Tabletop Guides

Practical board game and tabletop roleplaying guides, including gameplay, accessories, dice, buying advice and comparisons.

Board Games for Two: How to Find Competition Without Ruining Date Night

Some couples collect board games the way other couples collect houseplants. Then there’s that one game you both refuse to play because somebody still remembers what happened during the final round three years ago.

Choosing a good two-player game is not about finding the longest list of ‘best games for couples’. It’s about identifying the kind of competition you both enjoy, and the amount of time you have before dinner gets cold.

Direct conflict or a race to do something better?

Some games invite you to take things away from your opponent, attack their position or block their progress. Others ask both players to build something, score efficiently or win a race. The latter can feel less personally confrontational, even when the result is fiercely competitive.

Neither style is superior. The problem comes when one player loves sabotage and the other simply wanted a quiet puzzle with company.

Ask about the first ten minutes

Will one person need to teach a dense rulebook? Are both happy learning together? If one partner usually ends up explaining every rule, a shorter teach can be more romantic than another two-hour tutorial. Look for a game with a clear goal and a manageable number of actions on the first turn.

How long do you actually want to play?

A game that takes thirty minutes can be played twice in an evening, which is ideal if you both want a chance to adapt your strategy. A heavier strategic game can be satisfying when you have a weekend afternoon free. Choose around your real routine, not an imagined schedule where nobody ever gets tired.

What does a useful two-player listing tell you?

Start with the published player-count range. Check whether two-player play is supported out of the box or requires an expansion. Look for meaningful choices with two people, not just a game that technically allows an almost empty table. If you have particular accessibility needs, consider component readability, table space and the amount of text required.

A game doesn’t have to be a duel

Cooperative games can be terrific for two people, but the best experience still gives both players decisions to make. Watch out for games where the person who knows the rules can accidentally direct every move. A little uncertainty and room for different opinions are healthy.

Try this five-question test

Are we comfortable competing directly?
Do we prefer solving a shared problem?
How much time can we reliably set aside?
Does one of us dislike long rule explanations?
Do we want a game we can replay often, or a story to experience once?

Answering honestly will narrow your options far better than another ranked list of famous titles.

Build your own shortlist

Browse Bell & Barter’s board games and check the exact player count on the box and product description. If you’re choosing a first modern game, start with our five-question beginner guide. If both of you enjoy competing with a bigger strategic puzzle, explore the Sanctum versus Arnak comparison for a sense of how different those decisions can feel.

And if your partner wins three matches in a row, remember: a rematch is cheaper than a new board game.

Board Game Expansions: When More Really Makes a Game Better

There is a special joy in discovering that a favourite board game has an expansion. New cards! New characters! New ways for your carefully laid plans to collapse. There’s also a reliable way to waste money: buying an expansion before you’ve discovered whether you even like the original game.

Start with a simple question: what problem does it solve?

The strongest expansions create fresh decisions, not merely extra pieces to manage. Perhaps the base game has settled into a familiar pattern. Perhaps your group has explored most of the strategies. Maybe you simply wish a particular mechanic had more room to breathe. If an expansion addresses a feeling the group already has, it’s easier to justify.

If you’re still learning the core game, more rules may make it less enjoyable. A good base game does not become incomplete just because somebody sells an additional box.

Four sorts of add-on that look similar in a shop

Gameplay expansions add mechanics, cards, scenarios or factions. They generally require the core game. Promotional packs may supply optional cards or small components. Update packs are often intended to adapt an older printing or edition, not add a standalone game. Accessories can include playmats, coins, organisers or miniatures that change the experience at the table without replacing the rules.

Those differences should be visible in the product title and description, particularly when an attractive accessory photo could be mistaken for the complete game.

Final Girl is a perfect lesson in compatibility

Van Ryder Games’ Final Girl line uses a Core Box alongside individual Feature Film boxes. The Feature Film is not a self-contained game on its own. Each film changes the killer, location and story you must survive, while the Core Box provides the shared material needed to play. Buying a Feature Film without the Core Box is not the bargain it may first appear to be.

Once you have the Core Box, choosing a new film becomes a much more interesting decision. Which scenario intrigues you? Do you want a different style of challenge? That’s the real reason to expand.

The Dominion trap: an expansion isn’t automatically a starter

Some Dominion boxes are expansions that require access to the base cards or specific components, even when they are large and beautifully packaged. Others are standalone-capable editions. The right answer depends on the exact product, not the word Dominion on the cover. Double-check that you’re buying a playable entry point and not a box designed for someone already invested in the system.

When an expansion is worth it

You’ve played the base game enough to understand what you’d like more of.
Your group enjoys the additional complexity it introduces.
You have confirmed it fits your exact edition and language.
It adds decisions or variety, rather than simply increasing setup time.
You can picture when you’ll actually play it.

When you should skip it

If you only have one session under your belt, play the original again. If the expansion requires a version you don’t own, check compatibility first. If the new content mostly extends an already lengthy game night, ask whether your group wants that.

The buying checklist

Before checking out, read the product’s complete title, identify the base game it requires, confirm edition compatibility, and check whether the box contains physical components or only a small upgrade pack. That small bit of homework prevents most expansion disappointments.

Browse board games and their accessories at Bell & Barter. Our first-game buying guide is a better starting point if you’re new to modern tabletop games.

Compatibility example checked against Van Ryder Games’ Final Girl range.

Dragon Shield Card Codex vs Zipster vs Sanctuary: Which Binder Should You Buy?

It’s strangely easy to buy the wrong binder. You see a gorgeous colour, a reassuringly large pocket count, and imagine your collection organised at last. Then it arrives and you discover that the way it opens, closes or holds cards is nothing like you pictured. Dragon Shield’s Card Codex, Zipster and Sanctuary ranges solve related problems, but they are not identical.

First, decide how you use your cards

A collection you browse on the sofa needs a different kind of access from a valuable trading binder carried to events. Cards that mostly live at home can suit a portfolio you open occasionally. A trade binder benefits from a closure that keeps the pages together while you’re travelling. Capacity is important, but convenience matters every time you reach for a card.

Card Codex portfolios: straightforward browsing

The Card Codex portfolio family includes different capacities, such as 80, 160, 360 and 576-pocket models. These figures tell you about the advertised card storage format, not the outside measurements of the binder. That sounds obvious, but it’s one of the most common mix-ups when shopping for storage.

For a curated trade selection, a smaller portfolio is easier to carry and skim. Larger versions are useful when you want a big collection grouped by set, colour or rarity. Think about whether you’ll reorganise the contents often, because a full portfolio can become a project of its own.

Zipster: when you want a zipped closure

The key attraction of the Card Codex Zipster line is the zipper closure. That can be reassuring when a binder moves between bags, tables and trading sessions. Dragon Shield offers regular and XL versions, with differing page arrangements and capacities. If you’re looking at a 576-pocket XL model, don’t assume it has the same dimensions or layout as a regular version.

Does a zipper make your cards indestructible? Of course not. You still need to avoid bending the binder, storing it under heavy objects or leaving it in humid conditions. A closure is one layer of protection, not a substitute for care.

Sanctuary: storage with a slipcase

Sanctuary is a different proposition. The slipcase adds a dedicated outer housing, making it especially appealing for a collection that spends more time on display or on a shelf than travelling to tournaments. Check the actual pocket arrangement and included accessories on the individual listing; ‘binder’ by itself does not describe everything in the package.

Which should you choose?

Your priority	Where to start
A straightforward portfolio for browsing cards	Card Codex
A zipped binder for trading and carrying	Zipster
Shelf-oriented storage with an outer case	Sanctuary
A bigger collection	Compare pocket count and page layout, not only the family name

A detail that matters for sleeved cards

A card’s bare dimensions are not the same as the dimensions of a sleeved or double-sleeved card. Pockets that comfortably hold one sleeved card may not behave the same way with multiple cards stacked inside. Don’t use a binder pocket as a substitute for a storage box full of bulk cards.

Pair your binder with sensible sleeves, and don’t force the pages closed. If you’re deciding where to spend first, read our budget-friendly card protection guide.

Browse the actual models

See Bell & Barter’s binder range. Compare the exact model name and card capacity before ordering. A modest binder that suits the way you collect is a better buy than the largest one on the shelf.

Beadle & Grimm’s Character Class Dice: Which Tin Fits Your D&D Character?

Every roleplaying group knows that one player who borrows a die, then another, then a third because their spell happens to need exactly that many. Beadle & Grimm’s Character Class Dice are an unusually charming response to that problem: give each class a set with a mixture designed around the kind of rolls its players often make.

The tins are beautifully illustrated, but the important detail is inside them. Not every class has the same dice mix.

What’s in a Character Class Dice tin?

The manufacturer describes resin polyhedral dice in an embossed tin with an EVA lining, designed to work as a rolling tray. There are different mixtures for different classes, often combining a familiar basic assortment with extras that suit common class abilities. The colour combinations and number of dice also vary.

That makes them a different kind of gift from a seven-die starter set. You’re buying a specific selection of dice and an object that belongs on a fantasy gaming table.

The Game Master: the busiest person at the table

The Game Master set contains 16 dice. Beadle & Grimm’s official contents include multiple d6 and d8 dice, a second d20 among the main colour groups, plus two additional special d20s. It makes sense for someone who is routinely rolling for several creatures or switching between different effects.

It’s not that a game master needs a separate set. It’s that having the relevant dice within reach can make a busy combat encounter smoother.

Fighter: the sound of dice hitting the tray

The Fighter tin contains 15 dice according to the maker, with additional d8s and d10s in its mix. That’s a practical contrast with buying a single standard set. Fighters can have abilities and equipment choices that use different dice, but check your particular character build rather than assuming every Fighter rolls the same combination.

Wizard, Cleric, Rogue and friends

The Wizard and Rogue sets in the Bell & Barter range contain 16 dice each. The Cleric, Ranger, Barbarian, Sorcerer, Druid, Monk, Warlock and Alchemist sets contain 14, while the Bard and Paladin sets have 15. The counts tell you these are genuinely different assortments; they don’t by themselves tell you which is right for your character.

Look at your spell list or character features. Are you commonly rolling several of the same die? Are you making attack rolls and saving throws? Do you spend sessions mostly improvising conversations? A dedicated tin is fun in any case, but it’s most convenient when its dice match your actual habits.

How should you choose a gift?

If you know the recipient’s current character class, start there. If you’re buying for the person who organises sessions, runs enemies and keeps the story moving, the Game Master set is a more obvious fit. If the player switches characters constantly, ask whether they prefer a particular class before surprising them with a tin.

Remember that class-specific sets are tools, not official class requirements. D&D can be played with an ordinary polyhedral set, shared dice or suitable digital rollers. These are accessories for people who enjoy the physical ritual.

What about the tin itself?

The EVA lining makes the tin useful for rolling, although the feel and sound of the dice will vary with the surface underneath. Keeping all the dice in one labelled tin is also pleasantly practical when game night ends in a frantic pack-up.

The product’s external tin dimensions should not be confused with its packed shipping dimensions. Check the listing for the exact dice count and photographed artwork rather than judging by the class name alone.

See the range

Browse Character Class Dice at Bell & Barter. If you’re new to roleplaying, our dice shapes explainer and first-session checklist will help with the basics before you choose your favourite tin.

Official source: Beadle & Grimm’s dice range and individual class product pages.

Best First Board Game? Five Questions That Save You a Bad Game Night

There is a particular kind of disappointment that comes from buying a lovely-looking board game, inviting friends around, and discovering that everyone wants to go home before you’ve finished explaining the rules. The game might be excellent. It simply wasn’t the right game for that table.

Before looking up somebody else’s top ten board games, answer five questions about the people who will actually play with you.

1. How many people turn up on an ordinary evening?

Not how many friends said they’d love to come round. How many reliably appear? A game designed for a large group may be a poor purchase for two people at home. Conversely, a long strategy game that works beautifully with two could stall a bustling birthday gathering. Player count is one of the first specifications worth reading.

If you’re buying for a couple, look beyond the marketing image of a full table. Check the minimum player count and whether the game includes a dedicated two-player mode or scales naturally.

2. Are you buying an evening of laughter or an evening of decisions?

Party games invite interaction and quick reactions. Strategy games often reward thinking several turns ahead. Cooperative games ask players to solve a shared problem; competitive games ask them to pursue their own result. Every style can be brilliant, and every style can be miserable for the wrong audience.

If somebody at your table hates direct confrontation, look at games where you compete over opportunities instead of attacking one another. Sanctum is a useful example: players pursue their own hero development and a shared final threat rather than spending the evening destroying each other’s characters.

3. How much explanation will the group tolerate?

A game’s box might promise thirty minutes of play, but that doesn’t necessarily include learning it. Consider your group’s appetite for new rules. Some people love discovering intricate systems; others want to start moving pieces after five minutes. Neither preference is a character flaw.

For a newer group, look for a clear central decision and mechanics that become understandable after a few turns. Save the dense, multi-system strategy games until everybody is actively asking for that sort of challenge.

4. What does the theme ask you to imagine?

In Lost Ruins of Arnak, the premise is exploration. You acquire useful cards, commit explorers to locations and make difficult resource choices. Czech Games Edition describes it as a combination of deck-building and worker placement. The archaeological theme gives those decisions a sense of purpose.

In Sanctum, the hook is character progression and a looming Demon Lord. It borrows ideas from hack-and-slash video games. If your group loves loot, spells and fantasy battles, that hook can be much easier to explain than a dry list of mechanisms.

Theme won’t save bad pacing, but it absolutely helps people care about their decisions.

5. What should happen after the first play?

Do you want something to teach once and bring out repeatedly? A game with several strategic routes can reward repeat plays as people learn the system. Do you want a one-night event with surprises and a story to talk about afterwards? That suggests a different style.

Don’t confuse complexity with replay value. Simple choices can stay interesting for years when the other players keep changing your plans.

A quick matching table

Your group wants…	Look for…
Something social after dinner	Party or light card games
A challenge to solve together	Cooperative games
Progression, loot and character builds	RPG-inspired strategy games such as Sanctum
Planning, engines and clever resource choices	Strategy games such as Lost Ruins of Arnak
A shorter, repeatable match	Card and compact strategy games

The Bell & Barter buying approach

Buy for the group you have, not the group you wish you had. Read the player count, estimated playing time and whether the box is a full game or an expansion. If possible, watch the first few turns of a rules explanation. A good game night starts long before the first card is drawn.

Explore our board games and read the Sanctum versus Arnak comparison for two very different strategy experiences.

Game mechanics cross-checked with Sanctum and Lost Ruins of Arnak publisher pages.

Your First Dungeons & Dragons Session: What You Actually Need

The hobby shop version of getting into Dungeons & Dragons can be intimidating: books, dice towers, elaborate terrain, beautifully painted miniatures and enough accessories to fill a cupboard. Here’s the reassuring part: you do not need most of that for session one.

You need people willing to tell a story together, a way to understand the basic rules, somewhere to record your character, and dice. Everything else can wait until you’ve worked out what kind of game your table enjoys.

The smallest practical setup

A group and a game master: someone presents the world, its characters and the consequences of your choices.
Characters: printed sheets or a suitable digital character tool.
Rules access: the current basic rules or the materials your game master has chosen.
Polyhedral dice: particularly a d20, with d4, d6, d8, d10, d12 and percentile dice for other rolls.
A pencil or note-taking tool: because hit points, equipment and plans change.

That really is a playable starting point. A map and tokens help with tactical combat, but not every group runs every scene on a battle grid.

What happens during a session?

Your game master describes a situation. You decide what your character tries. Sometimes the outcome is clear from the fiction. Other times the rules call for a roll. A d20 might decide whether your attempt to pick a lock works, whether you strike an enemy or whether you notice something important.

The most fun often happens between those rolls. You can talk your way past a suspicious guard, make a spectacularly questionable plan or discover that the quiet character has been hiding the best idea all evening. Dice create uncertainty; the players create the memorable moments.

Choose a class you enjoy, not the one you’re told is strongest

A Fighter gives you a direct route into combat and positioning. A Rogue rewards clever approaches and precise opportunities. Clerics blend support, magic and a strong role in the party. A Wizard is appealing if you like reading spell options and preparing for problems, but it comes with more to learn.

None of those descriptions is a promise that a particular class will be easy or powerful at every level. Rules and campaigns vary. For a first session, pick a character you’d enjoy describing when the dice aren’t rolling.

Understanding the strange-shaped dice

In dice notation, d20 means a twenty-sided die, not twenty separate dice. A roll written as 2d6 means two six-sided dice rolled together. Many damage and healing instructions use this notation. A percentile result commonly uses two ten-sided dice, one identifying the tens and the other the units.

Our D&D dice explainer walks through every common shape. Don’t rush to memorise all of them. Your character sheet will give you clues about which ones you need most often.

Are Character Class Dice worth getting?

They can be, especially after you’ve chosen your class. Beadle & Grimm’s Game Master set contains 16 dice, while the class-specific tins provide different combinations for different styles of play. Their embossed tins have an EVA lining and double as rolling trays, so they offer both dice and a useful place to roll them.

Still, a beautiful set won’t make decisions for you. Start by understanding your character’s abilities, then buy accessories that solve an actual need or simply give you pleasure each time you open the tin.

What can wait until later?

Miniatures, elaborate dice organisers, custom screens, books for classes you aren’t playing and shelves full of terrain are not admission tickets. Once the group has played three sessions, the useful upgrades usually become obvious. Perhaps combat would benefit from a mat. Perhaps everyone keeps misplacing dice. Perhaps the game master needs better note storage.

A first-session checklist that won’t ruin your budget

Ask the organiser which rules edition you’re using, whether characters are provided and if any dice will be available to borrow. Bring a pencil, something to drink and a willingness to let the story go sideways. If you would like your own dice, browse dice and counters or compare the Character Class Dice range.

The moment that hooks most people on D&D is rarely an expensive accessory. It’s the instant everyone at the table realises that their hopeless plan might actually work.

Product details checked against Beadle & Grimm’s official dice range.

Dragon Shield Sleeves Compared: Matte, Dual Matte, Art and Perfect Fit

A packet of sleeves looks wonderfully simple until you’re standing in front of five different versions of what appears to be the same thing. Matte. Dual Matte. Art. Perfect Fit. Outer. The naming starts to make sense once you ask two questions: What am I sleeving, and how do I want the deck to feel?

Start with the correct card size

Before colour, artwork or finish, check size. Standard-size sleeves suit games such as Magic: The Gathering, Pokémon and Flesh and Blood. Japanese-size sleeves are intended for smaller cards, including Yu-Gi-Oh! Dragon Shield lists standard cards at 63 × 88 mm and Japanese-format cards at 59 × 86 mm. The sleeve itself needs some clearance to fit around the card, so compare the manufacturer’s stated compatibility, not only the bare dimensions.

If you’re buying for Commander, a 100-count standard pack covers the 100 cards in one deck, with nothing left over for replacements. Buying an identical spare pack is a practical decision, particularly if the colour or artwork may become difficult to match later.

Regular Matte: the everyday workhorse

Think of Matte as the sensible starting point. You get a clear card-facing front and a textured back. It’s the texture players notice during shuffling, particularly with a tall stack of Commander cards. The black version is easy to pair with virtually any deck without introducing another colour around the edges.

Choose regular Matte when you want the familiar textured handling experience, a clean visible card face and a wide choice of colours. Browse the sleeves category, or start with Matte Black in standard size.

Dual Matte: why the black interior matters

Dual Matte is not simply another name for ordinary Matte. The distinguishing feature is a black interior combined with a coloured exterior. That darker frame can give your cards a more consistent appearance, especially when you’re choosing a light-coloured sleeve. Dragon Shield describes the range as opaque, with a textured back and a black interior.

For a player who cares about how the whole deck looks on the table, that interior is a genuine reason to choose Dual Matte. For someone who only wants a solid black sleeve, the visual difference matters less. Spend for a benefit you’ll actually appreciate.

Art sleeves: let the sleeves be part of the deck’s identity

Artwork sleeves are about expression. A themed Commander deck, a favourite character or a memorable illustration can make an otherwise ordinary stack feel personal. But look carefully at the product name: some art ranges are standard Art, while others combine artwork with Matte or Dual Matte construction. Never assume every illustrated sleeve has the same finish.

Another practical point: mixing sleeves from different batches or ranges within the same tournament deck can create visible or tactile differences. Keep the active deck consistent, and save odd spares for another purpose.

Perfect Fit: the inner layer

Perfect Fit sleeves sit close to the card. They are designed as inner sleeves, commonly used with a compatible standard outer sleeve. That’s the arrangement many players call double-sleeving. A second sleeve can add a useful barrier against handling and accidental splashes, but it is not waterproofing and does not replace careful storage.

Double-sleeving also makes a deck thicker. Your favourite deck box may no longer be roomy enough, especially for 100 Commander cards. If you’re building a storage setup from scratch, decide whether you will double-sleeve before choosing the box.

Outer sleeves: a different job again

Dragon Shield also makes larger outer sleeves intended to go around another sleeve in compatible configurations. These can protect decorative sleeves or create a third layer in some setups. They are not a substitute for buying the correct standard or Japanese primary sleeve. Follow the manufacturer’s fit guidance carefully, particularly if you’re combining products from different lines.

The quick decision table

If you care most about…	Look at…
Textured handling and a straightforward finish	Matte
A dark card frame inside a coloured sleeve	Dual Matte
Showing off a favourite illustration	Art or Matte Art
An inner layer beneath your main sleeve	Perfect Fit
Protecting a compatible decorative sleeve	Outer sleeves

What we’d actually buy first

For a first Commander deck, standard Matte is a safe place to begin. For a pale sleeve colour, Dual Matte deserves a closer look. For a collection you handle rarely, double-sleeving might be useful, but good binder storage is just as important. And for Yu-Gi-Oh!, start the entire decision again with Japanese size, not whichever box looks nicest.

Want the shorter sizing explanation? Read our card sleeve fit guide. Then compare available sleeves by size, count and finish.

Manufacturer reference: Dragon Shield Matte sleeve specifications and Dragon Shield’s published product range.

Sanctum vs Lost Ruins of Arnak: Which Strategy Board Game Fits Your Table?

Two strategy games can both promise a sense of progress and still produce very different evenings at the table. In Sanctum, you develop a hero for a climactic battle. In Lost Ruins of Arnak, you lead an expedition and make each action count while exploring a mysterious island. The better choice depends on the decisions your group enjoys. If you’re buying for people who haven’t played many modern games, try our five-question board-game buying guide first. It can save you from choosing an excellent game for the wrong group.

Sanctum: build a hero, then face the Demon Lord

Sanctum borrows its rhythm from action roleplaying video games. Choose a distinct hero, fight enemies, collect equipment and develop skills as the group approaches the fallen city. Those upgrades matter because the adventure ends in a confrontation with the Demon Lord.

The players are competing, but not by directly fighting one another. You are trying to create the strongest possible build and make better decisions about the loot and opportunities available along the way. The appeal is tangible progress: each new piece of equipment or skill changes what your character can accomplish.

Lost Ruins of Arnak: an expedition full of trade-offs

Lost Ruins of Arnak combines worker placement and deck-building. As an explorer, you send people to sites, gather resources, acquire useful cards, face guardians and advance your research. There are tempting options everywhere, but only so many actions available in a round.

The tension is more about efficiency than battles. When do you explore a new site? Is the next card worth buying? Should you spend precious resources on research instead? Each turn feels like a small negotiation between immediate gains and the expedition you are building.

Which one is more like an RPG?

Sanctum is the closer fit if your group loves levelling characters, comparing abilities, collecting loot and preparing for a boss encounter. Arnak suits players who enjoy managing a developing deck, planning worker actions and finding a smart route through several competing goals.

Which one should you choose?

Choose Sanctum for the excitement of a hero build and a dramatic final encounter. Choose Arnak for strategic resource management, exploration and the satisfaction of a carefully planned turn. Neither experience is universally better, and their themes alone do not describe the actual gameplay.

Browse the Bell & Barter board-game collection for more strategy titles. Before ordering, check the exact edition and the current product listing for availability and fulfilment details.

D&D Dice Explained: What Each Die Does and How to Choose a Set

Pick up a set of Dungeons & Dragons dice and the shapes immediately tell you this is not an ordinary board game. Each die does a different job, and knowing which one to reach for makes a session run much more smoothly. If you’re preparing for your very first game, read our first D&D session checklist. For the difference between class-specific tins, see the Beadle & Grimm’s dice comparison.

The six shapes you’ll use most

The d20 is the familiar twenty-sided die used for many attacks, ability checks and saving throws. The smaller dice often determine damage, healing or other game effects, depending on the feature you are using.

d4: four sides, often used for smaller damage or healing rolls.
d6: six sides, common in damage rolls and many other tabletop games.
d8: eight sides, used by numerous weapons and class features.
d10: ten sides. Two ten-sided dice can also be used for percentile rolls when one marks tens and the other units.
d12: twelve sides, frequently associated with heavy weapon damage.
d20: twenty sides, central to many D&D success-or-failure rolls.

The exact die and number rolled are always determined by your character sheet, the applicable rules and your game master. A die is a tool, not a rule on its own.

Why do some sets have more dice than others?

A compact polyhedral starter set covers the basic shapes, but players often roll several matching dice at once. A spellcaster may want extra damage dice; a game master may appreciate more than one d20. That is the idea behind class-oriented collections.

Beadle & Grimm’s Game Master Character Class Dice includes 16 dice, while the Wizard set also contains 16. Other classes have different counts and combinations. Compare the exact contents on each listing rather than assuming the dice differ only in colour.

What should a new player buy?

One usable set of polyhedral dice is enough to get started in most D&D games. If you already know your character, a class-specific set can be convenient, particularly when it gives you multiples of dice you use frequently. For groups, a spare set at the table is useful when a player forgets theirs.

Buying dice in South Africa

Explore dice and counters at Bell & Barter, including the Character Class Dice range. Check the number of dice and their individual faces before choosing. Attractive packaging is a bonus; a set that matches the rolls you actually make is the better purchase.

Which Card Sleeves Should You Buy for MTG, Pokémon or Yu-Gi-Oh!?

Buying sleeves should be simple until you discover there is more than one size, several finishes and an entire category of inner and outer sleeves. Start with the game you play. The right fit matters much more than a fancy finish. This guide covers sizing first; if you’re ready to compare the feel and purpose of individual Dragon Shield ranges, continue to our Matte, Dual Matte, Art and Perfect Fit comparison.

Standard size or Japanese size?

Magic: The Gathering and Pokémon cards use the familiar standard trading-card format. Look for sleeves described as standard size, generally intended for cards up to 63 × 88 mm. Dragon Shield’s standard sleeves commonly come in boxes of 100.

Yu-Gi-Oh! cards are narrower, so choose Japanese-size sleeves. A standard-size sleeve can be too loose around a Yu-Gi-Oh! card. Dragon Shield’s Japanese-size products commonly come in packs of 60. Always check the actual size and count on the listing: a familiar colour name does not guarantee the same format.

Matte, Dual Matte and artwork sleeves

Dragon Shield Matte sleeves have a textured back and a clear front. Many players like that texture for handling and shuffling during long games. Dual Matte adds a dark interior, which changes the look around the card edges. Art sleeves put an illustration on the back instead of a plain colour. The best choice depends on how the deck feels in your hands and whether you want the card art or the sleeve design to do most of the visual work.

What about inner and outer sleeves?

An inner sleeve fits closely around the card and can be used underneath a compatible outer sleeve for an additional layer of protection. This is often called double-sleeving. An outer sleeve can also describe a larger protective sleeve designed to fit around a decorated sleeve, particularly in smaller card formats. These are not interchangeable products, so check the exact dimensions and intended use before ordering.

How many sleeves do you need?

A 100-card Commander deck requires 100 sleeves before accounting for replacements. If you regularly swap cards, it is useful to keep spare sleeves from the same product and colour. For other formats, count the main deck, any sideboard and the replacements you want on hand rather than buying by colour alone.

Choose your sleeves

Start with the Bell & Barter sleeve range. Compare the pack count, card size and finish on each listing. If you want an understated look, see Dragon Shield Matte Black, standard 100-pack.

One final check: Sleeve sizes refer to the card they are designed to hold, not the box they ship in. If you are storing a double-sleeved deck in a deck box or binder, allow for the additional thickness.