Dark Elf Dice Blog

I have some good news :) Giant Inflatable d20 dice are back! It's been years, but the dice are finally being produced again. The dice were always a big hit with gamers, and we just received our first shipment.

Inflatable D20 Dice

The giant Inflatable d20 is the brainchild of Crystal Caste. When they first came out, CC would toss a few out at GenCon while the crowd was waiting in line. As you can imagine, good times ensued -- the dice were batted around like beach balls at a rock concert.

Initially, the Inflatable d20 was produced in 4 colors: black, red, blue, and green. The colors were a limited production run, and tended not to be released at the same time (though there was some overlap). The dice were a fixture not only at gaming conventions, but were a novelty item used on game nights, parties, and even weddings.

Back In Production

Sadly, about four years ago, the Inflatable d20 dice were retired. It happens with many products in the gaming space -- certain items get shelved so new products can be released.

Needless to say, we here at Dark Elf Dice were disappointed. All of us were big fans of the giant dice because they were so different and our customers really liked them. I lost track of all the conversations I had with the good folks at Crystal Caste regarding the Inflatable d20's, and I practically begged the company to bring 'em back.

I'm not sure how much of an influence my whining had in the decision to bring the dice back, but regardless they're here! This time around CC has released two colors at the same time: both black and red. At this point I'm not certain if the other colors are coming, but hopefully they will. There's even rumors that a purple d20 will be released.

If you're interested in checking out the Inflatable d20's please do so here.

Until next time fellow travelers! I hope everyone gets a chance to hang with friends this weekend and do some gaming. Happy adventuring!

As most of you know, I'm really a big fan of game miniatures. Ever since I started playing D&D, I've been a mini collector and painter. Although most tabletop roleplaying games can be played with pen, paper, and an active imagination, I'm a firm believer that miniatures add a sense of epic excitement to a game.

Miniatures Game Table

Recently, one of the FaceBook pages I follow, Tabletop Tribe, shared a few photos of one of the best miniatures game tables that I've ever seen. This monster table was created by Rick Koeppen for a new dungeon crawl game that he created, Arrows & Blades (you can follow Rick's Facebook page here). The game table has covered sections to hide the main dungeon in order to avoid spoiling secrets for players. Rick's game table is not only inspiring, but it makes me want to up my game as well!

RPG Miniatures

Until next time fellow travelers! If you haven't had a chance to do so, be sure to check out our huge selection of game miniatures. While we unfortunately can't sell awesome tables like Rick's, we do offer affordable game mats to help Game Masters and players tell their exciting stories. Happy adventuring!

You can never have enough D&D dice, and neither can we! Dark Elf Dice has been expanding our considerable dice catalog these past months, and one of the most intriguing dice collections we've added are the spectacular Mystic dice.

Mystic Dice

Dice collectors may remember the old Silk line produced by Crystal Caste -- a mixed blend of opaque blacks, blues, purples, reds and white. Sadly, the Silk series was retired almost five years ago now, and it really is a shame. The dice had a bold, fresh look that proved to be popular with gamers looking to steer clear from dark mixes and wanting to "lighten" things up a bit. The dice were an amazing choice for wizards, illusionists, and other magic-based characters.

The now retired Silk dice shown in red.

Thankfully, Mystic dice have materialized on the gaming scene and should prove a worthy replacement for the sadly missed Silk line. Mystic dice are a similar color mix of opaque hues and white. As of the time of this blog post, Mystic are the only dice in mass production that features white in a two-color mix. The colors tend to be a tad more vibrant than even the Silk, and come in even more attractive color choices:

• Black and White
• Blue and White
• Green and White
• Purple and White
• Red and White
• Teal and White

Mystic dice are definitely a great choice for magic-based characters and for anyone looking for beautiful dice. The collection is produced in complete, 7-piece polyhedral sets perfect for Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and other tabletop role playing games.

More To Come

Mystic dice are only the beginning, and we'll be adding even more exciting RPG dice to the site in the weeks and months to come. Be sure to check out the Dark Elf Dice homepage for new arrivals, and this blog for more information as we showcase some of the new product lines.

Until next time, fellow travelers! Make each and every day special, and keep rolling natural 20's!

Please follow this link for more information on Mystic dice.

Back in June, I wrote about the amazing D&D cosplay project one of our awesome customers created for this year's Gen Con gaming convention (if you missed the blog post you can read it here). Eric created two wizard staffs that completely blew us away, but that was just the beginning!

D&D Cosplay

This year marks Gen Con's 50th anniversary, and for this historic event Eric went all in with his Red Wizards of Thay costumes. This is Dungeons and Dragons cosplay at its absolute finest, and Eric did an amazing job. Here are a few highlights:

• For his mask, he added eerie LED lights and a voice modulator (controlled by his wizard's staff). He also added an ingenious internal cooling system and a two-way communication system for his handler.
• To pay homage to Gen Con 50, he sculpted a center piece with the convention's name and logo lit with matching LEDs.
• He put awesome D&D spell book graphics on canvas, and his wife made them each matching swag bags.
• To make the costumes' gemstones, he used LEDs and diffused the light with hot glue to give the gems a special glowing effect.

I'm absolutely convinced that Eric would take 1st place at the costume contest, but he already took 1st place at last year's Gen Con and alas won't again be taking the stage. No matter though, his amazing D&D cosplay will be an instant hit and give attendees both thrills and chills. The Red Wizards of Thay are descending on Indianapolis! Great job, Eric. Everyone here at Dark Elf Dice is very proud of you!

Back in the day, a D&D Paladin really didn't give players a whole lot of flexibility when it came to playstyle. Basically, your character was a walking boy scout in plate armor, and Strength was king when it came to your abilities. With Dungeons and Dragons 5th edition though, players have more options when it comes to roleplay. Paladins are no longer pigeonholed into a Lawful Good alignment, and Dexterity (as opposed to Strength) can now be the preferred ability on your character sheet.

Strength Or Dexterity?

Despite all the improvements 5e brings to the game, Paladins are still tank-like fighters that depend on weapon-based attacks. As such, either Strength or Dexterity is the most important ability you need. Both Strength and Dexterity Paladins are completely viable in D&D though, so which one should you go with? Here's a quick breakdown of the advantages of each:

Strength Paladin Advantages:

1. Better Armor Class (can wear heavy plate)
2. Optimal damage dealer (heavy weapons do more damage than a DEX Paladin's finesse weapons)

Dexterity Paladin Advantages:

1. Higher Initiative
2. Cheaper armor
3. Saving Throws that are tested more (usually more Dexterity Saving Throws as opposed to Strength in real game situations).
4. Ability to play stealthy
5. Better ranged weapon options

In the end, the advantages of one really don't outweigh the other, so it really comes down to personal preference. If you imagine your Paladin being a prototypical sword-and-board heavy hitter (or two-handed weapon damage dealer), you'll want to go with Strength. On the other hand, if you'd like the ability to go into stealth mode, and imagine your Paladin being quick, agile, and proficient with finesse weapons you'll want to go with Dexterity.

Is it Sir Galahad of King Arthur's Court or d'Artagnan of the Three Musketeers? The choice is yours, and thankfully D&D 5e gives us the ability to choose! The most important thing is that you roleplay the character you want to play, and have fun.

Do you play a Paladin in D&D 5e? If so, do you play Strength or Dexterity? Share your thoughts and opinions with your fellow gamers in the comment section below. And if you're looking for Paladin miniatures to represent your character on the game table, be sure to browse our store here for a great selection.

Until next time fellow travelers! Like all good Paladins remember to be awesome, and live each and every day to its fullest.

As I've said many times before, the best thing about working at Dark Elf Dice is the opportunity to connect with fellow gamers and collectors. Like you, I'm passionate about role playing games and the gaming lifestyle. Our website is a great way to meet people, and over the years I've made friends with many of our customers. Speaking on behalf of all the elves who work here, being part of Dark Elf Dice is truly a lifelong dream come true.

Social Media

When we started Dark Elf Dice, we didn't have a social media presence. It sounds crazy now, but our business was founded not long after Facebook launched. Back then, no one here understood social media or could grasp how another platform might help us connect with other gamers.

Admittedly, we're not social media experts, but we have lots of fun with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter. We like to share cool pictures of dice and follow others who share our passion.

Tumblr

Recently, one of our customers suggested we check out Tumblr. I had a general idea that the platform was used for blogging, but I really didn't know much about it. Once I looked deeper into Tumblr I became intrigued.

Tumblr claims that they "empower people to create something extraordinary," and I fully believe this to be true. Yes, the platform is similar to the other social media sites, but it's differences make it truly unique.

Tumblr is a blogging tool, but it's so much more. It's a way to express yourself through writing, pictures, and whatever interests you. It's a smorgasbord of fandom, and so far I'm finding it easy to connect with other people interested in tabletop role playing games. In short, Tumblr is less of a blog, and more of a community.

I'm still learning all that Tumblr has to offer, but we started a photo blog to share our pictures. If you have a chance, take a look at our Tumblr and let me know what you think.

So there you have it, fellow travelers. Dark Elf Dice is now on Tumblr :) Until next time. Always remember that life is the greatest adventure. Appreciate each and every day, and live your life to the absolute fullest!

Recently, an awesome customer of ours wrote and told me about an amazing project he was working on. Like most of us, Eric is a serious gamer, but his recent store orders weren't for his favorite tabletop RPG games. In fact, Eric was taking the beautiful Oblivion Crystal dice he purchased and cutting them up for something extra special.

Gen Con Cosplay Project

At Dark Elf Dice, we like to carry a wide variety of RPG dice, and naturally our focus is on RPG gamers and collectors. That said, some of our customers like to get funky, and use dice to help unleash their unbridled creativity (please see my two prior blog posts Eades Beads: Jewelry That Tells A Story and Custom D20 Shift Knob for two such examples).

In Eric's case, he used his dice to help augment his latest cosplay project: two wizard staffs for this year's Gen Con.

In year's past, Eric and his wife had attended the convention as characters from Fallout (one of my all time favorite video game series!) and Portal. This year they plan to cosplay Red Wizards of Thay, and Eric handcrafted two gorgeous staffs that are flat-out amazing.

Eric is a self-taught artist, and he crafted the Gen Con staffs with a pool cue, wooden dowels, parts of a hot water heater, and the dice. Eric's wife was looking for something subtle, but was not. He tricked out both staffs with electronics to really add pizzazz and make any Red Wizard green with envy. The end result really speaks for itself, and Eric's cosplay staffs are truly works of art and beauty.

Back in 2005 when I started Dark Elf Dice, I didn't realize just how many amazing people I'd meet throughout the years. Yes, I had a dream of providing dice and other gaming supplies to people who shared a similar passion for RPG gaming, but I suppose I didn't anticipate the close friendships and relationships I'd make. Truly, the best part of my job is the daily human connection -- meeting people throughout the world and sharing positive stories about gaming and life.

Recently, I had the pleasure of getting to know Janean Easley. Janean and her boyfriend are avid D&D players. Over the holidays she bought two matching sets of metal dice from our shop and I came to know her remarkable story.

Mystic Handworks

Janean not only channels her creative energy into RPG gaming, but into her unique and incredible artwork. She's the founder of Mystic Handworks, an online website featuring her brilliant fiber arts.

Finished dice bag. © Mystic Handworks.

As an artist, she began working with silver and smithing, but she soon grew discouraged with metal work, finding it difficult to make her creations match her vision. It was then that she rediscovered fiber arts -- an art form she first became interested in as a young girl. As Janean explained: "I began working with various disciplines of fiber arts when I was 12 or 13. I carried my interest further with sewing and garment construction in my early twenties."

Forgotten Techniques

Years later, Janean expanded her interest in fiber, using knitting, weaving, and spinning to focus her creative passion to handcraft works of exceptional beauty. As she told me:

Fiber art is like wool, it sticks and felts together. When you explore one aspect or technique, another pops up and grabs your interest. Before you know it, you’re trying your hand at various forms of weaving and ordering a spinning wheel. Fiber arts worked for me like nothing else in my life. I’m able to read, look at pictures, and view a video or two and be able to pick up the skill and add my uniqueness to it. I gained an intense interest in old and somewhat forgotten techniques. These vintage techniques are part of my hallmark.

The vintage techniques that Janean refers to are simply fascinating -- especially to a history and fantasy buff like myself. The dice bags pictured in this blog post were created with a technique called Nålbinding, a precursor to knitting from the Viking age. Furthermore, the drawstrings were made using a vintage braiding tool called a lucet (again, dating back to the Viking period).

Dice bag shown with lucet. © Mystic Handworks.

As a true master craftswoman, Janean's fiber art isn't limited to strictly Viking forms. Her techniques include: crocheting, knitting, sewing, embroidery, needlework, inkle weaving, tablet weaving, Navaho and tapestry weaving, spinning, and lace.

Inspiration

Like many people, I've always been fascinated with the entire creative process and the passion that drives people to create beautiful things. It's not only the historical techniques, but the use of color and design in Janean's art that really speaks to me. I see both orderliness and spontaneity -- two normally polar concepts deftly melded into something fresh and new that I readily appreciate.

Dice bag creation process. © Mystic Handworks.

When I asked Janean about what inspires her art, she told me:

I'm inspired by the resourcefulness and hardiness of our ancestors, as can be seen by my interest in formerly common techniques used in everyday life. Use of our brains and hands is becoming less and less common as our society becomes more and more automated. I keep my world a step back by learning the skills of yesterday while utilizing today's technology.

Janean's vision and inspiration are contagious. For her, fiber art is an obsession. She shares her passion by teaching privately and in workshop settings, and is also a member of the Gainesville Handweaver's Guild. Janean uses her incredible talent to truly create art with soul.

Final Thoughts

When Janean isn't gaming or working on her craft, she's busy studying to become an RN and would one day like to write instructional books for various fiber crafts. Needless to say, she keeps incredibly busy, but like any true artist she's always learning and inspiring others (including yours truly). So please be sure to visit Mystic Handworks to see the variety of amazing art she's created.

The nålebinding technique. © Mystic Handworks.

So there you have it, fellow travelers! As you go about your day I hope you find inspiration in Janean's story and I encourage each and everyone of us live life to the fullest. As I've said many times in the past, life is a gift -- let's make it amazing! Until next time :)

Over the holidays, new Reaper Miniatures were released, and boy are they awesome! Headlining the new minis is none other than the Red Raven, the vigilante hero from the Pathfinder mythos. This iconic character comes complete with dual-wield daggers and tattered cloak. This mini also works well as a master thief or assassin in the RPG of your choice (though this mini just begs to be painted red in my opinion).

The Red Raven 60203

Aravir the Elf Ranger comes next, a two-fisted fighter just begging for action and adventure. Check out his weather-beaten cloak and elvish armor expertly painted in this example picture. This new Reaper Miniature is sure to find a place on just about any gaming table.

Aravir, Elf Ranger 3763

Not to be outdone by her kinsman, Merrowyn Lightstar is here to save the day! This heavy armor wearing Elf Paladin is ready to take on the forces of evil with her imposing sword and board setup. Your paint choices are limitless, but I can't help but imagine Merrowyn wearing anything other than white armor gilded with gold highlights (yes, it'd be a pain to keep clean, but it'd be ultra cool -- especially for a lawful good champion of light).

Merrowyn Lightstar, Female Elf Paladin 3764

The Highlander Heroine finishes the new releases. She's warrior-born and wields a fierce, two-handed claymore. Her worn cloak and simple armor pieces are fringed with thick fur, and she wears her hair in a tribal braid. Like all the new Reaper Miniatures, she's a highly detailed mini ready for your greatest adventures.

Highlander Heroine 3765

If you're interested in more Reaper Miniatures, but sure to browse our Dark Elf Dice store. We currently have over 500 models to chose from.

Until next time fellow travelers! Live each and every day to the fullest, and make sure to have fun along the way.

I fell in love with gaming miniatures not long after I first started playing Dungeons & Dragons. Back in those days, Ral Partha and Grenadier minis ruled the day. I can't recall how many driveways I had to shovel and how many lawns I had to cut, but within a few years I had amassed a respectable collection of miniatures: elves, dwarves, orcs and too many beasties to remember.

Miniatures Storage

Back then, there weren’t many options when it came to storing and transporting my miniatures. Grenadier sets came packaged in cardboard boxes with slotted foam (which was nice), but Ral Partha minis came in simple blister packs (just like Reaper Miniatures today). My only solution was to keep my collection in shoe boxes lined with tissue paper. Overall not a bad thing as long as the boxes were stored safely beneath my bed, but when it came time to transport my miniatures to my best friend’s house for a weekend of D&D, it truly became a nightmare. More than one paint job became chipped and damaged as my minis banged and crashed against each other on the car ride over.

BattleHive II

As far as miniatures storage goes, the good old days weren’t so good after all. Today’s gamers have a much wider variety of options available when it comes to safely protecting and transporting minis.

One of the more intriguing options is the BattleHive II manufactured by Crystal Caste. Yes, this storage solution isn’t for everyone, but if you have a big enough collection and the budget for such a large case, the BattleHive II is sweet.

We’ve been carrying the BattleHive II at Dark Elf Dice since we opened for business in 2005. The case is a specialty item to be sure, but we always try to keep a few in stock for the gamers that need one.

If you’re considering purchasing the BattleHive II, here are a few of the positives in my opinion:

• If not the biggest, it’s definitely one of the biggest storage cases on today’s market. Great for large collections and entire armies.
• Hard-shell case offering better overall protection than a soft-shell counterpart.
• Has wheels and an attached tote handle for easier transportation.
• Comes with 7 foam “pick and pluck” storage trays of different depths so gamers can customize different openings for specific miniatures.
• Comes with an accessory tray for storing dice, tokens, pens, and whatnot.

Final Thoughts

The BattleHive II isn't inexpensive mind you, and the price has gone up over the years due to increased manufacturing costs. At the time of this article, the case is $124.95 + shipping. That said, you get a lot of bang for your buck with the BattleHive II, and depending on the size of your collection you may be able to fit all your miniatures in the case and save money by foregoing multiple, smaller cases (or shoe boxes).

That’s it for this week, fellow travelers! If you have any questions about the BattleHive II or any of the other miniatures storage cases we carry, be sure to ask. And as always, remember to make each and every day count. Live life to the fullest and game on.

Just in time for the holiday season, we received a new shipment of metal D&D dice. The metals tend to sell out fast, but we're fully stocked in all the colors at the time of this blog post:

• Antique Gold
• Antique Silver
• Black
• Blue
• Copper
• Gold
• Green
• Pink
• Red
• Silver
• Sterling Gray

We have quite the selection, and several of the colors are available in matching d6 sets as well.

Metal D&D Dice

If you never gamed with metal D&D dice you're in for a treat. The dice are made from solid zinc and plated in shiny, durable nickel. The dice we carry are produced by MDG, and they really make a terrific product. Not only are the metal dice solid and heavy in your hand, they also have oversized numbers for truly easy-to-read rolls.

Dice Choices

We do our best to stock a huge variety of RPG dice for gamers of all budgets. That said, the metal D&D dice are one of the more expensive products we carry, and may not be the best choice for players just getting into Dungeons and Dragons, etc.

No doubt about it though -- they're great dice, and seasoned veterans and collectors may want to add a set to their arsenal. There's nothing quite as satisfying as the sound metal dice make when rolled across the table. Power. Strength. A gratifying "thunk." And just sheer awesomeness!

Metal Dice Pictures

I've posted a few pictures of the metal D&D dice below (gold, silver, and copper to be exact). If you'd like to see the entire collection, please be sure to visit Dark Elf Dice here.

Until next time fellow travelers! I hope you're having fun. Remember to play hard and cherish each and every day.