Gifts for D&D Players
Whether you’re shopping for a friend or family member… or yourself (that’s OK too.) Here’s a Cloud 9 guide to bringing some delight into the heart of a geek near you. Note that we’re breaking up the recommendations here into products that are good for D&D Players vs good for D&D Dungeon Masters (the game facilitators) and also highlighting those that are great for both. As a disclaimer, we do have affiliate partnerships with some of the sites on this list, and so would earn a small commission if you were to purchase something through this page. We will be very transparent about products that we know and love and have used… and those that we are interested in that have not used. We are extremely picky about recommending a product to you and would never recommend something simply for a profit.
Best for Both :
Dice, Dice, Baby (too cold, too cold)
OK let’s just get this out there: We. Love. Dice.
I’m not sure what it is about these little polyhedral bits of resin, but I’ve never met a tabletop gamer that did not treasure the idea of having really cool dice. There are thousands of different colors and varieties out there, but you’ll want to shop for a dungeons and dragons game is a set of seven polyhedral dice. Chessex is by far the most recognized name in dice… you can find them in nearly every gaming store in the US… their quality is good, and they have a plethora of colors available. There is also a multitude of craft and handmade dice with metal and other premium components
Chessex Pound-O-dice – $24
This bulk pack of dice will help jump start a collection, or bolster an existing one. It’s A LOT OF DICE. It’s perfect for someone that might have a large group of players that they might want to share with. (Although I have known many superstitious players that believe their dice are lucky and will NOT let anyone touch their dice under penalty of hand biting!
Link to Amazon: Chessex Pound-O-Dice
Chessex 7 Die Set – Lots of Color Choices – $9
You could also search for a single set of dice that matches the perfect color for the person you have in mind. There are so many options of colors out there. Here’s one example we like.
Link to Amazon: Chessex 7-Die Borealis Set – Royal Purple with Gold Numbers
Craft Dice on Etsy
You could also spend hours looking for a unique, craft set of dice on Etsy. We’ve not tried this particular set but wanted to highlight it to show an example of the sweet selection that is out there.
Best for New DM’s: Starters Set – $20
This product is featured in our getting started guide. For someone that is looking to get into the hobby but not sure where to start, this set is fantastic. It comes with a simplified set of the rules, pre-generated characters, an adventure with beautiful artwork and color maps. With this, you can unbox, learn, sit down and play.
Link to Amazon: Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set
A Premium Gift for New DM’s: A Campaign Kick Start from Cloud 9 – $270 $117
Starting a new Dungeons and Dragons game when you don’t know where to start can be hard. We offer a service that takes the hard part away, and streamlines your personal campaign launch for you and friends. This service includes help with creating characters, running an initial 2-4 hour session for players to learn the game by a senior dungeon master, and even the option to also have our senior dungeon masters sit in on your game to help you get on your way. This service is valued at $270 however as part of our grand opening sale we are offering this at the deeply discounted price of $117. The product will be up on our page soon. In the interim, feel free to shoot an email to artie@cloud9tabletop.com to get more info.
A Premium Gift for DM’s: Limited Edition Core Rulebook Gift Set
This gift set includes the three core rule books of dungeons and dragons 5th edition as well as a dungeon master’s screen. This includes the Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, and Monster Manual. The awesome part about this limited edition set is the artwork. All three books have had new, custom artwork made that have an awesome metallic, reflective shine on the covers. It’s eye-catching and absolutely gorgeous. All of the book sand the dungeon master’s screen all fit in to a box set for storage or display. Even for gamers that already have some or all of the rule books, this beautiful set would make your gift recipient the envy of their table. I’ll be honest, as a player myself, this is the #1 item I would love to have on my D&D wish list.
Link to Amazon: Core Rulebook Gift Set Limited Alternate Covers
Bag of Holding
This bag is freeking amazing. It is a true, D&D themed bag named after one of the magical items that can be found in game… a bottomless bag that does not grow in weight when you put things in it called a Bag of Holding. My last character kept a boulder, and a Christmas tree in his… which he used to surprise some baddies in a cave with (long story.) The amount of stuff you can store in this bag is fantastic, yet the compartments and layout keep the bag manageable. I personally carry multiple rulebooks, a dice box, a rolled up gaming matt, a whiteboard and markers, characters, pencils and my electronics in this thing when I travel to my weekly game and there is still room to spare. The craftsmanship of the bag is also very good. The I have the heavy canvas version which has held up for years. In true D&D theme it has a d20 and the text “Bag of Holding” emblazoned on the front with pride.
Link to ThinkGeek: Bag of Holding
Great for Players: Players Handbook
Great for having around the table for reference, looking up spells and abilities etc. Also nice to have your own personal copy of the book for leveling up your character and offline research.
Link to Amazon: D&D 5th Edition Players Handbook
Great for DMs and Players: Chessex mat & Wet Erase Markers $35 & $9
The next 3 items go together. These allow you to map out and interact with a battlefield, dungeon,or even regional map. They are very versitile for when you want to just draw something out in game like… Here’swhat the orc encampment that you’re sneaking up on looks like. The wet erase markers (not dry erase) allow for drawing on the map with markers that wont smudge during play, that make for easy cleanup after game with a wet paper towel.
Links to Amazon: Chessex Grid Mat
Link to Amazon: Chessex Wet-Erase Markers for Grid Mat
Miniatures – $10 to $100
To represent your characters, and the monsters they may be slaying, miniatures are what you need. Below are the links for a generic box of “pawns” that includes tons and tons of cardboard cutouts that can represent the monsters on your playing field, and the characters themselves. Note that the pawns themselves are from another fantasy setting called pathfinder which is,arguably, the same as D&D with just different rules. What you’re getting from the pawns is the artwork of the creatures themselves so the set transfers well between game systems. Slaying a giant spider in D&D looks the same as slaying a giant spider in Pathfinder from an artwork perspective.
Link to Amazon: Pathfinder Pawns for RPG Encounters
Hero Forge Miniatures
For a step above…for the characters themselves consider the gift of a hero forge miniature. This amazing service allows players to customize a miniature to look exactly how they envision their character, and then get them 3D printed in plastic or metal.
Link to Hero Forge: www.heroforge.com
Official D&D Miniatures by Wiz Kids
These are the official D&D miniatures from Wizards of the Coast. They have fantastic detail and are a joy to play with. The only reason I’d hesitate to recommend this higher is that if you’re shopping for someone else, you may not know what kind of miniatures they are looking for… so the other mentions above may be more accommodating. Feel free to browse their site
Link to Wiz Kids: http://wizkidsgames.com/dnd/
Honorable Mention
We’ve had personal experience using with the products above, and approve. We are also drooling over some products that we’ve yet to get our hands on but are worth a mention for your shopping.
Great for DMs and Players: Dice trays
Dice are like cats. They find ways to fall off the table, and into the nooks and crannies of your home. And then you step on them. And then one of you has a bruise on their foot for two weeks. Dice Trays are very nice editions to your table in that they allow you to roll, in style in a tray that keeps your dice contained. There are more solid versions made of components like wood, and there are more travel friendly versions that fold flat and come together… often made of components like leather. Here’s where you can find a few.
Link to Amazon: Collapsible Dice Tray
Link to Amazon: Octagon Dice Tray
Great for Players: Character Folio
Really nice accessory for keeping your character sheet week over week. I’ve personally kind of just slid mine into one of my flatter pockets in my bag of holding and hoped for the best… doesn’t always work the greatest. One of these would be sweet. The only reason it’s not on my Cloud 9 Approved list is because I’ve not owned one myself…. Although this is a licensed product made by Ultra Pro – I’m confident you’ll love it.
Link to Amazon: Ultra Pro Licensed D&D Character Folio
Great For DM’s: DM Screen
Being able to setup a DM screen at our table really adds an awesome depth to the game. It add some mystery to the rolls that the DM is making, hides the resources that the players might be encountering soon but that the DM might not want them to see,and provides great rules references and artwork on display for the DM to aid in easier facilitating. A DM screen really helps elevate your game.
Link to Amazon: DM Screen
