DND Dice History

Most gamers prefer to have several sets on hand so they can roll larger dice pools. Hence a gamer rolls all dice at once without needing to re-roll any single die multiple times. For example, most players prefer to have extra 6-sided dice. Four of these are used for rolling up stats for a new character, and for that reason manufacturers used to produce DnD dice sets with 4d6 in them. However, they fell out of favor because a standard 7-set was cheaper.

Dungeons & Dragons (DND)

It is the granddaddy of all role playing games. Accordingly, DND established the standard gaming dice set that has been used by hundreds of RPGs since. When you buy a standard DND dice set it includes the 4-sided die, 6-sided die, 8-sided die, 10-sided die, percentile 10-sided die, 12-sided die, and of course the signature 20-sided die.

These numerous dice types are required for the many different situations that your character will encounter in Dungeons & Dragons. Depending upon the class and race of your character, you roll dice to determine hit-points for a magic or melee attack. A good set of dice is precious, as they determine the ultimate fate of your character.

Dungeons & Dragons has gone through many iterations throughout the decades. Namely, from basic to advanced. Also, from the 2nd edition to the giant 3rd edition D&D revival. There have also been the 3.5, 4th and 5th editions. Throughout all of this, the standard D&D dice set has remained the 7-dice set.

While we use the same dice set today, they are by no means the same dice that was used in the '70's and '80's. Way back in the day, the original D&D boxed sets came with a 7-dice set of plain, opaque dice where you had to color in the numbers yourself, and let me tell you, we here at Awesome Dice are pretty thrilled with how far D&D dice have come since then!

Now rather than those plain mono-color D&D dice we can buy much higher Dungeons and Dragons dice. Today's dice are also heavier and come pre-colored. Today's DnD Dice is limited only by people's imaginations. Translucent D&D dice have been introduced along with speckled dice, dice named after foods; etc. as there is a myriad of premium dice styles available.

Heck, if you really want to show off and have the coolest D&D dice on the planet, you can get metal d&d dice or dice crafted from actual gemstones.

It's a good time to be playing Dungeons and Dragons, the oldest and still largest RPG. It is a great time to buy a D&D dice set.

What Dice Do I Need for DND?

The standard 7-dice set forms the basis for many tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. The 7-dice set consists of a d4 (four-sided dice), d6, d8, d10, d10-percentile, d12, and the d20. Each dice is important and will be used at different times and in different situations, depending on the circumstance your character finds itself in.

The d4 Dice

The d4 dice resembles a pyramid. Also, it is used in several spells found in Dungeons and Dragons. It is also used as the hit die when your character is wielding smaller weapons like clubs and daggers. As an example, if you make an attack with a dagger and the Dungeon Master determines that your attack is a "hit," you'll then roll the d4 to determine if the damage taken by your enemy was a 1, 2, 3, or 4.

Also, be careful not to leave one of these on the floor. Stepping on a d4 will make you wish you had stepped on Legos!

The d6 Dice

The cubic d6 dice is what most people visualize when you say the word, "dice." It has six sides, numbered 1 through 6. The d6 can be used for melee attack rolls, depending on the weapon your character is wielding. It is also used during the character creation process to determine your characters attributes. Some spells may require you to roll multiple d6s. For example, the Feeblemind spell deals 4d6 psychic damage to a target. As another example, the Maul melee weapon deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage. If you only have one d6, you'll need to roll the dice multiple times. Alternatively, you can obtain extra d6s for just such occasions.

The d8 Dice

If you put two d4s together, you'd get something that resembles a d8. The d8 is used for determining damage given by light crossbows and larger melee weapons like the Morningstar and Longsword. Additionally, spells sometimes create one or multiple d8 damage when cast.

The d10 Dice

The d10 has more than one use in D&D. It can be used to determine damage, in the case your character is wielding a large, heavy weapon like a pike or halberd. Additionally, when paired with another d10, the percentile d10 (the one that has faces reading 00, 10, 20, etc), or simply rolling the d10 twice, it can be used to conduct a percentile roll. Percentile rolls are called for if your character has a percentage chance of completing a task. If you are assigned a 55% chance of failing a task, you'll need to roll a 55 or above (50 + 5 or 5 + 5) to succeed at your task.

The d12 Dice

Probably the least-used dice in Dungeons and Dragons, the d12 is used to determine damage in a limited number of weapons. It also comes in handy in a few specific circumstances dealing with time of day or time of year.

The d20 Dice

You'll always want to keep this dice close at hand when playing D&D because you'll use it more than any other piece in the 7-dice set. When attacking with a melee weapon or spell, the dungeon master will let you know the target number you must roll with the d20 in order to "hit" your target. Rolling too low mean you won't deal any damage at all to your opponent.

The d20 is also used in saving throws and ability checks. A high enough roll during a saving throw means your character avoids taking damage from an enemy attack. As an example, a too-low roll during a stealth check means your character's attempt at sneaking past a dozing guard will fail.

Curated Dice Collections by D&D Class

If you are looking for that special set of dice for your character, Awesome Dice has created specially curated dice sets for several of the D&D player classes (more in the works). Select your player's class below to help you find that perfect dice set:

Black Dice

Blue Dice

Clear Dice

Glow in the Dark Dice

Green Dice

Metallic Dice

Orange Dice

Pink Dice

Purple Dice

Red Dice

Yellow Dice

White Dice

Gemstone Dice

Sharp Edge Dice

Specialty Dice

Clearance Items

Brands

Chessex

Q-Workshop

Dungeons & Dragons

Witcher

Call of Cthulhu

Pathfinder

Shadowrun

Vampire

Werewolf

Metal Dice

Accessories

All Accessories

Fabric Dice Bags

Leather Dice Bags

Dice Boxes

Currency

Spectre Magika

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