale last week for just $19.99. If you want a full review I did one on Episode 5 of my podcast and that will be up on Friday. www.soundcloud.com/twoboardguyspodcast
I new into board games and love playing them, right now Dominion is my favorite.
I'm sorry I have no good way to show my crappy handwriting. so here is a puppy
Based on what you've written, I would recommend Dominion, for 28 dollars here on Amazon.
Dominion is a great standalone game, but it also has a wealth of (mostly) excellent expansions, so it's a game she can play for a very long time. It's easy to learn and teach, and it scales decently well from 2-4 players.
If she doesn't have any deckbuilders, Dominion invented and, in my opinion, perfected the genre. It's an absolutely superb game, and I've logged at least 200 plays with my different sets and expansions. And if she does, Dominion is still the best one around.
If you're interested in getting your wife to try games, try something you can both play together cooperatively. I've had good luck with Forbidden Island which is an amazing game for its price. Basically, you're all (or both) running around an island that is gradually sinking into the sea, trying to recover the four legendary treasures and meet up back at the helicopter before the entire island sinks. Maybe move on to Forbidden Desert after a while, which is a little more complicated, or its even more complicated older brother, Pandemic.
While cruising on my pet dolphins in the wide open ocean, I stumbled upon [this forbidden island.](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003D7F4YY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=2PJTIZ18O1UEU&amp;coliid=I1QLGSPFV0PKZT](http://www.amazon.com/dp/B003D7F4YY/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&amp;colid=2PJTIZ18O1UEU&amp;coliid=I1QLGSPFV0PKZT) It is imperative that I recover all the treasure before it is lost among the sinking island.
Most non-gamers prefer cooperative games.
Here are a couple of my favorites:
Pandemic - https://www.amazon.com/Z-Man-Games-7021ZMG-Pandemic/dp/B0013OBXG2
Forbidden Island - https://www.amazon.com/Gamewright-317-Forbidden-Island/dp/B003D7F4YY
Alternatively:
Descent is great for taking a step into rpgs/hack & slash - http://www.theboardgamefamily.com/2013/01/descent-journeys-in-the-dark-second-edition-board-game-review/
Or you my check out the other games reviewed here:
http://www.theboardgamefamily.com/all-game-reviews/cooperative-games/
Settlers of Catan is fantastic for people who like dice games and is a fun competitive game. Another great crowd game is SuperFight.
If you like more racy fun & games: Cards Against Humanity or Joking Hazard are awesome.
Edit: Formatting
And it's currently dirt cheap (< $11) on Amazon!
I had the opposite problem, where my players would sit and talk and strategize and talk about every move together like it was a co-op game and every turn would take 2+ minutes.
So I came down strict with the actual rules of the game which is that your character is allowed to speak for 6 seconds during your turn and only during your turn.
This made the game move a lot more quickly, and it still allowed them to communicate together as they'd shout out things to each other during battle.
Questions out of game like "would I know player X was just stabbed?" would not count, as this is out of character and is a general out of character question about the game world... asking what their character would know. Stuff like that is always fair, IMO.
I think if you see this as a problem that needs fixing, you should sit your players down and talk about it. I'd look into picking up a cheap/easy co-op game like Forbidden Island (https://smile.amazon.com/Gamewright-317-Forbidden-Island/dp/B003D7F4YY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1506451508&amp;sr=8-2&amp;keywords=forbidden+island), (which is like the easy version of Pandemic, a pretty popular board game), and have them play that together to get used to working together and communicating a bit more.
However, if it's not actually a problem... meaning their fun is not being diminished by it... then I wouldn't worry too much about it and just think about folks like me who have the opposite problem and how the grass is always greener.
Or $12.59 on Amazon!
forbidden island is only $15: http://amzn.com/B003D7F4YY
it's pretty easy to understand, and is a simple intro into collaborative board games (everyone is on the same 'team'. you all play against the game).
>So you like a modular board, player interaction, different win conditions (each viable at different times), and player interaction...
If you like those things, and you also like strong narratives then I'd suggest Betrayal At House On The Hill. It's a fantastic procedurally generated game, whose board and win conditions is different every time you play! The game is semi co-operative, where everyone works together through the first stage of the game before a player is revealed as an antagonist with their own set of win conditions.
The games setting is a mysterious old victorian house, where the players are a "scooby-doo"-esque group of characters investigating it one dark evening. The narrative changes every game based on where players are in the house when certain events happen, and stories range from lovecraftian terror to Stephen King like horror.
It's very replayable and creates some great tension both at the challenge of winning but also among the players themselves. I love this game! Give it a look!
Munchkins (original). It's more of a 'make fun of' fantasy theme game. But it is a dungeon crawler and super simple to learn.
Betrayal at House on the Hill. Great game and a group favorite of ours.
Betrayal at House on the Hill is awesome, and the replay value is incredible. A little expensive, but I don't know if I've ever made a better board game purchase.
Duh. You have a bunch of fucking nerds in Wall Street now, this isn't the 1980s.
Plus Catan, Dead of Winter, Betrayal at House on the Hill is pretty dope you should try it out faggot
>Plus Catan, Dead of Winter, Betrayal at House on the Hill is pretty dope
Get that normie trash outta here
I grabbed a bunch of things off my various wishlists that were added for being neat and/or kinda weird. Some are silly things to just look at, and others are things I might actually get one day.
Coolest decoration: Senior Woman with Asthma Inhaler Peel and Stick Wall Decal
Coolest Clothing: Surrender Sweater
Coolest Skincare Item: Milky Piggy Bubble Mask or Twoosong Proplis Sparkeling Ampoule
Coolest Board Game: Betrayal at House on the Hill (it's $30.30, sue me)
Coolest Pet Toy: Cat DJ Deck
Coolest Book: The Morbid Anatomy Anthology
Coolest Shoes: Floral Pumps ($30 after shipping oops)
Coolest Food: Gjetost Goat Cheese
Now I I'm not saying anything. But I would like to direct everyone's attention to this, https://www.amazon.com/Betrayal-At-House-Hill-2nd/dp/B003HC9734/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1539572442&amp;sr=8-1&amp;pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&amp;keywords=betrayal+house+on+the+hill&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=51B5pW%2B2aRL&amp;ref=plSrch
Have you checked out Betrayal at House on the Hill? Doesn't get much less linear than randomly choosing rooms to explore from a deck of tiles. It has some character development. It's cooperative for 3-5 players. Each player picks a character and each character has (I think) 4 stats that can be altered by entering different rooms and fighting monsters, and it has a deck of equipment cards you find while exploring the mansion that change the combat and can really make a difference. The big draw is the betrayal half of the game. There are if I remember correctly 30 different betrayal scenarios that play out depending on which room it started in and which Omen card was drawn that turn. I think that meets some of your criteria.
I'd never heard of Night in the Woods but will check it out.
If you have any like-minded people, I might suggest picking up the board game Betrayal At House On The Hill (I know this is a US link, but it's mostly so you can see what it looks like!)
It's tons of cheesy Halloween fun as long as you can rustle up another three people or so.
I completely agree though, October is the best!
Bookmaze does one every Monday. Went once, it was a friendly collection of people and I learned about a lot of really nifty board games. This one was my favorite, lots of replay value actually.
Woah I've never seen anyone giving away new tires on here! I loved the burnout series on PS2. Favorite series other than SOCOM back then.
I don't know what kind of table top games youre into but These both are pretty excellent
Shadow Hunters
Betrayal at House on Haunted Hill
Board games are the best games...! I have a group of friends (about 10 people) that loveee playing board games, so I've tried quite a few..! Though having only 2 people for the board game is really limiting, I think most games are like 3 minimum TqT
I'm not sure what your budget is but I'm going to list a few that I've enjoyed (I'm a gamer that played RTS and TD games too! P.S. you should check out sanctum 2 on steam for an interactive tower defense game)
My first suggestion would be
Betrayal at the House on the Hill: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Avalon-Hill-266330000WOC-Betrayal-House/dp/B003HC9734/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1452695169&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=Betrayal+at+the+house+on+the+hill
Jaipur is a card game recommendation, but it's for 2 players!
Agricola is another good game!
*http://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/31260/agricola
Most of these games are pretty short if you want it to be!! Check them out for sure!
I would play board games with youuuuu!
I love both boardgames and The Walking Dead! Whaaaaaaat!? Aw, yeah. :P
This is my favorite boardgame. Its amazing! I'll write out a sentence in a few.
Amazon.ca currently has Betrayal at House on the Hill for $40, with free shipping.
Here's the exact mat I use.
Upgraded the Starter Set a little bit!
In total, there is:
Aaaand.. that's pretty much it! Add some pen, pencil, eraser (and when I laminate the grid, some eraseable markers) and you are good to go! I'd probably add some character descriptor slips in the future with name, AC, saves and etc. to hang on the screen and use as initiative trackers, plus some general dice (I forgot to include them in the picture, but I always carry a 36-set of d6's for.. general purpose.. using them as enemies on the grid, for example.
I use a dry-erase game mat, but you can also use standard graph paper, or gaming paper.
I've been using the Paizo Flip Mats. The basic grid is half the cost of the Chessex vinyl mats and works with both dry and wet erase markers. The downside is they are folded cardboard so you have to deal with creases popping up for a while. The creases broke in after running a couple games on both sides for a few months, and I find it convenient to store them folded along with my books.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishng-Inc-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat/dp/1601255381/
Possibly something like this? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601255381/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1
hopefully the link works
I used 1"x1" paper squares I cut out myself with numbers on them at first. Then when I had some money, I bought the Pathfinder Pawns for minis. I use them for 5e so they don't match up perfectly, but it's enough to just tell my players "This is X monster" or whatever. Someone else is probably going to mention this too, but if you want miniatures for characters or whatever, boardgames like Talisman or the DnD ones are your best bet for cheap-ish minis. You get a bunch (For example, Talisman comes with ~14 minis your players can use) for relatively less than you'd pay to get them individually.
Maps wise, if you have access to Photoshop (never used GIMP) you can make grid lines overlay on whatever you draw. You can also find these online or in stores. 1" square graph paper is good if you don't want to buy a Chessex Battlemat, though I'd highly recommend it and some wet-erase markers. Those things last for years and they're super useful if you don't mind wiping off the map a few times a session.
Something cheap would be the Pathfinder Pawns. There's the Bestiary Box 1-5, NPC Codex, and Monster Codex. They don't take up much space and are easy to store. They pretty much have a large variety of everything.
If you're looking for 3D minis I would recommend Bones minis.
Pathfinder Pawns are a very good alternative to plastic minis. They won't have some of the more iconic D&D baddies like Beholders, but that is a minor complaint. I also use the Paizo battle mats but that is just because I got them for free somewhere. I lay a piece of plexi-glass over the map and just use a dry erase marker on the plexi. Way easier to clean up than the maps.
Tome of Beasts is a great supplement full of 5e monsters.
I like using the Dungeon Crawl Classics dice set. It is a simple, fun way to have "unique" monsters or abilties that roll odd dice to hit or for damage. Players always get a kick out of using something like a D30 when they roll to attack.
You could get the Pathfinder Pawns boxes
Play around with the tiles a bit to see if you like them! You can go as deep down the rabbit hole as you want, to be honest. The common consensus is that simple eraserboard tiles/maps work great as the workhorse for drawing out combat areas. These kinds of tiles are really useful because you can simulate line of sight/closed doors/etc by not placing down your tiles until your players advance further in. And you can draw features on the tiles to represent things in the area that are important.
I like to incorporate these blank tiles with other terrain that I've made or purchased as a way to make "filler" tiles. Say you have some city tiles that work for an encounter, but you need a walkway between two buildings or you need an alley between two buildings or something. You can place the blank tiles down, then place your city tiles on top and tell your players "the white space is an alley between these two buildings." Or in a recent game I had a small shrine in the wilderness where the party was attacked by a predator that was stalking them. I set up my blank tiles and put the terrain that represented the shrine on the table. Now the blank tiles represented the forest around the shrine.
I think it's better to start with stuff like this than it is to spend a bunch of money/time on Dwarven Forge or Hirst Arts specially made terrain. Over time, if you have the money and interest, you can eventually build up a collection of whatever kind of terrain you want. But for now, start with things that will be useful almost all of the time and are relatively cheap.
If you're looking to go three dimensional with your terrain/accessories, I can't recommend papercraft terrain like Fat Dragon Games makes enough.
As far as minis go, you have a LOT of options. WotC sells blind-box miniatures boxes that have decent quality, prepainted minis. And there are sites like Miniature Market and Troll & Toad where you can buy the specific miniatures you want. You also have a massive variety of unpainted miniatures you can use. The D&D officially branded Nolzur's miniatures are high quality and well-regarded. I also highly recommend the Reaper Bones line of minis. The quality is slightly worse than the Nolzur line, but the variety and price are difficult to argue with.
One option I don't see mentioned enough are "flat" miniatures. Pathfinder has a box set of popular monsters printed on cardstock that you put on stands to represent what the players are fighting. I've also seen plastic versions of these which I have never purchased, but Sly Flourish speaks highly of. If you do some googling I'm sure you can find tons more resources for printable "paper miniatures."
Hope this helps!
A lot of people use Pathfinder Pawns as a less expensive alternative. They don't match up 100%, but the Bestiary Box gives you most of the basic monsters. I've built up a collection of 3D minis now, but I still use mine to supplement. And if there's a specific monster I'm still missing, I can print out the artwork and carefully tape it over the right size pawn to improvise.
> min bekanta! I started filling this in but when I got to question 4 I realized something was wrong. Smallest storage option of 200 miniatures? That box would be huge! Not to speak of a 1000! What am I missing?
It's for papper pawns
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616
Well if you're interested here's the link to the first one on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishing-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616
Don't overdo it. I'd save buying most stuff until you have a feel for how you want to actually run the game. Most of us have piles of unused crap we bought because it sounded good. It's really easy to get caught up in the ephemera and make a game that is way too daunting to new players.
&#x200B;
I'd buy the starter set, some dice, notepads (assuming your kids are the type to take notes) and leave it at that. The only other thing I might consider would be a box of monster tokens, like this. There are tokens in there for everything in the manuals and plenty of options that can be used for player characters. I wouldn't worry about whiteboards, grids, playmats and such. Just treat the base as 5' and let your players 'hop' the pieces to count distance.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616
Not quite models
I rarely care for the monster menagerie minis, they thend to have awful quality and paint jobs. Which for mass produced painted minis, I guess its to be expected.
If you want some minis that aren't bad at all, while not painted the Reaper Bones minis and the Nolzur’s Marvelous Miniatures are two really nice lines for their prices, and for the most part are quite durable. Overall though they can be more expensive than the random box minis, but they tend to me quite worth it.
One thing that you might be interested in is Hero Forge while they are not cheap, you can custom make your own humanoid minis, which is always a nice surprise for PCs. I don't recommend their $15 plastic though, like I said it can be kinda pricey for minis.
EDIT: I almost forgot! Pathfinder Beastiary Box is great for bulk cheap figures. There not minis, but it can sure beat paying $30 bucks for that one monster.
Did you consider buying Pathfinder pawns? I use them a lot. The first box has the most common monsters.
&#x200B;
Then,e every time I need more in number or variety I simply create them using Gimp, print them, glue them to cardboard and stick them to the the bases that come with the pathfinder pawns. Im pretty happy with this approach. hope it helps
There are a ton of good Board games out there. My girl friend and I really enjoy Carcassonne (This is usually on sale, we got it for around $50 so watch the price) It is a tile laying game so each time you play it it changes. You score points by completing roads and cities. The one I linked to has 5 expansions with it. With all 5 expansions the game can take a long time, plus there are a fair amount of rules. It took us with 5 players almost 4 hours to go through one game. There are also videos on youtube of the game.
Then there is Settlers of Catan. I got this game for Christmas. It is kind of a more luck game since there are Dice rolls involved unlike Carcassonne which is all based on laying pieces but with some luck at drawing the right ones. You make cities and roads and you try to get to a set number of points before others do. Points come from how mnay cities you havem longest road, biggest army and so on. There are also expansions to this game, but the downside is that it is 3-4 players, so if you just want to sit down with one other person you can't really play it. They do sell expansions for 5-6 players and are around $16 on amazon. The three expansions cost about the same price as the game (about $33), but they add just as much if not more content then the original game. There are also tons of videos on Youtube about this game and the different expansions. They do an overview of what each one is.
I think you are getting this, this and this because DUH, board games! Cold toes.
Notables include:
Catan
Mage Knight
Trains
and various Munchkin expansions!
I have never found anyone that didn't like Settlers of Catan. It takes more thinking than your basic Monopoly or Clue game, but is by no means dry or full of intense strategising. It's ultra fun. Carcassone and Munchkin as well. Yes, they look nerdy, but I have many friends from various walks of life (from the jock to the hipster to the nerd) and they all love these games.
I would second the idea for board game nights. My friends and I love playing board games. Not like Monopoly, but more involved games like:
If they're not too much to carry, you might enjoy the board/tile games Carcasonne and/or Settlers of Catan
Speed Scrabble is pretty portable (this is marketed now as the game Banangrams), since you just need the tiles.
It's a convenient way to invite strangers to be social with you, too, on those long rides.
Setters of catan? fun and addicting, and for 3-4 players so you three can play. :)
I agree with /u/ceethreepio. I would be interested in a cover that tells the story of what I'm going to do in the game. Like the Settlers of Catan cover (exploring a new land full of resources) or the [Terraforming Mars cover](https://cf.geekdo-images.com/imagepage/img/sgZLoyg3KKeHvyHel8tZ2TIkXRw=/fit-in/900x600/filters:no_upscale()/pic3536616.jpg) (planting trees in a hostile environment) or the [7 Wonders cover](https://cf.geekdo-images.com/imagepage/img/iCiVQ8UnKtO4wt9wBYS51_DXTFo=/fit-in/900x600/filters:no_upscale()/pic860217.jpg) (building a city full of wondrous structures) or even the Monopoly cover (rolling dice and making deals).
It looks like what I'm looking at is the characters I can choose to play as. If I am somehow looking at the mechanics (i.e. these are different people I can send stuff to), I would want to see them in action, doing the thing that they do in the game. Otherwise, it's not super captivating as a cover.
I'm actually not sure if this is a minstream game but Ive always wanted to try catan. If thats too mainsteam, another game Id like to play is go.
This is the mat I use, a.k.a. the classic.
Recently I've been playing on the hex grid, modifying some rules to use it for combat. It's handy to have both, and I've had this mat for ~8 years now and it's holding up strong.
There actually is a great battlemat you can buy
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishng-Inc-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat/dp/1601255381
It's cheap, uses expo marker, cleans easily and double sided for dirt and stone terrain. It's pretty damn big and definitely big enough for a big dungeon crawl. You can just quickly doodle in terrain and what not AND if you've extra space, you can create multiple arenas on both sides if you're going theater of mind when it's not combat.
You don't have to be Michelangelo and paint the Sistine Chapel everytime. Tell your buddies that you're pretty butt at drawing and quickly doodle terrain and make sure you tell them what's what. Like what angular circle crap are rocks and the poofy clouds are trees.
Why the aversion to dry erase? Is it just a size thing? If so, this bad boy is 23.5" by 26" so is decently sized. There's also this guy by Paizo (which I use) that folds up to be roughly the same size as a 5e rulebook (except not as thick obviously) I keep mine in my bookbag with my notes and rulebooks
If you want to play with minis without breaking the bank, I would highly recommend Pathfinder Pawns, specifically Bestiary Box 1 since it has a lot of general mythological creatures that'll fit the monsters in the free PDFs.
In regards to combat, I'm going to copy and paste an earlier comment of mine, and hopefully it helps you steer your decision-making:
I regularly DM for a group of 7, and another group of 4. I love theater of mind, but thoroughly enjoy the boardgame aspect of the grid. Here's my experience and advice.
My tips for theater of mind:
My tips for doing battlemaps on the cheap:
So I just ran a session in Death House and also felt the need to use visual aids just to let the players get their bearings. We did theatre of the mind combat, if only because the spaces were too confined for minis to really be necessary or even helpful, but I traced a VERY rudimentary map as they moved through the house so they could better picture their choices and where they were.
There ended up being a whiteboard available in the space, but I had brought a pathfinder flip-mat for the same purpose. (And it would work just as well. I plan to use it for when we DO use minis in combat.)
This is the mat I have, though I got mine from our local game store.
I see people on this sub talk about the paizo flip mats a lot, they're even cheaper Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Basic https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601255381/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_jlq6ybMX5RJS8
Have you looked into a Paizo flip-mat? Folds up nicely.
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-PZOSQW30024-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat/dp/1601255381
Invest $15 in a flip mat. Folds up to fit in a book and works with wet or dry-erase markers. (Also available in other colors.)
I got an inexpensive dry-erase grid map from Amazon. I can draw an encounter map, or the players can use it for exploring and mapping. Pathfinder Flip-Mat: Basic https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601255381/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_--qWBb2ZC8P3H
I currently use this: https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-PZOSQW30024-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat/dp/1601255381/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1538834403&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=pathfinder+flip-mat
They also make a larger one and a one with various different terrains.
Pathfinder Mat. 24x30, 1" grid, dry erase, both sides usable and have different background colors, $12.99 on Amazon Prime.
Best advice I can give you on maps is getting yourself one of these,
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishng-Inc-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat/dp/1601255381/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1488077721&amp;sr=8-1-fkmr0&amp;keywords=pathfinder+dry+erase+map
These are super worth it, and if you take care of it one will last you a long time.
As for tokens, the cheapest option is probably to find some art that you like on google or something, print it out, and then mount it on a piece of cardboard. Some double sided tape, a cereal box, scissors, and a color printer is all you need.
Heres what I do. IMO its the cheapest and most agile way.
I place a one inch grid mat (erasable) at the center of the table.
I do theater of mind for everything except combat. Do NOT try to use a map just to walk down empty hallways, or in a forest, or anything.
Im not running a premade module so combat can happen almost anywhere. So if they got into a bar fight, I would just make up a bar on the spot. I would not try to draw all the tables and chairs. I would simple give a floor plan (and doors, counters, etc). I would be describing the room in detail while I drew it and play from there.
However, if I do know where combat will happen, and its not just "outside" I usually make a map beforehand (these are given to you by the module). Again, I do not draw the whole thing. Just the room they are in if they get into a fight. Maybe an adjacent room, if they retreat. Everything else can be described.
As for enemies, I have some minis. But not nearly enough for everything they fight. So I usually just use representational minis. A little guy can be anything from a knight to a lich. And this lion? Now its a lamia. And this 3 inch square of paper? A hydra.
It cheap, its fast, you dont have to worry about "what if they go somewhere Im not prepared for". The only change I might make is to also use 1 inch grid easel paper for rooms I know for certain the party will have combat in. Or if there is a particularly interesting puzzle that needs some spatial reasoning. I will transfer it from my "whole dungeon level" map to the easel paper, room by room. But again, only if the room would take too long to draw on the erasable mat.
Some people do ridiculous physical builds, and thats awesome and all. But it also takes a lot of money to buy them, hours and hours every week setting up, and worst of all, at least for the way I run it, it kinda forces the party to use a given area.
One dice set for each player is a great idea. You can actually find decent dice lot for a reasonable price. Sharing dice set is a pain and slows down the pace. Plus, the bag I linked has actually 20 sets, so you can actually lend or give your players more than one (that helps for when you need to roll more than one of a certain type of die).
&#x200B;
Miniatures, as stated by others are a question of preference. Depending on system, I either use the theater of the mind (this is great, even the best with creative players) alone or, for when it is more tactical, I use tokens. For years I used chess pieces as tokens for both heroes and foes. It is only recently that I switched to paper mini (I made them stand with binder clips), and am moving slowly to real miniatures that I paint as I feel it is more immersive. Although using tokens of any kind will put you in need of some sort of playing mat. You could easily print 1 inch squares on paper, use a chess board (it's too little to my taste). If your family gets hooked, you can invest in a playing mat later on.
&#x200B;
What you might or might not need is this tip: don't forget it is your (as in your family and you) game, and fun is the purpose. If you are ever in a position you are not certain about a rule, don't pause the game to search it. Improvise. If it is at players' advantage all the better. They don't feel cheated this way and you can always add a lurking goblins if you feel the need to tip the scale a bit. They will never know you added them because you will never tell them (game masters have to keep those illusions!).
One way is to print it yourself! Just print 1" graph paper on standard sheets of paper, which is darned cheap.
I use Flip-Mats, which I just discovered are Pathfinder products. No matter. They're plastic-coated heavy card stock that can take both wet-erase and dry-erase markers, and fold out from 8"x11" to 27"x39". I draw "permanent" terrain (walls, etc.) in wet-erase markers beforehand, then use dry-erase for doors and to mark other destructible parts of the environment. After the game, I wipe it all down with a wet paper towel and it's all gone with no visible residue.
My problem with paper is that I end up going through a lot of it, and the Flip-Mats have lasted years.
Being somewhat of a DnD noob myself, I think some things that might help are maps, miniature figures, and dice. I love being able to see where people and creatures are in combat. I think it helps with the immersion into the world. When I started playing (a month or so ago) our DM had miniatures he bought from his group in the army. Seeing them made me start buying Reaper miniatures and painting them myself.
For a group of people, this set of dice works. You get 20 sets and a bag for $30. They're not the best dice, but they work.
To start, I'd recommend the pathfinder flip mat, as it's cheaper and easier to carry around than the (somewhat nicer) chessex rolled-up kind.
For minis you could try out Paizo's Pawns, originally for fantasy Pathfinder, but now they also have them for their new sci-fi game Starfinder, which would of coarse likely translate better to Star Wars. Heres a decent collection for the Core Rulebook that is currently out (and includes ships), and a bigger one for the Alien Archive which is due out in October.
This is a decent and inexpensive battle map, the Pathfinder Flip Mat, though I prefer the Chessex Battlemat myself.
For when I'm travelling by air for fun, all I have with me are:
&#x200B;
==Carry-on Travel Kit==
&#x200B;
If I'm "home travelling", I'm usually going to my FLGS to DM Adventurer's League. I carry more gear to make the table nicer for my players. I use two document folders with the main gear, and optional kits for maps, minis, and player handouts. I'd carry this same gear if I was explicitly travelling to DM a Con or Epic.
&#x200B;
==Primary==
DM Kit (Game play)
I carry two of these document holders. One is larger than the other, and in the larger one I have:
&#x200B;
Module Kit
My FLGS prefers non-digital tools at the table (and so do I), so I carry in a folder:
&#x200B;
==Optional==
Maps
I carry them in an A3 art sleeve.
&#x200B;
DM Kit (Adventurer's League Handouts)
In the smaller document holder, I have:
&#x200B;
Mini Kits
If I take minis, all of my minis have small magnets drilled & glued into the base. I then put them into small plastic tubs with metal plates I've screwed & glued in place. This video was inspiration.
&#x200B;
===
All of the carry items are in a canvas tote bag.
All up I have the two boxes and the module kit in the tote bag over the shoulder; the mini kit under one arm; and the A3 map sleeve in my off hand.
Super convenient, and can be pared down to just my carry on kit in a pinch.
My solution?
http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Basic/dp/1601255381/
Or even better, the 2-pack http://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Basic-Terrain-Multi-Pack/dp/1601255578/
I can't believe these aren't more popular. I love mine - dry erase is so much easier and faster than wet erase!
How much does it cost you to print / laminate this? I'm guessing it will probably be more expensive than a simple flip mat such as this one: http://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishing-Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Basic/dp/1601255381 (although it's just 24x30, so you'll need at leest two of those to get to your required dimensions)
I found mine at the local gaming store but I live in a major city at the moment.
The one I use is the "Pathfinder Flip Mat Basic"
https://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Flip-Mat-Basic-Paizo-Publishing/dp/1601255381
One of my mates just prints a 1'^2 grid on A4 and draws on them, and another buys 1'^2 grid butcher paper on a roll.
My option was more expensive in the outset, but I want to reduce my waste so I feel the erasable markers and a reusable mat are creating less waste than non-erasable markers and a disposable roll of mat.
As far as erasable mats go, I opted for the less sturdy of the two options in my store, but it is easier to erase, doesn't require a solvent to clean. There are thicker mats which roll up and can be erased with a gentle solvent, but I thought this was a better option for now.
Ha forgot to put it: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1601255381/ref=ox_ya_os_product_refresh_T1
I use "pawns" from Pathfinder like these:
Pathfinder Pawns: Bestiary Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601255616/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7K7kDbE4HHMK6
Pathfinder Pawns: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1601255616/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.oWyDb5SHR1A7
I looked into a couple of options.
First are the DnD Board games. These are about the cheapest pre-made minis I found. Here
The second option was 3D printing. You can definitely get more bang for your buck, but there's a larger up front cost. You can get a low end 3D printer for something like $200-$300.
Third option was the Pathfinder Pawns. Not great, but they're cheap for a lot of them. Someone linked some printables elsewhere in the thread. These are nice because it's good art and a fairly high quality print. Downside is you're probably going to want two boxes. There's not quite enough of anything to cover large groups of mooks. Here
Fourth option I've seen is LEGO. Check out /r/legodnd for more ideas. If you have a bunch of stuff laying around, that can give you some ideas for stuff to do.
Overall, I think 3D printing is the way to go in the long run. It just requires a larger initial investment. It's also dependant on you finding or making your own patterns. The upside is it's fairly cheap and it's the most flexible option. You can 3D print pretty much anything you want. You also have the benefit of making scenery in addition to minis.
The dice linked will be good enough as each person will probably have two sets and you can roll and add up but if you need to make large rolls I use a dice rolling app named “Dice Ex Machina” it’s on IOS and I believe android and google store.
Regarding minis the 2d cutouts are quite nice and easy to use there is also a kinda blandish minifigure collection
SCS Direct Fantasy Creatures Action Figure Playset - 90pc Monster Battle Toy Collection (Includes Dragons, Wizards, Orcs, and More) - Perfect for Roleplaying and D&D Gaming https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0746TKNSL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n8apDb6TPTRBB
And the cutouts
Pathfinder Pawns: Bestiary Box https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601255616/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_h-apDbW0DB1MW
The mats you’re talking about sound great, I would probably just buy those
And the monster stats can be found on the website I linked, they can be printed or just used from the site and I would go out and got a pack of coloured markers to draw on the mats
This website has almost all monster and spell stats
You can buy minis to represent specific characters from adventure paths, like this one to represent Shalelu Andosana from Rise of the Runelords.
Other than that? An orc is an orc, of course, of course.
The cheapest way to get a bunch of minis is to get the Pathfinder starter box which comes with over 80 cardboard characters and monsters and the stands to use them. (You also get a dry erase, two sided map and some dice!) You can get even more cardboard minis for monsters and such here.
The 3D minis can be expensive. If you don't mind getting random tokens, you can get booster packs for under $20. You'll get 1 large creature and several medium/small creatures, all prepainted. If you want something more specific, you can try ebay or you can make your own at HeroForge. If you really don't mind, you can use anything from coins to rocks to legos.
Most of the battle mats I've seen are wet erase, and dry erase markers tend to stain them. If you want to use dry erase, I'd just get a basic whiteboard (which I did).
Figures can be kinda expensive, especially if you're looking for a lot of them. Back in the old days, we used to play with spare dice and coins. Each player tosses in a die they aren't using to represent themselves (easier to recognize the d12 that looks like the d20 you're rolling) and the DM either uses a bunch of random spare dice or pennies or something for the baddies.
If you really want to get into minis though, I'd suggest picking up things like this. They aren't "regulation" size or whatever. But they are cheaper than the real things. Considering you can buy this tube of 100 for the price of a single Reaper mini.
Or there are kits for some of the other games like Pathfinder, which is really just a generic store brand of 3.5e and the tokens work just fine.
Pathfinder also has a flat card miniatures equivalent to this, they can be found cheaply if you look around.
I bought pathfinder pawns. You have to be flexible about some of the monsters, but you get about 300 in a box for 40 bucks. https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1536690155&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=pathfinder+pawns
As for #7, I've got a whole list for you.
All the rules and supplements can be found online for free, as a lot of other answers says.
For the 'essential' I'd say a set of die per players, and some extra D20 for you. Additionnal die are nice, a small box of ~ 10 D6 is cheap and always usefull.
Character sheet (find the pdf for free and print it), pen and eraser (one for each players) are obvious.
For the extra stuff that is really nice to have but not essential : something to draw map and something that can be used as miniatures.
There is a lot of choice for this, depending on your budget. You can either draw the map on a paper every time you need it, but I highly recommend buying a battlemat (you can find them on a lot stores), you could also build one yourself.
For the miniatures, the 'real' 3D one are pretty expensive. It's something that I only use as a player for a long campaign (I just buy one mini that look like my character).
The pawn box are a cheaper alternative : monster , npc but it's still pricey. You can just use some stuff that you print, or build your own with some cardboard. Just be careful on the scale if you plan to use it with an 'official' map.
I was also in this boat recently, and I went with the Bestiary Box from Paizo. Basically, they're picture of monsters on sturdy cardboard that are held in these plastic holders. They feel a little cheap compared to actually 3D minis, but I feel they are the perfect balance between a large selection of monsters and affordability.
I do this too - if your printer has a straight-feed slot, where you can manually feed in sheets of paper and have them go straight through, you should consider getting some very heavy weight paper (CARD STOCK) or if you don't have manual feed, cover stock paper, which is thicker and more rigid. It will make this look a lot better.
For ease of storage, I also just do two sided or single sided pawns, making it a breeze to store a ton of them in a small space.
If you do ever have 36 dollars and you want to get like 300 professionally printed cardboard pawns with plastic bases to put them on, I highly recommend the pathfinder bestiary box. https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616
If you're ok with Paper minis then Printable Heroes are the best cheap solution that I've found.
I usually print them onto cardstock, cut out the silhouettes and "laminate" them with clear packing tape. They're not as great as plastic minis but they are considerably cheaper and still less labor intensive than unpainted minis, plus you get to pick which monsters and how many you need.
Paizo's Pathfinder Pawns are also pretty good. They're technically for Pathfinder, not D&D but the styles of the monsters are similar enough that it usually doesn't matter and the pawns are really nice for cardboard minis.
If you want to go all out I'd recommend these books:
https://www.amazon.com/Dungeons-Dragons-Monster-Rulebook-Roleplaying/dp/0786965614/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549840456&amp;sr=8-6&amp;keywords=dungeons+and+dragons
https://www.amazon.com/Xanathars-Guide-Everything-Wizards-Team/dp/0786966114/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549840456&amp;sr=8-10&amp;keywords=dungeons+and+dragons
https://www.amazon.com/Volos-Guide-Monsters-Wizards-Team/dp/0786966017/ref=sr_1_14?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549840456&amp;sr=8-14&amp;keywords=dungeons+and+dragons
Enough dice for you and whoever you're playing with:
https://www.amazon.com/Wiz-Dice-Pack-Random-Polyhedral/dp/B01KN7REWQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549840537&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=1+pound+of+dice
If you want minis:
https://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Roleplaying-Game-Codex-Pawns/dp/1601254725/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549840982&amp;sr=8-4&amp;keywords=monster+codex+box
https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=pd_sbs_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1601255616&amp;pd_rd_r=d89745e3-2d8a-11e9-bc59-4fcf3b72f982&amp;pd_rd_w=Ip8Jz&amp;pd_rd_wg=d87AF&amp;pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&amp;pf_rd_r=CQ2TM4MZQSVKFXX2GYRS&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=CQ2TM4MZQSVKFXX2GYRS
https://www.amazon.com/Pathfinder-Pawns-Villain-Codex-Box/dp/1601259255/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1549840982&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=monster+codex+box
I would reccomend this Pathfinder Pawns: Bestiary Box
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1601255616/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0XRIBb8E1M0TX they are card board cut outs of a bunch of monsters. 300 if i remember correctly. Lower level creatures typically come with multiples. I loved that the creatures have numbers which on the back of the box correspond to a list with its name. It made it easy for organising into ziplock bags to easily pull out later. They have several different box sets so if you want more humanoid monsters they have those as well. This box set was more than enough. Keep in mind though that wizards has certain creatures names under copyright aka the beholder. So the creature is a beholder but goes by eye monster instead.
Pathfinder pawns sets are great too if you can find them. There's an Npc set and a few bestiary sets. Also, there's purpose build grid maps for this sort of thing that you can draw on with whiteboard marker. Those things for me make the experience a little better as a dm. I'm sure my players appreciate the immersion it provides too.
pathfinder pawns bestiary box 1
grid map
Mini's can get pretty expensive depending on your budget. If you're looking to drop a couple hundred dollars you can get a pretty decent setup, but if you're like me and want to go cheap you can check out these [guys] (https://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishng-Inc-Pathfinder-Pawns/dp/1601255616/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1478136158&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=pathfinder+pawns)
They're super high quality for cardboard cutouts and the set brings a lot.
I use those for generic monsters and then I am going to attempt to 3d print the PC's and the important boss monsters.
Btw. This is what I'm talking about. https://www.amazon.de/dp/1601255616/?coliid=I100DD699K3IJL&colid=GWEI9E04HT3K&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
Wow! This looks awesome. http://www.amazon.com/Paizo-Publishing-Pathfinder-Pawns-Bestiary/dp/1601255616/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1451672278&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=pathfinder+pawns This box looks great - it says it has 300 monsters.
Chessex mega-mat or similar is a very worthy purchase for quickly drawing battle scenes.
I used LEGO figures but I had a huge collection. I'd save your money until you're ready to buy proper figurines for everyone -- find a cheap or free solution in the meantime. Getting proper miniatures is a huge plunge.
You can also check out Pathfinder pawns.
There are Starter Kit - Miniatures for sale, but it would better to purchase a complete box set of Fantasy Pawns or print your own paper miniatures from an online RPG resource .
&#x200B;
Good luck!
Here's what I'd do if I had to rebuild a collection from scratch for $1k trying to have a wide variety of play styles:
7 Wonders $32.99
Agricola $45.79
Battlestar Galactica $39.97
Carcassonne $30.02
Carcassonne Inns & Cathedrals$15.71
Dixit $22.65
Dominion Big Box $69.18 Prosperity is one of the best expansions; Alchemy is not, but you're pretty much getting it for free in this set.
Eclipse $61.49 It wouldn't be a board game library without a 4X game, and I think Eclipse is the best currently.
Eldritch Horror $40.47 - I love Arkham Horror, but Eldritch streamlines a lot of the fiddly rules of the original.
Formula D [$41.96] (http://www.amazon.com/Asmodee-FDUSASM-Formula-D/dp/2914849648/ref=sr_1_1?s=toys-and-games&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1395757676&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=formula+d)
Gloom $17.98
Guillotine $13.52
King of Tokyo $30.19
Love Letter $9.34
Memoir 44 $47.43
No Thanks! $9.98
Pandemic $31.65
Power Grid $32.27
Puerto Rico [$31.20] (http://www.amazon.com/Rio-Grande-Games-195RGG-Puerto/dp/B00008URUT/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1395756360&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=puerto+rico)
Race for the Galaxy $24.11
Resistance, The $17.99
Roborally $37.49
Settlers of Catan $37.99
Telestrations $19.99 Awesome and funny party game. My friends and I eventually tire of Apples to Apples or Cards Against Humanity, but seldom do so with this.
Ticket to Ride $37.24
Ticket to Ride 1910 Expansion $18.21
Tsuro $24.22
Twilight Struggle $49.98
Village $35.47
Wits & Wagers $19.99
That comes up to $946.47; room for a couple more expansions or another game.
2.This game is so fun.
Thanks for this contest!(:
boardgames/cardgames:
I recommend Gloom, castle panic, Munchkin (though if he's into boardgames and card games he might already have these)
Edit: also smallworld, settlers,
I'm interested. I have the game + Multiplayer expansion..
That is the same art as in the Catalan edition, the latest Spanish edition and any other new edition I've seen. Your last "English" Catan (is the same publisher in Britain as in the US?) may be a reedition, not really a new edition, based in the old original edition.
How does your US edition look like? Like this, maybe? http://www.boardgamegeek.com/image/14216/the-settlers-of-catan
That's the old edition. Newer editions are like the one you link. Even in English. http://www.amazon.com/MayFair-Games-MFG3061-Settlers-Catan/dp/B000W7JWUA
Edit: seen your update. Now I see what you mean. It seems MayFair games last edition does not follow standards. They have tiles from last standard edition, but pieces from previous ones. Maybe they had too many wooden pieces in stock?
lol, this is a board game =)
I think it can be reinforced this way, but I feel that a lot of the asking of "why?" can be important for students, albeit annoying at times for teachers, and that may not come up in the same way with games(Though it also might).
Beyond this, there are students who do desire to continue with mathematics after the basic high school curriculum, and many of them do not really know that until after they complete some higher-level math courses like Calculus. So the math is still important.
That being said, I love bringing games in to the classroom. Though I typically stay away from anything advertised as a "math game." Instead, I bring games that I like, but in which mathematical concepts can be found. Some examples I've used in class include: Set, Mao, The Great Dalmuti, Settlers of Catan, and Formula D.
The Game of Things is a pretty great group game.
Settlers of Catan is a lot of fun but it only fits 4 people, if need be people can double up on teams.
Yes, I read the comments. Anyways, doesn't matter too much which one he destroyed. The price of the card table I found on Amazon is $38.37 (with Amazon Prime), and the price of Catan is $37.99.
He could have torn up the board game. Maybe they just had a budget of $40 and couldn't afford to break both.
One of the 18 number markers?
As far as I am aware, the latest version of Catan doesn't have an 18 number marker.
Perhaps you have the 4th edition of the game, Settlers of Catan.
This is the 5th edition (the most recent).
This is the 4th edition
If you have the 4th edition (or earlier) you might be in luck since those sometimes sell for more than the 5th edition.
Edit: here's a link to pictures of some of the different editions: https://boardgamegeek.com/blogpost/6428/bgc-settlers-catan-msia-2011-qualifier-2-otk-chera
If you're in the US and have an Amazon Prime account I think the best deal would be from seller Empire Depot on Amazon for $31.98 plus free Prime shipping.
&nbsp;
EDIT: Or straight from Amazon for $32.27. The sellers seem to come and go.
Time to find a new life Settling Catan.
The other guy said a lot of what needed to be. You post a lot in the normal /r/games subreddit - so this description might be akin to telling /r/games that a generic and clunky platformer (like many licensed games) is an amazing idea. Video games have deeper strategy, storytelling ability, or simply opportunity for fun than that. Board games have deeper strategy, storytelling ability, and opportunity for fun than things like Monopoly or Life.
There is, however, and entire GENRE of boardgames which involve the board being made. It's called Tile Laying. I suggest you check out Carcassone (Here's Wil Wheaton playing it). There's also Escape: The Curse of the Temple which involves a soundtrack, rolling dice merely as fast as you can, and working together, as well as your "build the board as you go" idea. Super-popular and most-viable-for-title-of-modern-classic game The Settlers of Catan which you have likely heard of also involves a modular board that is not the same every game. Here's an entire list on the Board Game Geek.
In fact, you'll probably find that most of the "modern" games being played by people will not have your traditional idea of a game board. Dominion is played entirely with cards and is like a self-contained game of Magic every single time. Cosmic Encounter simply gives you some cardboard planets to defend and then you're off in an interspecies race to take control of the galaxy. And so on.
As the other guy said, there's a lot of good ideas in your suggestion. The "build the board as you go" idea is so good it's one of the most dominant mechanics in modern gaming :) Action cards are also a pretty common mechanic. But, some of the least popular ideas in modern gaming: losing turns and player elimination (getting knocked out, last man standing), roll and move (roll a die, move to space, do what it says). Losing turns means you don't get to play and... well you are playing the game to play. Player elimination is the exact same. Roll and move is too screwy and random for most people - eliminating way too much skill.
"Victory Points" are the most common way to get around the player elimination. Your idea has an extremely solid base idea and could make a great, short game with adjustment to this mechanic IMO. If being near the end of the plank is undesirable, how about you get one Victory Point for every piece of the board you are away from the edge at the end of your turn? The person that "falls off" the edge gets 0 points but is not eliminated from future proceedings. The person that's doing the best will get a whopping 7 points for their turn, or something like that. Play until no more board pieces are left and then tally them up!
As for the roll and move, perhaps you have a certain amount of movement that you automatically do each turn. For example, you automatically move 3 spaces down the board each turn. However, various ways of placing the board (perhaps placing some bits together combos), or certain action cards, can reduce this. You still don't move, but you don't move by the effect of gameplay, instead of "losing a turn".
I think I might have some great ideas, I could also help you make some of the things. You come make a set of these coupons, except the boyfriend versions. You know, cook, clean, date night, movie night ect. If she likes little cute things made, you can make her an Alphabet book which each letter having to do with something about why you love her and a little explanation. For example, A - Amazing "you are always so amazing" or something like that. You could give her the gift of a culinary class, which is always fun. You get to learn to cook, cook, and eat the food you make. Another really cool gift is learning to fly My girlfriend and I did this yesterday for our 2 year anniversary and it was amazing! You can also take her on a camping trip! There are some really cool trails if you live in California. I can personally recommend Skyline to the sea trail it is a beautiful trail and leads directly to the ocean on the beach. It's really amazing. Near the end of the trail, there are bus stations you can take to nearby towns like Santa Cruz. If your girlfriend likes nail polish, i know many girls like a way to display them. I just made my girlfriend a Hello Kitty nail polish rack I'm sure she would appreciate it. Its pretty easy to make and I have no woodwork experience. Another great idea might be to start a window herb garden. It makes great decoration and you can use it for cooking! If you have some old mason jars around you can use those. You can also make custom coasters for you drinks. You can take pictures of you two together and glow them on to some cork board and cut them into little squares, you then apply some clear waterproof seal spray or paint. You can also make a little note about her and your love using candy keywords. If she likes to wear jewelry, you make this simple display/holder which looks good and is easy to make. If you guys want some board games for the place for when friends come over Settlers of Catan is an AMAZING game, if you get the game you HAVE to get Cities and Knights easily the best expansion. The game is a must buy for anyone really. You can also make her a mixtape of your favorite songs, its old fashioned but it will be appreciated, i promise. As a general gift idea, for out of the blue, you can make your girlfriend a period care package, put the mixtape, maybe a heating pack, chocolate, her favorite movie on a dvd, some of her favorite snacks in a box. She'll love it.
I have tons of ideas, if you need anymore more specific or need help making some of the stuff (guidance or advice) just send me a PM. Thanks for doing this spidey :P
it's a board game.
http://www.amazon.com/MayFair-Games-MFG3061-Settlers-Catan/dp/B000W7JWUA
Happy happy cake day!!!!
I hope that this is what you'll be getting for yourself because mason jars are SUPER useful in tons of ways! :D
You're going to buy yourself this super interesting book!
Happy happy cake day :D
If I win, anything I linked OR anything from my wishlist would be an amazingggg prize :) I love everything on my wishlists!
So I have this version of Catan - is it compatible with this version of the 5-6p expansion?
I caught myself reminiscing about Catan today; a year has passed since I last saw those I play the game with, last February I left for a semester in Chile and when I returned I had to immediately return to my university for the fall semester. Because of this I have been separated from my two brothers, our family friend (practically the fourth sibling), and my partner, all of whom live in a variety of different places and are not easily joined. The game not only represents the fun times I haven't had with them for awhile but also that despite how malleable a relationship may be, despite that during any given game a few of us may gang up on another or try to take someone down with us if we think we're loosing or are riotously laughing at what is transpiring the end result is always a stronger friendship. That's catan.
Regardless, I'll be happy to 'em all during Thanksgiving. I've missed all of their birthdays so there's more than Catan to catch up on.
Oh...definitely [ The Settlers of Catan] (http://www.amazon.com/MayFair-Games-MFG3061-Settlers-Catan/dp/B000W7JWUA/ref=wl_it_dp_v_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=1X0AGLBRP5NP2&amp;coliid=I2K9ONUSQP9IL4) because when one wins a game of Settlers, one won't be able to stop. It is a bit of a splurge, but it will pay for itself in the end. If it is out of reach for you, I would personally go for the Mango Gummies :) Happy Birthday!!!!!
Hey me too! http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/toys/detail-page/B000W7JWUA-2-lg.jpg
Your husband is planning a black light roller derby tournament in the rain. It's sure to be a shocking surprise. Squishmonster!!
Picnic in the park where he invites everyone you know! Maybe SquishMonster will be there?!
Operation Raccoon City
or
Cards Against Humanity!
Card game!
Here's some of my notes I'm using at the moment for writing an awful final paper!
This board game would be great - other students in my grad program love meeting up to drink and play board games. This week we'll be playing Game of Thrones!
Hello! Have you played CAH before?
Edit to add link just in case, derp...
CAH! but i hope your day gets better D:
STOCK MY HOUSE I just moved into it in December and I haven't invited people over yet to have a game night. I think every house needs to have games games and games and that's what I'm requesting:
http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=TDXN21I5UL4E&amp;coliid=I30EZLE62NF7I8
My favorite from your list because I just discovered this game and it tickles just the right part of my brain.
My favorite from mine because omg the colors! I've been dying to try this yarn out. Noro does such creative stuff.
We look like we could share tastes, but my list is heavily yarn/book oriented. Anyone who likes Cards Against Humanity is awesome in my book!
Probably any of the gundam model kits, particularly this one. Big fan of robots in general and so far the gundam model kits have been the most fun for me to put together and whatnot.
Or Cards Against Humanity so I'll have something for me, my girlfriend, and our friends to all play.
Oh yeah and Zweihander
(Just looked at other peoples' desk inventories I'd like to say it is 6pm here I am home and my desk is also my dinner table)
Okay so I feel weird suggesting this.. I like the idea of others commenting/voting.. but people are telling me to post, so I will. :x
Total = $580.34, so that leaves $19 for the garbage heap. :D
Cards
CAH
everyone could use a little cards against humanity http://www.amazon.com/Cards-Against-Humanity-LLC/dp/B004S8F7QM/ref=wl_it_dp_v_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&amp;colid=2Z85U9WAMENFJ&amp;coliid=IMNPBBYN96H5G
cards against humanity
from default: Kindle Fire
, Wacom Tablet
, and Cards Against Humanity
from her Makeup list: theBalm Nude Tude
for her bf Shave Mirror and food scale
from NSFW: Lelo
from clothes: Coat
from educational : Art Book
and from media :Pan's Labyrinth
adds up to $590.90
CAH and car transmitter
On Amazon, for $25.
Great idea! Here's my list:
$0-$5: Toysmith Light-Up Rail Twirler
$5-$10: Magnetic Top
$10-$20: This is a tie for me. Syma S107 R/C Helicopter or Moon in My Room
$20-$50: Another tie. Cards Against Humanity or Cloud B Twilight Planetarium Turtle
$0-5 Because fun.
$5-10 Because nobody likes stinky hands
$10-20 Because.. do I need to explain?
$20-50 Another self explanatory one..
14
Woo free money!
Cards against humanity
Thanks for the contest!
Eggplant Wizard
I absolutely adore Cards Against Humanity it caters to my somewhat sick sense of humor and I have many friends who I know would love to play it with me.
Ever since I started okay CAH here, I can no longer play apples to apples. I always find myself thinking of a CAH card that would be so much better lol
Thanks for the contest.
FUN IN THE SUN!
Sadly there's been none in Wales.
How about some Cards Against Humanity for inappropriate flight entertainment & giggles :)
So I missed this on the day and I've been waiting for it so I'm just gonna post now.
I have a box of unopened Cards Against Humanity from Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S8F7QM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s01?ie=UTF8&amp;psc=1]. I ordered a package deal thing and didn't know it came with the original box as well, so ordered the original box and I'm far too lazy to send it back.
Original price: $25.00, willing to sell to a redditor for $15.00.
Can bring it to the Busch Gardens meetup, or Pizza Palooza, or one of the Trivia nights.
About the cheapest place to buy online is at Amazonhttp://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004S8F7QM/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004S8F7QM&linkCode=as2&tag=641235-20&linkId=DT6Q5LC5ZKYMJTJV
I'd love to give Dead Space a try. I've heard [this game] (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004S8F7QM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1376965518&amp;sr=1-1&amp;pi=SL75) is a lot of fun!
worm hole
I have the following set, it should suit your needs:
Here is price information from Amazon, for what is included:
Item | Amazon Price
--- | ---
The Bigger Blacker Box | $15
Cards Against Humanity | $25
Cards Against Humanity: First Expansion | $10
Cards Against Humanity: Second Expansion | $10
Cards Against Humanity: Third Expansion | $10
Cards Against Humanity: Fourth Expansion | $10
You can "complete" the set by ordering expansions Five and Six on Amazon.
The Bigger Blacker Box case has enough room to fit both additional expansions, if you take out the foam spacers. It also comes with black dividers, for helping organize.
I have not done this, btw, but apparently if you cut open a specific place inside the lid of the Bigger Blacker Box, there is a special card inside. Something about big black cocks, naturally.
Purchase price on Amazon for all of these items is $80 total. I will offer my set at $70. It is in excellent condition. We've only used it on two occasions.
Also, I know people are probably wondering why I don't offer a larger discount. $70 for a used CAH set might seem "not generous enough". Here's my perspective though. a) This is a pretty comprehensive collection in excellent condition (most of the cards have never been used) and well organized, b) I don't care if I sell it or not, c) I suspect you might be interested in completing the collection anyway, and this collection gets you 80% of the way there, and d) you have a tight timetable.
I live downtown. I work from home. PM me if you're interested, my schedule is flexible.
OMG YAAAAAAAY!!!!
Who doesn't want Cards Against Humanity?
Yay
Driving across town to a specific shop to find required product and likely pay more is the lesser hassle to buying online? /boggle
http://www.amazon.ca/gp/aw/d/B004S8F7QM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1427304532&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=cards+against+humanity&amp;dpPl=1&amp;dpID=41164wOO6ZL&amp;ref=plSrch&amp;pi=SX200_QL40
$30 and free shipping from Amazon