2
\$\begingroup\$

I like dice. I particularly like unusual dice, whether they have unusual designs (like those of Q-Workshop) or methods of manufacture (like the heavy cast-iron dice I found at GenCon, whose manufacturer I can't remember).

I'm particularly interested in artistic or unusually crafted dice. I want beautiful things which you could nevertheless use in an RPG.

To clarify, here are things I'm not interested in. First some general classes, then some examples:

  • Unusual types of dice, such as d25s, Crown and Anchor dice, d10s-inside-d10s or dice with Arabic numerals.
  • Dice with unusual things on the faces: such as, for example, Cthulhu dice where a picture of Cthulhu replaces the one.
  • Dice which we've all seen many times at conventions, such as fake knucklebone dice, foam dice, metal dice or wooden dice. (This one is slightly less quantifiable, but as a rule: if more than one manufacturer makes it, it's probably uninteresting.)
  • Chessex dice.
  • Antique dice.
  • Glowing green zombie dice.
  • Dice that make noises
  • Loaded dice

Which manufacturers should I be looking at?

\$\endgroup\$
8
  • 9
    \$\begingroup\$ Your exclusion list is a rather hostile and extremely limiting bit. \$\endgroup\$
    – aramis
    Dec 12, 2010 at 19:23
  • 2
    \$\begingroup\$ It's not meant to be hostile. I just want to make sure we don't get every type of unusual die in the same thread. \$\endgroup\$
    – Graham
    Dec 12, 2010 at 21:42
  • \$\begingroup\$ It strikes me that it might be a good thing to have "every type of unusual die in the same thread". Why would someone want to search different threads for, in large part, the same information? \$\endgroup\$
    – Beska
    Dec 16, 2010 at 18:47
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Beska As great an idea as it seems at first, in practice lists made here "just to have the list" tend to be low-vote and low-view ghost towns. The narrowly-focused questions that are looking for answers to a specific end garner higher-quality sets of answers, more views, and more votes. \$\endgroup\$ Dec 21, 2010 at 4:38
  • \$\begingroup\$ In the original post (like the heavy cast-iron dice I found at GenCon, whose manufacturer I can't remember), I believe you may be referring to IronDie, which looks like it also is a game on its own. \$\endgroup\$
    – user1637
    Jan 12, 2012 at 13:10

3 Answers 3

8
\$\begingroup\$

Flying Buffalo makes some custom silkscreen image dice. Most notable are the dungeon dice (which are a help when making dungeons on the fly), and encounter dice, again, for similar use. KODT dice and Nuclear War dice are numbered 1-6, but have custom silk screened images as well.

Koplow Games makes a variety of unusual dice, including:
the "overhead d6"- a d12, marked 1-6, but arranged so that it reads as a d6 on an overhead projector, and d6's marked in foreign languages.

Several Shapeways clients offer 3d designs which shapeways may print for you.

You're already familiar with Q-Workshop.

Crystal Caste is noted for barrel-style dice and dice made from semi-precious stones.

Fantasy Flight Games produces a number of custom symbol dice for various games, including Descent and WFRP 3E.

Various Hasbro subsidiaries produce assorted odd-marking dice. The online catalogue at Hasbro is rather lame... but lots of funky d6's. And most of the relevant games are not Labeled Hasbro, but various subsidiary company names. They also own/produce the dice labeled as WotC...

Games Workshop produces a number of specialty dice for their Warhammer, Warhammer 40K, and Blood Bowl games. The scatter dice can readily be used for the same purpose in other games played on table.

Gray Ghost Games produces the Fudge Dice used in Fudge and Fate system games.

\$\endgroup\$
0
5
\$\begingroup\$

Dice Creator is a hobbyist turned cottage-industry dice producer who specialises in hand-crafted metal, metal-inlaid plastic, and laser-engraved dice. He also does custom jobs on request. The dice can be quite pricey, but nowhere else have I seen such a unique die as the "Structural Integrity" d6.

His web-presence keeps changing as he scales up (and sometimes down) his work, but his blog is probably the best place to start checking out his stuff.

\$\endgroup\$
3
\$\begingroup\$

Crystal Caste has a wide array of dice made from unusual materials. You've discounted base metal and wood, but they've also got semiprecious stones, ivory, meteorite, and sterling silver.

\$\endgroup\$

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .