Bad Dice Rolls, Dead Serious post
- Thread starter Dagger75
- Start date
Quickbeam
Explorer
I'm sending you an email that may help 
.
In the interim, dice given as gifts roll well...so if someone gave you a bit of cash for the holidays (or a GC for your local hobby shop), use it on a new set of dice.
And finally, fudging the occasional die roll may help ease your frustration, but it doesn't change the reality that your rolling is consistently subpar. To that end find healthy dice; happy karma; and as Barsoomcore suggests, use LOTS of monsters to generate LOTS of attacks!!
.In the interim, dice given as gifts roll well...so if someone gave you a bit of cash for the holidays (or a GC for your local hobby shop), use it on a new set of dice.
And finally, fudging the occasional die roll may help ease your frustration, but it doesn't change the reality that your rolling is consistently subpar. To that end find healthy dice; happy karma; and as Barsoomcore suggests, use LOTS of monsters to generate LOTS of attacks!!
OracleOfNarion
First Post
Here's something that I do to save time - it might help you by taking the dice out of the loop, at least part of the time.
Before every game (when I used to DM), I used an excel spreadsheet to print several pages of random numbers from 1-20, in columns. In game, when I didn't want to take the time to roll, or I didn't want the players to know I was up to something, I just used the next number on the list.
If you do this, I suggest showing the list to your players and explaining what it is and how you'll use it - this cuts down on the problems when a surprise save is missed (I use it for those too). I remember one group that objected to the list - they thought I had programmed the whole adventure to give me unbeatable rolls (it was the original Tomb of Horrors). To allay their concerns, I let one of them roll a d20, and I crossed off that many numbers from the beginning of the list.
Anyway, just a thought.
Before every game (when I used to DM), I used an excel spreadsheet to print several pages of random numbers from 1-20, in columns. In game, when I didn't want to take the time to roll, or I didn't want the players to know I was up to something, I just used the next number on the list.
If you do this, I suggest showing the list to your players and explaining what it is and how you'll use it - this cuts down on the problems when a surprise save is missed (I use it for those too). I remember one group that objected to the list - they thought I had programmed the whole adventure to give me unbeatable rolls (it was the original Tomb of Horrors). To allay their concerns, I let one of them roll a d20, and I crossed off that many numbers from the beginning of the list.
Anyway, just a thought.
Dagger75
Epic Commoner
Okay I'm playing sat, I will track my die rolls. I don't use a shield I find they get in the way.
I cheated last week in saves for my fighters. 6 16th level elven fighters, had Ref saves like 14 or something. They got hit by a fire storm, fine I can take the damage, player rolled like a 70, half my hit points for a fighter if I don't make my save. I rolled the first he failed (of course) but missed by 2, I raised the ref save up for my fighters, players don't know. Well then I proceed to roll the saves on the other 5 fighters. THEY WOULD HAVE ALL FAILED HAD I NOT RAISED THERE SAVES. I needed to roll 12's or better to save with what I had written. I failed 6 times. Thats just for 1 freaking spell.
The 18th level druid failed his fort save vs Destruction. stupid me saying "come on baby needs a 6", rolls a 5. Players cheer, druid gone.
This problem has been going on for a year, that is not rut. I've had players comment on how bad my die rolls are.
Now the curse has crossed into player land. My poor Star Wars jedi can't shoot the ground with the way my dice roll.
Maybe its all that good RPGA dice karma I had is looking for payment. My 2e Ranger missed TWICE the entire 3 day con. I was forced to use other dice but still hit all the time.
I cheated last week in saves for my fighters. 6 16th level elven fighters, had Ref saves like 14 or something. They got hit by a fire storm, fine I can take the damage, player rolled like a 70, half my hit points for a fighter if I don't make my save. I rolled the first he failed (of course) but missed by 2, I raised the ref save up for my fighters, players don't know. Well then I proceed to roll the saves on the other 5 fighters. THEY WOULD HAVE ALL FAILED HAD I NOT RAISED THERE SAVES. I needed to roll 12's or better to save with what I had written. I failed 6 times. Thats just for 1 freaking spell.
The 18th level druid failed his fort save vs Destruction. stupid me saying "come on baby needs a 6", rolls a 5. Players cheer, druid gone.
This problem has been going on for a year, that is not rut. I've had players comment on how bad my die rolls are.
Now the curse has crossed into player land. My poor Star Wars jedi can't shoot the ground with the way my dice roll.
Maybe its all that good RPGA dice karma I had is looking for payment. My 2e Ranger missed TWICE the entire 3 day con. I was forced to use other dice but still hit all the time.
Ziona
First Post
Honestly, I am crazy superstitious about my dice. I CANNOT allow anyone to touch my d20s, lest I run out and buy a new set, which is very unsettling to me. I choose my dice very carefully, and get very annoyed when people mess with them.
I had an excellent set of pearly pink dice (my first set, actually) and they were the best. They rolled 20s constantly, and I couldn't have been happier with them. Then one day, it seemed that all the "magic" was gone from them. I rolled three ones in a row... Everyone told me to give up and use a new die, but I couldn't give up on my "lucky" dice. Of course, it ended up ruining my character in the end. (I rolled a one, fumbled, rerolled to see how severe it was, rolled a 20, and hit myself on our fumble chart at the time...attacked again...rolled a one, fumbled, and hurt myself again. By the third attack, I took myself out!)
At any rate, I just wanted to let you know that there are those of us who are crazier about their dice than you! When I feel that my dice are rolling badly, I usually stick them in my mouth for a few minutes. Yeah, it's crazy, but it works for me (even though it disgusts my husband!)
My advice: search for a set of dice you feel some sort of "magic" for. I have a set of dice for each character I have in each campaign. Makes it more interesting and keeps your dice from "rolling all the 20s out."
I had an excellent set of pearly pink dice (my first set, actually) and they were the best. They rolled 20s constantly, and I couldn't have been happier with them. Then one day, it seemed that all the "magic" was gone from them. I rolled three ones in a row... Everyone told me to give up and use a new die, but I couldn't give up on my "lucky" dice. Of course, it ended up ruining my character in the end. (I rolled a one, fumbled, rerolled to see how severe it was, rolled a 20, and hit myself on our fumble chart at the time...attacked again...rolled a one, fumbled, and hurt myself again. By the third attack, I took myself out!)
At any rate, I just wanted to let you know that there are those of us who are crazier about their dice than you! When I feel that my dice are rolling badly, I usually stick them in my mouth for a few minutes. Yeah, it's crazy, but it works for me (even though it disgusts my husband!)
My advice: search for a set of dice you feel some sort of "magic" for. I have a set of dice for each character I have in each campaign. Makes it more interesting and keeps your dice from "rolling all the 20s out."
Sanackranib
First Post
die rolls
It's all about Karma. If your dice roll crap go out and rebuild your Karma and your dice will fall in line.
It's all about Karma. If your dice roll crap go out and rebuild your Karma and your dice will fall in line.
Trainz
Explorer
I shove two d4's up my nose sometimes. It's not for luck, I just like to freak out-amuse my players.
Oh... speaking of d4's... I'm the only person I know who can make d4's spin for a few seconds. First time happened in the late 80's. I was spinning 4 or 5 d6's when one of the other players said "Bah ! What would really impress me is if someone made a d4 spin !". I take a d4, squeeze it by two corners, and sure enough, on my first attempt the thing spins for a few seconds, and most clearly saw it. That shut him up.
Oh... speaking of d4's... I'm the only person I know who can make d4's spin for a few seconds. First time happened in the late 80's. I was spinning 4 or 5 d6's when one of the other players said "Bah ! What would really impress me is if someone made a d4 spin !". I take a d4, squeeze it by two corners, and sure enough, on my first attempt the thing spins for a few seconds, and most clearly saw it. That shut him up.
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AereonBlaze
First Post
Let me assure you: you are NOT alone. My bad die rolls seem to be a result of my lucky die shattering into 4 pieces, however.
I had a nice red d20 with black lettering (very ominous looking) which I'd usually roll pretty well with when DM'ing. I would refer to it as "my lucky die". On one game day, just before we're about to start I say "One test roll..." and toss it across the floor of the game room in our FLGS. It breaks.
I considered this a bad omen, but nontheless was glad it didn't happen in game. Unfortunately, I rolled quite poorly for all the NPC's in that game. Thinking it was just a one time occurance, I was suprised when I rolled poorly next game. And the game after. I kid you not, ever since I've broken that die I've been rolling the majority of my rolls as 5 or under. I've tried many different d20's but have come up with nothing. Its been nearly a month and a half now and I'm getting a bit worried.
I had a nice red d20 with black lettering (very ominous looking) which I'd usually roll pretty well with when DM'ing. I would refer to it as "my lucky die". On one game day, just before we're about to start I say "One test roll..." and toss it across the floor of the game room in our FLGS. It breaks.
I considered this a bad omen, but nontheless was glad it didn't happen in game. Unfortunately, I rolled quite poorly for all the NPC's in that game. Thinking it was just a one time occurance, I was suprised when I rolled poorly next game. And the game after. I kid you not, ever since I've broken that die I've been rolling the majority of my rolls as 5 or under. I've tried many different d20's but have come up with nothing. Its been nearly a month and a half now and I'm getting a bit worried.
Wolfspirit
First Post
Eh, I've had rather sorry luck for about the past 2 years. Let's just say that the last time I rolled up a character (which is quite often), it took me 8 times to get a character with a stat average of 13. And someone else had to roll for me.
