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How much do you care about "balanced" dice?
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<blockquote data-quote="MNblockhead" data-source="post: 7593217" data-attributes="member: 6796661"><p>There are a lot of videos and discussions on the interwebs about dice balance. Which dice are the best made, how to test dice, etc. I don't want to repeat that discussion here. </p><p></p><p>What I'm more interested in is how concerned are you about dice balance?</p><p></p><p>For me? For players not so much. For me as the DM, very much so. </p><p></p><p>At my table I pretty much only have two rules regarding dice:</p><p></p><p>1. Everyone must use physical dice</p><p></p><p>That means no phone apps or other digital random-number generators. Physical dice are a big part of the enjoyment of the game for me. This does mean that most of the dice used are not going to be well balanced. </p><p></p><p>2. Rolls must be done in the open, easily viewable to other players.</p><p></p><p>Not because I'm afraid of "cheating" but because see the rolls is part of the fun of the game. It also helps keep folks invested when it is not their turn. Physical dice help add a bit of anticipation to every action resolution in a way that digital dice do not. Even I, as the DM, roll most rolls openly. </p><p></p><p>One of the only limits we place on what dice a player can use is that they must be easily legible, even from across the table. None of those annoying, overly decorated, dice that make good art but poor game aids. </p><p></p><p></p><p>I think it is fine that players use whatever cheap dice they by at a bin in the FLGS. I don't make them by Game Science dice or Gravity dice. It is fine for them to "shop around". Part of the fun is when a player disgustedly throws a poor rolling die across the room to never be seen again until I vacuum. Similarly, if a player has a die that tends to roll "high", there is still sufficient chance involve that when they rely on it most it rolls low. Having your heart broken by a die you believed in is also part of the game. </p><p></p><p>But this is all for players. </p><p></p><p>As a DM, I believe strongly that my dice should be balanced and that I should not be trying to pick dice that roll low or high. Almost all of my rolls are done with precision metal dice from <a href="https://store.gravitydice.com/" target="_blank">Gravity Dice</a>. When a LOT of rolls are needed I may dig into the bag and roll some cheap plastic dice, but generally all important rolls are done with the most balanced dice I can afford. </p><p></p><p>I've thought of buying a bunch of casino dice for games that use six-sided dice pools. But those dice are rather large and you need to throw them against a back board to get a good roll. They don't play well when you have limited table space, especially if you have to roll more than two or three at a time. </p><p></p><p>Yes, I realize this may be overthinking things for a TTRPG, but dice are part of the fun of the hobby. </p><p></p><p>What about you? Are you in the dice-need-to-be-balanced camp or the I-could-not-care-less camp?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="MNblockhead, post: 7593217, member: 6796661"] There are a lot of videos and discussions on the interwebs about dice balance. Which dice are the best made, how to test dice, etc. I don't want to repeat that discussion here. What I'm more interested in is how concerned are you about dice balance? For me? For players not so much. For me as the DM, very much so. At my table I pretty much only have two rules regarding dice: 1. Everyone must use physical dice That means no phone apps or other digital random-number generators. Physical dice are a big part of the enjoyment of the game for me. This does mean that most of the dice used are not going to be well balanced. 2. Rolls must be done in the open, easily viewable to other players. Not because I'm afraid of "cheating" but because see the rolls is part of the fun of the game. It also helps keep folks invested when it is not their turn. Physical dice help add a bit of anticipation to every action resolution in a way that digital dice do not. Even I, as the DM, roll most rolls openly. One of the only limits we place on what dice a player can use is that they must be easily legible, even from across the table. None of those annoying, overly decorated, dice that make good art but poor game aids. I think it is fine that players use whatever cheap dice they by at a bin in the FLGS. I don't make them by Game Science dice or Gravity dice. It is fine for them to "shop around". Part of the fun is when a player disgustedly throws a poor rolling die across the room to never be seen again until I vacuum. Similarly, if a player has a die that tends to roll "high", there is still sufficient chance involve that when they rely on it most it rolls low. Having your heart broken by a die you believed in is also part of the game. But this is all for players. As a DM, I believe strongly that my dice should be balanced and that I should not be trying to pick dice that roll low or high. Almost all of my rolls are done with precision metal dice from [URL="https://store.gravitydice.com/"]Gravity Dice[/URL]. When a LOT of rolls are needed I may dig into the bag and roll some cheap plastic dice, but generally all important rolls are done with the most balanced dice I can afford. I've thought of buying a bunch of casino dice for games that use six-sided dice pools. But those dice are rather large and you need to throw them against a back board to get a good roll. They don't play well when you have limited table space, especially if you have to roll more than two or three at a time. Yes, I realize this may be overthinking things for a TTRPG, but dice are part of the fun of the hobby. What about you? Are you in the dice-need-to-be-balanced camp or the I-could-not-care-less camp? [/QUOTE]
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