The only die that you really need more than one of is the humble d6.
d20 - handy to have two, so you can roll attacks or checks with advantage/disadvantage.
d12 - only need one.
d10 - handy to have two (different colours) so you can generate a percent number if needed. Note some dice sets have two d10s in anyway, with one of them being a tens (ie. 10, 20, 30, 40 instead of 1, 2, 3, 4....)
d8 - only need one, but there are some class features and spells that need multiple (looking at you here paladins).
d6 - generally speaking 2 of these is sufficient for most things unless you're playing a high level spell caster.
d4 - you can get by with one, unless you cast magic missile (or similar) spells a lot, in which case you may want 4 or 5 of these.
d4 - you can get by with one, unless you cast magic missile (or similar) spells a lot, in which case you may want 4 or 5 of these.
Magic Missile only has one damage roll, since it damages multiple targets simultaneously. Normally it doesn't matter which way you do it, but it makes a big difference with class features like Empowered Evocation.
If you use Vicious Mockery you'll definitely want two past level 5.
When it comes to D&D, I just keep 2 sets on hand (right now that's the 6-piece set from the Starter Set which doesn't have the tens-digit d10, and the Tomb of Annihilation 10-piece dice set which has a total of 4d6). That's enough dice to roll some things together to speed up resolution, not enough dice to take up too much space on the table, and plenty of dice to handle even the highest levels of spells by re-rolling a few dice (which isn't any slower, in my experience, than rounding up the actual number of dice needed and then rolling and counting them all).
If you are fairly new to the game, and are US based, you could go for the Dice of Rolling - there are similar sets being offered by others, but I believe these were the first set like this (started as a kickstarter last year). The set is available for international delivery, but you will pay additional taxes so may be quite expensive.
Set contains 29 dice plus a decent dice bag:
1 x percentile dice (d10 with the numbers going up in tens)
d4 - you can get by with one, unless you cast magic missile (or similar) spells a lot, in which case you may want 4 or 5 of these.
Magic Missile only has one damage roll, since it damages multiple targets simultaneously. Normally it doesn't matter which way you do it, but it makes a big difference with class features like Empowered Evocation.
If you use Vicious Mockery you'll definitely want two past level 5.
Thanks - I always forget that! After playing D&D for 25 years - haven't played a character that casts Magic Missile on 5e. D'oh!
How high do you want to make your tower? How good are your fine motor skills?
How reliable are your friends at remembering to bring their own sets? How often do you miss the table when rolling? A combat round is 6 seconds, and yet you spend 20 of them scrabbling under the table for that errant D20. Not Cool.
Lastly, a sack (or sock) of dice makes an excellent sap in a pinch.
However many dice you decide on, for the love of Paladine, make sure you have the correct ones ready when it is your turn. Don't be like that person in the supermarket who queues for 20 minutes (complaining about it loudly in the hope it might help) and then seems surprised when the cashier asks them to pay, requiring 5 minutes searching for a purse in order to complete the encounter. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!
It depends on what class you're playing and how your character is set up and equipped. I have way too many dice and I decide how many to pull out each session based on what I'll be doing. I always have enough dice on the table so that I never need to roll the same die twice in one round of combat. I also make it a point of not having so many dice that I never use some of them.
But, as far as how many dice do you need? You need one of each. The rest just make things more fun.
Realistically one set will do you (actually just 6; d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, the 7th die is a d10 with the 10s value on it directly).
Typically for faster play however more is useful to prevent repeated rolling. So extra d4s (low damage hits and healing potions), d6s (typical for stats and spells), d8 (typical for healing), d10 (for percentile or big damage spells) and an extra d20 (for multiple attacks) can greatly assist things.
Most dice would be 40d6 I believe for meteor swarm (though you really dont need that many otherwise, and unless you play Shadowrun and supply most peoples dice it is overkill)
Surprisingly you can actually get past with just 3 at the minimum (with some math); d8, d12, and d20. d8 for d4 (d8/2) or d8 d12 for d4 (d12/3) or d6 (d12/2) or d12 d20 for d4 (d20/5) or d10 (d20/2) or d20
With D&D most people do not ask how much do I need, but how much do I desire.
I have been trying to convince myself that I do NOT need a full set of liquid filled dice. Nor do I need a "All in One" die that can be used for any existing type - especially as that die is hard to read.
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i know there is 7 main types of dice ... but how many of each type should one have ready to use in a game? what is the most dice used for a spell?
I usually get by with four copies of each dice and then maybe make sure I have enough d6 to get to 10d6 after that.
The only die that you really need more than one of is the humble d6.
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If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
Having two of each kind of die is really useful, and you'll want extra d6s if you're a spellcaster (see e.g. Fireball).
I always follow the rule that you look at what sort of dice you are likely to need, the double that amount (in case of critical rolls).
When it comes to D&D, I just keep 2 sets on hand (right now that's the 6-piece set from the Starter Set which doesn't have the tens-digit d10, and the Tomb of Annihilation 10-piece dice set which has a total of 4d6). That's enough dice to roll some things together to speed up resolution, not enough dice to take up too much space on the table, and plenty of dice to handle even the highest levels of spells by re-rolling a few dice (which isn't any slower, in my experience, than rounding up the actual number of dice needed and then rolling and counting them all).
There are also online dice rollers that you can use. As a bonus some keep a record!
If you are fairly new to the game, and are US based, you could go for the Dice of Rolling - there are similar sets being offered by others, but I believe these were the first set like this (started as a kickstarter last year). The set is available for international delivery, but you will pay additional taxes so may be quite expensive.
Set contains 29 dice plus a decent dice bag:
1 x percentile dice (d10 with the numbers going up in tens)
2 x d12
2 x d20
4 x d4 (Healing Word ahoy!)
5 x d8 (Useful for Paladin Divine Smite)
5 x d10 (Useful for Banishing Smite)
10 x d6 (useful for Fireball)
This would cover most non-crit dice rolls you would do in 5e.
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Pun-loving nerd | She/Her/Hers | Profile art by Becca Golins
If you need help with homebrew, please post on the homebrew forums, where multiple staff and moderators can read your post and help you!
"We got this, no problem! I'll take the twenty on the left - you guys handle the one on the right!"🔊
How high do you want to make your tower? How good are your fine motor skills?
How reliable are your friends at remembering to bring their own sets?
How often do you miss the table when rolling? A combat round is 6 seconds, and yet you spend 20 of them scrabbling under the table for that errant D20. Not Cool.
Lastly, a sack (or sock) of dice makes an excellent sap in a pinch.
However many dice you decide on, for the love of Paladine, make sure you have the correct ones ready when it is your turn. Don't be like that person in the supermarket who queues for 20 minutes (complaining about it loudly in the hope it might help) and then seems surprised when the cashier asks them to pay, requiring 5 minutes searching for a purse in order to complete the encounter. AAAARRRRGGGGHHHHH!
Roleplaying since Runequest.
Get a set then look at your class you will be playing and grab more for that class
example
paladin, pick up a bunch of d4s in a unique colour and while you have bless up, hand them out to players as reminders.
gonna have fireball, grab a bunch of d6 so you can roll all 8 of them at once.
It depends on what class you're playing and how your character is set up and equipped. I have way too many dice and I decide how many to pull out each session based on what I'll be doing. I always have enough dice on the table so that I never need to roll the same die twice in one round of combat. I also make it a point of not having so many dice that I never use some of them.
But, as far as how many dice do you need? You need one of each. The rest just make things more fun.
Professional computer geek
I just get a Pound-O-Dice and then I don't have to worry about how many I need.
Realistically one set will do you (actually just 6; d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, the 7th die is a d10 with the 10s value on it directly).
Typically for faster play however more is useful to prevent repeated rolling.
So extra d4s (low damage hits and healing potions), d6s (typical for stats and spells), d8 (typical for healing), d10 (for percentile or big damage spells) and an extra d20 (for multiple attacks) can greatly assist things.
Most dice would be 40d6 I believe for meteor swarm (though you really dont need that many otherwise, and unless you play Shadowrun and supply most peoples dice it is overkill)
Surprisingly you can actually get past with just 3 at the minimum (with some math); d8, d12, and d20.
d8 for d4 (d8/2) or d8
d12 for d4 (d12/3) or d6 (d12/2) or d12
d20 for d4 (d20/5) or d10 (d20/2) or d20
- Loswaith
"Not all those who wander are lost"
The Dice of Rolling set is exactly what I was looking for! Thanks for the tip!
My friend says that he will only stop buying dice when the kiddie pool is full of them.
With D&D most people do not ask how much do I need, but how much do I desire.
I have been trying to convince myself that I do NOT need a full set of liquid filled dice. Nor do I need a "All in One" die that can be used for any existing type - especially as that die is hard to read.