D20 Cabal

Intro (Editor's note: This guest blogger is not an affiliate of 1985 Games) I did not plan to have this many dice. About 18 months ago—after a pretty rough stretch—I bought my first mystery dice set at a comic shop. I didn't think I would start a collection. I'd been toying with the idea of learning D&D and saw this pretty cool-looking Halloween set hanging near a box of '70s horror comics.  And now as I write this, I'm staring at four giant D20s that have no more point than to sit near my mouse like stones that would power some kind of warp drive in yet another Star Trek  series. I guess I've become like kids these days who get antsy if they don't have their tablet and headphones in reach. All I can say is that being a dice hoarder keeps me plugged into a world that I would rather be in if I didn't have to do dumb stuff like work so I can do more dumb stuff like eat. Without my dice hoard, I would be in a sorry state. For perspective, I would not sa...

There’s something magical about Saturday morning cartoons. The bold colors, zany characters, and larger-than-life energy captured our imaginations and never really let go. If you’re like me—a GM with a love for nostalgia, vibrant aesthetics, and the satisfying click-clack of dice—it’s only natural to want your dice to reflect a little of that cartoon chaos from childhood. So if you're pulling inspiration from wild worlds and cinematic action, or just want your session to have that cartoon sparkle, grab your soda and a bowl of overly sugary cereal—because today we’re diving into three RPG dice sets that roll with the energy and style of a Saturday morning cartoon. If your dice don’t roll like they’re about to shout their own name in a cartoon theme song, you’re missing the magic. 1. VHS Dice Set: Surge Green  – Bold Enough for a Saturday Morning Mutant Remember the mutant-filled, sewer-dwelling turtle heroes of your childhood? The Surge edition of the 1985 Games VHS Dice...

Why Your Dice Matter More Than You Think We’ve all been there. The sun was shining, snacks were stacked, your party was geared up for a legendary quest—and then it happened. A cruel streak of ones. An insult to your bard’s dignity. A betrayal of wizarding proportions. I’m talking about those rolls. The cursed kind. The kind you'll never live down because your DM won’t let you forget. "That beachside one-shot ended with my cleric falling off a lighthouse because I rolled a natural one three times. In a row." Last summer was supposed to be epic: a vacation-themed TTRPG extravaganza with my core group. We had premade characters, a custom setting (“Palm of the Forgotten Gods,” thank you very much), and mood lighting. But what we didn't have was luck. Dice luck, specifically. This is my story. But more importantly, it's yours too. Because if you’ve played tabletop RPGs for any length of time, you've probably suffered from brutal dice betrayal. Fortunately,...

Why Your Dice Hate You (And How to Fix It) If you're like me, you've stared at a d20 with fury in your eyes after yet another failed saving throw. You blame bad luck. You threaten your dice. Some of us have even banished them to dice jail. Sound familiar? You're not alone. It might feel like your dice hate you —but there’s more going on here than just misfortune. Let’s dive into the real reasons your rolls are cursed, and more importantly, what you can do about it. The Curse of the Cold Dice Ever sit down to your weekly game and notice that for the first 30 minutes, it’s nothing but ones and threes? You’re not imagining things. Dice that haven’t been rolled or warmed up can behave unpredictably. Plastic, resin, and even sharp-edged dice can roll differently based on minor temperature and wear factors. You might think your dice are cursed, but in reality—they’re just misunderstood. The solution? Get those rolls moving before game time. Roll your dice a few dozen ...

I once walked into a gym, curious but clueless about all the equipment. The first thing I saw was a guy lifting a massive barbell— so heavy it looked like it could anchor a Warhammer tank. When he set it down, the crash sounded like a Basilisk artillery shell hitting a LARP field. I quietly backed out, realizing that kind of intensity wasn’t for me. But that over- the- top energy? That’s exactly what an RPG table needs. And nothing brings that vibe like a giant d20 dice ready to make a statement. Because let’s be honest: sometimes the only thing better than rolling high is doing it with thunderous flair.  BIG ROLL ENERGY There’s nothing subtle about a giant d20 dice. That’s the point. These dice roll like they mean it. They’re loud, theatrical, and just a little bit dramatic— perfect for the moment your bard tries to seduce the villain or your barbarian finally gets to rage. Even if you’re the kind of player who usually goes for sharp edge dice precision or miniature dice fi...

Let me take you to a scene in Bull Durham , a baseball movie that has absolutely nothing to do with tabletop gaming— and yet, somehow, everything to do with dice collecting. A hotshot young pitcher is bragging: he’s got a Porsche, he’s got a quadraphonic Blaupunkt stereo system, he’s flying high. But his veteran catcher— grizzled, grounded, and not here for nonsense— gives it to him straight: “ Christ, you don’t need a quadraphonic Blaupunkt. What you need is a curveball!” Now hold that thought. Because if you’re the kind of person with 40+ sets of sharp edge dice , one- of- a- kind resin swirls, and a growing addiction to mystery dice drops… you may just be the pitcher in this story. And what you need? Is a dice tray. 1. THE BEAUTY OF CHAOS— UNTIL IT’S NOT Don’t get me wrong— I love the chaos. The dnd dice that glow in the dark, the ones filled with floating koi, the absurdly sharp ones that feel like they could stab a god. Chaos is kind of the point. But chaos without bo...