After I got my BotC Grimoire, I used a black and blue Timbuk2 brand "Core Laptop Briefcase, Medium, Carbon Full-Cycle Twill" messenger bag with a lay-flat laptop compartment which I bought in early 2014. This model has since gone out of production.

In November 2023, I switched to a gray MATEIN brand 17 inch Travel Laptop Backpack with a lay-flat compartment. The main compartment fits the grim snugly. The grim fitting was a happy coincidence because I didn’t clarify how big the interior was before I purchased it. If I had to do it again, I probably would have opted for a bigger bag without a USB charging port. 

I use the lay-flat compartment for extra custom scripts and paper-sized accessories. Other components go in the smaller compartments. 

Tied to the bag, I have a metal luggage tag with reflective tape on it along with a rubber-sheathed Tile Pro locator in the tag loop. I use a Geek On Box Band to keep the grim closed in transit. The straps on the purple Kickstarter bag busted almost immediately, so that bag is now acting as a “cover” for my grim before it goes into the bag.

Credit to Piranha from Capital Clocktower.

To sort the KS & Clocktower Con 2023 experimental tokens, I picked up a small 2x5 cell bead organizer box from Michaels craft store. I had significant difficulty locating one with (1) compartments that would allow tokens to lay flat (2) a size that could be wedged into a closed grimoire comfortably. I recommend purchasing this in store if possible and not ordering online.

This is essential for me to corral the experimental tokens and other game pieces like death shrouds and cue cards that don’t fit into the stock token sorting boxes.

Credit to the ClocktowerCon 2023 staff.

I used a standard Scotch hot laminator for my scripts which I purchased on special from Amazon. It was strongly recommended by ClocktowerCon staff to use 3mm pouches for BOTC scripts. Unfortunately, I used the letter size pouches on the BOTC when I probably should have sourced narrower pouches. Lining up the pouches for lamination and the lamination itself was time consuming. 

I have since trimmed the scripts and used a cutting stamp tool to round off the edges.

After laminating in 3mm, you will lose the use of the included plastic script sleeves and you will need to take out the Almanacs to let your Grimoire box to close.

To compensate for this, I picked up some yellow document clasp envelopes to help corral my scripts and put 15 base-3 scripts in the lay-flat part of my backpack. 

For my homebrew dry erase sheets, I used 110 lb card stock and 3mm pouches made for dry erase. I strongly recommend using card stock before lamination instead of copy paper whenever possible.

To help differentiate my grimoire and laminated scripts, I waited for a sale at VistaPrint and created a set of Vistaprint circle stickers with my own personal design on them. Wait for a sale or use a discount code.

I’ve stuck them to the back of my laminated scripts and on the bottom facing pages on the Grimoire. 

These are nice to have to prevent my stuff from getting intermixed with other Grimoires. 

When I print extra full scripts, I intentionally use 60 lb copy paper on my inkjet printer and print 20 double-sided copies with the script on one side and the night order on the reverse side, sleeve them all in a single 8 ½" x 11" page protector to keep them together.

When I print Teensyville scripts, I use 60 lb copy paper and print 8 double-sided copies with the script on one side and the night order on the reverse side. 6 for the players in the game, 1 for the Storyteller, 1 to hand off to a bystander or use as a substitute script. I fold them in half vertically, and paper clip them in bunches. 

These scripts are intentionally not laminated. The are inexpensive and easily replicable. So, I can let a player take a script with them if they enjoyed the experience or throw it in the trash if it gets wet or damaged.

If you are running Blood on the Clocktower in a public place, someone will likely come over and ask "what's going on here?"

In addition to practicing your "elevator pitch" about howe the game works, it's helpful to be prepared with something for the visitor to takeaway and review at their own leisure.

I keep two takeaway cards in my bag: one has contact information for the three major clubs groups in the Washington DC Metro area, and one is a set of business cards that goes to my Linktree which directs potential future players to the "new player onboarding" part of my website and the rest of my content.

Credit to Final 3 Con Staff &  Clever Fox Crafting

I used a pair of dark purple 18”x18” hotel napkins with small binder clips from any office supply store as an opaque grim drape to prevent accidental grimoire viewing in closed spaces. I lay them over the grim so that they cross over the middle of the spine. With two clips, I secure the overlapped napkins on both sides of the central spine and then I clip the outer edges vertically in the top corner of the grim.

At Clocktower Con 2024, I purchased a nice handmade single cloth from the convention vendor, made by the convention staff. I loved the Las Vegas-gambling theme and sparkly black cloth on the back. I still use this cloth to cover the table and hide the contents of the grim.

At Final 3 Con 2025, I purchased a beautiful all-red grim sides, middle, and top cover that does not need any clips from Clever Fox Crafting.

by BGExpansions on Etsy

This is a nice-to-have accessory. You could keep your shrouds in the token boxes, or in a pile on the table. I like this revision of the death shroud holder because it's long and not square and the death shrounds don't rattle. It's sold with a cue card and reminder token holder. I don't find that accessory to be useful for how I run the game.

Esty link: Death Shroud Token and Night Card Holders for Blood on the Clocktower (BOTC) - 2 Pieces

Credit to Darquon from Capitol Clocktower for the wooden badge.
Credit for Alexis for the Good Cannibal badge.

For player name tags, I purchase lay-flat name tags, remove them from their store packaging and place them in large plastic bags with sharpies inside for a quick solution to a pickup game.  

Sticker name tags are absolutely essential to having a good time with this game and helping strangers meet each other. This should be in everyone’s grim kit.

For personal name tags, I have a repurposed vinyl magnet name tag holder with a few interchangeable inserts. I also commissioned a spiffy custom made wooden name tag from Darquon at Capitol Clocktower. I've seen similar spiffy wooden name tags with the BOTC iconography available on Etsy. 

The scrolling nametag was purchased from a vendor from Anime Central. 

Credit to the kind stranger at ClocktowerCon 2023.

After meeting someone with a dry erase notebook at Clocktower Con 2023, I decided to make dry erase markers and boards part of my kit. 

The first attempt as incorporating this into my kit involved an A4-side 6-page plus with protectors white board notebook with a spiral binding. This was way bulkier than I needed and I rarely used more than one page. 

After I lost that notebook at Final 3 Con 2025, I switched to a simpler 2-slate notebook.

It has a lot of space for large text, both slates are concealable, and the whole unit is freestanding.

Outside of the game, this is useful to visually solicit players or put down an announcement such as "NEXT GAME AT 2:00 p.m."

During the game, this is useful if you need to communicate something complicated in silence, or keep track of your own games.

If you are writing something for a single player to see, make sure you use clear lettering.

If you are writing something for all players to see, it's very important to use large size markers VERY BIG BLOCK LETTERS so that everyone can read it from a distance.

Credit to Axolator for the idea.

Having a call bell or some other sound making device is a unique way to get attention and bring town back into their seats without raising your voice or repeating yourself.

It's also faster and a more distinct noise than vocalizing "come back to your seats."  

I would love to get a gong, but the small gongs don't have the deep sound and are not portable at all.

I have a Telescopic Teachers Pointer in my bag which is useful for pointing and hand tapping when storytelling over a table in confined spaces.

I also have a very basic purple laser pointer which I purchased off of Amazon. I can’t recommend my model, the button requires a small plastic clip to prevent the button from getting pressed in the bag and I think the USB charger which is attached directly to the pointer is some sort of spyware delivery mechanism.

Credit to lxthrp on Thingverse & IRL

I received a gift of a 3-D printed “marked for death” mask at PAX Unplugged 2023. I cherish it and keep it in my grim bag.

This is a very nice flourish. It’s not available on Etsy but it could easily be replicated.

Creator source: Blood on the Clocktower On the Block Skull marker (Ultimaker Thingiverse): https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:6002452 

I picked up some black sashes from Amazon to help show who the dead players are during the game. Here’s the brand I used, I had to seek out one that was pre-sewn on the bottom. 

I have a Large Red LED Digital Kitchen Timer which I use to help time days in large groups or trigger timed events. It’s clear enough to drop into town square so everyone can see it.

If you prefer to time your days and have the clock visible to everyone, this is a great tool. I’ve also used it for Fiddle contests.

I recommend visiting your local party supply store to pick up silly hats for your game. I recommend against ordering them online because some have been damaged in transit.

Chef hats are my favorite because they’re all cloth.

If I’m traveling by car, I take a 4 ft. adjustable folding table with my to set my grim on and I cover it with a red or purple fitted tablecloth. 

An extra table is extremely useful when showing up to larger meetups or supplementing over-attended events.

If I’m traveling by car, I throw in 6 extra folding chairs that I picked up from Target and 2 more camping chairs that I picked up from REI. (Wait for sales).

Extra chairs are extremely useful when showing up to larger meetups or supplementing over-attended events.

by ButtonShy / Chris Anderson

I added a small-scale social deduction game to my bag to prepare for situations where 5 or fewer people show up to a Blood on the Clocktower event.

The game is Chris Anderson’s In Vino Morte and it’s published by ButtonShy Games:

In Vino Morte is a tiny little bluffing/deduction game.

In the game, the dealer will choose and distribute wine/poison cards and each player has an opportunity to keep theirs and drink it, or swap with another player. It's quick, fun and sneaky and works with a large group.

There’s also an expansion called Caseus Vitae which adds cheese.

This game can host 3-9 players, has minimal components, and wraps quickly.