DOTS RPG Project launches Signature Braille RPG Dice

A passion project over five years in the making, the DOTS RPG Project is proud to announce the launch of their Signature Braille RPG Dice. These unique polyhedral dice are designed to make tabletop roleplaying games more accessible to disabled individuals.

“Giving blind and visually impaired gamers a chance to roll their own dice inspired the creation of the DOTS RPG Project in 2017,” said Jess Dempsey, Executive Director. “Nothing compares to being in a tense situation and making that one game-changing roll! The few seconds where time seems to stop as you wait for the dice to settle and determine if you succeed or fail, those moments are some of the best. Having the ability to do that yourself, having the autonomy to roll your own dice and share the result with your party, it’s something that has always been available to many people. Not everyone has the same level of access and we’re working to bridge that gap.”

Most mass-produced dice available through online and in-person retailers have some version of printed or shallow engraved numbers on a smooth surface. Because of this, people who are blind, have low vision, or any other type of visual impairment often have a hard time finding dice they can use. Since polyhedral dice are a core part of so many TTRPG experiences, DOTS set out to make braille polyhedral dice just as easy to purchase as any others. 

DOTS RPG Project’s patent pending Signature Braille RPG Dice were designed with the blind and visually impaired experience as the main focus, prioritizing tactile readability by creating consistent faces across all dice with a single braille cell and no engraved numbers. Utilizing a simplified numbering system and unique Touch Point Edge design, the dice are easy to read for those familiar with braille and straightforward for anyone to learn.

All English braille characters are some combination of raised dots in a grid that is three dots high by two wide and needs to be read in a certain orientation to be correct, much like the numbers 6 and 9. There are no braille characters specifically for numbers, instead the traditional numbering method consists of a number sign (#) before letters. This indicates the following letters are to be read and understood as numbers.

Letters A-J are used for numbers 1-0 with each letter repeated as needed for numbers with more than one digit. This would make the 20 face on a D20 contain three characters: # B J. The DOTS design, however, uses a non-traditional numbering method with the next ten letters in the alphabet K-T to indicate numbers 11-20, requiring only one letter per face. Additionally, the number sign (#) is not present on any dice in the set because it is known that standard polyhedral dice used for TTRPGs are meant to be read as numbers, not letters. This helps to simplify each face and keep the dice close to the industry standard 16mm scale while maintaining the braille sizing standards as determined by the ADA.

Raised edges on all faces provide a better rolling experience, stability when reading, and feature the Touch Point Edge design. This small divot can be considered an underline, acting as an orientation marker to indicate the proper way to read each face when the dice are rolled.

With the DOTS Braille RPG Dice set, a blind or visually impaired player can have a dice rolling experience very similar to that of their sighted friends with only minor differences. In the case of the D10 and D%, both are labeled 1-0 and one die has a blunt-tipped end to differentiate dice when rolling for percentile. The d20 is about twice the size of common D20s and all other dice in the set are only slightly larger than standard making them comfortable to handle and roll just like any other numbered set.

In 2018 the DOTS RPG Project partnered with Die Hard Dice to start the grand adventure of mass production. After countless rounds of prototyping, real-world testing, and design modifications over the years, DOTS is ready to make their Signature Braille RPG Dice a reality. The team behind this project envisions this will help make tabletop gaming more accessible for blind and visually impaired gamers as well as initiate positive discussions around disability access in the TTRPG community. The initial dice offerings will be in two styles: Acrylic dice in a color called Molten Bronze; metallic bronze (brownish-gold) with swirls of pearlescent dark bronze. The other is hollow metal dice in Silver Ingot; a lightweight silver metal with a semi-translucent black antiqued finish.

Retail prices are $20 for the acrylic set and $60 for the hollow metal set. DOTS and Die Hard Dice are committed to keeping the retail costs affordable to ensure access for all members of the community. Proceeds from all purchases will go directly to the DOTS RPG Project Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, to fund the continuous production of their Signature Braille RPG Dice.

Those interested in acquiring the Signature Braille RPG Dice can do so through the Die Hard Dice website for both individual and wholesale purchases. Additionally, DOTS will be celebrating the official launch at PAX Unplugged in Philadelphia December 6th - 8th. Visit the booth in the PAX Together Intersection to pick up a set in person.

DOTS RPG Project is Improving Accessibility in Tabletop Roleplaying Games, One Adventure at a time! DOTS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization who provides braille dice, accessibility resources, and more to make tabletop roleplaying games more accessible for disabled gamers. For more information, visit dotsrpg.org and follow along on Bluesky, Threads, and Facebook.