RPGaDay is about blogging (or whatever) every day in August. I’m dipping my toes in again, late again, but I’m doing it. To see all this year’s RPGaDay posts, see my summary, and I have a page listing all my contributions over the years.
I’m skipping a few days – it’s now late in September – and jumping to another prompt which inspired me. In fact, the prompt which decided me to actually join in RPGaDay blogging this year, when I read Che Webster’s post about dice.
Day eight is an accessory you appreciate.
A lot of people have picked the dice – after all, they’re one of the fundamental aspects which turn it from just story-telling to unpredictable gaming, and there are so many amazing sets out there now, though I still have a fondness for my older dice as well. But I’m going to pick something different.
GoGos
I think one of my most appreciated accessories – both by me and by everyone who plays at my table – wasn’t even designed as an RPG accessory. It’s my children’s collection of GoGos Crazy Bones figures.
They are amazing creature, character and NPCs standins.
- They come in different colours, allowing the different types of creature to be distinguished, but each one is different.
- They have amazing expressions and character, so I can pick figures which suggest something about the creature they represent, or just get a laugh.
- They are just the right size to fit in a standard one-inch/2.5cm 5’ grid.
- They are versatile – one week a figure can represent an orc, the next week a farmer, then later in the session can be part of a gang of stirges.
Do you want to join the GoGos RPG revolution, but didn’t have children collecting them for you? You can find various assortments for sale on ebay.
And here are some pictures of the GoGos in action…
GM’s Screen with pockets
The other accessory I’m going to highlight is my Hexers Game Master Screen.
This has pockets on both sides, allowing me to provide useful information to my players, and also customised reference material for myself, but it also comes with pre-made inserts for standard D&D 5e rules.
There are a couple of minor things which would make it even better:
- The plastic hinging tends to somewhat remember its position. Given mostly its position is folded up, this can make it a bit awkward to persuade into the shape I want at the table
- It takes A4 sheets, which is great as a European…but it takes A4 portrait sheets, which means it stands up quite high (31cm) and makes it difficult for me to see over. If it was A4 landscape (so probably about 22cm allowing for edging) it would be easier
But those are niggles. It is really useful being able to put up campaign reference material for my players and specific notes for the things I always forget myself on my side.
