Every adventurer eventually faces the same question at the dice shelf: metal or resin? Both roll a perfectly good natural 20, but they look, sound and feel very different at the table. Here's a quick guide to help you pick the right set for your hoard.
Metal dice: weight you can feel
Metal dice are usually cast from zinc alloy and finished with plating, enamel or an antique patina. The first thing you'll notice is the weight. A full seven-piece metal set can weigh several ounces. Our Elder Glowing Gods set comes in at about 7.1 ounces, and every roll lands with an authoritative clack.
- Pros: satisfying heft, very durable, detailed engraving and filigree, a showpiece at the table.
- Cons: louder, pricier, and hard enough to dent wooden tables or chip other dice. Roll them in a dice tray.
If you love dramatic designs, metal is hard to beat. Look at the tentacle-wrapped Cthulhu Bloodline set or the glitter-filled Resisting Glitter is Futile set.
Resin and acrylic dice: color and variety
Resin and acrylic dice are lighter and quieter. Because they're cast from liquid, they can hold swirls, glitter, foil flakes, even tiny floating objects. That makes them the go-to choice if you want a set that matches your character's vibe.
- Pros: endless colors and effects, lighter and table-friendly, generally more affordable, easy to collect in themed sets.
- Cons: less heft, and sharp-edged sets can chip if dropped on hard floors.
Favorites in the Archive include the teal-and-purple Cthulhu Dreams set and the Vampiric Bloodline set with suspended red foil. Both are expanded 11-piece sets with extra D6s and a second D20 for advantage rolls.
What about sharp-edged dice?
Sharp-edged dice have crisp, un-rounded edges instead of the tumbled edges of mass-market dice. They look striking, especially with liquid-infused cores, and they tend to stop rolling sooner. Browse our full dice collection to compare styles side by side.
So which should you buy?
- Buy metal if you want a signature set that feels powerful in the hand, and you already own a tray.
- Buy resin if you want color, variety, or several sets to match different characters.
- Buy both if you're a true dice goblin. We won't judge.
Whichever you choose, give your dice a safe home between sessions. Our dice vaults and bags and rolling trays are built for exactly that.