I've been running Dungeons & Dragons for 12 years: here are 12 gadgets and essentials I use all the time as a DM — and 2 that I wish I had

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I've been running Dungeons & Dragons for 12 years: here are 12 gadgets and essentials I use all the time as a DM — and 2 that I wish I had Deals By Matt Evans published 16 February 2026

These are the 12 actually useful items I can't live without

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(Image credit: Best Buy / Amazon edited by Gemini)

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I love Dungeons & Dragons. I've been playing for 12 years, and the way I play the game has changed over time – and so has my Dungeon Mastering toolkit. I've now got a cadre of go-to gadgets and tools I use pretty much every session, either during my preparation or play. As luck would have it, there are plenty of Presidents' Day Sales on them right now.

My main tools are centered around organisation and music. My trusty Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite has an 'Open in Split-Screen view' mode I use all the time: on one screen is a document with my session notes, on another is a blank Notes page I can write on with my stylus as I go. The Tab S10 Lite is currently $70 off at Amazon right now. Apple users will want a similarly-sized 11-inch iPad with A16 chip instead, which comes with a hefty 128GB of storage and $50 off, so it's $299 compared to the Samsung's $279.

Music is one of the main ways I create atmosphere, and I have a couple of pre-made playlists pumping out of my Amazon Echo Dot Max (when playing at home) or my reliable Bose Micro Soundlink portable speaker (when playing elsewhere). For prep, I've found a printer to be invaluable for character sheets, rules and even tokens to represent miniatures, and the HP Officejet Pro 8135e Wireless All-In-One Printer is 33% off in the Presidents' Day sales right now. Another gadget I love is a note-taker for recording your sessions and referring back to them during planning: the Plaud Note AI voice recorder is perfect for this.

Finally, my wish list. A DM buddy of mine told me about a game he ran using color-changing smart lighting, representing fire-breathing dragons and green poison gas, and now I want the Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance 4 Pack A19 75w Smart LED Starter Kit yesterday. A 3D printer to make some custom miniatures would be nice: we rated the Creality Halot-Mage S 14k Resin 3D Printer our best 3D printer for miniatures last year.

14 D&D gadgets picked by an expert DM

20% OFFSamsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite, 6GB RAM, 128GBUS$279.99US$349.99shop now14% OFFApple 11-inch iPad A16 chip with Wi-Fi - 128GBUS$299US$349shop now20% OFFAmazon Echo Dot MaxUS$79.99US$99.99shop nowBose Soundlink Micro portable speaker (2nd Gen)US$75shop nowTidyboss 4-panel DM screenUS$17.99shop now9% OFFPathfinder Flip-Mat: BasicUS$17.25US$18.86shop nowDungeons & Dragons Heroes of the Borderlands Starter SetUS$49.99shop nowDungeons & Dragons Player's Handbook (2024)US$49.99shop now21% OFFPlaud Note AI Voice RecorderUS$149.99US$189.99shop now12% OFFSOAR FORGE Premium 9-Inch Dice TrayUS$37.95US$43.37shop now17% OFFCiaraQ Polyhedral dice set 35pcsUS$9.98US$11.99shop now33% OFFHP OfficeJet Pro 8135e Wireless All-in-One PrinterUS$159.99US$239.99shop now12% OFFPhilips Hue White and Color Ambiance 4 Pack A19 75w Smart Led Starter KitUS$37.95US$43.37shop now Creality Halot-Mage S 14k Resin 3D PrinterUS$399shop now

More of today's best Presidents' Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Best Buy: $1,000 off TVs, laptops & headphones
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lenovo: 45% off laptops & tablets
• Lowe's: up to 40% off appliances, furniture & tools
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off appliances, TVs & phones
• Target: 40% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: furniture, cheap TVs & vacs from $69
• Wayfair: 54% off furniture, rugs & decor

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Matt EvansSocial Links NavigationSenior Fitness & Wearables Editor

Matt is TechRadar's expert on all things fitness, wellness and wearable tech.

A former staffer at Men's Health, he holds a Master's Degree in journalism from Cardiff and has written for brands like Runner's World, Women's Health, Men's Fitness, LiveScience and Fit&Well on everything fitness tech, exercise, nutrition and mental wellbeing.

Matt's a keen runner, ex-kickboxer, not averse to the odd yoga flow, and insists everyone should stretch every morning. When he’s not training or writing about health and fitness, he can be found reading doorstop-thick fantasy books with lots of fictional maps in them.

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