Lesson 6

What are all these funky-shaped dice, and how do I use them?

Welcome to the world of polyhedral dice—the sacred tools of fate, chaos, and questionable life choices.

In Dungeons & Dragons, you don’t just use one die like in Monopoly or Risk.

Oh no, adventurer.
You wield an arsenal of dice, each one a different shape, each one with a different purpose, each one capable of determining glory or doom with a single roll.

Let’s meet the gang.

THE SEVEN SACRED DICE

Every standard D&D dice set includes 7 dice, each lovingly referred to by how many sides it has. We call them dX, where X is the number of sides.

🎯 1. d20 — The Hero Maker

Nickname: The Big One
Looks like: A glorious icosahedron (that’s 20 sides)
Used for: Almost EVERYTHING

  • Attacks 💥

  • Ability checks 🧠

  • Saving throws 🛡️

  • Initiative 🏃♂️

  • Random moments of destiny 🌀

Why it's special:
The d20 is your main die. It’s the beating heart of D&D.

Roll high = awesome things happen.
Roll low = you fall in a well and cry a little.

Critical Success: Natural 20 = Epic moment.
Critical Fail: Natural 1 = Spectacular disaster.

This die is so important, we should all take a moment to thank it.

Thank you, d20, for ruining and saving lives since 1974. 🙏

🪙 2. d12 — The Lonely Giant

Nickname: The Forgotten Beefcake
Looks like: A chunky 12-sided chonk
Used for:

  • Great axes

  • Barbarian rage damage

  • Occasional hit dice

Why it's special:
The d12 doesn’t get much love outside of big weapons and barbarians,
but when it hits—it HITS HARD.

This die doesn’t mess around. It came to smash, not finesse.

🗡️ 3. d10 — The Percentile Partner

Nickname: The Decider
Looks like: A sleek 10-sider with numbers 0–9
Used for:

  • Damage for many weapons (like longswords and spells)

  • Percentile rolls (when paired with another d10)

Why it's special:
You can roll two d10s together to make a percentile roll (d100).

Example:
You roll a 70 on one (marked 00–90) and a 3 on the other = 73%

Perfect for:

  • Loot tables

  • Mutation rolls

  • Magical mishaps

  • DM chaos


🎲 4. d8 — The Versatile Middle Child

Nickname: The All-Rounder
Looks like: A chonky double-pyramid
Used for:

  • Medium weapon damage (shortswords, warhammers)

  • Some healing spells (like Cure Wounds)

  • Hit dice for clerics, rogues, monks, etc.

Why it's special:
The d8 is like the Swiss Army Knife of dice—never flashy, but always reliable.

It’s the dice equivalent of your adventuring buddy who always brings snacks and never forgets a torch.

🧊 5. d6 — The Classic Cube

Nickname: The OG
Looks like: A regular six-sided die (like in most board games)
Used for:

  • Daggers, fireballs, shortbows

  • Sneak Attack damage (rogues go brrrrr)

  • Ability score rolling (sometimes)

  • Anything the DM feels like

Why it's special:
This one’s old-school. A timeless legend.
The d6 is everywhere in D&D. You’ll roll them by the handful.

Cast Fireball and you’re tossing 8 of these bad boys.
It’s not just math—it’s pyromantic joy.

⚡ 6. d4 — The Caltr—uh, Tiny Triangle of Pain

Nickname: The Footstabber
Looks like: A miniature pyramid of toe-destroying doom
Used for:

  • Daggers

  • Magic Missile

  • Healing Word

  • Other small but mighty spells or weapons

Why it's special:
It may look small and innocent, but roll a handful and it adds up.
Also, it’s the worst die to step on barefoot—worse than LEGO. Ask any DM. 😬

Pro tip: Check the number at the top, not on the side.

🎯 7. d00 or Percentile Die

Nickname: “The Fancy One”
Looks like: A d10 with double digits: 00, 10, 20...90
Used for:

  • Combined with a d10 to roll d100

  • Percentile-based results

Why it's special:
It makes d100 rolls super clear.
Sometimes used for random magical effects, critical failures, or weird artifact tables.

💡 HOW TO USE THESE DICE IN THE GAME

The DM will tell you what to roll.
Each action corresponds to a specific die based on the rules and the situation.

Examples:

  • “Make a Strength check.” → Roll a d20 + Strength modifier

  • “You cast Magic Missile.” → Roll 3d4 (three 4-sided dice)

  • “You got hit by poison.” → Roll a Constitution save → d20

  • “You deal damage with your longsword.” → Roll 1d8

And sometimes... the DM just says:

“Roll a d100 and let fate decide.”
🥶

🧠 MEMORY HACK: WHAT DIE TO USE?

  • d20 = Most things (attacks, checks, saves)

  • d12 = Big weapons, barbarians

  • d10 = Damage, percentiles

  • d8 = Mid-tier damage, healing

  • d6 = Common damage, sneaky stabs

  • d4 = Small stuff, support magic

  • d100 = Random chaos

🎁 BONUS: WHY SO MANY DICE?

Because variety = drama.
Because a single roll can mean:

  • Landing the perfect killing blow

  • Failing a stealth check and alerting 30 goblins

  • Opening a magic portal to another plane

  • Or tripping over a rock in front of a princess

Every shape tells a different story.
Every roll is a gamble.
Every number is a possible legend.

✨ IN SUMMARY:

These funky-shaped dice aren’t just tools.
They’re oracles, chaos engines, and tiny gods of fate.

Treat them with respect.
Blame them for your failures.
Bless them before big rolls.

And remember—
One single die roll can change the entire story.

🎲 Let me know if you want:

  • A printable “What Do Dice Do?” cheat sheet

  • A visual chart with dice shapes and uses

  • Or a guide on how to teach your players to use them like pros

Now go roll a Nat 20 and become a legend. 🧙🔥

🎲 🧙 A Note for Dice Collectors

If you’re ready to get your own dice, it’s incredibly easy.

Just head to Amazon or AliExpress and search for terms like “RPG dice” or “D&D dice”. You’ll find hundreds of options—different materials, colors, themes, finishes, and price ranges. Many of them are fully compatible, affordable, and designed to match every possible mood or campaign atmosphere.

And here’s something important to know:

Collecting D&D dice is one of the most fascinating and beloved parts of the hobby.

Dice have a powerful emotional connection.
They’re personal.
They become lucky charms.
They carry memories of epic victories and disastrous failures.

Most players remember that one die—the d20 that always rolls high, the set they used in their first campaign, or the dice they only bring out for “serious moments.”

You don’t just roll dice in D&D.
You build a relationship with them.

So explore, experiment, and collect the ones that speak to you.
Because in the end, those little polyhedrons are the physical heart of the game—and one of the things players fall in love with the most.

🎲✨