D&D 5E The 5E Dice Aesthetic

[trancejeremy]

If you were really trying to be minimalist, then the proper dice to use would be the d4, the d6, and the d10. The d8 is basically 2d4, and the d12 either 3d4 or 2d6 ( and of course d100 has always been modelled by most sane people with 2d10, instead of a real d100, ) .

But since no one is arguing for being that minimalist, I think it only behooves us to make use all of the classic dice. It would be a strange venture to try and include every legacy PHB race and class without including all of the dice.

It's actually easier to do a d4 with a d8 than the other way around. Same with a d12 and d6 and d20 and d10. All you have to do is half it, while to do the reverse you need to roll another die to see what multiple it is.

Indeed when D&D started, there wasn't a d10, so you had to use a d20 and just drop the first digit

 

[Kaodi]

It's actually easier to do a d4 with a d8 than the other way around. Same with a d12 and d6 and d20 and d10. All you have to do is half it, while to do the reverse you need to roll another die to see what multiple it is.

Indeed when D&D started, there wasn't a d10, so you had to use a d20 and just drop the first digit

Perhaps. But when you say, " Roll 1d8 and divide by two, round up, then add modifiers, " the obvious reply is going to be, " Why did you not just tell me to bring my d4 then? " And on the other hand, it is not obvious when you say, " Roll 3d4, " that someone might reasonably complain, " Why did not not just tell me to bring a d12? "

 

[Hassassin]

2d6 and 1d12 are two very different things.

One is the consistent greatsword-wielding fighter, one the inconsistent greataxe-wielding barbarian.

 

[Dausuul]

2d6 and 1d12 are two very different things.

Yeah, you can't just get rid of the dX and substitute "dice whose combined maximum adds up to X." 2d10 is not a substitute for 1d20. Unless you mean, "Roll the first die, and then add 0 if the second die comes up 1-5 and 10 if the second die comes up 6-10."

Just to give an example, if you start rolling 2d10 in place of 1d20, your chance of scoring a critical hit is cut to one-fifth what it was (from 5% down to 1%). You go from 1-2 crits every combat to one every two or three combats. Any effect that triggers on a crit just got nerfed all to hell and gone.

 

[Serendipity]

I'm really happy to see the d12 getting some love. I have long thought that I and I alone had the dodecahedral fever. There's just something weirdly aesthetically pleasing to me about the d12 that d4 - d8 just don't have. (And aside from 1e Earthdawn, I've yet to find a game that lets me roll multiple d12s at once. Critting with a great axe doesn't count, because I never have.)

 

[dkyle]

Studies have showed that people who think a d100 has an even probability distribution are far more likely to believe in Santa Claus.

I would hazard a guess that noone in this thread is advocating use of an actual 100-sided die. I think everyone knows who poor the distribution is on those. d100 is just another term for d%, i.e., some way of generating numbers from 1-100, traditionally done using two d10s.

 

[Lanefan]

Poll shows little love for d100, it is not clear whether we are voting on the actual physical die (near-useless) or on the concept of d% being in the game (very much yes).

Lanefan

 

[Serendipity]

Poll shows little love for d100, it is not clear whether we are voting on the actual physical die (near-useless) or on the concept of d% being in the game (very much yes).

I would be very VERY surprised if people were voting thinking that d100 meant one of those marbles-masquarading as dice (i.e. an actual d100 as opposed to d%).

I mean, did anyone?

 

[Bedrockgames]

I am a fan of usinf different dice for different mechanics in the game.

 

[kitsune9]

More d12 and d30's please.

 

[trancejeremy]

Perhaps. But when you say, " Roll 1d8 and divide by two, round up, then add modifiers, " the obvious reply is going to be, " Why did you not just tell me to bring my d4 then? " And on the other hand, it is not obvious when you say, " Roll 3d4, " that someone might reasonably complain, " Why did not not just tell me to bring a d12? "

But 3d4 isn't 1-12. In order to get 1-12 from a d4, you'd also need to roll another die that is divisible by 3, like a d6

if the d6 is 1-2, then the d4 would be 1-4. If the d6 is 3-4, the d4 would be 5-8, and if the d6 is 5-6, the d4 roll would be 9-12.

While a d8 can reproduce a d4 exactly with one roll.

 

[Kaodi]

But 3d4 isn't 1-12. In order to get 1-12 from a d4, you'd also need to roll another die that is divisible by 3, like a d6

if the d6 is 1-2, then the d4 would be 1-4. If the d6 is 3-4, the d4 would be 5-8, and if the d6 is 5-6, the d4 roll would be 9-12.

While a d8 can reproduce a d4 exactly with one roll.

Yes, but what I am trying to say is that if you design a game to use only d4s, d6s, and d10s, it is entirely irrelevant that you can model d4s with d8s and d6s with d12s because d8s and d12s are not the dice the game system math is built upon.

 

[Ichneumon]

I would hazard a guess that noone in this thread is advocating use of an actual 100-sided die. I think everyone knows who poor the distribution is on those. d100 is just another term for d%, i.e., some way of generating numbers from 1-100, traditionally done using two d10s.

Nominate the tens die before rolling!

 

[Blackwarder]

d4 d6 d8 d10 d12 d20 d100.

And this forums really needs some dice symbols..

Warder