Dice
All pages on this site have an in-built dice-roller. To use it, just press r, type in a dice expression and hit enter.
Basic dice expressions take the form YdX where Y is the number of dice to roll, and X is the number of sides on the dice, for example 2d6 to roll two six-sided dice , or 1d20 to roll a single 20-sided die . The leading number, Y, can be left out, in which case a single die will be rolled. You can also roll dice by clicking a dice expression, such as in the following: "The explosion deals 28 (8d6) fire damage".
The roller supports arithmetic. Try d20 + d4 + 5 if you are attacking while under the effects of a Bless spell.
To clear the roll history, press ctrl+L while focusing the roller.
Multiple rolls
You can also input several dice expressions separated by a comma. For example,d20+7, 2d6+4 rolls the attack and damage rolls of a greatsword attack at the same time. If the first roll is a d20 roll and rolls the maximum value, all other rolls automatically get the Critical modifier.
Modifiers
Sometimes, the dice aren't simply rolled, but modified in some way. This is supported by appending a letter to the dice expression, and an optional number, for example d20a or 4d6h3.
To apply a modifier to all dice rolled, you can append !mods, for example 1d6 + 2d6 + 4 !c, or d20 + 4 !a. Modifiers applied this way are called global modifiers.
Advantage (a)
Examples: d20a, 3d20a.
Takes the highest of the dice rolled. If only a single die would be rolled, adds a second one.
Disadvantage (d)
Examples: d20d, 2d20d+2.
The inverse of advantage, taking the lowest result of the rolled dice.
Highest (hX)
Examples: 4d6h3.
Keeps the highest X dice, discarding the lowest rolls. Useful when you get to drop the lowest result. Omitting X sets it to 1, making the modifier equivalent to advantage.
Lowest (lX)
Keeps the lowest X dice, discarding the highest rolls. Omitting X sets it to 1, making the modifier equivalent to disadvantage.
Reroll (rX)
Examples: d20r, 2d6r2 + 5.
Reroll all dice below a specific number, but only once. Omitting X sets it to 1.
Critical (c)
Examples: 1d6 + 2d6 + 4.
Doubles the amount of dice rolled, but does not double static modifiers.
Explode (x)
Examples: 8d6x.
Dice that roll the maximum amount are rerolled and the result is added to the total. Can lead to some crazy totals, especially combined with rerolling or criticals. More effective on smaller die sizes, since they are more likely to roll their maximum.
Keen (k)
Examples: d20k.
Lowers the threshold to consider the dice having rolled its maximum value. Useful for characters who have an increased crit range. For example, if you roll d20k+9, you can simulate attacking as a Champion Fighter. The modifier is especially useful when using multi-rolls, as the crit modifier propagation takes this property into account.
Physical Dice
The minimum amount of dice needed to play D&D properly is 6, one of each type.
However, using the minimum amount of dice can slow down gameplay. It is recommended to have at least 2 of each die, with possibly even more of certain types, depending on your character. For example, a Paladin probably wants at least 6d8 and a wizard or rogue might want more d6s. At the very least, having a second d20 to make rolling with advantage and disadvantage quicker and easier is almost required.
The dungeon master should probably have about twice the recommended amount, as monster attacks often involve more dice than player attacks.
| Die Size | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| d4 | 1 | 2 |
| d6 | 1 | 4 |
| d8 | 1 | 2 |
| d10 | 1 | 2 |
| d12 | 1 | 2 |
| d20 | 1 | 2 |
Most purchasable dice sets include a second d10 to roll d100.
If you buy physical dice, it is highly recommended to prioritize readability and contrast above other visual factors. Nothing is more annoying than spending money on pretty dice just for them to be hard to read, slowing down gameplay.
Some places allow you to buy singular dice, allowing you to put together your own sets. You could consider getting your dice color-coordinated by the die type, so that all your d4s are orange, all your d6s are green, and so on. This makes it easier to quickly pick out the dice you need.
Simulating Odd or Missing Dice
Sometimes the situation calls for a die that is not among the standard dice. For example, if you need to roll a d5, one way of doing it is to roll a d6, and reroll any 6 until you get a number between 1 and 5. This always works, but it can be tedious to try and simulate a d4 by rolling a d20.
You can divide the number to get a smaller die (round up). Taking our d4 example, the result of a d20 divided by 5 is equivalent to a d4.
These two tactics can even be combined. If you need to roll a d3 and all you have is a d20, you can divide the result by 6, after rerolling any 19s and 20s, resulting in a d18/6 = d3.
To get a bigger dice, you can multiply dice together, but there are some pitfalls. You do not multiply the faces together, rather you multiply the result of the first die minus one by the maximum number on the second die and then add the second one. For example, a d48 can be simulated by rolling a d4, subtracting one from the result and multiplying it by 12, then rolling a d12 and adding it.
The complete formula is: 1dX*Y = Y * (1dX - 1) + 1dY