Have you ever invested in a set of high-quality dice only to find that they’re scratched, chipped and faded a few months later? Dice, like any other luxury item, need your care and attention to keep them in pristine condition. Here’s how to care for sharp-edge resin DnD dice in five easy steps.
What are sharp-edge dice?
If you imagine your standard family boardgame dice, you’re probably thinking that classic set of white dice with rounded edges and curved corners. Sharp-edge dice, on the other hand, have corners and edges that are crisp and well-defined.
In casinos, these are called precision dice. They are made with sharp edges because this design increases randomness and fairness. The dice stop rolling much sooner so that outcomes can have a more even distribution.
And, I’ll be honest with you, sharp-edge DnD dice just look better. When you’re immersed in an hours-long roleplaying session, having a beautiful set of themed dice to match the vibe is a small luxury that makes a big difference.
Why is it important to look after resin dice?
Unlike their round-edged cousins, sharp-edge dice are more susceptible to wear-and-tear. Rough handling will cause the edges to round out and chip inconsistently. This can result in what is basically the equivalent of playing with loaded dice. The same is true with dice that are sticky with dirt.
Sharp-edge resin dice can also get scratched, lose their colour and warp out of shape. DnD dice are often hand-crafted in small batches, and designed to be beautiful. If you have invested in a sharp-edge DnD dice set, you’ll want to look after them not only because they are more expensive, but also because of everything that went into creating them.
We know that luck isn’t real. But we also know that most players have lucky RPG dice anyway. If you want to keep your own lucky dice set rolling for the long-term, you’ll need to treat them with care.
How to look after your sharp-edge resin dice
Sharp-edge dice, especially DnD dice, are an important investment for game immersion and fairness. You want them to last as long as possible, and there are seven simple steps you can take to protect your sharp-edge resin DnD dice set.
1. Roll on soft surfaces
Rolling dice on glass, marble, stone or even hard wood surfaces can chip the corners and scratch or scuff the surfaces. As mentioned before, this will ruin the appearance of your beautifully-crafted dice, but will also interfere with their ability to roll more randomly.
You want to roll directly onto your game board, map, neoprene or felt surface. These components are designed with dice rolling and protection in mind. You don’t need to roll super hard either. Your outcomes won’t be any more random just because you scattered your dice off the table and onto the floor. These drops will also damage them.
If you like to roll long, we recommend investing in a dedicated game table or surface. The surfaces are soft and the sides are raised and padded to prevent dice from falling or knocking too hard against the edges. Our friends at Wyrmwood have bespoke gaming furniture for every budget. If you want an entire modular table to roll across, they’ve got you covered. We also love their dice towers for gentler rolls.
For something more subtle, you could go for a DnD dice tray. Our Dispel x Laserox dice trays are delicate, decorative and lined with soft leather to protect your dice. Choose the Swords and Roses or the Endless Horizons dice trays. Either (or both) will look beautiful on your shelf, desk or coffee table. They’re functional and they’re so pretty you won’t have to pack them away when you’re done!
2. Clean after each session
Here at Dispel Dice, we walk the talk. We know that snacks are mandatory at game nights. Things get sticky and crumby, dice included.
We recommend dusting and buffing your dice with a dry soft cloth after every game. This will prevent dust, dirt and oils from your hands from building up in the numbers or debossed designs.
If your dice are dirty or sticky beyond a simple wipe away, use a mild solution of dish soap and warm water and give them a good clean with a soft cloth. Use a soft-bristle toothbrush to get into the numbers and design grooves if you need to. Make sure they are fully dry before packing them away again. No one wants moldy dice!
3. Store them correctly
We know it’s tempting to keep your dice out in the open on display, but this isn’t the best idea over the long term. You want to protect your sharp-edge dice from the elements, keep them clean and prevent them from getting lost.
A velvet-lined DnD dice bag is a great budget-friendly option as long as you don’t store too many dice in one bag. They can easily scratch each other and their edges and corners can dull over time. If you are storing more than one set in the same bag, make sure you never have metal and resin dice together, as they can damage each other extremely easily.
The safest option is to keep your dice in a dice vault or a display case, so you can get the best of all the worlds. Your beautiful dice can be on display, but still protected in individually-lined compartments. They also won’t be able to come into contact with one another, so you can mix and match them for display if that’s your vibe.
4. Protect them from environmental factors
Like any other collectibles, hand-crafted resin dice can be sensitive to their surroundings, especially if it’s particularly hot or cold.
When directly exposed to very cold temperatures for long periods of time, the resin becomes brittle which makes sharp-edge dice more susceptible to cracks and chips. Similarly, keeping them in a spot that’s too hot for too long will cause them to warp, negatively affecting the way they roll. Keeping your dice in a dice box or bag that is lined will keep their temperature more stable.
If your resin dice are on display, be sure to keep them out of direct sunlight. Long-term exposure to sunlight discolors resin, especially transparent dice, or dice that are lighter colors.
5. Invest in high-quality dice sets
The best way to enjoy sharp-edge gaming dice that are long-lasting is to invest in dice sets that are high quality. Paying a bit more in the short-term will save you from having to replace your dice over and over in the future.
You will also get the peace-of-mind that comes with knowing your components are being made ethically in small batches. At Dispel Dice, this also means that every batch is hand-poured, and so your dice are not only of the highest quality, but also one-of-a-kind!
Protecting and taking care of your sharp-edge RPG dice is important for GMs and players alike, and it doesn’t have to be a hassle. As long as you clean your dice after each game and make sure they’re packed away correctly, you can expect them to perform and look as good as new for many years to come.
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