Roll Dem Bones!

[Sleepingbear]

At their heart, I think most gamers are gamblers. We spend hours upon hours crafting character builds, backstories and then playing these characters.

And we gamble their continued existence (and all our hard work) on a roll of the dice.

Often gamblers are a superstitious lot. Myself included.

About a year ago I transcribed a character I was playing to new character sheets. The very next session, that character died.

Recently, his replacement required transcribing, something I kept putting off. I was nervous the entire session. At the end I was relieved simply because the chain was broken before it had a chance to get started.

I have dice I use for specific games. I've referred to myself as 'bear-bit' (I'm really a were-bear ).

Others at the table have their superstitions and quirks as well.

So I'm just wondering, what are your illogical rituals, superstitions, quirks and odd beliefs?

[Yukitsu]

If a die fails you on a critical roll, line up the rest of your dice so that the 2s are facing it, then burn it with fire.

[Kaiyanwang]

My players don't want to throw dices without a mean because if they roll an high number, they "discharged" it for he next, important roll that will be, in this way, very low.

They don't take it seriously, of course.. just a little bit..

[Ernir]

During play, I store my d20s with the 1s up.

I refuse to call it superstition, though. They get worn more on the 20 side that way.

[Trobby]

Ah...see I have the exact opposite habit. I keep all of my dice within arms reach of the computer, all facing with their highest value up.

My belief is that this either encourages them to roll these high numbers when I go to use them, or that the weight of each die very gradually shifts downward, so that the heavy bottom *where the lowest numbers are* is less likely to be on top when I roll the die.

It also allows me to count the exact max damage I could do if all of my dice were rolled at once. :3

[Raiki]

During play, I store my d20s with the 1s up.

I refuse to call it superstition, though. They get worn more on the 20 side that way.

But, No! That's not how it works at all! You have to store it with the 20 up. You see, most dice are made of plastic, and plastic is an amorphous solid. This means that, slowly but surely, the d20 will become heavier on whichever side is consistantly facing down.

Dice Creep. It's SCIENCE!

~R~

Edit: Blast! Ninja'd!

[Ernir]

Ah...see I have the exact opposite habit. I keep all of my dice within arms reach of the computer, all facing with their highest value up.

My belief is that this either encourages them to roll these high numbers when I go to use them, or that the weight of each die very gradually shifts downward, so that the heavy bottom *where the lowest numbers are* is less likely to be on top when I roll the die.

It also allows me to count the exact max damage I could do if all of my dice were rolled at once. :3

I might want to try that instead, considering my dice luck.

[Totally Guy]

But if the edges on the 20 becomes worn from being placed on a rough surface enough it'll become more rounded and will roll fewer 1s.

[Ernir]

But, No! That's not how it works at all! You have to store it with the 20 up. You see, most dice are made of plastic, and plastic is an amorphous solid. This means that, slowly but surely, the d20 will become heavier on whichever side is consistantly facing down.

Dice Creep. It's SCIENCE!

~R~

During play. During play are the key words here.

[drengnikrafe]

My dice don't leave my dice bag unless I'm using them, or I'm gaming. If I'm gaming, the special set (red, semitransparent dice) sit in front of me, in 2 collumns, in order (left collumn: d4, d6, d8. right collumn: d10, d%, d12. In the middle, below those dice, is the 20. All are facing with the highest number facing up).

[pffh]

I have two sets of dice one for playing one for DM-ing. Then I also have two non-set d20 that are kept with the 20 up at all times and are only used for critical rolls.

[valadil]

At the start of each game session I roll all my d20s and sort them. I start game using the die that rolled highest initially. When it rolls badly it goes back to the end of the queue and the next best die gets used. If a die fails badly (either a crit fail or an important but not fumble failure) it goes back in the bag for the night.

I do this more to entertain myself before game than out of any superstition. I tell myself that, anyway.

[kjones]

I "train" my dice, leaving them with the highest number up, so that they will become more familiar with that position and want to return to it.

I don't let anyone else touch my dice - if they do, they're stealing my luck. (I don't really hold to this one closely - there's always someone who forgets their dice at my table and I don't want to be a jerk.)

Before important rolls, I have a mantra. "Cotton candy, sweet as gold, let me see that tootsie roll", and I roll the die on the last word. I do this ever since one time (eight years ago or so) I got three nat twennies in a row after I did this. Since then, I've always rolled worse after saying this - go figure.

I never use "virgin" dice for anything important - I make sure they're been broken in first. (I once used virgin dice to roll up a character, and he had the crappiest stats you've ever seen.)

I've done dice-purging rituals before. (Roll each die until you get the highest number, then rub them across the signature of a famous game developer from left to right (NOT right to left!), then put them all back in your dice bag and shake 100 times to re-distribute the luck.)

One of my players (a computer science major) insists that there's no such thing as luck, that our superstitions are pointless and ridiculous. He also has the worst luck of anyone I've ever seen.

If there's one lesson I've learned in my ten years of gaming, it's this: The dice gods are real. Don't make them angry.

Oh, and always close the door behind you. But that's a different story.

*walks off whistling "Luck Be A Lady Tonight"*

EDIT: Damn, now I have "Luke, Be A Jedi Tonight" stuck in my head.

Luke, be a jedi tonight
Just be a jedi tonight
Do it for Yoda while we serve our guests a soda
And, um, do it for Chewie and the ewoks...

[Sleepingbear]

For the campaign I've been playing longest in, I have my metal dice. One set steel, one set brass and one set copper. Recently added an iron set and it took a little while for them to re-establish their pecking order.

The steel dice are for my fighter.

The brass dice are for the gold dragon cohort.

The copper dice are for miscellaneous rolls.

The new dice are there mostly to fill in for multiple dice rolls (extra D6's, so on). The twenty sider is on the bench but I know he's eager to prove his worth.

I have one twenty sider that hates players. When I GM, it crits. A lot. When I try to play with it, it fumbles. A lot. I've had players hide this D20 on me during sessions. It's black, as is appropriate for a killer dice.

I have a set of gem dice that roll nice for me when I'm GMing or playing. But they're completely random with an equal spread of crits, fumbles and everything in-between.

In a game I recently joined as a player I am using some old school solid dice. They seem to favor players more than GM/DM's. They don't crit as often as some but they rarely fumble. They're... reliable.

My buddy who DM's one of the games I'm in is a lot like Bob from the KoDT. Even looks like him although he hasn't started to bald quite yet. Wait for it. You just don't touch this guys dice. Ever. He's handy to have around though, because he tends to soak bad luck. Like a sponge. Like some sort of karmic lighting rod. He may have been Hitler in a past life.

I've never destroyed a dice or retired one permanently. I have quit using one in mid game though. Never the metal dice. I stick by them. They're the elites and know it. But they're elite because they live up to the burden of their responsibility.

[Zaydos]

If I need a lucky roll, or if my dice fail me, I place them with the highest number showing for a while.

I have my "lucky" dice (my dark green, translucent d20) which I try and avoid letting other people touch (it rolls worse after they do ) And a not as lucky, but lucky, dice (my lighter green translucent d20) which I let other people use especially when they need a good roll (and I want them to get it).

I just got a new set of dice, and discovered that if I talk about attacking my roommate while rolling them they roll above 15 80% of the time, including a double nat twenty. I can't wait to try this d20 out when he is DMing

I have one friend especially not allowed to touch either lucky die because he has horrible luck.

I blow on my dice for luck. I rub them for luck.

I have said little incantations for luck on my dice.

I don't like it when people try and touch my new dice, they need to attune.

Yes I am silly, yes I am a gamer, yes I am superstitious, and yes I am a proud of it.

Edit:

I have one twenty sider that hates players. When I GM, it crits. A lot. When I try to play with it, it fumbles. A lot. I've had players hide this D20 on me during sessions. It's black, as is appropriate for a killer dice.

My players have done the same thing with my lucky die (doesn't roll as well when I'm a player either).

[Myrmex]

If a die fails you on a critical roll, line up the rest of your dice so that the 2s are facing it, then burn it with fire.

There's a smashed d20 in our group's dice box that we keep there as a warning to the others. It rolled to many 1's, so they took it out back and introduced it to Mr. Hammer.

[Telonius]

As a DM, I have quite a few dice. However, there is one die that is a very pretty shade of blood-red. This is my Die of Doom. As far as I know, it's a fair die; but it always seems to roll exceptionally well during boss fights. My players have noticed and start getting nervous when I dig out the DoD - an effect which I don't discourage.

[Sleepingbear]

As a DM, I have quite a few dice. However, there is one die that is a very pretty shade of blood-red. This is my Die of Doom. As far as I know, it's a fair die; but it always seems to roll exceptionally well during boss fights. My players have noticed and start getting nervous when I dig out the DoD - an effect which I don't discourage.

Yes, there is something (drama) to be gained by pulling out a dreaded PC Killer by any name. Make sure the players see it. Especially if they think they've successfully hidden it this time...

[kjones]

Yes, there is something (drama) to be gained by pulling out a dreaded PC Killer by any name. Make sure the players see it. Especially if they think they've successfully hidden it this time...

Heh, that reminds me, I used to have this d20 that I named "The Purple PC Eater" that my players learned to dread. I lost it a while ago, but I hadn't considered the possibility that its loss might not have been accidental...

[Lioness]

I leave each dice highest side up, so that they remember that position and want to return to it.

At the start of each session, I roll each d20 (I have 4) to see which one is luckiest. Then I use that for the whole thing. My favourite (the small one) never rolls high, so it makes me unhappy.

[Moofaa]

When it comes to all things D&D I have average luck on rolls. Normally I seem to get 20s during critical points, and the random 1s at less critical junctures. Overall though they balance out.

I hate playing any type of board game, however, because I lose 90% of all rolls on those. Nobody wants me on their team when playing Axis & Allies, because I will ALWAY fail to shoot down bombers with AA, or lose 10 tanks to a single infantry. I always get targeted first by opponents, because they quickly figure out I am an easy kill. Its not my lack of strategy, its my bad luck. Same thing with Risk, or any other board game with dice in play.

[Tyndmyr]

But, No! That's not how it works at all! You have to store it with the 20 up. You see, most dice are made of plastic, and plastic is an amorphous solid. This means that, slowly but surely, the d20 will become heavier on whichever side is consistantly facing down.

Dice Creep. It's SCIENCE!

~R~

Edit: Blast! Ninja'd!

Just an FYI....just because something is amorphous doesn't mean its not solid. It's not going to change at room temperature. At all.

Depending on the type of plastic, lots of heat might in fact make it do so, but that's something else entirely.

Now wear and tear, yes, that can affect how a die rolls. See also, rock tumblers.

[Asheram]

I don't have any real superstition, It's just that my dice hate being rolled on a hard surface. (Really, people complain about low rolls when they use my dice, then I tell them to roll onto a soft surface, and they're quite surprised over the difference)

[SurvivorX]

Me (the DM) and the party bard are the only ones who have our own sets of dice that we bring to the table (the fighter has a set also, but he never brings them).

One white d20 that the bard player has, is noted for always rolling very low. To our knowledge, it's a fair die. My orange one is also noted for being fairly mediocre most of the time, but the white one always rolls low. He avoids using it like the plague - I suspect that the reason he doesn't just stop bringing it, is so that none of his other dice take its place.

Also, we try to avoid spells, weapons and other such things that require us to roll 1d4s. For some reason, d4s hate us with the fiery passion of a burning sun. I think we've rolled more 1s on d4s than we've ever had to roll d10s, and I can certainly count our 4s on one hand.

The party sorceror, with his d4 hit dice and his Constitution penalty, always has a really hard time with his HP rolls each level. I think he gained 2 HP at level 4, since he rolled a 3 and he had already put his new ability score point towards Constitution (thus bringing the penalty down to -1). I believe that's the only time he's ever gained more than 1 HP from leveling up.

I've recommended Toughness for him as a feat before, but for some reason he hates himself and keeps taking ridiculous stuff like Blind-Fight and Exotic Weapon Proficiency (Iron Rake). True story, but now I'm starting to get off-topic...sorry...

[Anonymouswizard]

That dice you got a critical threat with? Don't use it for the conformation roll, swap it for somebody else's, preferably the DMs. It will roll low. Even if you crit threat on a 11.

[Sleepingbear]

A few people have mentioned that they like leaving their dice with the highest value face up. I often do this as well although I haven't applied any reason or justification to it.

Between turns I often find myself habitually rolling dice. I'll usually notice this after I've rolled something high. When I do, I won't stop rolling until I've had a streak of low rolls in order for the dice to 'get it out of its system'. I'll warm up my dice at the start of a session in a similar fashion.

[Emmerask]

A primal scream on an important roll works wonders

[Sila Prirode]

When we play (me DM) are usually a bit distanced from others dice. It's a habit from my older group, all of the PC dice are together, so they mingle, and in that way we encourage cooperation, teamwork, and good rolls (dice that roll bad are put there so the other dice can offer advice, and back her up when it's needed).
Dm dice are separate, because they need to be elite, above others while they play. That way we show that the DM is in charge, and he has the last word.

For facing up, I tend to put the highest number up, so the dice that aren't used encourage the one(s) that is(are) used.

[Telonius]

My orange one is also noted for being fairly mediocre most of the time

I bought several packs of discounted dice from the WotC store as it was going out of business. I swear they put a hex on those orange d20s - they never seem to roll well for me.

The yellow d12s are another story - whenever I'm playing Barbarian or Knight, I use those.

[Sleepingbear]

I bought several packs of discounted dice from the WotC store as it was going out of business. I swear they put a hex on those orange d20s - they never seem to roll well for me.

The yellow d12s are another story - whenever I'm playing Barbarian or Knight, I use those.

Hmmm. Might be something to this. Are you using them to play 3.5 or 4th edition?