The funny-sided dice are no different in function from the six-siders we're used to seeing while playing Monopoly or Yahtzee--they factor random chance into the game. Will you be able to leap that 12-foot pit? How skilled are you with your bow? Where do the arrows strike the enemy? Can you convince the guard to let you into the keep? Do you manage to leap behind the boulder as the wizard's fireball spell explodes at your feet? How many hit points do you gain at every level advancement?

Each of these rolls are modified your character's skill, however, so a strong character will have a greater chance to succeed at strength-based activities (but there's always the chance you can make a mistake).

There are six commonly used dice that make up a full set. They are the D4, D6, D8, D10, D12, and D20. Players sometimes roll percentile dice (two D10s) to make up a random number from 1-100, and sometimes even D3s are rolled (A D6 result divided by two).

Last updated on June 7, 2008 by RPG Ike