Dice spinning

[werk]

It seems like there is one at every table... Someone who sits there spinning their dice like little tops. They occasionally screw up and launch their dice across the table or floor.

As a DM, I always took dice spinning as a cue that the player is BORED and is looking for less boring modes of entertainment. In the group I'm playing in right now, there is a dice spinner that goes the entire time, start to finish...spin, spin, fling...spin, spin, fling.

It bugs the bajeezes out of me, but I'm not the DM, and I'm the newest comer to the group. Last night, me and another player attempted to address the issue by discussing the dynamics of dice spinning with the player (twirling vs. flicking, which dice work best, etc), at one point all three of us were trying to see how many dice we could spin at the same time. While probably pretty passive aggressive, we were very disruptive and sidelined the whole game for a good while...but the DM didn't do a thing about it. Attempt, failure.

How do you all feel about dice spinning?

I think you can also apply the above question to dice stackers...you know who you are.

Is the unconcious lure of polyhedrons too great to ignore?

 

[Crothian]

Depends on the person; doesn't bother me.

 

[Lonely Tylenol]

I do it, but then again, I also drum my fingers, flip pens, switch my rings from finger to finger, and other fidgety stuff. The amount I do this is directly proportional to the level of caffeine in my body.

It might not be a case of the player being bored. It might just be low-level compulsive behaviour.

 

[Shadowslayer]

Doesn't bug me till the guys have to start chasing around the room to pick them up. I don't care to stop the game so everyone can get up and lift the couch up to get someone's stray d4.

 

[delericho]

Yeah, it's a sign of boredom. Talk to your DM about it. Direct action will lead to better results, and cause less harm, than passive aggressive tactics.

 

[Festivus]

It could be a disability thing too. Many autistic people tend to do repetitive things like spinning, tapping, flicking.

I used to spin or stack dice, but that was indeed boredom for myself personally, or the massive intake of caffine. I don't really do it much anymore, primarily because I don't want my son to get any ideas.

 

[Elf Witch]

I do it, but then again, I also drum my fingers, flip pens, switch my rings from finger to finger, and other fidgety stuff. The amount I do this is directly proportional to the level of caffeine in my body.

It might not be a case of the player being bored. It might just be low-level compulsive behaviour.

This sums me up as well. Even when I am not bored I still fidget. If I have rings on I move them around. Stack dice.

If I am really bored then I will roll 4 D6 and make characters.

 

[howandwhy99]

I'm spinning my dice right now, IYKWIMAITYD.

 

[Asmor]

Depends on the player and the situation.

For example, dice stacking is often a prime example of boredom-induced behavior. However, some people just stack dice all the time regardless. Yawning is another good example of being bored, but I yawn in class (silently) all the time just because I'm so damn tired and I was stupid enough to take a 9 AM class... I can still pay attention while doing stupid stuff like that.

Like anything else in this world, there are no constants. Use your best judgement.

 

[Drowbane]

I found myself spinning my dice last session... and looking back I was waiting for my turn.

Was I bored?

No, I don't think I was... we were in the middle of a fairly nasty combat and I was just itching to take something out.