AD&D 1E What does this (d8, d6) dice notation mean in the DMG?

[aco175]

2-5 is the same average as d6 only with the ends filed off. Easy enough to do as d4+1.

It was and is easy enough to use, but still just silly.

 

[GreyLord]

I've encountered a few gamers over the years who used a d10 paired with a d6 (for high/low) in place of a d20.

I suspect that the practice originally evolved for the same reason Gygax talks about in that passage (the old icosahedron dice being numbered 0-9 twice, instead of 1-20), only d6s are more commonplace and roll better than a d4.

Separately, I also remember enjoying the old "D66" tables Games Workshop would include in some of their games to give a linear range of 36 possibilities using a pair of d6s. Reading one as the tens column and one as the digits column, like you would with percentile dice.

I believe Warhammer Quest did this.

 

[Mannahnin]

I believe Warhammer Quest did this.

Yup. As did Blood Bowl and IIRC Advanced HeroQuest before that.

 

[GreyLord]

Yup. As did Blood Bowl and IIRC Advanced HeroQuest before that.

I didn't play Blood Bowl as much so I don't recall, but Advanced Heroquest used a unique system of D12s instead.

 

[Mannahnin]

I didn't play Blood Bowl as much so I don't recall, but Advanced Heroquest used a unique system of D12s instead.

I may be thinking of WHFB or Dark Future, maybe. Definitely Blood Bowl, though.

 

[GreyLord]

I may be thinking of WHFB or Dark Future, maybe. Definitely Blood Bowl, though.

I never played Dark Future. WHFB (it's been a hot minute for me) used d6's, generally on a table to compare WS or BS to each other and S and T or other stats to determine if you hit and how much damage you did.

Dark Future possibly could be the other one you were thinking of?

 

[Mannahnin]

I never played Dark Future. WHFB (it's been a hot minute for me) used d6's, generally on a table to compare WS or BS to each other and S and T or other stats to determine if you hit and how much damage you did.

Dark Future possibly could be the other one you were thinking of?

Agh. Typo'd WHFB when I meant WHFR - Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Which used percentile skills but also d6s for some things.