DM Toolkit: Dwarven Forge

Technically I believe Dwarven Forge is the name of the company and Master Maze is the name of the fantasy product line, but I've come to use the first name for both. I started collecting these dungeon pieces once my wife and I bought a house back in 2004.

Although they are a little pricey, Dwarven Forge pieces make a big impression at the gaming table. The three dimensional element appeals to the tacticians in the group, while the incredibly detailed sculpting and painting appeals the storytellers. If you fall into both camps like me (check out this survey of RPG Player types), they are well worth the cost.

To get the most out of Dwarven Forge pieces, it is helpful to test build dungeons before the actual gaming session. I don't always have time for that, and so I don't use them every week. However, I have enjoyed using them to set up some of the showcase locations in the Shackled City and Age of Worms campaigns.

A tip for Dwarven Forge users that I learned from my five year-old son Joshua: remember that the pieces can be rotated in any direction. He will place pieces on end or upside down to create truly intriguing environments. I will typically let him play with two sets (and one case of minis) during the first two hours of our weekly gaming session.

I have these sets:
Room & Passage Set
Deluxe Room Set
Traps Set
Traps Set #2
Cavernous Passage Set
Cavernous Lake Set
Cavernous River and Walls Set
Den of Evil Set
Fantasy Starter Set
Sci-Fi Starter Set

I have most of the individual pieces from these sets:
Wicked Additions #2 Set
Advanced Builder Set
Cavern Set

I plan on getting these sets:
Wicked Additions Set
Den of Evil Room Set
Den of Evil Wicked Additions Set

For the time being though, I've started to build WorldWorks cardstock models. More about that in another post.

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