Four dice, added
With four dice the totals cluster tighter still. Two rolls in three (68%) land between 11 and 17, and all four sixes happens once in 1,296 throws.
| Total | Chance of exactly | Chance of this or more |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 6.2% | 90.3% |
| 12 | 9.6% | 76.1% |
| 14 | 11.3% | 55.6% |
| 16 | 9.6% | 33.6% |
| 18 | 6.2% | 15.9% |
| 20 | 2.7% | 5.4% |
| 22 | 0.8% | 1.2% |
| 24 | 0.1% | 0.1% |
The curve is mirrored around 14: a 12 is as likely as a 16, and a 4 as rare as a 24.
4d6, drop the lowest
The most common way to roll D&D ability scores is four d6, throw away the lowest, and add the other three. Do it six times and you have a character. Dropping the low die lifts the average from 10.5 to 12.24, and an 18 comes up 1.6% of the time instead of 0.5%. The stat roller does exactly that, all six rows at once, with the dropped die struck through.
4d6 damage in D&D
- Critical hits. A crit doubles the damage dice. A greatsword's 2d6 becomes 4d6, and a rogue's Sneak Attack dice double along with it.
- Guiding Bolt. The 1st-level cleric spell deals 4d6 radiant damage, 14 on average.
- Ice Storm. 2d8 bludgeoning plus 4d6 cold.
Set the count above and roll the big one. For mixed rolls like 2d8+4d6, use the dice calculator or the main roller. One die at a time lives on the d6 page; three dice on the 3d6 roller.
Spells that roll 4d6
Base damage in the SRD, before upcasting or cantrip levels.
- Guiding Bolt (1st level)
- Dimension Door (4th level)
Questions
What does 4d6 mean?
Four six-sided dice, added together. The first number is how many dice, the second is how many sides. So 4d6 totals anywhere from 4 to 24. The Dice Notation Guide covers the rest.
What is the average of 4d6?
Fourteen. Each d6 averages 3.5, and four of them make 14. It is also the single most likely total, about 11.3% of rolls.
What does 4d6 drop lowest mean?
Roll four d6, set aside the lowest die, and add the other three. It is the usual way to roll D&D ability scores. The result runs from 3 to 18 and averages 12.24. The stat roller does all six scores at once.
What are the odds of rolling 24 on 4d6?
One in 1,296, about 0.08%: every die has to show a 6. A 20 or more comes up 5.4% of the time.
What are the odds of at least one 6 on four dice?
About 51.8%, a little better than even. The chance of no 6 at all is (5/6) to the fourth power, 48.2%.
Is this 4d6 roller fair?
Yes. Each die comes from your browser's cryptographic random number generator with no bias towards any face, and every die is shown before it is added.