DM Toolkit: WorldWorks

I started experimenting with WorldWorks cardstock models last fall. I enjoy all the Dwarven Forge pieces I have for dungeons and caverns, but I didn't want to spring for their Medieval Building or Accessories sets. I bought the InteriorWorks: Pubs & Inns set and used it to construct a tavern and a necromancer's laboratory for the Age of Worms campaign. Shortly thereafter I got the VillageWorks set to represent outdoor scenes. I'm currently making a lot of pieces from the ArenaWorks set for some upcoming gladiatorial games.

The most appealing thing about WorldWorks is the price. You can purchase a $12 or $15 set and then print as many models as you like. You do need to buy a cutting board, glue pens, and some other office supplies to get started, and you will be spending on ink cartridges and cardstock paper as you go along, but I've still spent less on WorldWorks than on a single large Dwarven Forge set.

The tradeoff for cost is time. The instructions suggest it takes 5-10 minutes to construct each model, but in my experience it's more like 15 minutes counting printing, cutting, gluing, and edging. It's hard to do anything else at the same time, although I was able to listen to several The Lord of the Rings commentaries.

The WorldWorks models are attractive, and there's a lot of variety. I put together a lot of furnishings (beds, tables, fireplaces, crates, etc) that I can use even when I'm using Dwarven Forge rooms or caverns. I really like the Masterboards (tiled flooring on a posterboard), and I've created a handful of them already. They make it convenient to pin down walls in advance and then place a whole scene on the gaming table in an instant.

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