In tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs), dice are not only part of the core of the game, but also greatly affect the player's gaming experience. Whether you are a loyal fan of D&D or trying other TTRPG systems, you need the right dice to support your adventure.
So, how many dice does a player need? Is it enough to buy a standard set of dice? If you plan to upgrade your dice collection, where should you start?
Introduction to standard dice sets
Most TTRPG games (such as Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder) rely on a standard set of 7 polyhedral dice sets, including:
- D4 (4 sided dice): used for spell damage (such as magic missiles), treatment amount calculation, etc.
- D6 (6 sided dice): commonly used in weapon damage (dagger, fireball) or dice pool system.
- D8 (8 sided dice): used for certain weapons (such as longswords) and specific skill determinations.
- D10 (10 sided dice): used for percentile dice (D100), or certain professional skills (such as the treatment of the paladin).
- D12 (12 sided dice): usually used for high-damage weapons (such as huge battle axes).
- D20 (20 sided dice): the core dice of TTRPG games, determining attack hits, skill checks and exemptions.
- D100 (two D10s): used for random table rolls (such as skill checks in Cthulhu Mythos).
7 standard polyhedral TRPG dice: D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D20 and D%
New players can start with a standard set of 7 dice, which is enough to meet the basic needs of most TTRPG games.
Different TTRPG games have different needs for dice
Different TTRPG systems use dice differently. Let's take a look at the needs of several common games for dice:
🔹 Dungeons & Dragons (DND)
Dice core mechanism: D20 is used for skill checks, attacks, exemptions; D4, D8, D10, D12 are used for damage calculations.
Recommended number of dice: 1-2 sets of standard dice sets, with extra D6 and D8 to speed up combat rolls.
🔹 Shadowrun
Dice core mechanism: A dice pool system is used. Generally speaking, the player's ability value and skill level will determine the size of the dice pool, that is, the character's skill determines the number of D6s rolled.
Recommended number of dice: The common number of dice pools may be around 2-10 D6 dice, but for some optimized or powerful characters, the number of dice pools may reach 11-14 dice to quickly roll the dice pool judgment.
🔹 Warhammer 40,000
Dice core mechanism: D100 (percentage dice) is usually used for various checks, such as skill checks, confrontation checks, etc. D6, D8, D10 and other dice are also used to calculate damage, determine special effects, etc.
Recommended number of dice: It is recommended to prepare 1-2 sets of dice including D6, D8, D10, and D%.
🔹 Call of Cthulhu
Dice core mechanism: Use two 10-sided dice (numbers 0-9), combine the rolled points into a two-digit number, and compare the size with the attribute to be tested.
Recommended number of dice: It is more appropriate to prepare 1 set of 7 regular physical dice sets, including D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, D20, etc., of which two D10s are used for testing, and other dice can be used for some special rules or supplementary gameplay
If you play multiple TTRPG games, you can add specific dice according to specific game needs.
When should you upgrade your dice collection?
✔ You want to reduce the waiting time for throwing - additional D6, D8 or D20 can reduce the reuse of dice and improve the fluency of battle.
✔ You want a personalized dice experience – Liquid core dice, hollow metal dice, glow-in-the-dark dice, Cthulhu dice, dragon dice, etc. can enhance the immersion of the game.
✔ You start playing different TTRPG systems – for example, Shadowrun requires a lot of D6s, and Cthulhu Mythos requires multiple D10s.
✔ You like collecting and gifting – Bear Dice’s high-end resin dice, handmade custom dice, and unique metal dice are great collectibles or gift choices.
🎲 How many dice do you really need?
- Novice players: 1 set of standard 7-piece polyhedral dice, suitable for games such as DND and Pathfinder.
- Advanced players: multiple sets of dice, additional D20, D6, D10, improve the smoothness of the game.
- Dice pool system players (such as Shadowrun): at least 10 D6s to ensure smooth game play.
- Collectors/senior enthusiasts: choose different styles of dice (liquid core, hollow metal, custom dice) to enhance the gaming experience.
Whether you're looking to improve your gaming experience or are searching for a high-quality dice collection, Bear Dice offers a variety of options to make your adventure more exciting! 🎲✨
