Nine Solids and What They Are For
Every die in the set, one at a time. What it is, what it looks like, and the moment at the table it was made for.
Dice are written in dX notation, where d means die and X is the number of sides. Nine shapes cover nearly everything D&D asks you to roll. Here they are, smallest to largest, with the job each one does. Rules and damage dice are from the SRD 5.2 [1].
d2
The Coin of Destiny
This "die" is more philosophical debate than physical object. Technically two-sided, but any coin from your pouch does the same work. Heads or tails, life or death: flip it and let fate, or your rogue's questionable morals, decide.
Real d2s do exist, rounded so three faces roll as one side [2]. Nobody at your table owns one.
d3
The Forgotten Roller
A chonky triangular tube with rounded edges [2], and the odd duck of the dice world. Rarely seen in the wild; most adventurers roll a d6 and read 1–2 as 1, 3–4 as 2, 5–6 as 3, because maths is the real magic. If you ever spot one, roll it quickly before it vanishes back into legend.
d4
The Rogue's Caltrop
The dreaded d4: equal parts die and foot trap. This little tetrahedron is tiny, but it packs a punch, especially when stepped on at two in the morning. It lands point up, so you read the number at the tip or the base, depending on the set.
Essential for daggers (1d4), magic missile (three darts of 1d4 + 1) and a Potion of Healing (2d4 + 2) [1].
d6
The Old Reliable
The noble cube. Used by gamblers, kings and kobolds alike, the d6 is the Swiss Army knife of dice: shortswords, maces, Sneak Attack, and eight of them at once for fireball [1]. It never goes out of style. Simple, elegant, and dangerous in multiples.
Reading the Notation 2d6 means roll two six-sided dice and add them. The number in front is how many; the number after the d is how many sides. No number in front means one. 1d8+3 means roll one d8 and add 3.
Why multiples matter. One d6 is flat: every face is 1 in 6. Two d6s bunch in the middle, because there are more ways to make 7 than 2.
| 2d6 total | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ways to roll it | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Chance | 3% | 6% | 8% | 11% | 14% | 17% | 14% | 11% | 8% | 6% | 3% |
Eight d6s bunch even harder: a fireball averages 28, lands between 22 and 34 eight times in ten, and rolls its maximum of 48 about once in 1.7 million casts.
d8
Double Pyramids, Double Trouble
This eight-sided stinger looks like two d4s smooched base to base. Reserved for weapons that really hurt (longsword, rapier, battleaxe, all 1d8) and for the Hit Point Die of exactly half the classes: Bard, Cleric, Druid, Monk, Rogue and Warlock [1].
d10
The Deca-Duelist
Ten kite-shaped faces of probability. Often working in pairs to produce percentages, the d10 is the bard of the dice set: stylish, versatile, and occasionally confusing. It fuels the heavy crossbow and the wizard's fire bolt (both 1d10), and it is the Hit Point Die for Fighters, Paladins and Rangers [1]. Comes standard with your kit, but might sneak off to join a circus if you are not paying attention.
Percentile Roll two d10s, one for tens and one for units: a 4 and a 7 is 47, and double zero is read as 100 [3].
d12
The Forgotten Champion
Twelve sides of underused glory. It rolls like a dream, feels wonderful in the hand, and still gets picked last at the initiative lineup. Do not sleep on the d12: it fuels the greataxe (1d12), and it is the Barbarian's Hit Point Die [1]. The barbarian's best friend, after rage and meat.
d20
The Chosen One
The legendary icosahedron. Twenty faces, one fate. Every ability check, saving throw and attack roll is a "D20 Test" [1], so whether you are critting like a god or failing a Persuasion check so badly you get thrown out of the same tavern twice, the d20 is the heartbeat of every session.
All hail the natural 20: on an attack roll it hits no matter the target's AC, and a natural 1 misses no matter your bonus [1]. Each comes up 1 time in 20, or 5%. With Advantage (roll two, keep the higher) your chance of a natural 20 nearly doubles, to 9.75%.
d100
The Orb of Uncertainty
Behold the Zocchihedron: Lou Zocchi's 1985 glorified gumball, about 1.5 inches across, with 100 flattened spots and the nickname "Zocchi's Golfball" [4]. It is a bit dramatic, and yes, it rolls for days; later versions hid weights inside to make it stop sooner [4]. Most mortals use two d10s and call it a day. Rolling this beast is an act of divine chaos.
The Set at a Glance
| Die | Average | Chance of max | Classic job |
|---|---|---|---|
| d2 | 1.5 | 50% | yes or no |
| d3 | 2 | 33% | a d6 wearing a disguise |
| d4 | 2.5 | 25% | dagger, magic missile |
| d6 | 3.5 | 17% | shortsword, fireball |
| d8 | 4.5 | 12.5% | longsword, rapier |
| d10 | 5.5 | 10% | heavy crossbow, fire bolt, percentile |
| d12 | 6.5 | 8% | greataxe |
| d20 | 10.5 | 5% | every D20 Test |
| d100 | 50.5 | 1% | wild tables and random loot |
The average of any fair die is (sides + 1) ÷ 2. Handy when the monster has 40 hit points and you want to know how many fireballs that is. (Two, probably. Roll anyway.)
Roll Any of Them
Every die on this page, d2 to d100, is on the roller. For dice that bounce, try the 3D table.
This post is also a free booklet: download the PDF.
Table Talk
James: The d20 is my favourite die. It has betrayed me more than anyone I know.
Arthur: Five percent of the time. A natural 1 comes up 1 time in 20. Same as a natural 20.
James: Then why does it feel like every roll?
Arthur: Because you remember the ones. With Advantage, your natural 20 chance nearly doubles, to 9.75%. Take the help.
James: I'd rather be the guy who misses the goblin and falls off the cart. Better story.
Arthur: Better story, worse fighter. Here is the tip: the average of any fair die is sides plus one, halved. A d8 averages 4.5. Eight d6s average 28.
James: So a fireball does 28 and the monster has 40?
Arthur: Two fireballs, probably.
James: Roll anyway.
References
- Wizards of the Coast (2025). System Reference Document 5.2.1: "D20 Tests", "Rolling 20 or 1", "Advantage/Disadvantage", class Core Traits tables, Weapons table, Fire Bolt, Fireball, Magic Missile, Potion of Healing. CC-BY-4.0. https://www.dndbeyond.com/srd
- Gbur, G. (2017). "The geometry of weird-shaped dice." Skulls in the Stars. https://skullsinthestars.com/2017/03/09/the-geometry-of-weird-shaped-dice/
- "Pentagonal trapezohedron." Wikipedia (d10 use and percentile reading). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pentagonal_trapezohedron
- "Zocchihedron." Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zocchihedron
