Lord Rasputin
Explorer
Yes. A die must be "balanced" -- each opposite side, when added together, must equal the die size, plus one. This is often a problem with d20s.
Do you have any dice superstitions
- Thread starter MonsterMash
- Start date
Numion
First Post
Lord Rasputin said:
Is this really superstition? I thought this was a 'rule' of dicemaking. Vegas d6's all have this property.
As for the superstitions .. we equate dice rolling 'hot' with physical temperature. I try to warm the dice on my hands before rolling. We all joke about putting them in the oven or on a radiator, but nobodys gone that far, just yet. It's a mistake to leave them near an open window in winter though.
Another one is to train your dice. Leave them with a large number upwards when not using. Maybe not 20, so you don't waste the '20 allocation for the night' on training, but, say 17 or 18.
People usually only apply these tactics to d20's. Other dice are quite often rolled cold, or are not trained altogether. Dice can become cursed also. A player threw a dice he thought cursed to their yard .. it came back, found by his little sister. A suitable way to lift a curse is to not use the dice for a long period, like 6 months.
Desdichado
Hero
Sure, all kinds. I pretty much use only one d20, for instance. I also train my dice. Dice that are dissin' me will invariably get a "time out," etc.
I haven't found anything that works real well, but I always make sure to "warm them up" with several rolls before gaming starts. I usually do this until they consistently roll mid to high teens a few times in a row. Currently, I tend to have a particular d20 for each character (I play in a couple campaigns), but I used to roll several at the beginning of a session to see which "felt good" that day.
The thing I've consistently done since high school (which was many years ago) is that I always, always set my dice out with the highest value up. This way they "get used to" having that number up.
As an aside, I haven't really had lucky and unlucky dice, but I have certainly had lucky and unlucky characters. For example, I recently had a dwarf who I don't think ever rolled inititiave over 10. Ever. He also tended to do very bad at skill checks (his first roll ever was a climb check in Sunless Citadel which he failed and almost died from). Then I've also had characters that right from rolling ability scores, just seem blessed. *shrug*
The thing I've consistently done since high school (which was many years ago) is that I always, always set my dice out with the highest value up. This way they "get used to" having that number up.
As an aside, I haven't really had lucky and unlucky dice, but I have certainly had lucky and unlucky characters. For example, I recently had a dwarf who I don't think ever rolled inititiave over 10. Ever. He also tended to do very bad at skill checks (his first roll ever was a climb check in Sunless Citadel which he failed and almost died from). Then I've also had characters that right from rolling ability scores, just seem blessed. *shrug*
Berandor
lunatic
I've got lucky GM dice.
I put all my dice on the highest number when I'm playing, so that they know what to roll. I don't do this as GM because I don't want to be mean to the players.
I thank my dice for good rolls and chastice them for bad rolls.
I've got a lucky stone that I touch my dice with before playing (again, only as player, and only when I'm not playing at home since the dice are riding in the dicebag then (where I put the stone).
I roll on game books or notepads instead of on the table.
If a die rolls badly thrice in a row, I will put it away for the game and use another (that means I always have one or two replacement dice in my bag).
I compile a set of dice (+ replacement) for each new character that I have, and when I GM I pick new dice before each game, choosing either a complete set or deliberately choosing each die.
But that doesn't count, does it?
I put all my dice on the highest number when I'm playing, so that they know what to roll. I don't do this as GM because I don't want to be mean to the players.
I thank my dice for good rolls and chastice them for bad rolls.
I've got a lucky stone that I touch my dice with before playing (again, only as player, and only when I'm not playing at home since the dice are riding in the dicebag then (where I put the stone).
I roll on game books or notepads instead of on the table.
If a die rolls badly thrice in a row, I will put it away for the game and use another (that means I always have one or two replacement dice in my bag).
I compile a set of dice (+ replacement) for each new character that I have, and when I GM I pick new dice before each game, choosing either a complete set or deliberately choosing each die.
But that doesn't count, does it?
Blue
Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal
I used to keep my dice with the highest number up while they were waiting. But my dice luck is 90% abysmal 10% godly regardless if I do or not.
If a dice contunally annoys me, it takes a overhard trip to the far corner of the room for the rest of the session, but that's not so much superstion...
Cheers,
=Blue
If a dice contunally annoys me, it takes a overhard trip to the far corner of the room for the rest of the session, but that's not so much superstion...
Cheers,
=Blue
Aust Diamondew
First Post
I don't. But some of the players in my group do. They won't let anyone else use their dice (paticuarly the d20) and if they start rolling bad or need a really high roll they'll stick their dice in their mouth and spit them out (note how this also helps accomplish the previous objective).
Once a player got 30 or 40 dice in his mouth all once he was casting a high level spell.
I don't like other people using my dice but thats more of an issue about personal property and 'you should bring your own dice to the blasted game so it goes faster' that superstition.
Once a player got 30 or 40 dice in his mouth all once he was casting a high level spell.
I don't like other people using my dice but thats more of an issue about personal property and 'you should bring your own dice to the blasted game so it goes faster' that superstition.
I like to roll my dice until I get ones... because statistically the odds of rolling another one are higher. Of course every time you roll the die its still a 1 in 20... etc.. chance.
But I was notorious for rolling ones at the worse possible time. My GM would also make you roll a reflex save DC 10 to keep from losing your weapon. I would then roll another one and throw my axe down on the ground.
We had a little ritual on our tuesday night game... felipe would always drop some dice on the ground... and I would drop a weapon (always good when your playing the fighter).
Well to put things in perspective I also had another GM roll 6 natural 20's in a row on my character (2nd edition with a crit table, roll % and it went from double damage to severed head).
That reminds me of another time... playing my arcane trickster... and we were fighting these abysall ghouls (city of the spider queen) these things were nasty... tumbling sneak attacking bundles of death. So I'm looking for a nice spell to damage them all... how about a nice Fireball. Don't want to get to close tho... so Eldar the Murderer tumbles back to a safe spot behind someone else... He then aims his fireball through a couple of people and a doorway to damage the ghouls. The GM is like... thats a tough placement... roll an attack to see how well you place it. Yes of course I roll a one. Hit the doorjam... We are all hit by my fireball (i'm good tho... evasion) Our cleric is engulf in flame... He rolls a one on his reflex save. He's wearing a necklace of fireballs... He rolls another one for its saving throw.... OK... so after all the beads go off its a 250 point fireball and 3 fellow characters are dead. With evasion my character takes 20... and uuumm yeah did you know those abysall ghouls also have evasion. Thank goodness for divine interventions... otherwise the game would have been over with a TPK
But I was notorious for rolling ones at the worse possible time. My GM would also make you roll a reflex save DC 10 to keep from losing your weapon. I would then roll another one and throw my axe down on the ground.
We had a little ritual on our tuesday night game... felipe would always drop some dice on the ground... and I would drop a weapon (always good when your playing the fighter).
Well to put things in perspective I also had another GM roll 6 natural 20's in a row on my character (2nd edition with a crit table, roll % and it went from double damage to severed head).
That reminds me of another time... playing my arcane trickster... and we were fighting these abysall ghouls (city of the spider queen) these things were nasty... tumbling sneak attacking bundles of death. So I'm looking for a nice spell to damage them all... how about a nice Fireball. Don't want to get to close tho... so Eldar the Murderer tumbles back to a safe spot behind someone else... He then aims his fireball through a couple of people and a doorway to damage the ghouls. The GM is like... thats a tough placement... roll an attack to see how well you place it. Yes of course I roll a one. Hit the doorjam... We are all hit by my fireball (i'm good tho... evasion) Our cleric is engulf in flame... He rolls a one on his reflex save. He's wearing a necklace of fireballs... He rolls another one for its saving throw.... OK... so after all the beads go off its a 250 point fireball and 3 fellow characters are dead. With evasion my character takes 20... and uuumm yeah did you know those abysall ghouls also have evasion. Thank goodness for divine interventions... otherwise the game would have been over with a TPK
DragonLancer
Hero
I never let someone else roll my dice, even ones I'm not using, cos the touch of another player jinxes them. Then they have to be rolled and rolled to get the bad mojo off them.
Completely illogical but hey.
Completely illogical but hey.
