Who rolls the dice?

[Ferret]

I would usually do that to keep the mystique of damage. But it really doesn't matter, I'd have probably done the same in your foot wear.

 

[Steel_Wind]

Quick explanation and then a question.

Last game, I was DMing and managed to knock all my dice on the floor.

However, another player has informed me that he was "disturbed" that I got Player 1 to roll damage for his own character, especially since Player 1 rolled a 7 out of 8.

Interesting annecdote. I often find the conventions, assumptions and house rules in other groups fascinating.

When you roll for damage, do you do so behind a screen or in the open? In other words, did you just remove (from the complaining player's persepctive) a possible "fudge factor" from your game in respect of that one hit?

 

[Darth K'Trava]

We roll attack and damage for blows against the enemy. Same with spell damage dice.

DM rolls for attack and damage for the bad guys/monsters.

Some of our DMs let us roll for healing (Cure spells and such) ourselves to save them time and "bother" of doing it themselves. One DM still does the healing rolls himself although if he's busy, he'll let us do it. But rarely.

DM rolls percentage for Miss Chances.

We roll percentage or a d20 (depends on the DM and which chart he's using)for critical misses.

We roll our own hit points.

 

[shilsen]

They're dice. It doesn't matter who rolls them. And no, my players don't agree, since they're all superstitious about their dice.

 

[Darth K'Trava]

Interesting annecdote. I often find the conventions, assumptions and house rules in other groups fascinating.

When you roll for damage, do you do so behind a screen or in the open? In other words, did you just remove (from the complaining player's persepctive) a possible "fudge factor" from your game in respect of that one hit?

DMs: Usually hidden.
Players: Out in the open.

 

[trowizilla]

I sometimes roll damage behind a screen, and sometimes not. I like to keep my players on their toes...they get a little too "the DM wouldn't let us die, so CHARGE!" if I hide my rolls all the time.
...that is, except for the complaining player, who seems to assume that I'm out to kill his character. That probably has something to do with his nervousness about dice rolls.

Thanks for all the input!

 

[DaveStebbins]

Isn't there an option, I want to say in Unearthed Arcana (but I don't have it), to allow the players to make all the rolls, including the ones against themselves? A monster's to-hit roll becomes a dodge roll trying to beat a DC based upon the monster's attack bonus. For the record, we just do the (seemingly) standard stuff; DM rolls for monsters and checks where the players shouldn't know if they succeed or fail, players otherwise make all rolls for their characters.

-Dave

 

[Arnwyn]

My opinion is, while I generally roll that sort of thing myself, dice are random and it really doesn't matter if I roll them or the player does.

Not only is it your opinion, but it is also fact - the dice are random and it doesn't matter who rolls it (assuming, of course, that the dice are not loaded and speeding up the game is a desirable outcome). As Tewligan put it so succinctly: "Player 2 is being an obsessive-compulsive crybaby".

If he freaks out about it, it's his weird personal problem/baggage that he'll have to get over.

 

[Desdichado]

I'd say that Player 2 is being an obsessive-compulsive crybaby. It doesn't matter who rolls the dice. Next game, make them make the to-hit rolls for any enemies just to agitate him.

Yeah, I tend to agree with this. Is there some kind of trust issue at stake here? Are these guys your friends, or just your gaming aquaintences? Either way, I'd tell the guy that you refuse to care one way or another.

 

[trowizilla]

Erm, yeah, mr. Dyal.
That is, the guy who's complaining? He's my boyfriend, so I'd prefer a more diplomatic approach than "I refuse to care one way or another.