Showing posts with label Parenthood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Parenthood. Show all posts

Wednesday 10 June 2020

Father's Day Gifts for the D&D Dad

Father's Day is on Sunday 21st June 2020 which is only 10 days away but there is still time to get that special something for your D&D Dad.

Here are 9 special gift ideas you can buy on Amazon.




Under £10


A Dice Rolling Tray

Frankly I think these are an essential accessory to keep your dice rolling under control. 

I have one of these and it folds flat for easy storage and carriage.  The larger size is especially welcome when you are rolling a fistfull of those damage dice.
A New Set of Dice

It doesn't matter how many dice us D&D Dads have we can always do with some more.  I particularly like the wild colours on this set which make it look like they are on fire with magical flames.

Which is basically how I roll...
A New Notebook

Every Dungeon Dad needs a new notebook so he can fill it with campaign ideas or adventure journal entries. 

£10 to £20


A New T-Shirt


What better way for your Dad to say it loud and proud with a classy new T-Shirt. 

I particularly like the Dragon's head artwork on this one and lets face it Dragons are always found at the heart of a Dungeon which is right where this gift will get your Dad.
A New Pint Glass

What better way for your Dad to celebrate a particularly fraught campaign but to toast to fallen heroes from the skulls of their enemy.

Also a great icebreaker at BBQs.

"Could you bring me a drink in the head of Alfredo Garcia darling?"
An Area of Effect Template

This is one of the best I've seen yet.  Made of transparent acrylic with clear marked areas of effect for all the popular spells.

With this your Dad can finally end the argument of exactly who is getting hit by his fireball.

I particularly like the additional random direction feature on the outer ring because there are just those times when a spell bounces and you don't want it to come towards you.

Over £20


A Big 3 Level Pirate Ship

I was gobsmacked when I saw this.  I have been running games for over 35 years and have never found anything quite as practical as this 3 level pirate ship. 

Made from laser cut plywood this is the perfect accessory for the Dungeon Dad who likes to make his players walk the plank.  It also doubles as an impressive display stand for the man cave.

I'm just hoping that my step daughter sees this page and buys me one... fingers crossed.
Acrylic Condition Rings 72 Piece Set

If your Dad is a dungeon master he has probably encountered this problem on many an occasion.  How to track the various states that your PCs and Monsters can get themselves into during the course of a frenetic xombat.

Look no further because this set of clear acrylic condition rings puts an end to all that.  Colour coded for every one of 18 different combat conditions (4 rings of each type), these rings will help your dearest dad keep up with the upkeep of even the biggest skirmishes.
A Dice Tower

Sometimes your Dad needs all the help he can get and that means taking the human element out of rolling those pesky polyhedrons.

This is one of the tallest towers on the market and will cast an impressive shadow on everyone around the table.  It is made of cool blue transparent acrylic and is sure to mesmerise and randomise to equal effect.
Priceless

What every dad really wants is to spend some quality time with their kids.  So why not sit your dad down at the table and ask him to play a game.  He'll have memories of that special father's day forever.


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Tuesday 4 October 2011

Passing on the Torch

One of the joys of parenthood is passing on your bad habits to your kids and I have been hopeing that I can pass on my love of Sci-Fi and Fantasy literature to my 12 year old step daughter.  This has been a struggle (personally, I blame Jacqueline Wilson novels) but my heart skipped a beat when she brought home her Key Stage 3 reading list from school.  Here are some of the titles:

The Hobbit
Plague 99
The Mortal Engines
The Wind Singer
The Crysalids
The Hunger Games
Classic 20th Century Fiction:
  • The Hobbit (JRR Tolkien) - Despite her reticence to read my dogeared and yellowed 1973 copy which was handed down from Father to Son many moons ago (the book is one year younger than I am).  By the time you read this we will be over half way through and I think she's secretly enjoying it (but trying not to show it).  Of course I couldn't help myself but to put on a good Andy Serkis voice whilst reading the part of Gollum.

Science Fiction and Fantasy
  • Plague 99 (Jean Ure) - I know absolutely nothing about this book and am quite worried that other books by her have titles like "Girlfriends: Pink Knicker's aren't Cool" or "Frankie Foster Freaks Out!"

  • The Mortal Engines Quartet (Phillip Reeve) - I've been waiting for a good excuse to read these.  I've been lusting after the Dystopian Wars miniatures from Spartan Games which appear to be inspired by them.

  • The Windsinger (William Nicholson) - From what I can glean from the internet this looks like a run of the mill fantasy trilogy.  We may have to pass on this as I'd really like to get her opinion on Trudi Canavan's Black Magician Trilogy.

  • The Chrysalids (John Wyndham) - Can't wait to read this with her.  She really enjoyed the BBC2 version of The Day of the Triffids.
     
  • Harry Potter (Series) - J K Rowling - She's expressed a strong dislike of Mr Potter, so we're going to have to skip these (which I'm rather glad about as I think they're purile derivative nonsense as well).

  • The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) - I know nothing aboout this book other than that it is being made into a movie slated for a 2012 release starring Jennifer Lawrence (who played Mystique in X-Men First Class).  It's IMDB summary is "A young girl volunteers to take her sister's place in a fight to the death in a dystopian future" so sounds promising then.

  • I am Number Four (Pittacus Lore) - We really enjoyed the movie and I suspect that the book is a lot better.
Oh and the rest of the books on the list are:

Pre 20th Century Fiction
  • What Katy Did (Susan Coolidge)
  • Heidi (Johanna Spyri) - I used to love watching this on TV as a kid.
  • Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (Lewis Caroll)
  • Black Beauty (Anna Sewell)
  • Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)
  • Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)
  • Oliver Twist (Charles Dickens)
Classic 20th Century Fiction
  • Lord of the Flies (William Golding) - This is a must read.
  • Ballet Shoes (Noel Streatfield)
  • The Secret Garden (Frances Hodges Burnett)
  • Peter Pan (JM Barrie)
  • Anne of Green Gables (LM Montgomery)
  • The Little House on the Prairie (Laura Ingalls Wilder)
  • The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (CS Lewis)
  • The Railway Children (E Nesbit)

Modern Fiction
  • A Series of Unfortunate Events (Lemony Snicket)
  • Girl Missing (Sophie Mckenzie)
  • The Princess Diaries (Meg Cabot) - Got to read this.
  • Noughts and Crosses (Malorie Blackman)
  • Refugee Boy (Benjamin Zephaniah)
  • Step by Wicked Step (Anne FIne)
  • Saffy's Angel (Hilary McKay)
  • Lola Rose (Jacqueline Wilson)
  • Feeling Sorry for Celia (Jacyln Moriarty)
  • The Exiles (Hilary McKay)

Biography/Autobiography
  • Diary of Anne Frank (Anne Frank)
  • When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (Judith Kerr)
  • Chinese Cindarella (Adeline Yen Mah)
  • My Family and Other Animals (Gerald Durrell)
  • All Creatures Great and Small (James Herriot)