Hey everyone! If you want to find the materials to make this, or a link to the RetroGradeMinis website, or the Crypt of Rova Module, I put links for you all in the descriptions. :) I really hope you enjoy!
Should be able to cut the felt with the same cutter, yeah. I was looking at Fun Foam when I was trying to figure my version out (never did), though that would probably feel a bit cheaper.
@@Rybonator Follow up idea: You can put the creature's name on the back, maybe even their AC, HP and Ability Scores? With a clever layout it could work.
I got a small suggestion for this, something that would make sure the cabochon doesn't scratch and get marked easily. there's an acrylic coating called 10H, it's really easy to use and it's used to protect cars paint jobs, it could make your tokens a lot more durable, also you just need like a few drops smeared with a paper towel, so it's gonna last for quite a bit.
I use old Magic the Gathering cards for this. Then glue the glass to bezels. Which are metal “trays” for the glass to sit in. Little more pricey but the backs are totally durable. This especially protects the edges from peeling. I got a 100 glass trays and bezels for $20 from Amazon.
My roommate (and one of my players) is finally getting out of the magic game, and selling his cards. I should ask to go through his common/trash pile 😝
For minis, I just print pictures of the monsters and stand them up using binder clips, or if I'm lazy, just ger a piece of paper and write the monsters name
I have been using penny minis... but without the penny. Its just a little tri-fold triangle with the monster printed on front and back. They are cheap... but also problematic for storage. If I could take care of them better they would last, but as it is I always found that a cat or a kid has gotten to them and I am constantly needing to re-print them. Plus they fall over in game, or get blown around when someone breathes on them... they are kinda a pain. This project would have a little weight, a lot more durability, and cheaper and easier than buying/painting a bunch of minis. It would take a little more time and effort, but the cost would be ~20-25 cents each, and I wouldnt have to re-make them every few weeks like the penny minis.
Speaking of the mica flakes and their use on figures have you considered adding them to mini bases? If you grind them up and add them to the snow effects they might make an interesting ice crystal look. Or adding to a water or lightning strike effect base for more depth and some added facets.
I use these flakes for some parts of my Warhammer minis. I have some Skitarii who normally have red cloaks, but I used some flakes on top of a green undercoat to make them have a sort of futuristic ghillie suit look
I wrote my comment before I saw you're. I do the same. But I also drew a 1i x 1i grid on a 4f dry erase board I have on my wall. Now my table top can stay clear.
@@Rybonator I figured you had to have known someone would point this out once you said it, too good. Going to start calling you BD for short. Bone Daddy's Shiny and Metallic wares, because of all of your pretty dice. BDSM for short.
I could really see this as a way for proof or trophies for a campaign that has bounty hunting hunting involved in some aspect as a to show proof to the NPC who sent you on the quest.
You could also use these as a XP token of sorts in campaigns that uses xp leveling instead of milestone. Say a fighter killed some kobolds, so he gets those “tokens”. After the encounter is over, the player and DM count up the tokens the fighter has acquired to gain the appropriate xp.
Great video! I created something similar for our table's characters as well as bad guys. Something you can do as an addition, is pick up flatten bottle caps of different colors. The 1 inch minis will fit in perfectly. We use the different colors to signify different conditions. Red = Concentrating, Green = Poisoned, Pink = Charmed, Black = Blinded, etc.
Something I did to keep track of placement in D&D. Get a bunch of mini D6. I painted 5 green (there are 5 party members) and labeled each one 1-5. The numbers represent initiative and which order we attack in. I then painted 10 of the dice red and labeled them 1-10 for their initiative. As a ranger, placing these dice when battling makes it easy to see how close you are to the enemy and which one you're able to attack. It also helps fighters to see the closest threat, and it helps the DM keep track of who is attacking when and where. It makes the game a lot easier and fun to play. I also painted a couple solid black ones without numbers for big scary bosses. It was super cheap, easy, and VERY useful!
I have already done the hyper-cheap version of this: if you pick up some of those clear half-marbles they use to fill vases at the dollar store, you can glue printouts onto the back just using regular Elmer’s glue, and make like 50 minis for less than 2 dollars. You can also use portraits to distinguish important NPCs, and printing a colored background behind important individuals or different groups of monsters makes it easier to tell them apart at an angle, or to direct your players to the right minis.
@@Rybonator One week late because last session was "blown" away by storm reasons - used the cheap glass baubles for budget testings and might have taken more time to remove bubbles ... but overall very nice for the price of a few cents imgur.com/a/13u3Asa
This would be a really cool idea to build a game around. Collectable dnd monsters like they're pokemon. Maybe a player could cast some sort of spell to summon monsters in their collection to help in battles. These tokens would make that super easy to expand too.
This is FANTASTIC!! Not sure why I missed this video when it came out! I have been running a group on Roll 20 and started making my own monsters with transparent backgrounds so they take on the environment they are 'in' on the map, and I have been kinda noodling on how to do something like that for tabletop. I'm betting I could print on transparencies, and make this project! That would be a nice step up from the penny minis that I have been using for my family campaign! Once I finish my current house project, I am absolutely doing this!
Oh you absolutely could use some transparent paper to make this loads better! I didn't have any, nor a printer that would allow me to use it haha. But If I could, I would totally give that a shot in the future :) If you do, send me a pic!
I thought the same thing and printed on transparencies. Unfortunately it is difficult to see the printed image very well. Any texture on the map becomes visible. But thinking about it now this would be great with ghosts and similar creatures.
@@TheMalfestor Depends on how you are printing. Ink can be somewhat transparent, but if you printed with a laser printer... that baked-on toner should be pretty opaque. I'm going to try this in a few weeks when I have free time again and see how it turns out.
@@CaedenV Sorry, I should have mentioned I used a high quality laser copier (at an office supply store). Only the blacks and dark colors were moderately opaque. :-( Good luck with your tests and please share any neat successes!
I LOVE THIS. I only have one mini for one of my characters, and I've become accustomed to using little wooden chips and drawing my character on them. This is basically that but better, and more permanent! And it's something anyone can do for very cheap (I always want to do the things you show on your channel but I don't feel comfortable enough with resin yet, can't afford it, etc. etc.). Plus the idea of players KEEPING MONSTERS AS A TROPHY is just 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
I remember when I only had one mini :) 10 years later I'm up to my ears! see if you can find "magic the gathering arena of the planeswalkers" if you want a bunch for cheap. (Like 20ish) "Descent" is 80 bucks but comes with 40 minis so that will boost your collection. Plus it's a fun game!
Andrew Ender Frost Haha thanks for the info! To be perfectly honest, I actually have two base sets of Heroscape from the 00's and we've used those minis in sessions before when the dm just spams enemies at us lol. They just don't look anything like what we're actually facing haha 😂
Glad you like the idea :) If you give it a shot I'd love to see some pics! (Also to echo what Andrew said below, dnd makes some boardgames that come with TONS of minis. you can find them for sale pretty cheap sometime!) :)
I use these for our game, but I take it two steps further. Using the modpodge I glue a flat washer to the back. This gives it a bit more protection and weight so they don't get knocked around on the map. I then glue a felt cutout to the washer to protect the map and help prevent scratches during storage and transport. Its a cheap upgrade that improves the feel during play.
Hey Rybonator, just a head's up! In my experience, dimensional magic yellows pretty fast, so it might do to find a different glue or epoxy for aesthetic longevity.
This is such a great idea! I am both (inconsistently) cheap and lazy, and this actually seems like something I'd be willing to do, and looks super cool. I really enjoy all your videos, thank you for working on new, interesting content so regularly.
I just got my cabochons in. One thing I want to make are character archetypes. The ones I bought are tiny though, where did you purchase, eta, nevermind, you resourceful being. We sometimes end up with 3+ fighters in a campaign.
Fun fact, the circle punches are the same ones that I use for custom Poker chips. Yes, I also make custom poker chips. These look super nifty. I have a wargame I've been designing and was wondering what I could use for the little troop tokens that wouldn't break the bank, and I'll have to take a look at these as a possibility. Before that, i was considering 3D printing some little mini bases. (I actually have a library of gaming bases up on Thingiverse. It's kind of lacking for now, but I hope to add more to it periodically.)
You're more than welcome to commission a set once you get your Discord community up and running. I have photographs of past work I can show, and try to keep my prices very competitive.
This is awesome! I've done some similar stuff, but with resin in circular cabochon molds - resin in most of the mold, sealing the pictures with mod podge on both sides and floating it on that after the first part of the pour cures a bit, then topping it off with a bit more resin, just as if you were making a pendant... but it's a D&D token. Good times! I bet the glass gives them a nice heft.
I glue these to magnets. I made a 1" x 1" grid on a dry erase board I have. I can just quick color in walls or take the time to really detail an area if I know I have time. The magnets stick to it so the game board is up on the wall and people can look straight at it. Bonus it keeps the table clear for notebooks, tablets, and snacks.
I cant wait to do this, it'll be so much fun to bring out some gaint 4 inch glass discs for the tarrasque and some ancient dragons. And i did look it up, they do make cabachons from 10mm to 200mm and possibly higher. You could get really big with this
So I've done this thing with photo paper where you lay it photo side down onto something that has been coated in regular Mod Podge. Then once it's dry, you use a wet cloth and soak the back of the photo paper. Once done you can carefully rub all the paper off. You are then left with just the photo ink glued to the surface. I think that would be really awesome for this, as you could then have only the monster on the back of the cabochon, and the rest would be clear, allowing the color/texture of the playmat to show through around the monster.
@@Rybonator if you have a regular inkjet printer it should work fine. Pretty much all inkjet printers I've ever seen post 2008 can print on the high gloss photo paper.
That zod looks like a zombie Taurus demon from dark souls. Even though I play d&d online through roll20 I still love your videos. Super informative but without being dull or over explaining everything. You must've maxed out charisma because I'd watch just about anything you put out.
Oh yeah he kinda does! A minotaur version :) I appreciate that my friend! You can download the mini's art and use them in an online version as well! That would almost fit even better :)
This is so dope. I'm a poor college student DM who can't afford minis, so I've been using chess pieces for my players and enemies! I think I might just use these things, it'll give my players a chance to even pick out a photo they want for their own characters.
I have a suggestion, if you search pendant packs you can find some that give you cabochons with a metal backing. You can use the cabochons as you did and then use the metal pendant part to make a token with resin covering it. I use them to differentiate tokens on the board. For example friendly NPCs have a silver pendent and brass are elites or tougher monsters and the cabochons are weaker guys
After watching this video, I've decided to try using a very similar technique to hand-make custom charms (something I've been trying to figure out for months!). It's the same idea, but instead of monsters it's some artwork I've made and they're on small resin squares! Thanks for the video! (and also all your dice ones too, I've been trying to get the hang of doing those)
That's such a good idea! Great job man. I don't even play D&D but now it has got me trying to figure out something like that but for Magic the gathering
So being that they are glass...would dry erase markers work on the dome part? Like if someone poisons the monster or sets it on fire...you could mark it with purple or red or whatever to keep track. Or if you're super into it...you could add sparkles in certain colors just like the flakes. Red for fire, purple or green for poison, blue for ice...so on and so forth. And then swap them out when your players put effects on the monster. Though if you get people stacking stuff like fire and poison...idk how that would work. You'd have to think of every combination possible and make a ton of them.
I'm currently using little colored cabochons (and occasionally a bunch of d6s lol) so I'm excited to use this to "level up" my combat a little! Also a tip if you want to just make a bunch of these for regular random encounters, you can add a little symbol, number or dot in the white space OR print a little colored circle around the mini, to differentiate multiple minis of the same variety :)
Making a bunch of these now for a new campaign I'll be DMing. I'm using a permanent marker to number each of the tokens after they are dry and plan to use dry erase for status effects. These things are versatile as heck!
I just spent our first session of the latest campaign doing this with 1" round punched mtg/wow cards and soft, self adhesive cabochons! It's kind of relaxing.
This is such a cool and easy alternative to minis! I love the retro SNES looking art too. With the modge podge though, is it possible to go back after it hardens and use ultra fine sandpaper to smooth it up a bit, or is it just too thin or soft to do something like that? Also, I feel like it just isn't in you to ever make a video again without using the mica flakes for something. lol
They are just too dang shiny not to use! haha :) It MIGHT be possible, but if you were going to do that, I'd put two layers of the mod podge on the back to make sure it's thick enough not to sand into the paper :)
This has me screaming I need to make this! Thank you for making this idea I am totally making this! I even had the idea for instead of using them table top. maybe using them for a pendant gift.
I made about a dozen of these so far. Even grabbed a sub for RetroGradeMinis, they have some great art and near perfect size for this. Very easy to do and they look great! I do have one question though, what is the best way to store/organize these so they don't chip or break?
One other option for this kind of thing that I'd done in the past to upgrade some cardboard tokens along with other tokens that I'd made (I'd used them to make the punch out tokens from the WotC Star Wars starter box, along with the printable ones and other things that I'd used a token tool to make). Basically, I'd gone to the craft store and bought the 1", 2", and larger wooden discs from the wood craft isle. Used a bit of polyeurethane gloss as a glue to attach and cover them and coat the wood. Then I'd used some adhesive backed felt and backed them with it so that they'd stay more easily if things happened, as I've seen happen with the cabochons which scratch up far to easily. I'd put them as more durable than the cabochon option, which I have seen used rather well, and far cheaper. They're about 10-15 cents a token depending upon the specific costs
Could you put some felt on the back? Thinking of a cheaper dungeon tile made from card stock or similar? To make the back smoother and less "scratchy"?
I think these could be improved with a better base. Still cheap, but they won't look cheap. Less exposed too. 22m loopless jewelry bezel cups (a nice aged bronze look suits dnd) as the base or wooden circle disks work pretty well. The bezel cups are my personal favorite but they do end up being marginally bigger than the grid. Only noticeable when about 4 or more tokens are beside each other in a straight line. Wooden disks work better with the grid and can even be stained and color coded for easier tracking for the DM. Both options are still super cheap since you can get tons of them in bulk. Even a washer to with some felt on the bottom is ok. The added weight helps you slide them around your mat where you want them better too. Another tip is that you can get square cabochons and use em for mounts and just play the round tokens ontop.
I like literally all of those ideas haha. I wanted this to be quick and simple, and didn't want to use the metal bezel cups on all, as it was an extra expense (though not much.) BUT I like the idea of the bezel's on elite or dangerous enemies :)
Another suggestion for these cabochons is to accent the picture with a little touch of metallic paint. Or color shift pigment (if you got it) mixed in water based acrylic varnish.
Hi! I have a question about resin/epoxy I was hoping you'd know the answer to, or perhaps be willing to test. I need to repair chips on some ceramic dishes (dinner plates and such), and many videos say to use epoxy or resin (unfortunately none of the channels I looked at were active). Do you know if a dish repaired with resin will still be microwave safe? Thank you so much for your videos, I think they're awesome and I really want to try to make my own dice soon!
Please DO NOT repair with resin. Most all resin is not food safe, and so that would be a huge no-no. There are other glue's/fixes that may work, but most resin/epoxy that would cause some serious health defects. If your resin says it's food safe then MAYBE you could try that, but I'd still be weary.
You can do it! Some projects are super cheap :) My Dice Box vid only costs about $5 total to make the whole thing :) A little bit more if you want to woodburn, but if not you can always draw on to the box.
@@Rybonator I did actually get inspired by one of your videos last year. I made a set of dice for my brother for xmas. I even made my own molds! Money is somewhat tight for me as I am saving to get more equipment to make even more stuff! :)
Few questions here...what weight paper did you use? It looks a bit thicker than standard printer paper. Also, where did you get your punches, and do they make square ones? Great stuff...looking forward to trying this...
I know this isnt a dice video, but i was wondering if you knew if dice were usable 24 hours after curing (with artnglow) as their website says 24 hours for demolding but I'm not sure if the dice would be safe to use.
I'm waiting for video on how to make dice look "frosted" sorta like a matte finish or how a cold water bottle looks on a warm day. However this video was really cool and I'll probably use these in my next campaign.
I can show that! The easiest way would be to use a matte varnish over the die when you are finished, that way you don't have to worry about making the die matte, just spray it down and boom :)
Because I have a memory like a sieve I'd probably write in pencil on the back of the token before sealing it with the ModgePodge the name of the monster.
Is this one of those projects where the type of ink printer will have an impact on image quality after adding the mod podge? Just want to make sure before I dive headfirst into this. XD
Possibly. If you ahve an inkjet printer, it may smear. BUT, I use a pretty basic printer from work, so if it worked for me, it will probably be ok for most.
I prefer the look of 1st Edition kobolds to the more recent depictions, so I made some using this method. Mistakes made: 1) Did not alternate images, 2) I tried to save time and use clear sticker paper, forgot that white doesn't print :\ , 3) I used 1" squares instead of circles, so when I *did* use the glue, I needed to put dots near the corners and not just in the middle, 4) Used scissors to cut out, punch would have been much better but I didn't want to spring for the price...otherwise, they came out all right. Wish I could post to share them here...
I have a friend who built a metal table, and puts magnets on the bottom of each mini to keep things stable. These could easily get the magnet treatment for the bottom.
Hey everyone! If you want to find the materials to make this, or a link to the RetroGradeMinis website, or the Crypt of Rova Module, I put links for you all in the descriptions. :) I really hope you enjoy!
Hi Ryb
I plan to run the crypt in about 3 to 4 weeks ill be sure to let you know how it goes
hello i have a question
can you please make a clay minis tutorial
Hi Beacon :)
Awesome! I'm looking forward to hearing from you :)
The backs are screaming for some felt. You might be able to cut felt with the same paper cutter.
OHh that would be cool :) They would slide super easy around a mat that way too!
Should be able to cut the felt with the same cutter, yeah. I was looking at Fun Foam when I was trying to figure my version out (never did), though that would probably feel a bit cheaper.
Sir Hamalot There are self adhesive felt circles made for the bottom of chairs and tables. They protect your floor, and come in 1” and larger circles.
This is such a great idea for characters who use polymorph!!! They can easily keep tokens of their favorite animal forms on hand
Oh now that's a great idea!
@@Rybonator Follow up idea: You can put the creature's name on the back, maybe even their AC, HP and Ability Scores? With a clever layout it could work.
I got a small suggestion for this, something that would make sure the cabochon doesn't scratch and get marked easily.
there's an acrylic coating called 10H, it's really easy to use and it's used to protect cars paint jobs, it could make your tokens a lot more durable, also you just need like a few drops smeared with a paper towel, so it's gonna last for quite a bit.
That's a great tip! Thanks :) I'll look into that
These are really fun! After the monster's dead, you could just glue a magnet sheet to the back and stick it to your fridge!
Oh that's a neat idea too! :D
I use old Magic the Gathering cards for this. Then glue the glass to bezels. Which are metal “trays” for the glass to sit in. Little more pricey but the backs are totally durable. This especially protects the edges from peeling. I got a 100 glass trays and bezels for $20 from Amazon.
I wante dto avoid having to buy the bezels, but that is a probably more longer term solution :) great idea
It would break my heart to ruin my old cards ;D
seconded. i had a lot of wothless commons, and now they are beautiful tokens for my D&D games
My roommate (and one of my players) is finally getting out of the magic game, and selling his cards. I should ask to go through his common/trash pile 😝
For minis, I just print pictures of the monsters and stand them up using binder clips, or if I'm lazy, just ger a piece of paper and write the monsters name
I can just see the final boss on a piece of paper saying BBEGB and that's it. I'd get a kick out of that
Oh yeah you can totally go even cheaper, this is just a kind of middle ground :)
I have been using penny minis... but without the penny. Its just a little tri-fold triangle with the monster printed on front and back. They are cheap... but also problematic for storage. If I could take care of them better they would last, but as it is I always found that a cat or a kid has gotten to them and I am constantly needing to re-print them. Plus they fall over in game, or get blown around when someone breathes on them... they are kinda a pain.
This project would have a little weight, a lot more durability, and cheaper and easier than buying/painting a bunch of minis. It would take a little more time and effort, but the cost would be ~20-25 cents each, and I wouldnt have to re-make them every few weeks like the penny minis.
Speaking of the mica flakes and their use on figures have you considered adding them to mini bases? If you grind them up and add them to the snow effects they might make an interesting ice crystal look. Or adding to a water or lightning strike effect base for more depth and some added facets.
Oh that would be a cool idea! Might make for a good mana pool too at the feet of a sorcerer :)
I use these flakes for some parts of my Warhammer minis. I have some Skitarii who normally have red cloaks, but I used some flakes on top of a green undercoat to make them have a sort of futuristic ghillie suit look
Stick a magnet on the back and you have some door fridge decorations.
Multi-purpose! I like it :)
I wrote my comment before I saw you're. I do the same. But I also drew a 1i x 1i grid on a 4f dry erase board I have on my wall. Now my table top can stay clear.
no one:
Rybonator: B O N E D A D D Y
Bone Daddy was my nickname in highschool.
@@Rybonator I figured you had to have known someone would point this out once you said it, too good. Going to start calling you BD for short. Bone Daddy's Shiny and Metallic wares, because of all of your pretty dice. BDSM for short.
I could really see this as a way for proof or trophies for a campaign that has bounty hunting hunting involved in some aspect as a to show proof to the NPC who sent you on the quest.
Oh that would be a great idea :) Then you can keep track of all the pelts or heads of monsters you collected :)
You could also use these as a XP token of sorts in campaigns that uses xp leveling instead of milestone. Say a fighter killed some kobolds, so he gets those “tokens”. After the encounter is over, the player and DM count up the tokens the fighter has acquired to gain the appropriate xp.
I was literally about to comment on the lack of a dice goblin when you popped the print up lol
I could never forget the goblin!
Shoutout to the Crafsman himself for being a great and fun tool for any kind of hobby craft.
Oh heck yes! Crafsman is just an absolute delight!
Seems like this could be a good gift to a friend,seems pretty easy too. Thanks for sharing this!
Oh absolutely! Or a starter pack for a module, like if I wanted to gift a set for people to play the Crypt of Rova :) Glad you liked it!
Great video! I created something similar for our table's characters as well as bad guys. Something you can do as an addition, is pick up flatten bottle caps of different colors. The 1 inch minis will fit in perfectly. We use the different colors to signify different conditions. Red = Concentrating, Green = Poisoned, Pink = Charmed, Black = Blinded, etc.
Oh that's an awesome idea! I've seen little rubber bands used to a similar effect :)
Something I did to keep track of placement in D&D. Get a bunch of mini D6. I painted 5 green (there are 5 party members) and labeled each one 1-5. The numbers represent initiative and which order we attack in. I then painted 10 of the dice red and labeled them 1-10 for their initiative. As a ranger, placing these dice when battling makes it easy to see how close you are to the enemy and which one you're able to attack. It also helps fighters to see the closest threat, and it helps the DM keep track of who is attacking when and where. It makes the game a lot easier and fun to play. I also painted a couple solid black ones without numbers for big scary bosses. It was super cheap, easy, and VERY useful!
If anyone tries this, do a white base coat on the dice. My dice started out black and would have needed 20 layers to be opaque.
That's a great idea! I use notecards that I drape over my DM screen for initiative, but yours is a really interesting alternative!
I have already done the hyper-cheap version of this: if you pick up some of those clear half-marbles they use to fill vases at the dollar store, you can glue printouts onto the back just using regular Elmer’s glue, and make like 50 minis for less than 2 dollars. You can also use portraits to distinguish important NPCs, and printing a colored background behind important individuals or different groups of monsters makes it easier to tell them apart at an angle, or to direct your players to the right minis.
That's an awesome alternative! I like the idea of the portraits as well :)
This is great timing, i was just preparing paper tokens for next week's session. Now i need to buy stuff first :P
trust me, buying supplies for things like these a week in advance does not go well
You got this! I knocked this project out in like 4 hours, plenty of time!
4 hours plus 3-5 business days for shipping...
@@Rybonator One week late because last session was "blown" away by storm reasons - used the cheap glass baubles for budget testings and might have taken more time to remove bubbles ... but overall very nice for the price of a few cents imgur.com/a/13u3Asa
This would be a really cool idea to build a game around. Collectable dnd monsters like they're pokemon. Maybe a player could cast some sort of spell to summon monsters in their collection to help in battles. These tokens would make that super easy to expand too.
OH now that I like! Combines 2 of some of my favorite games :)
This is FANTASTIC!! Not sure why I missed this video when it came out!
I have been running a group on Roll 20 and started making my own monsters with transparent backgrounds so they take on the environment they are 'in' on the map, and I have been kinda noodling on how to do something like that for tabletop. I'm betting I could print on transparencies, and make this project! That would be a nice step up from the penny minis that I have been using for my family campaign!
Once I finish my current house project, I am absolutely doing this!
Oh you absolutely could use some transparent paper to make this loads better! I didn't have any, nor a printer that would allow me to use it haha. But If I could, I would totally give that a shot in the future :) If you do, send me a pic!
You should print on a clear material (some kind of plastic film?) so the white doesn't contrast with the game mat.
I would prefer the contrast, myself. Makes differentiating the monster easier.
I thought the same thing and printed on transparencies. Unfortunately it is difficult to see the printed image very well. Any texture on the map becomes visible. But thinking about it now this would be great with ghosts and similar creatures.
I really wanted to do that, but I only had normal paper sadly :( (And I have to borrow a printer, so I didn't know if I could use other materials.)
@@TheMalfestor Depends on how you are printing. Ink can be somewhat transparent, but if you printed with a laser printer... that baked-on toner should be pretty opaque. I'm going to try this in a few weeks when I have free time again and see how it turns out.
@@CaedenV Sorry, I should have mentioned I used a high quality laser copier (at an office supply store). Only the blacks and dark colors were moderately opaque. :-( Good luck with your tests and please share any neat successes!
These are super cute! A very quick and fun way to have a representation for players as well as monsters!
Absolutely! Just find some art you really like online :)
I LOVE THIS. I only have one mini for one of my characters, and I've become accustomed to using little wooden chips and drawing my character on them. This is basically that but better, and more permanent! And it's something anyone can do for very cheap (I always want to do the things you show on your channel but I don't feel comfortable enough with resin yet, can't afford it, etc. etc.). Plus the idea of players KEEPING MONSTERS AS A TROPHY is just 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻
I remember when I only had one mini :) 10 years later I'm up to my ears! see if you can find "magic the gathering arena of the planeswalkers" if you want a bunch for cheap. (Like 20ish) "Descent" is 80 bucks but comes with 40 minis so that will boost your collection. Plus it's a fun game!
Andrew Ender Frost Haha thanks for the info! To be perfectly honest, I actually have two base sets of Heroscape from the 00's and we've used those minis in sessions before when the dm just spams enemies at us lol. They just don't look anything like what we're actually facing haha 😂
Glad you like the idea :) If you give it a shot I'd love to see some pics! (Also to echo what Andrew said below, dnd makes some boardgames that come with TONS of minis. you can find them for sale pretty cheap sometime!) :)
I use these for our game, but I take it two steps further. Using the modpodge I glue a flat washer to the back. This gives it a bit more protection and weight so they don't get knocked around on the map. I then glue a felt cutout to the washer to protect the map and help prevent scratches during storage and transport. Its a cheap upgrade that improves the feel during play.
That's an awesome addon! I like the idea of the felt especially :)
Hey Rybonator, just a head's up! In my experience, dimensional magic yellows pretty fast, so it might do to find a different glue or epoxy for aesthetic longevity.
Oh thanks! I hadn't heard that. Maybe even some UV resin would work!
This is such a great idea! I am both (inconsistently) cheap and lazy, and this actually seems like something I'd be willing to do, and looks super cool. I really enjoy all your videos, thank you for working on new, interesting content so regularly.
You can knock out a whole bunch of them all in one afternoon too! :)
Also thank you for saying that :) I appreciate it
I just got my cabochons in. One thing I want to make are character archetypes. The ones I bought are tiny though, where did you purchase, eta, nevermind, you resourceful being. We sometimes end up with 3+ fighters in a campaign.
I love multi-class campaigns :) It makes for some really interesting dynamics! Glad you found the links :)
Fun fact, the circle punches are the same ones that I use for custom Poker chips.
Yes, I also make custom poker chips.
These look super nifty. I have a wargame I've been designing and was wondering what I could use for the little troop tokens that wouldn't break the bank, and I'll have to take a look at these as a possibility. Before that, i was considering 3D printing some little mini bases. (I actually have a library of gaming bases up on Thingiverse. It's kind of lacking for now, but I hope to add more to it periodically.)
Oh that would be awesome to get some gold custom poker chips going! I'd love to make me a set of those :)
You're more than welcome to commission a set once you get your Discord community up and running. I have photographs of past work I can show, and try to keep my prices very competitive.
This is awesome! I've done some similar stuff, but with resin in circular cabochon molds - resin in most of the mold, sealing the pictures with mod podge on both sides and floating it on that after the first part of the pour cures a bit, then topping it off with a bit more resin, just as if you were making a pendant... but it's a D&D token. Good times! I bet the glass gives them a nice heft.
That's a great idea too! And yeah the glass does give them a nice weight :)
I glue these to magnets. I made a 1" x 1" grid on a dry erase board I have. I can just quick color in walls or take the time to really detail an area if I know I have time. The magnets stick to it so the game board is up on the wall and people can look straight at it. Bonus it keeps the table clear for notebooks, tablets, and snacks.
I cant wait to do this, it'll be so much fun to bring out some gaint 4 inch glass discs for the tarrasque and some ancient dragons. And i did look it up, they do make cabachons from 10mm to 200mm and possibly higher. You could get really big with this
Oh my gosh, I would love to have a giant Tarrasque cabochon that could double as a clock lol :)
So I've done this thing with photo paper where you lay it photo side down onto something that has been coated in regular Mod Podge. Then once it's dry, you use a wet cloth and soak the back of the photo paper. Once done you can carefully rub all the paper off. You are then left with just the photo ink glued to the surface. I think that would be really awesome for this, as you could then have only the monster on the back of the cabochon, and the rest would be clear, allowing the color/texture of the playmat to show through around the monster.
I would try that, I think I just don't have the right type of printer :/ Or else that's a great idea!
@@Rybonator if you have a regular inkjet printer it should work fine. Pretty much all inkjet printers I've ever seen post 2008 can print on the high gloss photo paper.
That zod looks like a zombie Taurus demon from dark souls. Even though I play d&d online through roll20 I still love your videos. Super informative but without being dull or over explaining everything. You must've maxed out charisma because I'd watch just about anything you put out.
Oh yeah he kinda does! A minotaur version :) I appreciate that my friend!
You can download the mini's art and use them in an online version as well! That would almost fit even better :)
@@Rybonator you're a genius!
Never heard of these. Interesting concept. Love ya, bud!
You to my man! Glad you like them :)
Definitely doing this before next session
You should! I'd love to see pics :)
This is so dope. I'm a poor college student DM who can't afford minis, so I've been using chess pieces for my players and enemies! I think I might just use these things, it'll give my players a chance to even pick out a photo they want for their own characters.
That's a great way to get them into the idea as well :D
I have a suggestion, if you search pendant packs you can find some that give you cabochons with a metal backing. You can use the cabochons as you did and then use the metal pendant part to make a token with resin covering it. I use them to differentiate tokens on the board. For example friendly NPCs have a silver pendent and brass are elites or tougher monsters and the cabochons are weaker guys
Oh that's a great idea actually! I like the idea of elite monsters having a gold backing :)
This is a great idea and I will probably use it if I can find the glass pucks in store! Thank you!
Glad you like it :) If you do, send a pic! I'd love to see.
This idea is just bloody brilliant!
I'm glad you like it :)
After watching this video, I've decided to try using a very similar technique to hand-make custom charms (something I've been trying to figure out for months!). It's the same idea, but instead of monsters it's some artwork I've made and they're on small resin squares! Thanks for the video! (and also all your dice ones too, I've been trying to get the hang of doing those)
That's a great idea! I'd love to see what you create with your charms sometime :)
Man, I never thought of this, that's an awesome idea!
They make really fun little tokens :) I like them a lot!
That's such a good idea! Great job man. I don't even play D&D but now it has got me trying to figure out something like that but for Magic the gathering
I actually have a cool idea for a Magic The Gathering craft coming in Feb :) I hope you'll like it!
You could do this for tokens if you have any decks that use them. Also having them as +1/+1 or -1/-1 counters could also work.
So being that they are glass...would dry erase markers work on the dome part? Like if someone poisons the monster or sets it on fire...you could mark it with purple or red or whatever to keep track. Or if you're super into it...you could add sparkles in certain colors just like the flakes. Red for fire, purple or green for poison, blue for ice...so on and so forth. And then swap them out when your players put effects on the monster. Though if you get people stacking stuff like fire and poison...idk how that would work. You'd have to think of every combination possible and make a ton of them.
It's glass, so I don't see why that wouldn't work :) Worst case, you might have to wipe excess off with alcohol spray :)
That is a really really good idea. I wasn't going to make these until you said dry erase lol
I'm currently using little colored cabochons (and occasionally a bunch of d6s lol) so I'm excited to use this to "level up" my combat a little!
Also a tip if you want to just make a bunch of these for regular random encounters, you can add a little symbol, number or dot in the white space OR print a little colored circle around the mini, to differentiate multiple minis of the same variety :)
Rybonator, you knocked it out the park again. These are so cool. I want to get a windshield decal of the Dice Goblin. Unless you figure out a diy 😉
I have some stickers of the little guy :) I might have to figure out a way for people to get some!
That would be awesome, haven't found many around here that p&p. And certainly no Dice Goblins.
Making a bunch of these now for a new campaign I'll be DMing. I'm using a permanent marker to number each of the tokens after they are dry and plan to use dry erase for status effects. These things are versatile as heck!
Oh that is a great way to get BURNS or Poisons etc to show up. Great thinking my friend! :)
The takeaway as a trophy idea is a great idea!!!
If you put a border around each token punch out and apply a felt bottom to the plastic bottom can add a more stylized look. Awesome job btw.
That's a great idea! You could even put some backgrounds based on WHERE you might be finding that creature. Glad you liked it :)
@@Rybonator I love your videos. You give me soooo many ideas my friend. Let's just say Hobby Lobby considers me VIP lol...
I just spent our first session of the latest campaign doing this with 1" round punched mtg/wow cards and soft, self adhesive cabochons! It's kind of relaxing.
Oh that's awesome! Yeah they have just fantastic art :) So that would be killer!
These came out awesome!!
Glad you like them! :)
Very kool! It would be soo cute to have a pushie of the dice goblin😉
I am working on it! But Idk if I can get them mass produced haha
this is really smart! defo telling my DM about this! love your content man
Thank you ginger :) I'd love to see pics if they give it a shot!
While I prefer the regular figures for the game this is still a brilliant and cheap way to have a great DnD set!
Oh me too, by far. But this will help your wallet every now and again haha :)
That is so smart! Thank You for sharing this idea!
Glad you like it my man! Maybe we need to get some final fantasy characters in here eh? :)
@@Rybonator eeeehhhh? 👈👈😎
This is such a cool and easy alternative to minis! I love the retro SNES looking art too. With the modge podge though, is it possible to go back after it hardens and use ultra fine sandpaper to smooth it up a bit, or is it just too thin or soft to do something like that? Also, I feel like it just isn't in you to ever make a video again without using the mica flakes for something. lol
They are just too dang shiny not to use! haha :)
It MIGHT be possible, but if you were going to do that, I'd put two layers of the mod podge on the back to make sure it's thick enough not to sand into the paper :)
This has me screaming I need to make this! Thank you for making this idea I am totally making this! I even had the idea for instead of using them table top. maybe using them for a pendant gift.
yes this seems like something i might be able to try as it isn't super expensive to do
For sure! You can get like 60 cabochons for maybe $9 :)
@@Rybonator yep I might try this out
I made about a dozen of these so far. Even grabbed a sub for RetroGradeMinis, they have some great art and near perfect size for this. Very easy to do and they look great!
I do have one question though, what is the best way to store/organize these so they don't chip or break?
One other option for this kind of thing that I'd done in the past to upgrade some cardboard tokens along with other tokens that I'd made (I'd used them to make the punch out tokens from the WotC Star Wars starter box, along with the printable ones and other things that I'd used a token tool to make). Basically, I'd gone to the craft store and bought the 1", 2", and larger wooden discs from the wood craft isle. Used a bit of polyeurethane gloss as a glue to attach and cover them and coat the wood. Then I'd used some adhesive backed felt and backed them with it so that they'd stay more easily if things happened, as I've seen happen with the cabochons which scratch up far to easily.
I'd put them as more durable than the cabochon option, which I have seen used rather well, and far cheaper. They're about 10-15 cents a token depending upon the specific costs
I've also seen people use Wood and Packing Tape to make numbered disks to keep track of enemies :) But I really like your idea as well!
@@Rybonator Yeah, and the big thing is that it doesn't scratch easily which is the one, major downside of using glass for it.
Could you put some felt on the back? Thinking of a cheaper dungeon tile made from card stock or similar? To make the back smoother and less "scratchy"?
You absolutely can! Some felt even has sticky sides, making it super easy to add on :)
I think these could be improved with a better base. Still cheap, but they won't look cheap. Less exposed too. 22m loopless jewelry bezel cups (a nice aged bronze look suits dnd) as the base or wooden circle disks work pretty well. The bezel cups are my personal favorite but they do end up being marginally bigger than the grid. Only noticeable when about 4 or more tokens are beside each other in a straight line. Wooden disks work better with the grid and can even be stained and color coded for easier tracking for the DM. Both options are still super cheap since you can get tons of them in bulk. Even a washer to with some felt on the bottom is ok. The added weight helps you slide them around your mat where you want them better too. Another tip is that you can get square cabochons and use em for mounts and just play the round tokens ontop.
I like literally all of those ideas haha. I wanted this to be quick and simple, and didn't want to use the metal bezel cups on all, as it was an extra expense (though not much.) BUT I like the idea of the bezel's on elite or dangerous enemies :)
Giving these away as a token to remember the awesome fight is a great idea, will definitely do that when I find a DnD group to play with :/
Hey if you make awesome things like that, I'm sure you will find one who would love to have you join in no time!
Another suggestion for these cabochons is to accent the picture with a little touch of metallic paint. Or color shift pigment (if you got it) mixed in water based acrylic varnish.
Maybe stats of the bad guy on the back? These are awesome! Thank you!
That's a great idea! Might have to be really small though.
@@Rybonator I was thinking maybe print it out small from the computer then cut them & glue them? Using lots of abbreviations, lol.
Hi! I have a question about resin/epoxy I was hoping you'd know the answer to, or perhaps be willing to test. I need to repair chips on some ceramic dishes (dinner plates and such), and many videos say to use epoxy or resin (unfortunately none of the channels I looked at were active). Do you know if a dish repaired with resin will still be microwave safe?
Thank you so much for your videos, I think they're awesome and I really want to try to make my own dice soon!
Please DO NOT repair with resin. Most all resin is not food safe, and so that would be a huge no-no. There are other glue's/fixes that may work, but most resin/epoxy that would cause some serious health defects. If your resin says it's food safe then MAYBE you could try that, but I'd still be weary.
Every time I watch one of your videos I have an overwhelming urge to recreate what I see. If only I had the money DX
You can do it! Some projects are super cheap :) My Dice Box vid only costs about $5 total to make the whole thing :) A little bit more if you want to woodburn, but if not you can always draw on to the box.
@@Rybonator I did actually get inspired by one of your videos last year. I made a set of dice for my brother for xmas. I even made my own molds! Money is somewhat tight for me as I am saving to get more equipment to make even more stuff! :)
@@phoebe2852 That's awesome! You are a super cool sibling to hand make something like that :) You rock!
@@Rybonator Thank you so much!
This is such a neat idea
I'm glad you like it :)
You should do a set of Warlock/Eldritch Blast Dice, I would click on that and make those dice ASAP!!!
I do plan on that! It's on my list :)
Use transparency paper and it'll be stronger and have a clear underside
I really wanted to, but my printer wouldn't take any :(
@@Rybonator go to your local library.
Oh my gosh! These are amazing!
Thank you!
Glad you like them! :) Thank YOU for watching :P
This is so awesome !!!! Thank You!
Of course! Glad you liked it :)
MakeAnything did some tests recently and he pointed out that you can get pure silicone cooking sheets for cheap. Maybe try that out.
Ohh yeah maybe I should :) It might make life a bit easier. Thanks!
Few questions here...what weight paper did you use? It looks a bit thicker than standard printer paper. Also, where did you get your punches, and do they make square ones? Great stuff...looking forward to trying this...
I know this isnt a dice video, but i was wondering if you knew if dice were usable 24 hours after curing (with artnglow) as their website says 24 hours for demolding but I'm not sure if the dice would be safe to use.
Better to wait around 48 - 72 hours to make sure you don't dent the resin, as it might still be a bit soft :/
Oh snap! Right there’s a free range chicken!
I really can't wait for his frog action figure guy :)
When are we going to get the Dice Goblin merch? I really want a dice goblin enamel pin and a sticker for my laptop.
I am working on it actually :) Stay tuned!
I'm waiting for video on how to make dice look "frosted" sorta like a matte finish or how a cold water bottle looks on a warm day. However this video was really cool and I'll probably use these in my next campaign.
I can show that! The easiest way would be to use a matte varnish over the die when you are finished, that way you don't have to worry about making the die matte, just spray it down and boom :)
I look forward to it!!!
What about paper tokens in clear resin? Thus standing miniatures
You could totally do that!
Keep Steady Craftin.
Hello. My name is, Your Host, The Rybonator.
Where did you get the big hole punches for?
I got them at Hobby Lobby :)
YES THIS IS WHAT I WANTED
I HOPE YOU LIKED IT :)
This is a really kool idea :D
Glad you like it :)
Big question. Would you take commissions for dice making?
I don't currently, but that may change in the future! Thanks for asking :)
On the back of mine, I found dirt cheap flexible magnets the same size and glued them on.
Because I have a memory like a sieve I'd probably write in pencil on the back of the token before sealing it with the ModgePodge the name of the monster.
That's also a great idea! :)
I love that. Ich think I will try and make them for my boyfriend. He dms 1-3 times a week.
Oh dang, this would be perfect for him :) Have him give the module a shot if he is bored!
I fucking love The Crafsman! He's so great!
Right? Dudes just such a nice guy :)
An alternative to the dimension magic is called Diamond Glaze. Just FYI
Oh I'll have to look into that :)
Hey how do you put unicorn skin on the picture minis
I just put some on the paper and then put the glue on :)
What an interesting way to do it instead of minis
Helps keep the wallet happy too :)
Is this one of those projects where the type of ink printer will have an impact on image quality after adding the mod podge? Just want to make sure before I dive headfirst into this. XD
Possibly. If you ahve an inkjet printer, it may smear. BUT, I use a pretty basic printer from work, so if it worked for me, it will probably be ok for most.
@@Rybonator Sounds good. Thank you so much for the reply. :D
I prefer the look of 1st Edition kobolds to the more recent depictions, so I made some using this method. Mistakes made: 1) Did not alternate images, 2) I tried to save time and use clear sticker paper, forgot that white doesn't print :\ , 3) I used 1" squares instead of circles, so when I *did* use the glue, I needed to put dots near the corners and not just in the middle, 4) Used scissors to cut out, punch would have been much better but I didn't want to spring for the price...otherwise, they came out all right. Wish I could post to share them here...
How did you accurately scale them to one inch?
I put them in Microsoft word, and it has rulers on the side for the margins :)
Is that a TAMU ring?
It is indeed :) Class of '16 Whoop!
I married into a TAMU family, but I’m UT class of 2010. HOOK’EM!
I have a friend who built a metal table, and puts magnets on the bottom of each mini to keep things stable. These could easily get the magnet treatment for the bottom.
How would it be if you used UV resin on the back?
Totally works! It's just more expensive so I wanted to get something everyone can afford :)
How did you get the print sheet to only do one "face" for each monster? Can't figure it out on their site.
I took screenshots of the individual monsters from the print sheet and scaled it down in Word :)
UNICORN SKIN!!! Someone watches simply nailogical 😁
Or someone get's enough comments from others that do asking me to call it that haha :)
Touche! 😆
Does anyone know if the mod podge super gloss would work as well?
It might be worth trying :) I don't think it gets quite as hard as the Dimensional Magic is the only difference.
This is genius.
I'm glad you like it :)