This year, the Timestop D-20 stands as my preferred gaming gadget. It functions as a timekeeper and feigns dice rolling. That’s it. There’s no necessity to go beyond that. It won’t enhance my rolling experience in Dungeons & Dragons or any other TTRPG, nor can it substitute actual dice. The $160 D-20 remains a costly, specialized gadget not ideal for every gaming scenario. Regardless, I would opt for it over any lavish smartwatch.

Players of Tabletop RPGs are hesitant to rely on digital means. They’re not technophobic. Rather than hauling enough rulebooks to load a freighter, they opt for laptops at the table. Dice serve not merely as gaming tools; they’re emblematic. They symbolize the hobby’s reverence for collective storytelling and imagination. 

Possessing a vast array of dice already, the D-20 wristwatch might seem, perhaps, superfluous, if not outright heretical. I carried it to PAX Unplugged, a gaming meet-up in Philadelphia, wielding it for both board games and RPGs over two days. It made me the lone individual repeatedly noting, “Oh, I have this watch I’m deploying. I’m relying on this gadget for my rolls.”

Though some remain skeptical, the gracious individuals facilitating games refrained from criticizing my choice. Yet through the glances from others, it was evident they pondered whether I was engaging in deceit. Were my claims of a critical hit genuine, or was subterfuge at play? 

That didn’t matter during a session of the modern Cthulhu-conspiracy game Delta Green. I’m often unlucky in games. During a session that lasted three and a half hours, I only succeeded once on a D100 roll. My character, an unfortunate fellow who was employed as a claims analyst for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, was shot directly in the chest while attempting to destroy an eldritch-infused particle accelerator. In my watch, I rolled above an 86 on my Dodge check. The GM rolled a ten for damage. I was dead in a flash. You certainly should try Delta Green. 

The D-20 lacks a specific dice icon for a D100, although it’s accessible via one of two modes available through the buttons on the side. Otherwise, it can roll a D4 up through a D20 right from the main display. Watching the tiny numbers twirl for a split second before landing is immensely satisfying. 

However, the watch isn’t very compatible with many contemporary RPGs that have long-left D&D dice mechanics behind. I’m quite fond of the systems inspired by Powered by the Apocalypse for games centered on storytelling. Currently, I’m hosting a game of The Wildsea with my home group. At PAX, I participated in a session of CBR+PNK, a game tailored for one-shots that utilizes dice mechanics directly from Blades in the Dark. In this game, you roll several D6s, aiming for the highest outcome. A result of 1-3 leads to failure, 4 and 5 provide success with complications, whereas a 6 guarantees pure success. The D-20 watch allows you to roll multiple dice, but only to add them up. To roll a pool of dice, you’d roll repeatedly, hoping to recall your results.

Numerous board games have dice deeply embedded into their settings and themes. I tried Wyrd Games’ Vagrantsong, a game focused on restoring humanity to the souls of departed passengers traveling on a ghost train. In Vagrantsong, dice are called “bones,” a name so appropriate that using a digital dice roller would be sacrilege. 

The D-20 isn’t a replacement for dice, but it embodies their essence. It’s a vintage device. It provides the time and date while the dice roller remains visible. There’s a button to light up the electronic display with a warm, orange hue.

Devin Montgomery, the lead designer behind the gadget, shared that the watch aims to replicate the wearables of the late ’70s when the first D&D boxed sets emerged. I appreciate not having to think about charging it, unlike my Apple Watch Ultra. The watch band with the D-20 securely fits around my wrist, thanks to its simple loop band hitch.

The most bothersome aspect of the device is its price. The metallic casing feels luxurious, but at $160, it’s potentially more than 16 times the price of a standard set of dice. Some models without the metal frame are priced closer to $100. Even that seems steep for something akin to a retro Casio with a niche function.

I had to cut my time at PAX Unplugged short. A poor meal choice during the weekend left me suffering from the most severe food poisoning I’ve ever experienced. I had to take the watch off my wrist to keep it safeguard. A week later, I continue to wear it. It’s a token of my favorite pastime. While I’m not eccentric enough to wear my dice bag around my neck, I am inclined to randomly roll a D20 on my wrist when no one’s watching.