Best Accessories For Running A Horror

If you want to run the spookiest campaign around, you might love some of these atmosphere-creating accessories.

Dungeons & Dragons is the premier tabletop game on the market, and it's only increasing in popularity. It's not difficult to see why - it's a game that lets you embrace your imagination to the greatest extent and play whatever characters and scenarios you can come up with.

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There's not much that you actually need to play a game of Dungeons & Dragons, but with a few accessories - for both players and dungeon masters - you can take things to the next level.

If there's one thing that you really need to play Dungeons & Dragons, it's dice. You'll need them for everything from character creation to doing battle, so it makes sense that you may want to grab a set of dice that match the tone of the campaign you're playing.

If you bring a set of dice stained with blood to the table, you'll set the mood immediately. These dice are perfect for a horror campaign filled with grisly scenes and murder or maybe a vampire-themed romp through Ravenloft, possibly involving a fellow named Strahd. These dice are made of metal, meaning they feel incredibly satisfying to roll, and they come in a handy pouch to boot. The details are more subtle than in other gory dice sets, meaning the dice are still readable under all the blood.

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If you're running a horrifying campaign, you'll know that creating the right atmosphere is key. Players sufficiently suffused in the creepiness that you're trying to evoke will be better at roleplaying, and they'll have more fun overall. But how do you create that mystical, mysterious atmosphere?

A fog maker is a good shout. This Akeydeco Mist Maker is really easy to use and will turn water into the rolling mists of a moor or the fogs obscuring your players' vision in the dark forests. It's thankfully safe for indoor use, and the range of lighting options makes it a perfect accompaniment to any dream sequences or trippy scenarios you want to play out.

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Not everyone uses dice towers for their tabletop games, but it's hard to replicate the satisfaction you feel when using one. The best dice towers are those that can also function as neat decorations, and this skull-shaped dice tower fits the bill.

Not only is it perfectly functional for your controlled dice-rolling needs, but it's a fantastic set piece for any collection of spooky decorations. Whether you're throwing just one Halloween party a year or your home has an all-around-spooky aesthetic, this dice tower will prove to be multifunctional.

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Minis make for a great addition to a Dungeons & Dragon collection. Having something on the table in front of you can help you better visualize the story being told in your head. What does a horror-themed campaign need? Some horror-themed miniatures, of course.

This large collection comes with plenty of recognizable classics to slot into your games - or, indeed, play as! Generic demons and giant spiders make up parts of the roster, along with more traditional monsters, such as vampires and zombies rising from their graves. They're styled a bit differently from the official D&D minis, but if you're looking for an on-theme boss fight, you'll find one in this collection.

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Are you someone who gets their character sheet cluttered up with notes, plot points, and details that you don't want to forget? You really need to try getting a notebook just for Dungeons & Dragons - it's a total lifesaver. Having the extra space to jot down every detail you need is great, especially if you're playing a caster with a ton of spells to memorize. This goes for Dungeon Masters doubly! Keeping track of monster health and DCs and such is such a chore.

This notebook, themed after classic witchy familiars, is the perfect one for a campaign filled with fright. There's plenty of space to keep all the notes you need, and it'll fit the vibes perfectly - especially if you're going more classic horror. Think cobwebs and lone huts in the middle of a forest.

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A good DM will keep their secrets and machinations private, away from their players. A brilliant DM will make them so private that the privacy has a presence on the table itself. A screen is a perfect way to do this, letting you keep your dice rolls secret and also having room for reference notes that you need to keep coming back to.

This four-panel GM screen from Strategem is perfect - it's wide enough to give you plenty of room for your materials, has customizable screens with pockets that you can use dry-erase markers on, and it even looks stylish, like an old tome. Roll your dice behind the screen, and don't tell your players why you did so, it'll really accentuate the horror.

Get it on Amazon here!

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Brought up on mascot platformers and role-playing games from Japan, Ryan has been passionate about gaming for over two decades. As an editor, he gets to blend his love for writing with a lifelong hobby.When he's not working or gaming, he can usually be found baking, reading about pirates, or watching classic sitcoms. He also loves manta rays and has a master's degree in clinical psychology that he never intends to use.