November 24, 2024, 08:15:00 AM

Author Topic: Mini Damage/Mana dials  (Read 8820 times)

ACG

  • Legendary Mage
  • *****
  • Posts: 859
  • Banana Stickers 5
    • View Profile
Mini Damage/Mana dials
« on: January 22, 2014, 05:47:27 AM »
Mana and damage counters are aesthetically appealing, but can be tedious to place at times, especially when you run low on them. As an alternative, consider these:

These dials function in the same way as mana/damage counters, but require only one token per card (2 if the card has channeling). They retain their position through magnetic attraction to a paper clip attached to the card. The magnetic attraction is sufficient to prevent the dial from slipping (it won't shift even if the dice strike it while rolling), while still being easy for the player to adjust. Observe this dial retaining its position even when vertical:

The paper clip does cause the card to project above the table slightly, but this is not necessarily a bad this (easier to pick it up, for instance). The current damage or mana can be read off the number below the bar of the paper clip (or the number that is oriented in the same direction as the text on the card). When there is no damage or mana, simply remove the dial entirely.

For those interested in making their own, a pdf template for the dials is attached. The magnets that I used are 1/2 inch (12mm) diameter ceramic disc magnets from The Magnet Source [item 07002], available at pretty much any Ace Hardware store at a very reasonable price ($3-4 for a pack of 10, generally). Any reasonably strong magnet will work, though I prefer ceramic magnets over neodymium because of price. Any type of paper clip (assuming it is made of metal) will probably work. You can mount the dials on cardstock, construction paper, or even just regular printer paper; the dials do not need to be very sturdy, although they feel nicer when they are.