#RPGaDAY2023 Day 9: “Favourite DICE”

I pretty much carry 3D6 everywhere I go these days. They are a constant reminder of my love of gaming and a comfort whenever things get tough. Weird as that might sound, the dice in my pocket are psychologically grounding.

My favourite dice are the humble six-sided types. I learned to roleplay with 2D6 for checks and just D6 for damage. These days I prefer 3D6 but using simple D6 dice is comfortable and familiar.

Of course, I upgraded to D100 in 1980 when I learned to play RuneQuest. Eventually Rolemaster had me rolling D100UM and I felt right at home. There’s something intuitive about the flat distribution of two twenty- or ten-siders. Yeah, I am old enough to remember twenty-sided D10s.

4DF appeared around 1995 when I discovered FUDGE. With a familiar-enough bell-curve to feel close to the 3D6’s reliability, 4DF allowed me to experiment with descriptive games using fewer numbers. I’ve always liked the feel of 4DF and often itch to roll them again… although I am no fan of FATE.

But why talk about dice? The assumption here (with the RPGaDAY prompt) is that a roleplayer would use them but that’s simply not the case. The roleplayer describes and decides: forming a picture of the situation and taking action with their character. Often the GM might choose to use dice as a tool but the truth is that you don’t need them to play.

My favourite dice really depends on the situation. Most common might well be the humble D6 but, when we get right down to it, I will choose the tools that best fit the game at hand: if they fit the rules, if they matter in the situation, and if I want to introduce some random chance to the adjudication.

Game on!