23

Betrayal at House on the Hill features character pentagons with 4 traits that can increase or decrease and are marked by clips.

all six character pentagrams with clips attached

I find (at least with my copy) that the clips slip and slide too easily; we often lose track of our stats.

We've tried blu-tack but we aren't sure if that will damage the cardboard. We've tried writing them down but we still lose track as the stat tracker isn't always told/listening.

So is there a better way to keep track of traits? Preferably an improvement on the clips.

1
  • I have small shreds of paper in the box which you can slide the clips over for a tighter fit.
    – Samthere
    Aug 28, 2015 at 12:03

13 Answers 13

15

This is a common complaint. The sliders are just too big. Solutions that have worked for others include:

  • Using an alternative print-out, with washers for tracking
  • Wrapping each side of the character card with sticky tape, for thickness
  • Laminating the cards
  • Applying some PVA glue inside the sliders, and letting it dry before use
2
  • Reading the comments it seems like step one is call WotC and get free stuff to experiment with... Sep 2, 2012 at 18:18
  • FWIW: Some of the clips in my copy (2nd edition) are too loose while others are in fact too tight and won't go on at all! I also have clips that fit snugly and don't slip around.
    – Brian S
    Apr 18, 2014 at 14:54
12

Using paper clips works great! The little loopy bit can frame the numbers. They stay in place, but can easily be moved and removed. They don't damage the cardboard, and you can use plain silver ones, or get colored plastic coated paperclips.

10

I use the mobile apps, they not only keep track of stats but help with the haunt scenarios. Here is the link for IOS and another for Android. I have only used the IOS one but it works well

1
5

Bite the plastic clip near the base. The clip will have a tighter hold on the character card.

We had the same problem and this method fixed all our plastic clips. No additional materials were required.

3
  • 2
    We used pliers... same effect, better taste. Jul 29, 2014 at 15:43
  • 3
    @Gregor do pliers taste better than clips? Jun 10, 2016 at 0:14
  • 1
    Not putting pliers in your mouth generally tastes better than putting clips in your mouth... depending on what the clips are made of and the available dipping sauces. Jun 10, 2016 at 5:37
3

We had good success using sticky tape, but we put it on the sliders. Specifically, we stuck a piece of single sided tape on the inside of the slider, and then trimmed the excess tape off with small scissors. We might try packing tape next time because it's a wee bit thicker. An advantage to this solution is that it doesn't mess up the character tiles.

3
  • I'd use electrical tape -- it's already black, and just a hair thicker than normal scotch tape. Apr 1, 2014 at 4:27
  • @CraigTrader it does have the smoothest surface of any tape ive dealt with, that can be a downside when wanting tgings to not slide off.
    – Andrew
    Nov 3, 2020 at 12:43
  • The goal isn't to make the clips stickier, but instead to increase friction by reducing the size of the gap itself. In that case, using a slightly thicker tape would help, without leaving any sticky residue. Nov 3, 2020 at 14:40
2

We would just set the trackers down on top of the character cards pointed at the proper numbers. This works for us, but there's still a good chance someone could knock the table or roll the dice onto your character tile and mess it all up.

I think the best advice on this page is the paper clips. Second, would be biting them.

2

Just looking on the net and came across this on a 3D printing site.

https://www.shapeways.com/model/1577319/replacement-clips-betrayal-at-house-on-the-hill.html

I have not used these, nor was there any comments on them, but I am considering getting it.

If they do what they should do, they would fix the issue.

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  • 1
    Welcome to B&CG! Please report back on how well they work if you decide to purchase.
    – Pat Ludwig
    Aug 4, 2014 at 13:21
2

I used a pair of pliers to gently crimp each clip near the base and now they cling tightly. I should note that it took a little trial and error to find the optimal pressure because the first clip became too tight, but this was easily remedied by gently spreading the clip using a butter knife.

Naturally, I would prefer more precisely machined parts, but today I have had no complaints with my modified clips.

2

My friend inserted a small slither of black electrical tape inside the slider. This tightened the grip when applied and was invisible to the eye. I still find the sliders too short to align with the number, but this at least keeps them attached firmly!

1

Another way to do it is to boil water and then dump the clips in. Leave them for ten to fifteen seconds, then pull them out and let them clamp around a dime while running cold water over them. Run the water until they are completely cool. I had the ability to do them all at once, but you probably want to do them one at a time.

1

Check out this short vid for an easy fix for those slippery stat tracker clips. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTsm2tNuTw8&feature=youtu.be

Video summary:

  1. Place a piece of tape on the inside of one side of the slider.
  2. Trim the edges with scissors
  3. Add another piece if it is not tight enough
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  • 6
    YouTube videos have a habit of getting removed, one way or another. Can you summarize the important bits here in text and/or images? Apr 4, 2014 at 23:57
0

I use 8 sided dice by each trait. It's easy to see and keep track, but I like the paper clip suggestion.

-2

we just took a few post-it notes, cut them into thinner strips with a point on the sticky end...

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