What's more fun - a die or a number?

[Morrus]

In a tabletop RPG do you find it more fun for a bonus to take the forum of a static number (e.g. +2, +4 etc.) or an additional die (e.g. +1d6)?

For me it's the latter -- the tactile element of rolling an extra die; it feels more significant (even if the numbers work out the same); it feels less like maths (even though it isn't). It's very much a 'feels' thing.

 

[Jd Smith1]

Number.

 

[TheSword]

The simple answer is it depends.

It isn’t fun to roll a 1d4 every time you make a d20 roll because it takes up time and requires extra brain power on an every day task.

Having a temporary bonus on a dice roll like bless is more fun.

Being able to add a dice roll when you fail to turn failure into success is the most fun of all.

 

[Umbran]

I think the context matters. What's the rest of the mechanic like? How often are you using this bonus?

There's really two kinds of flavors to bonuses - those that are regular and reliable, and those that are unreliable and swingy. One probably wants measures of the character's own competence to be solid and reliable, and measures of luck and happenstance to be more swingy.

 

[Campbell]

In games where it is dice roll + bonus vs DC I prefer static bonuses because it becomes easier to reason about. Dice roll bonuses make decision making harder for me.

I actually prefer dice pools though if the numbers are kept reasonable because you can like feel the difference. Don't like adding the dice though. Either count them up or use highest roll.

 

[pogre]

I'm with you - give me more dice at the table!

 

[R_J_K75]

I find its always easier to tell a player roll "x" amount of dice and add them up rather than having them search their character sheet and add up +2 here and +1 there. Definitely an extra die is my vote.

 

[Ath-kethin]

More fun? Rolling dice, always. The problem with that, of course, is unreliability. A +3 bonus will be more effective overall than a +1d6 roll, always.

But actually rolling dice is a big part of what makes TTRPGs fun in the first place, IMO. Part of the genius of the Dis/Advantage mechanic is it provides the equivalent of a substantial bonus but does so by rolling more dice.

So for my 2 coppers, add the additional die.

 

[Legatus Legionis]

.

 

[Lidgar]

Prefer extra dice most of the time. It can add extra excitement and tension about outcomes. Bless for example in 5e. That added d4 - it might be enough to turn a miss into a hit, or it might not!