What are your thoughts on TTRPGs with non-standard dice?

[dragoner]

Generally no as it is a hassle, if they come with a game that is ok.

 

[Clint_L]

They generally seem gimmicky, and are usually more about branding than anything else. Typically, you can play just as well with regular dice, though if used thoughtfully they can make certain results more obvious and save a bit of thinking. And sometimes they look kinda cool. So I'm not passionate about them, but I basically agree with MGibster that, all else being equal, they are a point against the game.

Mostly I just don't like having to keep track of the weird dice and remember which game they are for.

 

[Umbran]

and as an addition - what do you think of systems that use Playing Cards instead of dice?

I ran years of Classic Deadlands - which uses playing cards AND dice.
I'm about to run Savage Worlds, same.
I don't seem to have an issue with cards.

 

[jdrakeh]

It depends on the implementation, honestly. For example, I really liked them in Warhammer Fantasy RPG 3rd edition, but when FFG started using them in ALL of their RPGs just because they could, it felt a little... uh... not great. For me, anyhow.

 

[TheHand]

Unless the funky dice can be easily replaced by “standard” polyhedral dice, I will actively avoid any rpg that uses them. Which probably means I’ve passed up some fun games, but I don’t like them enough to come out of my lurker shell!

 

[Retreater]

I don't like using dice like DCC - most of them look similar to existing dice. For example, you might accidentally pick up a d24 instead of a d20. And it's not really necessary. Just use bonuses and penalties instead of a new dice gimmick.
I also don't like dice without numbers, like the Star Wars dice. It requires remembering strange runes and patterns that have no bearing in real life. "That comet means you get a special success, but two squiggles means you get two complications that are better than failure and worse than Despair - which is represented by the circle with a line through it on the yellow die."
Not for me.

 

[Vael]

... With the exception of Fudge Dice, I'm generally not a fan. Especially if these are dice with special iconography.

 

[MGibster]

I miss Classic Deadlands. I used to have a awesome deck of Deadlands poker cards.

I still have the double deck of cards they sold for the original version of Deadlands. It was the one piece of the old collection I couldn't bear to part with.

 

[LordEntrails]

Stupid gimmick. I won't buy a game that uses them and I am loathe to even play in one. Dice are simple random number generators. All of the regular dice you mention are good enough to effectively generate any random distribution you want or need (from a practical perspective). Designers do it because they think it makes their game special, unique or tries to show how smart they are. I don't need that.

 

[Arilyn]

Stupid gimmick. I won't buy a game that uses them and I am loathe to even play in one. Dice are simple random number generators. All of the regular dice you mention are good enough to effectively generate any random distribution you want or need (from a practical perspective). Designers do it because they think it makes their game special, unique or tries to show how smart they are. I don't need that.

I doubt that's true. Isn't it more likely that they think these dice work for their game and you just don't like them? I do not believe that they're showing off.