Most D&D players need five things at the table: a set of polyhedral dice, a pencil, paper or a character sheet, a way to take notes, and somewhere to keep it all. Everything else is optional, and some of it is genuinely fun. This guide sorts the gear into tiers so you can spend where it helps and skip where it doesn’t.
TL;DR
- The true minimum is free rules, a pencil, paper and a polyhedral dice set. Everything beyond that is a comfort upgrade.
- Dice are the accessory worth caring about most. Pick for legibility first, then looks, and don’t rely on the saltwater float test to judge fairness.
- A campaign journal and a dice tray solve the two most common table problems: scattered notes and dice on the floor.
- Storage turns a pile of gear into a kit you can carry to any game night.
- Physical props make sessions more tactile, but you can add them one at a time as your group grows.
Table of Contents
- What you actually need to play
- Tier one: the accessories that change how you play
- Tier two: nice upgrades once you’re hooked
- Fairness: how to check your dice
- Choosing dice material
- Perspective: why dice are the one thing we’d never skip
- Storage: from loose gear to a kit
- Where our dice fit
- Buying for another player
- A sensible order to buy things
- FAQ
- Sources
What you actually need to play
Before buying anything, know where the floor is. According to a summary of the 5e Basic Rules, the bare minimum is the free-to-download Basic Rules, a pencil, paper and a standard set of polyhedral dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 and d20. Pre-generated character sheets and free digital dice rollers can fill in if you have no physical dice yet.
That means you can start a campaign tonight for the cost of a pencil. Anyone telling you that you need a shelf of gear to be a “real” player is selling something. (We sell dice, so take that with the right amount of salt, and keep reading for how we think about it.)
If you want a bit more structure than the free route, a boxed starter set is the usual next step. A beginner’s overview from Nerdvana notes that a starter set bundles a full set of polyhedral dice and pre-filled character sheets alongside the guidance. The newest one, Heroes of the Borderlands, adds a quick-start guide, adventure booklets, dice and pre-filled character boards, which is a very easy way for a group of friends to get going together.
Tier one: the accessories that change how you play
Dice you can actually read
Dice are the one item every player touches every session. They are also the easiest place to make a mistake, because the prettiest dice are not always the most readable.
A good rule: choose for legibility first, then aesthetics. Puzzlewick’s metal vs resin guide points out that resin dice are most readable when there is strong contrast between the numeral paint and the body color. Metal dice, on the other hand, need enamel-filled engravings to stay readable in low light. The same guide warns about a common trap: monochrome metallic sets that look stunning in photos can turn into low-contrast headaches in dim, ambient lighting.
That matters if your table is a living room with lamps turned low for atmosphere, or a game store with moody lighting. Before you buy, picture the numerals under your actual lighting.
A second set, for speed
One set of seven is enough. A second set makes certain turns faster: a fireball’s damage dice, a rogue’s sneak attack, a barbarian’s extra weapon dice. Rolling them all at once beats rolling one die eight times. Many players keep a “main” set, the one that feels like their character, and a utility set for big handfuls of d6s.
A campaign journal
Players who run into trouble with their notes usually run into it around session six, when the half-remembered name of a quest-giver suddenly matters. A review of Peter Pauper Press’s campaign journal argues that purpose-built journals with space for indexing, NPC tracking and inventory management, plus a pocket for loose maps or spell cards, help cut table clutter and keep details within reach.
You don’t need to buy that specific product. A cheap notebook works if you set it up with a few habits:
- Reserve the first two pages as an index and number the rest.
- Keep one page for NPC names with a one-line description each.
- Keep one running page for inventory and gold.
- Write a two-sentence recap at the end of every session.
A dice tray
Dice that roll off the table waste time and, with metal dice, can gouge a wooden surface. A tray, even a shoebox lid lined with felt, keeps rolls contained and quiet. Puzzlewick’s guide specifically recommends rolling metal dice into a tray so they don’t gouge the table or chip your other dice. If you own metal dice, a tray stops being optional.
Tier two: nice upgrades once you’re hooked
Physical props and tokens
Tactile components such as monster cards, spell tokens and character boards increase engagement compared with pure digital tracking, and modern starter sets now bundle them for exactly that reason. You can borrow the idea on a budget: index cards for spells, coins for gold, a handful of colored glass beads for conditions or inspiration.
Spell and condition trackers
If you play a caster, a stack of cards or tokens for your prepared spells and concentration saves you from flipping through the book mid-combat. Players who forget concentration are not bad players; they simply have no reminder on the table.
Table-friendly extras
Beyond that, the list is personal: a pencil case, a spare pen in a different color for edits, a small sand timer for indecisive turns, a character miniature, or a prop that gets you into your character’s head. Some players wear a small costume piece for their character. It sounds silly until the first time it helps you commit to a voice.
Fairness: how to check your dice
Players love to test dice, and they often test them wrong. The saltwater float test is the best-known trick. According to our own write-up on dice balance, it only screens for gross internal mass defects and can’t reliably detect geometry bias, like one oversized face from a manufacturing error. The method that works is a frequency test: roll the die 100 or more times and compare the tallies against the expected probability.
For most casual tables, this is overkill, and a few oddities in a small sample are normal. Liquid core dice in particular are fine for casual play, but manufacturers advise against assuming perfect balance because core placement or resin density can vary. If you play competitively or you’re simply curious, run the test. If you play for fun, enjoy your dice.
Choosing dice material
The “best” material depends on how you play. Here is how the main types compare.
| Material | Strengths | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Resin / acrylic | Sharp edges, the highest legibility, rich artistic detail | Can chip if dropped on hard floors |
| Metal | Weight, premium feel, a satisfying thunk | Low contrast in dim light; can damage tables, so use a tray |
| Liquid core | Eye-catching movement inside the die, great for casual play | Balance can vary between dice |
| Gemstone | Natural look and a distinctive feel | Check numeral contrast before buying |
| Wood | Warm, unusual, a good gift | Read the numerals in your lighting |
The resin and metal points come from Puzzlewick’s comparison, which describes sharp-edged resin with hand-painted high-contrast numerals as widely considered the gold standard for legibility. The liquid core caution comes from the same guide. The gemstone and wood rows are our own read from selling them, not a measured finding.
Perspective: why dice are the one thing we’d never skip
We make a living from dice, so we’ll be straight about our bias: we think dice are the most personal piece of gear at the table. They are the only accessory that is in your hand at the dramatic moment, when the whole table goes quiet for a roll.
But we also think you should buy them for the right reasons. Pick numerals you can read from across the table. Pick a set that feels like your character: a dark liquid core set for a necromancer, a wooden set for a ranger, a gemstone set for a cleric who tithes. And don’t treat the hobby as a transaction. We started D20 Collective around the idea that the game is about adventure and the people you play with, and the dice are just there to make the moments feel bigger.
If you’re buying for a friend, think about their character or their taste, not what you’d want. A player who loves subtle looks won’t thank you for a neon set, and a player who loves spectacle will find a plain black set dull.
— Tereza
Storage: from loose gear to a kit
Once you own dice, a journal, a tray and a few tokens, the real problem becomes carrying them. Loose dice in a pocket chip each other. A bag of unsorted gear gets left at home on the one night you need it.
The fix is a single, defined kit. Some players 3D print their own, and one popular design on MakerWorld is a lockable player tray with swing doors and a rotating d20 lock. If you don’t have a printer, a hard case with foam or felt compartments does the same job.
A good kit has:
- A compartment for each die type, so you can grab one without digging.
- A spot for a pencil and eraser.
- Room for your character sheet or a few cards.
- A lid that doubles as a rolling surface, if possible.
We also make storage ourselves: made-to-order Hex Chests for dice, and Spellbook Gaming Kits for dice and miniature storage, which can be customized.
Where our dice fit
If you’ve decided a new set is worth it, here is how our lines map to the choices above. We carry liquid core, gemstone, metal, resin, acrylic and wood series, so you can match a set to the way you play. Browse everything in our dice collection.
- Liquid core: If you want movement and color in your hand, start with our liquid core collection. The Elixir of Liquid Death 7-piece set is a full set, and the Giant D20 version gives your big rolls a bit of theater.
- Resin: For legibility, Glimmerfall is a 7-piece resin set.
- Gemstone: Philosopher’s Stone is a 7-piece gemstone set for players who like a natural look.
- Wood: Wyrmwood is a 7-piece wooden set.
- Metal: The mini 8-piece Gold Keys to the Hoard set, also in silver, suits players who like the weight of metal. Remember the tray.
- Bigger sets: Players who want a spare or a showpiece can look at 14-piece sets such as Hedronic Serenity, Elemental Glimmer or Swashbuckler.
We also offer mystery bundles for players who like a surprise, and they work well as gifts. Our service is backed by an unconditional money-back policy.
Buying for another player
Gift buyers often ask what is safe. Here’s a short shortlist by player type:
- A brand-new player: a starter set or a first dice set with clear numerals, and a small notebook.
- A long-time player: a second set in a different material, or a dice tray.
- A player who loves their character: dice that match the character’s theme, or a custom storage box.
- A Dungeon Master friend: that’s a different list, but dice still work, since DMs roll a lot of them.
If you don’t know what they own, dice and a journal are the least likely to duplicate something.
A sensible order to buy things
- Start with free rules, a pencil and paper.
- Get a dice set you can read in your usual lighting.
- Add a journal or notebook after a few sessions.
- Add a tray, especially if you own metal dice.
- Add tokens and cards for your class.
- Add storage once the pile gets annoying to carry.
- Add a second dice set, or a showpiece set, when you feel like it.
If you play online, the accessories change. Our guide to tools for gaming online covers the digital side, and a physical dice set is still fun to roll in front of a webcam.
FAQ
What are the essential D&D accessories for a new player?
The free Basic Rules, a pencil, paper or a character sheet, and a polyhedral dice set are the essentials. Pre-generated sheets and digital rollers can fill gaps at first. Everything else, including trays, journals and storage, can wait until you know how you like to play.
Are metal dice better than resin dice?
Not across the board. Metal gives weight and a premium feel, while sharp-edged resin with high-contrast numerals is generally the most readable. Pick based on your lighting and whether you’ll use a tray.
Do I need a dice tray?
Not strictly, but it is useful. A tray keeps dice from rolling off the table, quiets the roll and protects the surface, which matters most for metal dice. A felt-lined box lid works well on a budget.
How can I tell if my dice are fair?
The saltwater float test only catches gross internal defects. For a better answer, roll the die 100 or more times and compare your tallies to what probability predicts. For casual play, small deviations in short rolls are normal.
Sources
- DnD 5e Basic Rules: Summary and Guide for New Players
- Metal vs Resin Dice: Which Should You Buy?
- Peter Pauper Press Campaign Journal, DM Screen and Battle Mat impressions
- Dungeons & Dragons Starter Kit is bigger and better
- D&D for beginners: How to get started
- Ultimate DND Players Kit v2 on MakerWorld
