Dice Boxes, Dice Bags and Vaults: How to Store Your DnD Dice

A dice bag suits polymer sets and takes little space. A box or magnetic vault protects dice that chip, such as sharp-edge resin, gemstone and metal sets. Wyrmwood’s single-set vault holds up to 10 dice between foam liners. Dispel Dice warns never to store metal and resin dice together, because they scratch each other.

Dice bag, dice box or dice vault: which do you need?

The three options solve different problems. A bag is about quantity and portability. A box is about organizing many sets. A vault is about protecting one set.

What to look for in a dice bag

Size is the main choice. Chessex sells velvet drawstring bags in 3.75 by 4 inch and 5 by 8 inch sizes, and tan leather bags in flat and round-bottom styles. Chessex does not list how many dice each bag holds, so treat any capacity figure in a listing as the seller’s estimate.

A few details make a bag easier to use at the table:

• A flat or round bottom lets the bag stand open while you dig for the right die.
• A lining keeps dice from snagging and adds a little cushioning.
• Inner pockets keep sets apart, which matters for dice that chip.
• A drawstring that locks stops spills in a backpack.

Dispel Dice says a velvet-lined bag is a budget-friendly home even for sharp-edge resin dice, as long as you do not store too many dice in one bag. The more dice share a bag, the more they grind against each other.

Dice boxes and vaults: magnetic lids, wood and foam

A dice vault is a small box sized for one set. Wyrmwood’s Magnetic Dice Vault is a good reference for the type. It has a solid wood body, a magnetic closure, and removable foam liners on the top and bottom. Wyrmwood lists internal dimensions of 6.50 by 1.06 by 1.00 inches and says it fits up to 10 dice. Wyrmwood offers it in woods such as cherry, black walnut, padauk and wenge, with optional suede liners.

When comparing boxes and vaults, check:

1. Inside measurements, not outside. Oversized d20s and chunky metal sets may not fit a vault cut for standard dice.
2. The closure. Magnets open quietly and fast; a hinge or clasp may hold better in a bag.
3. The lining. Foam, felt or suede should touch every die.
4. Compartments. For several sets, a box with one slot per die keeps them from rubbing.

A wooden box also works as a small display for a favorite set between sessions. If you roll into a matching surface, our guides to dice trays and dice towers cover the rolling side.

How do I stop resin and sharp-edge dice from chipping?

Chips usually come from dice hitting something harder than they are: other dice, the table, or the inside of a bag. Two maker guides give practical rules.

Dispel Dice, writing about sharp-edge resin dice:

• Never store metal and resin dice together; they scratch each other and dull edges and corners.
• A dice vault or display case is the safest storage.
• Roll on a game board, map, neoprene or felt, not glass, marble, stone or hard wood.
• Keep dice away from long spells of cold, which makes resin brittle, and heat, which can warp it. Direct sunlight discolors resin over time.

URWizards, writing about gemstone dice, says to store them individually or in separate compartments with soft linings. It also calls a felt or leather lined tray “non-negotiable” for gemstone dice, and warns against rolling them together with metal or harder resin dice.

What is dice jail?

Dice jail is a roleplaying table joke with a simple rule. When a die keeps rolling ones, its owner locks it away and switches to another die. Dice Envy’s article on dice superstitions describes dice that “consistently perform poorly” being sent to jail “temporarily or permanently, depending on the severity of the offense.”

Nothing about jail changes the odds, and players know it. The fun is in the ritual. Any small box with a lid works as a jail. A dice jail also makes a small, funny gift for the friend whose d20 always seems to fail at the worst moment.

What is the best dice case for traveling?

For conventions and games at a friend’s place, the goals are simple: nothing spills, and nothing rattles.

• One or two sets: a magnetic vault with liners, carried inside a bag pocket.
• A handful of sets: a pocketed roll-up bag, so each set stays apart.
• A large collection: a compartment case, or several vaults, rather than one big loose bag.

Leave the delicate sets at home if you only need polymer dice for the session. Pair a travel case with a folding tray so you are not rolling sharp-edge dice on a hard table.

Back to the full DnD dice sets guide for choosing the dice themselves.