Whether it’s an epic RPG with friends or a family game night of Monopoly, some board games would be enhanced if a dice tower is used.
That’s because countlessly rolling the dice will eventually lead to some contentious moments.
For example, you roll the dice and they fall off the table and slide underneath the couch. Or it lands on the edge of the board, halfway between 6 and 4. Or it ricochets off some of the pieces and you can’t remember how the board was setup.
“Where did the dice go!?!”
“That’s totally not a 6!”
“You only had one house token on that square!”
Moments like these are never good during a board game. They detract from the gaming experience and lead to unnecessary conflict.
So, what’s the solution? Well, a dice tower ensures that each roll of the dice is fair and contained. A dice tower makes a great addition to most dice-based board games and is the perfect accessory to enhance your gaming experience.
Article Contents:
When rolling dice by hand, there are several ways to “cheat” and roll unfairly. Cheaters have multiple ways of rolling the dice, including sliding or dropping the dice, so that only the desired numbers appear. These are called controlled throws and give a player an advantage.
To help eliminate the possibility of controlled throws during a board game, gamers should use a dice tower. A dice tower is a static mechanical device that ensures a random and fair dice roll on every turn. Typically, a dice tower consists of two sections that are connected.
- The vertical section has an opening at the top that the dice are initially dropped into.
- This section contains internal baffles that deflect the dice, knocking them around as they fall due to gravity.
- At the bottom of the vertical section, a final baffle deflects the dice out and onto the horizontal section of the dice tower.
The horizontal section connected to the bottom of the vertical section “catch” the dice and displays the numbers for all players to see. The horizontal section is flat with high sides to ensure the dice are contained inside.
A dice tower is also great option for seniors and small children that want to play board games but do not have the dexterity to roll the dice.
When choosing a dice tower, there are three important things that you should consider:
- Number of dice being rolled, aka the overall size of the tower required
- Whether it is collapsible and foldable
- Materials used to construct the dice tower
1. Number of Dice Being Rolled
Most mainstream dice-based board games consist of rolling either one or two die, so most dice towers can easily handle it.
However, for board games that require the simultaneous rolling of three or more die, a larger dice tower is required.
That’s because to ensure that all the dice fall and land effectively requires a larger surface area. Both the vertical and horizontal sections need to be bigger to deflect and bounce the die, and have them fall unimpeded.
2. Collapsibility / Foldability
To help facilitate storing, transporting and deploying your dice tower, most dice towers are foldable or collapsible.
Some dice towers are made so that the vertical and horizontal sections nest into one another. Others are made so that the horizontal section slides out from the bottom of the vertical section, very reminiscent of a drawer.
Personally, I prefer a nesting design. A nesting dice tower can be large enough to facilitate lots of dice if a game needs it, and it can fold down and neatly fit with the rest of my board games on the bookshelf.
Some dice towers come with built-in magnets to ensure the sections “lock” together and allow for easy disassembly and storage.
3. Materials Used
Dice towers can be made from pretty much any material. But usually the best materials are wood or plastics.
These two materials are great for two reasons:
- They are light-weight yet strong and durable
- They absorb vibrations and reduce the sound of the dice bouncing around
Some dice towers include strategically placed felt or padding to further reduce noise.
I feel that when playing a long duration board game with lots of rolling, reducing the noise can help make the overall experience a lot more appealing, especially for novice players.
Many board games in production don’t come with a dice tower but would greatly benefit from it.
Whether it’s the sheer number of rolls per turn, or the risk of players unknowingly “cheating”, a dice tower can eliminate all of that.
Here is a short list of popular board games that could use a dice tower:
- Axis & Allies
- Age of Mythology
- Backgammon
- Catan
- Dungeons & Dragons
- King of Tokyo
- Monopoly
- Risk
- Yahtzee
There are also many dice-based RPG games that would benefit from a dice tower. If you’re playing regularly, I would high recommend investing in a good one!
Not too long ago, dice towers were DIY or custom builds. But, with the rise in popularity of board games, dice towers have also become highly sought after.
Now, there are so many high quality dice towers you can buy. They are fairly inexpensive and make a great addition to any board gamer’s arsenal of accessories.
You can get simple dice towers, ones that look like castles, or ones with unique emblems and insignias.
So, whether it’s for personal use or as a gift, these are some of the best dice towers you can buy online, all under $40!
- Modern design with clear acrylic tower and finished laser cut wood
- 10” tall x 3.5” wide
- Works up to a 30-sided die
- Price: $35 – $40
- Castle design made from plywood with laser engraved dragon
- Plywood is paintable for custom DIY coloring
- Tower is assembled together with screws
- 3” tall x 2.3” wide
- Price: $15 – $20
- Simple castle design made from bamboo
- Built-in magnets to keep secure when standing or folded
- 5.5” tall x 3.1” wide
- Price: $25 – $35
What board games do you think would benefit from the use of a dice tower? Let me know your favourites in the comments below!
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