Myths About Premium Dice: What Actually Matters

Quick answer

Premium dice are not automatically better for every player. The real differences are in the symbols, materials, finish, and how the set fits the game you actually run. If you want a themed set with custom high-value faces, premium dice deliver something cheap dice can't. If you just need a spare d20 for a pickup game, the upgrade may not be worth it.

Premium dice get wrapped in a lot of folklore. Some of it is true, some of it is marketing, and some of it is just what people repeat because it sounds right at the table. This article separates the claims from the facts so you can decide whether a premium set belongs in your dice bag.

There is no single "best" premium die. There are dice with specific design choices, specific materials, and specific symbols, and those choices matter differently depending on whether you're running a Cthulhu-themed campaign or just need a reliable d20 for a weekly game.

Myth: All premium dice are perfectly balanced

This is the most repeated claim in the hobby, and it's the one that needs the most context. Balance depends on how a die is made, not on its price tag. A premium set can be made with the same care as a budget set, or more, but the price alone doesn't guarantee anything about the internal weight distribution.

What you can verify is what's on the die. The Star of Azathoth Elder Dice - Mythic Dark Sun Edition features the Star of Azathoth symbol, a design choice that replaces a standard high face with a symbol tied to the set's theme. That's a real, visible difference you can evaluate before buying. Internal balance is not something a product listing can prove, so treat any claim about it as a reason to test your own dice rather than a reason to pay more.

• Check whether the high face is a number or a symbol. Symbols change how the die reads at the table.
• If balance matters to you, roll your own dice and track results. That's the only test that reflects your set.

Myth: Expensive dice are always better made

Price reflects design, licensing, materials, and production scale more than it reflects quality. A set with a licensed symbol or a custom sculpt costs more to make, and that cost shows up in the price. That doesn't mean the plastic is stronger or the edges are cleaner than a cheaper set.

The Beneath the Mountains of Madness 12d6 Set is a good example of where the money goes. It uses layered swirls of white and deep glacial blue, iridescent glitter that reflects like frost under shifting light, and metallic blue sigils on the six face. Those are deliberate visual choices, not durability claims. You're paying for how the set looks and what it represents, and that's a legitimate reason to buy if the theme matters to your table.

• Separate what you can see (color, symbols, finish) from what you can't (balance, long-term wear).
• Buy the look you want first. Durability is a bonus, not a guarantee.

Myth: You need a full premium set to play

Most RPGs need a specific set of dice, not a premium one. A standard polyhedral set covers the common rolls. If your game uses a lot of d6s, a 12d6 set is more useful than a fancy polyhedral set you rarely touch. The right purchase is the one that matches your system, not the one with the highest price.

This is where premium sets earn their place. The 1UP-Dice Master Edition Mythical Sword polyhedral collection replaces the highest value on each die with the Master Edition Mythical Sword symbol from the Legendary Hero series. If your table enjoys that kind of theming, the set does something a plain set can't. If your table just needs numbers, a plain set does the same job for less.

• Count which dice your game actually rolls before buying a set.
• A themed set is a table experience purchase, not a rules requirement.

Myth: Dice are the only premium upgrade worth buying

Dice get the attention, but the accessories around them often change the table more. A playmat keeps cards and dice on a stable surface. A GM screen keeps reference material in front of you. A slipcase keeps a collection organized. These are practical upgrades, and they often cost less than a second premium dice set.

The Dice Slipcase - The Colors out of Space is a clear example. It holds three sets of Elder Dice Grimoires and is designed to hold three grimoires without the cardboard sleeve wrapper. It does not include the grimoires. If you already own multiple Elder Dice sets, the slipcase solves a storage problem. If you own one set, it solves a problem you don't have yet.

• Look at your table first. A wobbly surface or a cluttered screen area costs you more time than a mismatched die.
• Buy storage for the collection you own, not the collection you might own later.

Myth: Premium dice are only for collectors

Collectors do buy premium dice, but so do players who want a specific feel at the table. The In the Shadows of Innsmouth Premium Playmat shows how theme and function can coexist. It has a smooth cloth surface for clean card placement and steady rolls, a rubber backing that keeps the mat anchored, and stitched edges that protect the artwork. The Deep One skull at the center reflects the final stage of the Innsmouth Look.

That's a functional object with a strong theme, and it's the same logic behind premium dice. You're buying a specific experience, not a status symbol. If the theme helps you and your group settle into the game, it's doing real work.

• Choose theme when it helps immersion. Choose plain when it doesn't.
• A themed accessory can carry a table's mood even if the dice are ordinary.

Verdicts on the most common premium dice myths

• Premium dice are perfectly balanced: Price doesn't prove balance. What you can verify is the visible design, like the Star of Azathoth symbol on the Mythic Dark Sun Edition. Verdict: unproven. Test your own dice if balance matters to you.
• Expensive dice are always better made: Price reflects design, licensing, and materials, not durability. The Beneath the Mountains of Madness 12d6 Set sells on its glacial look and metallic blue sigils. Verdict: false. Buy the look you want and treat durability as a bonus.
• You need a premium set to play: Most games need the right dice, not expensive ones. A 12d6 set suits d6-heavy systems better than a polyhedral set you rarely use. Verdict: false. Match the set to your system first.
• Dice are the only upgrade that matters: Playmats, screens, and storage often change a session more. The Orb and Path Lorecrafter GM Screen keeps lore in front of the GM during play. Verdict: false. Fix the table before buying another set.
• Premium dice are only for collectors: Themed sets and accessories are bought by players who want a specific table feel, like the In the Shadows of Innsmouth Premium Playmat with its stitched edges and rubber backing. Verdict: false. Theme is a legitimate reason to buy.

Product facts worth knowing

• Star of Azathoth Elder Dice - Mythic Dark Sun Edition: This set features the Star of Azathoth, a symbol suggestive of the emergence and outward expansion of the universe from a mysterious, central source. The symbol is the point of the set. If that imagery fits your campaign, the set adds something a plain d20 can't.
• 1UP-Dice Master Edition Mythical Sword polyhedral collection: This set features the Master Edition Mythical Sword from the Legendary Hero series. The Master Edition Mythical Sword symbol replaces the highest value on each die. Replacing the high face with a symbol changes how the die reads. Know that before you buy, especially if your table relies on quick number reading.
• Beneath the Mountains of Madness 12d6 Set: These d6s capture cold weight with layered swirls of white and deep glacial blue. Iridescent glitter reflects like frost under shifting light. The six face bears the sigils of the Thing Beneath the Mountains of Madness in metallic blue. A 12d6 set is a system choice. If your game rolls handfuls of d6s, this set is more useful than another polyhedral set.
• Dice Slipcase - The Colors out of Space: Display your Elder Dice collection in style with this cosmic slipcase designed to hold three sets of Elder Dice Grimoires. This product is only the slipcase. It does not include the Elder Dice grimoires. It is designed to hold three the Elder Dice grimoires without the cardboard sleeve wrapper. Storage is a real upgrade. If you own multiple Elder Dice sets, this keeps them together. If you own one, it's a future purchase.

Premium dice are worth it when the symbols, materials, or theme do something for your table. They aren't worth it when you're buying them to fix a problem that a playmat, screen, or storage case would solve better. Look at what you actually roll, then buy the set that matches.