Dice Superstitions: During The Game
Set the scene:
Imagine arriving in a den of dangerous dragons that could eat you at any moment. Your group was able to arrive when the dragons are taking their daily nap, but you’re still surrounded by dozens of giant lizards. The DM says, “roll for stealth”, and then things go south…fast. Barbarian rolls a 10, Rogue somehow rolled an 8 with expertise, and Paladin isn’t helping anyone with that armor. Maybe the sorcerer was right about the dice being cursed tonight…
Specific Situations
Sometimes the situation just requires the right tool for the job. Setting aside certain sets for certain situations is one way of preserving/adding the good luck as well making the dice match the scene. What could be cooler than being in a lava cavern pulling out ice blue set? Not. Set the scene and the luck may flow your way.
DM-ing, I tend to match the color, or name, of the set I use to the monster I’m working with. For example, using grey dice to roll for a grey ooze or using blood splatter dice for rolling for the Queen of Hearts.
Taking A Break
Dice get performance shy as well as can get tired of rolling high. When you have a die that was rolling well, but is no longer, set it to the side and put a substitute in for a few rolls. The break can make the die appreciate you more, as well as send the message that they can be replaced if needed. Rule by kindness and intimidation with your dice.
I used a brand-new set that was rolling terribly, and I put it to the side. After 3 rolls with another set, I gave them another chance and they rolled a 16. It works!
Don’t Sit Idle
Once you have a high roller, do not use another die. Hot is hot, don’t let it cool down by not using it. Dice can lose their momentum, so to keep the high rolls coming, keep encouraging them and rewarding them by continuing to roll them.
Play Face
An extremely common dice superstition is that you should place the die with the highest facing up. This is another one that you should be consistent with what works best for your collection. Players who keep the highest value visible on top typically believe that it gets the dice used to being in that position, manifesting more Nat 20s and high damage rolls. I tend to roll with superstition in the middle. I believe that they shouldn’t be on the highest because it will make them shy. Instead, I keep them on a double-digit number to get them used to being a decent number that my modifiers can help boost. This reduces the performance stress on the die in question.
Acceptance
Unfortunately, there are going to be some sessions that are just cursed, for either the players, DM, or both. This is completely normal, but it can suck. This is a good opportunity to instead focus on roleplay moments. Turn that 4 Dexterity saving throw into you accidentally getting distracted by the bard’s out-of-place sharp note (because they failed their performance with a 7) and tripping over your own feet. It’s okay though because the dragon’s lightning breath hasn’t recharged in 6 rounds because the DM can’t roll a 5 or 6.
To turn this around, the dice just a week of vacation. If possible, you could try to have everyone switch out their dice to something else to give the others a break. If this is not possible, try talking to the dice. It’s possible to try and convince them, but this is usually slim. Which means there’s a chance…
Share your dice superstitions in our discord channel with other dice goblins. We’d love to hear about what you do with your dice, and maybe they’ll show up in the Journals!