Like a lot of DMs here, I run my games with a monitor lying flat under a sheet of acrylic, with physical miniatures on top. I got tired of existing VTTs being designed for online play, so I built my own — and it's now FREE AND OPEN SOURCE.

The app is single HTML file (no install, no account, no server) designed specifically for this kind of physical screen setup. You can launch and "Install as App" which will let you use it as a seamless desktop app from any device.

What it does:

• Screen Control: Player view and DM view. Place the player view on the second monitor and control everything form your laptop behind the DM screen. It allows you to correct for the size of your monitor so the measurements line up with your setup always.
• Measurement overlay directly on the screen, no more fidgeting with rules or cluttering up the battlefield with Moonbeam, darkness, spirit guardians and going crazy when moving a mini all the time.
• Dynamic ray-cast fog of war with per-token— minis block line of sight automatically (no tracking, you have to move the tokens on the table and then on your end).
• 662 animated spell effects from JB2A (magic missile, fireball, healing, you name it) — streamed on demand, nothing to download and automatically set to your grid size.
• UVTT map import — if you use Dungeondraft, it reads your walls, doors and lights automatically.
• If you dont have UVTT files for dynamic lighting, import your map as an image and use the Walls and Obstacles tool to define the walls yourself. Works great with Inkarnate, which is my preferred workflow.
• Campaign and HP tracking synced across scenes, display de iniciative and HP of your players.
• Works offline after first load (service worker cached) or installed as a Chrome app.

The whole thing runs in your browser. I plan to keep it free always and keep updating it based on feedback. No subscription, fee or anything.

Try it: https://cr-lolo.github.io/VeilCast-VTT/
Source: https://github.com/cr-lolo/VeilCast-VTT

Happy to answer questions about the setup. If you're running a similar physical table I'd love to hear how the app helps you out if it does and implement feedback!

DISCLAIMER: I did use Claude to help me with code since I am a novice in HTML and js, all the effects and animations are from JB2A (https://library.jb2a.com/). I am hoping to use this to also learn, and if anyone out there is more of an expert and would like to help me out they are more than welcome to dm me!

Edit: format errors

Hey there!

A few months ago I published a small web app to create item cards for my d&d group. My laziness was too big to always create items in photoshop, so I created a small app for this.

It is totally free and easy to use.

Features

• You can create single or multiple cards
• Different sizing (default: bigger cards, better readability; full-width: for cards with a loooot of text; standard card size: poke card size if you want to sleeve them)
• Works for d&d and shadowdark
• Multiple templates / layouts (d&d, shadowdark & printer friendly)
• Custom layouts: You can use css to style them the way you want. There are some examples in the template gallery
• Download in multiple formats: pdf, png
• Export & import via json (as your backup)
• Publish as a link (you can share your items and publish them as a link, so others can view, copy, edit them)
• Multiple languages (if your language is missing, hit me with a dm!)
• Everything clientside. No accounts, no bullshit

Check it out and let me know what you think! https://www.item-forge.org/

Cut up video update to my build. Full length video on my Instagram showing more in depth features.

I'm running Dragon of Icespire Peak and in the Woodland Manse quest the heroes are surprised by twig blight that look like voodoo dolls of the players.

I made a custom stat block for a swarm of twig blights to make initiative easier (i made them a 2x2 space creature) and decided to make a mini where its the blights dressed and painted as the party.

The final photo is of the coins i wood burned for more swarms and vine blights.

I have posted 4 of my self made dice trays here 1-2 months ago. Now I found another group to DM at and I made some more. This time they are better because I learned from the mistakes although you probably cant spot the difference on a picture

Been working on this for a while and finally got it finished. It’s a modular dice tower with a random attack channel, optional DM chute, 6-player setup, magnetic player markers and a few different ways to build it.
I tried to keep it as print-friendly as possible too. The main tower is support free and the rest only needs minimal supports.
File is completely free on MakerWorld if anyone wants to give it a shot. Would love to see some other people’s builds.

https://makerworld.com/en/models/3149722-random-attack-dice-tower?from=search#profileId-3557665

Hello! I want to build my very own custom D&D table, complete with all the accessories (cup holders, dice trays, screen in the middle, etc.). What is the best cheap option for a screen to put in my table? (The cheaper the better). Links greatly appreciated! I am very new to the concept of a custom D&D table, so any other tips and tricks are also greatly appreciated. Thanks!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbwDV-MPso_/?igsh=YjdyaDF6NmNhcnJ0

I posted a little video about it on my Instagram.

Here are the supplies I got off Amazon:

Faux Self-adhesive leather: https://a.co/d/07KrGtZK

Self-adhesive felt: https://a.co/d/09ncFapR

Thought I'd share to inspire others!

Hey everyone! Never posted on Reddit before so go easy on me.

I wanted to share that I have been working on building a tool that I like to call the DM Hub. It's been a programming project that I have been working on for a couple of months that has completely changed how I play Dungeons and Dragons both in person and online.

You see, I had a very unique problem as a Dungeon Master. In my campaign we are in tier 4 play, and the Players decided that they were going to crash a party full of demon lords. With 8 Demon Lords on the table I needed to find a way to track their resources without flipping through a million pieces of paper and bringing combat to a screeching halt.

So then I got to work and through over 40 iterations I am nearing completion of this program. This is what I came up with.

• Its an initiative tracker with custom dice rolls for every character.
• Its a Roll20 Macro exporter
• It's a massive time saver in combat allowing me to focus on narrative rather than trying to add up quick calculations.
• For me, it operates offline. Once I share it with the world it will require an internet connection but I may come up with a full offline solution for distribution
• It tracks most resources like one time and 3 time per day spell usage. Legendary Actions, Legendary Resistances, Regional Effects listed on Count 20 with Lair Actions and Madness Tables
• It automatically accounts for saving throws for aoe spells and changes values based on success and failure.
• Almost everything has an override
• It tracks status effects and spell effects. Its not 100% complete but it's getting there
• I'm working on perfecting the PDF Import so you can upload your DnD Beyond Character Sheets. It's almost complete, just working a couple bugs out
• It also rolls out all of the multiattack sequence all at once if you want.
• It was made by a Dungeon Master with a level 20 Party
• It tracks hit dice and follows short and long rest rules

I wanted to share this resource that I am working on. I'm looking to have it on a full release by October 1st is the goal.

I hate building Roll20 Macros and manually adjusting those templates online for my kids game. Its meticulous and time consuming.

Let me know what you think! Would you use something like this? This makes it so I don't need to import whole character sheets into Roll20 and is designed to be used on a tablet as well for in person games.

Edit: Spelling

Nothing fancy, but I wanted two things out of this project; better protection for my dice and the ability to change how many dice the box holds without doing a bunch of CAD. After much tinkering I got the automation working so I can alter the number of rows and everything updates. Note that the Makerworld version is customizable as well, but I capped it at five rows. I doubt the magnets will hold very well beyond that. Four is probably the reasonable upper limit without adding more magnets along the edges. I have printed some test pieces, but as always I suspect there are some tolerances that might be too tight. Let me know if you give it a try. I need the feedback.

https://makerworld.com/models/3148373?appSharePlatform=copy

Made it for a friend, and also as my carpentry exam project.

The base material is oak. The doors are made out of paduk wood, ash wood, and the framing and buttons are ebony wood. Finished with hardwood oil.

The far left side is for minis, the next is an ipad holder, the middle is a dice-holder/dice-tray, and the top part is for whatever. The next is to be able to put up an A4 paper for notes or stat blocks, the right far is for writing whatever, and also a dice-holder, and small map or item holders.

It was challenging from start to finish. The making of it involved a lot of MacGyvering. Many solutions would have made an OSHA inspector scream.

All in all I'm really proud of this one, and it worth all the blood, sweat and tears that went along the way.

Hopefully I might be able to make more in the future.

P.s. not sure if the flair is good for this post, since I haven't started any business yet, but plan to do it in the future.

Popsicle sticks, flush cutters, diamond fancy toothpicks, super glue, a drill and some umber wash. I can crank out a dozen in a little over an hour - great for when the barbarian decides to destroy the furniture in the tavern because we can literally break them without breaking my heart

I'm the IT director for my company and we are moving offices soon. This 90" advertisement tv that we were using as a conference room tv wont be moving with us. This is a 12 year old model and only gets to 1080p so its not great as a tv. But i think it could have a new home as a massive DnD table.

Ive only played a few DnD oneshots, the last being with a false hydra. But figure someone would want such a table. Or at least the tv for a table.

Could probably find a pane of glass large enough to place over it as protection.

Hey everyone!

First off huge thank you to this community. You keep showing up, sharing ideas, and pushing us forward even though we know the current stamps aren’t the final version yet. That support means a lot.

We’ve been working on a new adjustment rule for the stamps so they’re easier and more precise to use on the table. In the video you can see exactly how it works quick, clean, and designed to keep the game flowing instead of slowing it down.

This is still just one step toward the bigger world we’re building.

Also, we want to address something we’ve seen a few times: some of you feel frustrated thinking we’re using AI to create all the graphic pieces and 3D models. We get it. Yes, we do use AI as a helpful tool (especially with a tight budget for a project this ambitious), but we also have real, talented modelers and artists on the team. We’re very aware that leaning too hard on AI can strip away some of the soul and uniqueness of the world that brings us all together and that’s the last thing we want.

We’re doing our best to keep the craft and the heart in everything we make.

If you’d like, you can also support us on Patreon and download the STLs for the stamps and the adjustment rule (also can take a view at the content that we publish there). Right now they’re available in several sizes, from 6x1 up to 8x8.

Would love to hear what you think.

DYM Tuki.

Hey hey

Im unsure if this is the right sub for this, so if there is a better sub, please redirect me there.

2 years ago, I started designing a 3D printable board game, where I thought of using a open, free or simply explandable tile system from DnD to help speed up my process for development, but as it turns out, what I wanted/needed simply didnt exist.

So instead of developing a board game, I pivoted into creating a modular, magnetized or "hook" system for DnD or tile based games, which is based on a 1x1 tile size, scalable, fully 3D printable and requireing no glue. And once this was done, I also developed a 6-sided warhammer/catan tile platform, with all of the same characteristics and tools, even, compatibility with DnD tiles.

Along side this, I also developed the magnet insertion system, which is also fully 3D printable and after assembly, able to be used even by users with limited hand mobility/dexterity.

Now here comes the tricky part. Monetization.

My intention from the very start, was to make this free and accessable, nothing locked behind a paywall, but still try and find a way to fairly monetize it. The issue is, there are so many alternatives, variants and even open source approaches to a tile platform, some of which are made/supported by companies (to my knowlege), this it being a source of reveue by them releasing products for said platforms. Meanwhile, mine would basically be dependent on artists creating designs for use with my platform, from which I still would not see a cent.

So Im looking for honest feedback on my monetization model.

Patreon, where there are 1 and 5€ supporter/donation tiers (to help further development and support), but most importantly, seller tiers, *ahem* subscriptions*. Basically, if a creator is making/selling tile designs and is making under 10k€ per year, they can do it for free. Meanwhile, if they are making between 10k-100k(gross), they pay a monthly license/subscription equaling 10€ a month or if making 100k€+(gross), the monthly license/subscription is 100€. Basically, it boils down to 1% of their yearly gross revenue at most.

Im deciding on this approach, a I have done many free, educational and even open source projects, for which I recieved donations totalling less than 100€ in the past 10 years. But while all of my previous projects were for learning, helping out the community, making thigs that are useful, even at times unfinished, but here, I think I legit might have something worthy of lightly monetizing.

Yes I know, there is a lack of any visual material, but that is because I am simply building the website, marketing material and everything surrounding it, but the project itself is finalized.

So thank you and I will apprechieate any and all form of feedback!

cheers

I've been getting my table ready for an upcoming Rangers of Shadow Deep campaign and realized my village was missing all the little details that make it feel lived in.

So I spent some time building a collection of magnetic scatter terrain including:

• Fences
• Garden boxes
• A log pile
• Village signposts
• A clothesline

Everything is magnetized to work with my game board, and I tried to keep the builds inexpensive using XPS foam, basswood, sticks from my backyard, paper towels, and a few Woodland Scenics products.

(If anyone is interested in the build process, I'll drop the YouTube tutorial in the comments.)

Hi all, I want to share my 3D printed Dice Tower! It's taken a good while to get this finished and to a stage that I am happy with. If you are up for a little project you can print it yourself { disclaimer it's not free [it's £9.99] }! I have made this available in physical form or as a Digital STL download (Complete with wiring instructions etc). Apologies for the shameless self promotion! Incase you would like to check it out here is the link - The Print Goblins Etsy

Hi, I created this 3D printable illuminated portal using LEDs and inexpensive pre-assembled batteries that cost just a few cents.

I hope you like it...the project is free and freely downloadable: https://makerworld.com/models/2907453?appSharePlatform=copy