10 DIY Dungeons & Dragons Projects That Will Blow Players’ Minds
So, in case you’ve been hiding in the Underdark, you’ve probably noticed Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) has had a resurgence.
Yes, that D&D. All over the world, nerds of every creed are dusting off old ‘80s volumes or cracking open fresh 5th Edition Player’s Handbooks — or, if your Dungeon Master is truly drunk on power, concocting some Homebrew mess that means your character sheet is wrong, always.
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Celebrities play it, DM it, and lately, film it in shows like Critical Role. Not to mention, the latest series of Stranger Things makes it a big topic. For instance, check out this guy, who built an enormous eldritch horror sculpture to serve as his campaign’s final boss.
With such effort going into D&D right now, we scoured the internet for some awesome DIY projects that will knock your players’ Mithral socks right off:
1. Get Some Gem Bling On
We all know that the real reason we hoard dice like dragons is that it’s the closest we’ll get to hold a little pouch of colorful gemstones. But we can make our own without messing with the borax powder like in middle school science class (though that’s fun to do, too). Here’s how you can make the Sorcerer’s Stone.
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2. Pour Out a Pensieve for Your Players (Say That Five Times Fast)
We tried to avoid food in this one since we all know coordinating the diets of more than four people starts to become really tricky. But who wouldn’t want a glimmery punch bowl?
Luster dust can be stuck in anything, too, whether you prefer tea or Hawaiian punch. Basically, get ready to dump it into everything you drink, and here’s how to make glowing, shimmering Punch.
3. Initiative Does Grow on Trees
Well, metaphorical trees. Tumblr user, Flavoracle shared their DM’s awesome creation. We’ve seen variations of this method, with binder clips, slips of folded paper, and the like, but we love this one because it can be easily adjusted.
You can move characters up and down in the turn order based on slow and haste effects, delayed turns, etc. Also, it’s super satisfying to snap the clothespins off when you kill a bad guy. Here’s how to Make an Initiative Tree.
4. Deal in Dragon Eggs
One of the coolest props we saw was this egg. Perfect to add a bit of dragon-brood to your aesthetic — and perfect to throw at unruly players! Here’s how to Make a DIY Dragon Egg.
5. Ancient Paper, Modern Convenience
There are many tutorials out there about aging paper and weathering existing things, but we love that this allows for a backstock of unique paper you can immediately print on for a king’s missive, love note, or forged papers. Here’s how to make DIY Aged Paper You Can Print On.
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6. Up Your Candle Game
When you play D&D, if your environment doesn’t feel atmospheric enough with the lightning you have set up, consider these amazing candles. Find out how to make Fantasy Map Luminaries now.
7. A Pocket Gaming Kit
How cute would these be as player gifts? Bonus points if you use teeny-weeny mini dice. This is how to make a Mini D&D Kit.
8. Dice Jail for Naughty Dice
Everyone’s had a few bad rolls. And then there are evil, evil dice. Evil dice must be punished, if only for your own satisfaction (and that of your frustrated players). It also provides a bit of levity to combat the pure anger of rolling a 1 twice with an advantage. Find out how to make this amazing Dice Jail now.
9. Create a Tower of Terror
Listen, dice rolls are dramatic until they go rolling off the table under the couch. This allows for the drama of hearing the dice roll down the tower and delivering their verdict. Even better, this one’s collapsible! Find out how to make this Collapsible Dice Tower here.
10. Keep Prying Eyes Away in Style
To be fair, DMs have to treat themselves, too. This is one of many options, but the treatment is great and the hardware is an awesome base for anything you want to do to it (painting, burning, etc.). And there’s something satisfying about thumping down a giant, heavy DM screen. Make your own Wood DM Screen now.
With these 10 DIY projects you can customize your DM game even further, or at least make you feel somewhat in control as your players go wildly, wildly off-course.