Experienced tabletop players who have a large collection of dice can often run into a problem. How do you make use of all of your dice when playing a game with your friends? Most tabletop games like D&D only typically make use of a single set of polyhedral dice. But there is a way to not only include more of your dice in a single game, but also to make games more interesting in general.
Dice jails are a fun and interesting way to ‘punish’ yourself for bad rolls. For example, if you roll a 1 on a d20 at a crucial moment, you can banish that die to the dice jail. Making it stay there for the remainder of the game and think about what it did. This is a great way to have more fun with your dice and make use of some sets that you don’t usually play with. Let’s get into our Best Dice Jail Guide!
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Best Dice Jail Guide
Does a dice jail have any real benefits apart from feeling pretty satisfying? No, but it’s a good way to feel some catharsis after getting a terrible roll. But anyway, we’ve rounded up some of the best dice jails that you can get right now.
Forged Dice Co
Next up on our list, we’ve got a pretty special jail that looks great and can keep your dice safe. We’ve gone for this option from Forged Dice Co for its great build quality and awesome amount of detail. This is another option that acts more like a storage solution for your dice. A great way to keep them safe when they aren’t in use. But it can also function as a jail, able to hold a substantial number of dice. If you want something that looks really cool and feels really satisfying to use, seriously check this out.
The thing that jumps out at you the most is the stunning amount of detail on this chest. The container is made out of a polymer that’s not all that heavy but does feel weighty and substantial. The aesthetic is completed by the dragon sculpture sitting atop the chest. Using this chest as a dice jail feels really satisfying and cathartic. Being able to throw a die in there and close the lid feels very appropriate, and it should please those who demand that their setup is immersive. The container can hold up to 42 dice, so there is plenty of room for multiple sets.
A good way to use it during a game would be to use it as a jail for the entire group, so you can take note of all of your critical failures. The big downside here is the box is not transparent in any way, so you can’t see the dice without opening the container. And as a lot of the fun of a dice jail is seeing the dice behind bars, this may or may not be a problem for you. But for those that want a really cool-looking container that can hold a ton of dice with no issue, this is for you.
Pros:
- Looks Really Cool
- Great Build Quality
- Holds Lots of Dice
Cons:
- Expensive
- Not Transparent
WizKids
For the first option on our list, we’ve got a very cheap dice jail for those that want something very simple. We’ve gone for this cage and chains miniature set from WizKids for its low price and cool style. WizKids is a pretty popular brand when it comes to tabletop gaming. Known mainly for supplying players with awesome-looking miniatures that are packed with detail. While they also sell cheaper miniature sets that can help to flesh out a scene or help to visualize whatever the players may be up against.
The dice jail that we’ve chosen here is admittedly not exactly designed to be used as one. It’s a cage designed as more of a set-piece item, rather than one to be used for storing dice. As such, it’s pretty small and can’t really hold that many dice. But that doesn’t make it completely useless, and it can be used in certain cases. For example, if you don’t have a massive dice collection and only use a couple of sets, you won’t be throwing away many dice anyway. So the size of this jail cell won’t matter at all in that case.
The detail and the handy inclusion of the chain can make this fit in really well with the D&D aesthetic. So if you’re someone who likes their stuff to help immerse them into the game, you can’t go wrong here. Plus, it’s very cheap, and you won’t exactly be shelling out a load to get it. If you want something small and funny to put your dice in when things don’t go your way, this is a great choice. It may be small and not that impressive in the grand scheme, but it’s still pretty satisfying to use on those pesky dice.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Lots of Detail
- Good build Quality
Cons:
- Very Small
- Only Fits 2-3 Dice
BESCON Classic Brick Box
Next up, we’ve got a dice jail that is a bit of a step-up in a couple of ways. We’ve gone for this set from BESCON DICE for its low price and good functionality. Now, calling these dice jails may seem like a stretch to some, but at the end of the day, the ability to use them as that is there. Normally these are just Dice cases that can be used to carry around your dice set. But alternatively, they can also be used to lock your dice away for an eternity. If you want a simple and affordable way of locking up your dice, then this is the one for you.
These cases are made out of transparent plastic with a black plastic base. When you want to place more dice inside them, you simply remove the black base and place your dice inside. It’s extremely simple and there’s no way you can break anything or mess anything up. Since it’s just made out of plastic, it can take a beating and still work fine. Making it perfect for anyone that worries about scuffing up something a bit more fragile and expensive.
Aesthetically speaking, it doesn’t really have any sort of fantasy vibe. But it also doesn’t really stand out in any way whatsoever. So if you’re worried about these cases not fitting in with the rest of your setup, don’t stress over it. The big positive here is that you get 5 different cases to use. So if you’re a DM that is planning on buying some dice jails for your party, this is a great deal to do just that. These also serve as a great way to display your dice when you aren’t playing a game. There’s a lot of value here for a pretty good deal at the end of the day.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Lots of Detail
- Good build Quality
Cons:
- Very Small
- Only Fits 2-3 Dice
Forged Dice Co Mimic
For the final option on this list, we’ve gone for something that fits in with the idea of a dice jail perfectly. We’ve chosen this jail from Forged Dice Co for its brilliant attention to detail and great functionality. So yeah, this is a chest that is designed to look like a mimic and that’s very cool. Though, it may drum up some unpleasant memories for players that have fallen victim to one before. But honestly, that kind of makes it perfect for our purposes. There’s a lot here to like if you’re into this style of jail.
With this chest being designed after a mimic, you would expect it to be pretty gross and unnerving. The interior of the container has been modeled excellently to look like the inside of a mimic’s mouth, with the teeth looking especially gnarly. The outside of the container has a really nice aged wood effect, befitting of a creature that’s been tricking adventurers for a while. And when you are using it to store your dice in the middle of the day, you can use the latch on the front to keep it securely closed.
In practice, this is a very satisfying chest to use as a dice jail. Being able to literally sacrifice your dice to the mimic is a great way of letting off some steam after an awful role. And since it can fit up to 35 different dice, the entire group can make use of it to get rid of their underperforming dice. The biggest downside here is really the price, as it is fairly expensive. But you do get a lot of value here, as well as a few good laughs during games.
Pros:
- Looks Really Cool
- Great Build Quality
- Holds Lots of Dice
Cons:
- Expensive
- Not Transparent
Buying Guide
If you’ve come this far down the list, and you still aren’t sure which dice jail would be the best for you, don’t worry! In this section we’ll be giving you some extra advice to help you out with your purchase.
Go for what works, over what’s cool
It may be your first instinct to go around and start looking for the coolest dice jail that you can find. You may want to try and hunt down the coolest-looking jail that’ll fit perfectly with the game. But going purely for aesthetics isn’t really the best way to go in all honesty.
Remember that a dice jail can basically be any container you want. It doesn’t necessarily need to be something with bars or a literal cage. You can easily find yourself stuck with a dice jail that has the looks but is shoddily built and kind of cheap in practice. There are tons of options out there that are made out of flimsy materials that just don’t feel satisfying at all to use during a game. You should just be careful about what you’re buying.
Seek out tabletop brands
There’s really no one better to buy this kind of stuff from than tabletop brands. Buying from companies that are dedicated to making a decent range of products for tabletop gaming will mean you’re more likely to get a better deal. Plus you’ll probably be able to get way more opinions and find more reviews for these products. Since more people will have bought them and used them. This isn’t to say to stay away from every cheap product that you find. But if you’re relatively new to tabletop gaming and aren’t really familiar with what the best brands are, stick with these companies:
- Forged Dice Co.
- C4Labs
- CASEMATIX
- D20 Collective
- Fantasydice
All of these brands can be found on Amazon, and they all make great stuff for you to use during your tabletop games. Ranging from simpler, cheaper designs to some of the more fancy and elaborate ones that you can find. So if you don’t really know what you’re looking for, stick with these brands, and you should be alright.
What is the Point of a Dice Jail?
Need a place to put your unruly dice when they are on a string of bad luck? That’s where the dice jail comes in. Superstitious players often prefer to stow these dice following a string of bad rolls. While there is no scientific evidence that this is helpful, it might be cathartic for some players.
Realistically, rolling dice is all about the odds. those odds aren’t going to change from one die to another as long as they are accurate. However, many people prefer to stick with the hot dice when playing dungeons & dragons or other games. Locking up your unlucky dice until next time is one way to do that.
What to Look for in Dice Jail Accessories:
Be careful which dice you decide to use for your dice jail. If you own heavy, metal dice then you may not want to use those. Some dice jails aren’t really meant to be used with heavier dice, and you may end up damaging it. Be careful to not use dice that are too big for your dice jail as well.
- Dice jails usually have no real mechanical purpose in a game like D&D, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find some way of making it a vital part of your games. You can come up with some really fun rules as a group that make dice jails really fun to use. For example, players could barter with each other or with the DM for someone else’s dice that’s currently in the jail.
- Dice jails tend to benefit those who have large dice collections and plenty of dice to spare. So if you haven’t got that big of a collection, a dice jail may not be the best thing to get.
- Double check reviews for any dice jail you might be interested in. A review may pick up on something that you didn’t notice before and can end up saving you a lot of money in the long run.
- If any of your tabletop friends own a dice jail, ask them what they think. See if they can recommend any that they think are good. It’s always a great idea to get personal recommendations from people you trust.
Verdict – The Best Dice Jails
That’s been our list for The Best Dice Jails. Whether you are playing DND or another RPG, dice jails can be a fun way to refocus some energy after a string of bad rolls. Sure, it’s not scientific, but these beauties can be a lot of fun and a great addition to game night. If you’ve found this guide helpful, please be sure to let us know in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
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