Playing with seven players at once has taught me that dice towers are a must, especially when playing with kids. I've run a Call of Cthulhu/D20 Modern game in the past, and this dice tower seemed perfect for that game, but it's actually a better fit for Dungeons & Dragons.
The tower is assembled with very tiny screws. Very tiny. the screwdriver that comes with the kit is critical; it's the same screwdriver used for screwing in eyeglasses. Don't lose this screwdriver, and be sure to keep track of the screws!
There are no predrilled holes for the screws (probably because it would be problematic to drill something so small), so you're essentially just screwing them right into the soft wood. If you misjudge a hole for some reason, you'll leave a tiny pockmark on your beautiful dice tray.
Mind flayers were inspired by Cthulhu but are not, in fact, Cthulhu. I colored the picture accordingly to reflect the trademark mind flayer purple. This also was reflected in the dice tray itself, which looks like a tongue. I colored it shades of purple, blue, and pink.
This set really comes to life when it's colored, but the lines of the art are shallow enough that markers are critical. You could try to paint it, but the level of detail is very difficult to cover with a brush. It took me over an hour to color it all in.
Once assembled, the tower rolls dice beautifully. The top neatly fits into the bottom, which makes it portable too. And I particularly like the idea of a monster trapped in some sort of cage, which lends an air of menace to the table.
Fully assembled, I'm happy with the overall appearance. This is actually a great mind flayer dice tower. Cthulhu fans may be disappointed.
You can purchase this product at Amazon: Amazon.com: DND Dice Tower with Tray Wood Laser Etched Cthulhu Portable and Collapsible Dice Roller Perfect for Board Game and Tabletop RPG: Health & Personal Care. Please note that I'm a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to http://amazon.com.
Putting it Together
The first thing to note is that you have to assemble the tower yourself. This isn't necessarily a big deal, but if you're not handy (or have poor eyesight/unsteady hands) it can be challenging.The tower is assembled with very tiny screws. Very tiny. the screwdriver that comes with the kit is critical; it's the same screwdriver used for screwing in eyeglasses. Don't lose this screwdriver, and be sure to keep track of the screws!
There are no predrilled holes for the screws (probably because it would be problematic to drill something so small), so you're essentially just screwing them right into the soft wood. If you misjudge a hole for some reason, you'll leave a tiny pockmark on your beautiful dice tray.
This is Not Cthulhu
The tower itself looks like a prison holding in a monster, while the dice tray is that of a beast's yawning maw. The dice tray's title reference Cthulhu, but CZYY doesn't seem to grasp who Cthulhu is. For the uninitiated, Cthulhu appears as a giant winged humanoid with an octopus head. But the "Cthulhu" on this dice tower has a high collar and four tentacles on its face; it looks a lot more like a mind flayer from Dungeons & Dragons.Mind flayers were inspired by Cthulhu but are not, in fact, Cthulhu. I colored the picture accordingly to reflect the trademark mind flayer purple. This also was reflected in the dice tray itself, which looks like a tongue. I colored it shades of purple, blue, and pink.
And Then There's the Octopi
The side panels confuse Cthulhu and mind flayers further by adding an octopus into the mix. Both panels feature an octopus wrapped around a ship's wheel. Or to put it another way, other than having tentacles and being in the water, none of these critters have anything to do with Cthulhu.This set really comes to life when it's colored, but the lines of the art are shallow enough that markers are critical. You could try to paint it, but the level of detail is very difficult to cover with a brush. It took me over an hour to color it all in.
Once assembled, the tower rolls dice beautifully. The top neatly fits into the bottom, which makes it portable too. And I particularly like the idea of a monster trapped in some sort of cage, which lends an air of menace to the table.
Fully assembled, I'm happy with the overall appearance. This is actually a great mind flayer dice tower. Cthulhu fans may be disappointed.
You can purchase this product at Amazon: Amazon.com: DND Dice Tower with Tray Wood Laser Etched Cthulhu Portable and Collapsible Dice Roller Perfect for Board Game and Tabletop RPG: Health & Personal Care. Please note that I'm a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to http://amazon.com.
