Dice & Gear
Dice Trays and Dice Towers - Which One Do You Need?
Buy a tray before a tower. A dice tray solves the actual problems at a game table (dice fleeing onto the floor, dents from metal sets, the clatter that drowns out the GM) for $15-30, packs flat, and works everywhere. A dice tower is a $25-60 novelty that solves one rare problem (suspicion about rolling technique) and one real one (kids and players with dexterity needs), and is otherwise bought because towers are cool. Which, granted, they are.
What a tray actually fixes
A rolling surface with walls fixes four things at once. Dice stay on the table instead of under the couch, which saves a genuinely surprising amount of session time. Rolls land flat and readable instead of cocked against books. Metal dice stop threatening the table finish, which is the whole reason metal owners buy trays within a week. And the sound drops from clatter to a pleasant muffled tumble, which matters more the longer the session runs.
The etiquette bonus: a tray defines "the roll counts" territory. Dice in the tray are law; dice bouncing off the nacho plate invite table rules debates. Groups adopt this convention within one session of someone bringing a tray, no discussion required.
Tray types and prices
| Type | Price | The appeal | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snap-together / folding leatherette | $10-20 | Packs flat in a backpack, fine everywhere | Looks like luggage |
| Wood | $25-60 | Heirloom feel, great sound | Heavy, lives at home |
| Silicone / rubber | $8-15 | Cheap, silent, dishwasher-proof | No romance whatsoever |
| DIY (picture frame + felt) | ~$5 | Custom size, weekend project | You will make a second, better one |
Size guidance from watching hundreds of these in use: 8 inches across is the practical minimum for a handful of dice; smaller "personal" trays cause more ricochets than they prevent. One shared big tray in the table center works, though most groups drift toward one tray per player because reaching across the map gets old.
What a tower actually does
A dice tower is a small chute: drop dice in the top, baffles tumble them, they exit into a tray at the bottom. Randomization is guaranteed regardless of technique, every roll lands in the same footprint, and the ritual of feeding the tower is undeniably satisfying.
Real use cases first. Towers are excellent for players with limited hand mobility, for kids who otherwise launch d20s across the room, and for high-stakes board games where someone (there's always someone) side-eyes wrist technique. They also solve nothing a tray doesn't for typical D&D, take up permanent table real estate, and amplify noise rather than dampening it unless felted. That's the honest ledger.
If the aesthetics have you anyway (wizard towers, dragons, dwarven forges; the market understands its customers), get one with a felted landing tray and enjoy it without justification. Hobbies are allowed nice objects.
Which to buy first
A folding tray, $15, today; it improves every session including your very first. A wooden tray when you want the upgrade to feel like furniture. A tower when a specific person at your table needs one, or when you stop pretending you don't want the dragon.
GMs, one extra note: a spare cheap tray in the kit quietly serves the player who shows up with brand-new sharp-edge resin or metal and nowhere safe to roll it. It's the dice equivalent of carrying loaner pencils.
Frequently asked questions
Do I really need a dice tray?
Need, no; benefit from, immediately. Contained rolls, no floor hunts, no table damage, and less noise for $15. Metal dice owners should consider it mandatory, since the alternative is slowly engraving their kitchen table.
Are dice towers better than trays?
Different jobs. Trays contain and quiet ordinary rolling; towers guarantee randomization and help players who can't comfortably roll by hand. For a typical D&D table the tray is the practical buy and the tower is the fun one.
What size dice tray should I get?
At least 8 inches of interior rolling space for a standard handful of dice. Personal-size 6-inch trays look tidy and eject dice constantly, which defeats the purpose.
Do dice towers make rolls more random?
They ensure a thorough tumble every time, which matters if someone's technique is suspect; a normal human roll of a balanced die is already effectively random. Towers buy consistency and peace of mind, not better odds.
What's the quietest way to roll dice?
A silicone or felt-lined tray turns clatter into a soft tumble; wood is louder but warmer. Towers are the loudest option unless felted. For late-night apartment sessions, silicone tray plus resin dice is the stealth build, and wooden dice make it nearly silent.