Do you need or prefer physical dice when playing?

[TerraDave]

We can look to real gaming for some insight. If want to touch actual dice, cards, or wheel at a casino, you gotta risk more.

In D&D you can roll those for bones without risking anything. Except your characters life.

 

[schneeland]

I prefer physical dice, even when doing online games. But Foundry's 3D Dice are fine too (preferably with official dice textures from the respective game module).

 

[GMMichael]

Dice roped me into this addictive mess to begin with. "Why do these look like board game dice, but in different shapes?" Of course, the white-and-blue adventure module with a cryptic map and more words than I'd ever seen in a "game" didn't help, either.

Surprisingly, today's kids are likely to experience a similar wonder; we may have come full circle. "These colorful rocks generate random numbers, without a phone? This wall of text is a game, but it's not on my phone!?"

 

[Thomas Shey]

I have to do a bit of an "it depends". For some resolution methods, I find digital dice not only fine, but superior--most dice pool games for example. In practice, I find that games that involve rolling a bunch of polyhedra of different types at once for any reason, its easier to pick them out rapidly than doing so with digital tools.

I'll also freely admit there's another conflict; I find physical dice esthetically pleasing, but find a digital tool has less practical issues (i.e. dice flying out of boxes or otherwise have to have space made for them).

 

[cranberry]

I use the digital dice available on whichever VTT I happen to be using.

I haven't used physical dice since the start of COVID.

 

[payn]

Ive changed a lot over time. I used to marvel at the collection of D&D dice. So many odd numbered dice and situations to use them in. Then, I got into situations where you shoot fireballs and other spells and have to roll an obnoxious amount of dice to add up. Further mechanics to empower, maximize, etc... It slows the game down at the higher levels and I found myself wanting to have simplifying options. I love dice at my Traveller games because its almost always 2D6 and simple. When I got VTT it was very refreshing. I dont need a digital option, but it certainly doesnt bother me for in person play.

Right now my RPG play is VTT, what I am playing in person is Battletech. That game uses only D6 and is mostly a roll 2D6 and figure out fail/success. When things got complex with cluster weapons and such, I found folks building boom boxes to speed up play. Where you can roll many sets of D6 at once and go.

Also, my eyes are getting worse all the time. I really dont appreciate hard to read dice. I dont use them, and often wish other folks didnt use them either. Simple solid colors with contrast pips for easy reading please! Though, I wouldn't balk if a person used a phone or tablet at the table. Id actually prefer it over a noisy ass plastic dice tower any day of the week. I am a big fan of felt dice trays for keeping dice on the table and on display. YMMV.

 

[Warpiglet-7]

I must use dice and for a year now, the clear pink ones I got from Gen Con. So many 20s…uncanny. And pink.

 

[not-so-newguy]

It's not fundamental, but it's MUCH more satisfying to curse out a physical object rather than a virtual one. Plus, the satisfying 'click' my plastic box makes when I put aforementioned accursed dice in dice-jail is delicious. (that'll teach'em!)

 

[MuhVerisimilitude]

A tactile feeling is important to me, but I don't mind playing online. If I play in person I pretty much require real dice, though. I prefer small metal dice, because I like the weight. Light dice are the worst.

 

[p_johnston]

So i will say personally i prefer dice but not for any tactile reason. For most rolls finding, rolling, and adding the dice is usually as quick or quicker then a most dice rollers for me. Add to that the fact that my electronics in person are usually dedicated to notes, maps, or music and even for big rolls pulling up a roller is more hastle then its worth.

But i also know that I'm an outlier in my group for that. Most of them like rolling dice and consider it part of the fun. Plus you can have the good natured ribbing about a players having a cursed die.

But in the end i dont find dice necessary, just more convenient.