< User:Cedric

User:Cedric/Dicems

This shim isn't for anyone but DMs. Otherwise, may the grim reaper hover over you at night, waiting...

Dice theory

Platonic solids can't be surpassed for their perfect symmetry, which gives no bias from the universe. They're practically "invisible" to the forces which contend for the dice roll. Hence, they're perfect for players to use in-game. They're not as perfect for DMs who, by representing the universe, need the demi-gods to speak to them. They do this through the dice.

These help the DM bring in information that they'd otherwise need to make up from scratch. Here, the work is done for you, by tuning into these other forces and setting them down, so that you, the DM, don't need to.

Since dungeon masters are holding and representing the whole universe, they get extra power-dice: d16, d24, d30, d60, d120, d360. These special, non-symmetrical dice allow more divine forces to come to bear. For large number dice of about 60 and above, you can roll it in your palm and turn your hand over, placing it down on the table.

4s are related to the soul's order of dominant traits while sixes integrate these with the universe. Eights are when life and death are in the same double-souled beings.

XXXOut-of-game (like artificial character background generation) d10s are used. But the real magic, comes in using special dice that are not platonic, yet have equal faces all around.

d16: PC-NPC meetups

A PC and NPC meet on the road. There's no boxed text, no screenplay written, telling what the interaction should entail. What's a DM going to do?

d16 doesn't seem like much of a power die, but it has uses for DMs, because they generate the universe, while players live in it.

Can roll one for each person, evens are protagonistic, odds are antagonistic

Protagonistic just meeans that they have a friendly disposition towards you. They may or may not be friendly to your cause (that they don't know yet) or a true ally. That is what further dialog (d30s) must figure out.

Likewise, Antagonistic doesn't mean theyr enemies. They could be busy on not very interested in talking, oppositely-aligned on some benign dimension, karmically associated with some casualty you made in your (mis)adventures.

Lower eight numbers (1-8), means the player is subordinate (all (or most) as less than the player's level), higher 8 player is (one or more above their level)

If players go around killing every negative disposition, pretty soon the gravity in the soul will direct new types of NPCs into their area -- whereever they are. This always happens and you can use this to build it -- the only variable is how long it will take. Energetically, this is a factor of how much discord they made in the soul. If half of their kills were righteous to the soul, then it won't take as long as if all of them were merely busy with a soul need elsewhere (like some sorcerer draining their communities soul somewhere). May the dice be with you.

d24: object interactions

A 3x8, then 4x6 (both =24) interaction window.... roll it up to 4 times to see the different forces influencing the object. The first die to match what you know is most influential, the remainder in decreasing order.

  • first set of 8 (1-8) mundane interactions (things you could use it for for it's outward/obvious appearances),
  • the second set of 8: entangled interactions (magical interactions, karma/history on the item, etc.), and
  • the last 8 (17-24) godly interactions...

Someoen else may need to divine the 4x6 interactions Dot a modulo x6X<< to see which expanded alchemical element influences the object.XXno modulo 6: 0. goddess support (from below) 1. civil or applied influences 2. demigods 3. manufacturing 4. ?? 5. pressure from the gods (from above)

d30: NPC dialog

NPC interactions can be hard to imagine. So this die helps the DM generate dialog from the NPCs to the player, so that they’re not stumbling over themselves or sounding bland. There are three major groups, and the evens/odds.

  • 1-10: NPC’s internal, mundane, or personal world
  • 11-20: NPC-PC shared topics
  • 21-30: NPCs connection to ideals or demigods above.

Use evens for going into new conversation loops (a sub-conversation in the midst of another larger topic with the same individual), while odds close down opened conversations. In other words, if you roll an even, expand or open up more conversational dialog, perhaps asking a question. If you roll odd, eschew conversation if you just started, or close down your sub-conversations that you started.

That covers have of the roll-diversity. Mod 3 to determine: 0. they terminate with a question 1. they say something ambiguous 2. they terminate with a statement XXX?

  • 5, 15, 25 can be transitional between the three categories above. If you roll any of these, you can jump to any other, but you don't have to.
  • 10, 20, 30 can be an optional fork in the dialog: 10) a different chain of thought bursts in 20) a lull in the dialog, or 30) something from the environment interrupts the flow.

The categories can be interpreted liberally. For example, rolling a 30, can be something like “Welp, unless there’s anything else, I’m going to get back to my work. Cherio!”. Where work can be something s/he considers significant to the gods, in some way, while the "unless there's something else" allows an option to continue or not.STUB

d40: landscape generation

This is inside of the maps, but at lower-level scales where the map has no detail. d50 might be better, since we're not actually GENERATING new reality (i.e. the map already exists).

STUB: Not sure if this is the right die for this. or perhaps use the scent (air from water), light (light from darkness), hearing (day from night), and touch (earth from the heavens) (as the four dimensions of orgnanims.

forest, glade/meadow, dungeon, cave, sea, alpine, rocky shore?sandy beach each have their own tables. The d40 can be decomposed to a d4 for the elements (+1 for nothing) and a d10 where the gods generate the perspective seen (unless seen before by another).

insects (and new veg life) belong to the water element, flowers (possibly bones) to the fire element, sticks and dead matter to the earth element, rock and dung to the air element.

  • 0,0 nothing
  • a stick
  • a rock (ice if alpine)
  • a bone or set of bones (roll for state of decay)
  • a flower
  • an herb
  • a bug
  • a log
  • a bit of bark (which may have beetles and such depending on the state of the Underdark)
  • a sapling
  • dung
  • a lost trinket, a primitive weapon
  • an old bit of leather nearly assimilated into the dirt
  • a faint trail (DC 25 to see it or DC25-LVL for an explorer)
  • a slot for an unknown (campaign, NPC, or object injection)
  • an animal trail (DC20 to see it DC20-LVL for explorer)
  • a dirt trail (
  • worn path


sea: flotsam floating leaf m

d52: event generation

4 quads: 1-13, 14-26, 27-39, 40-52

If for a one-shot, roll twice. If you get the same suit, you get a special treasure-hunting event. If you get the exact result, you get the super-boss, capable of defeating the players (if they were to try to kill).

Something involving one or more of the following:

  • hearts: 1-10: animals, birds, fish, simple peasants; 11-13: higher-level bosses of same
  • clubs: ruffians, bandits, warlocks, magicians;
  • diamonds: traders, civic workers,; leaders(mayors), master craftslan,
  • spades: underworld characters: orcs, goblins, skeletons, ghouls, (roll again to see if its a true underdark NPC: chuuls, cthulhu, demons, etc). The present VALENCE of the realm determines how difficult/nunmbers/darkness.

d360: real-world/fantasy-world integration

The d360 is a very special die: it represents and speaks for the GOD/DESS over all-that-is. It is omni-gendered, omni-present being, just like a circle has 360 degrees and covers or encloses everything. Demi-gods are somewhere beneath the 360, and DM should use the d60 to represent them (or less in the case of most evil gods -- do note that most nature based "evil" beings are really just chaotic expressions of the goddess side of this all-that-is).

The actual power of the demi-gods related to this d360, all-that-is, is that they really vie for one of the quadrants that made the shape of man (and animals) with 4 limbs. But, since they never can reach consensus on WHO should "own" and control any of these quadrants, it generally takes the shape of a d60 -- six different, overlapping powers, in tension.

Every face above 180 (or is it the evens?) is real-world dominant. This means everything below this (or odd) is fantasy-world dominant.

Rolled once per campaign to set a mood for the encounter and to add single token to the balance. The DM might track these to look for larger patterns.

Each number except 1-5 can be represented by some combination of d60 rolls. All 1s Like a being of all-that-is, the results of the d360 range from the profound to the seemingly mundane, but can be used by the DM to work with the mechanic to simulate a GOD over the whole realm (WotC, right?). In theory, Ravenloft would be a 45 degree range somewhere in the 360 which could move around if something significant happened in the reams (an actual death of the 5-headed dragon, fro example). For this example, the range will be placed between 225 to 270. If you're presently in Ravenloft, many of these rolls will need to be "darkened" and re-interpreted for that domain. For example, there is never sunlight in that domain (unless you find the secret ending).

  • 1. Earthquake. The Earth splits open before you. Roll to see how deep the
  • 2. A human materializes in front of you and wants to know what you're doing. They are from somewhere in your current real-life universe, but can astrally project into your game world.
  • 3. A demi-planar entity is revealed to you (perhaps a demi-god which seeks a relationship) and/or perhaps delivers you a message.
  • 4. An elemental (of the woods, sea, etc.) gives your body a code, which you feel with significance, but whose meaning perhaps eludes you (i.e. at the moment, yes?). You may feel it in your present real-life body.
  • 5. a war party of some kind charges at you. (remember to figure out the leaders/factions involved, who knows how to divine it, yet?) (5)
  • 6. Nothing at all happens, the world is still and time as stopped, but for a moment. Note your feelings in the vastness of infinite stillness (6d60, all 1s)
  • 7. and above....
  • 133?: Your food rations take a little bit tastier today.
  • 180. One of the players should state their real-life name to King Hekaton, Giant of the North. "King Hekaton, I am Peter McDaniel, player of Krog the Warrior in the realms. They must find a shrine (Shrine of the All-Father?), in which to do so properly. If they already did so, as you might have read this aloud, they should write it down and leave it for him when the time comes as a note.
  • 181: One of the players must state their character`s name to their god in the game world. "I am Krog the Destroyer, Master of the Blade", or (lower-level) "I am Kris, Seeker of Truth and Virtue".
  • 182: The party states to the DM, its purpose for playing.
  • 183: The party must address itself to Spirit of the Forest and state their purpose for being in the lands of the Forgotten Realms.
  • 190:
  • 200:
  • 210: ?you take something from the fantasy world, and put it into ours, removing it from the fantasy side
  • 220:
  • 225: (Raveloft start): A mist appears over the ground this morning. At this point the players might enter the subdomain of Ravenloft through the misty beginning scenario.
  • 226:
  • 270: (Ravenloft end): The clouds lift up and the sky is filled with nice sunny clouds on this crisp, cool day.
  • 359:
  • 360: After the game, go outside and do something that is related to your class. IF you're a leader class, go to your city hall and learn something about your government. IF you're a fighter, enroll in boxing class, or simply go to the gym.

d120: diamond production/madness effects, campaign generation

For producing diamonds in the realms:

This die injects new currency effectively into the realms, by using the DM to do work. The DM (or Dreamer class) can inject diamonds into the realms by rolling this die. 1d120 per carat desired. That means you have to roll 8 of these simultaneously and get the top roll, 120, to get an 8ct diamond. The chances of this are 1:43,000,000,000,000,000. Fortunately, this difficulaty can be mitigated, by the dreamer or DM locking in a dice at the expense of a LVL (which can return once they get the item desired) to have a chance to get larger items.

In order to hold 3 dice locked in place, they have to forfeit 3 levels. If they try to cheat the system by locking in only one level until they get the highest roll, they get bad luck (disadvantage rolls) until they finish their gemstone rolling. It is generally better just to forfeit the levels as you get the dice roll you want. One can substitute a "close" roll for a defect in the stone. The further away the number from a perfect 120, the greater the defect.

For madness effects:

To do madness properly the DM has to lie to the players, in order for cool effects like hallucinations to work. This makes them question their own judgement or whether they understand what's going on properly.

Every round the DM should roll a d120 and depending on the result of the roll, determine which player (given their present state) the roll is talking to. If the roll doesn't seem to apply to anyone, the landscape around them changes in some way.

1: they see ground ahead of them, but there's actually a hole. If you're in the Abyss, this means they fall down a cravasse to their death. Thems the breaks for being in the Underdark. 10: 20: 30: 40: 50: 60: You lose a madness level, but they don't know it. 120: You lose a madness level.

Campaign generation: (belongs in the DMG)

Separated into 12s. Generally each side brings up to 6 elements to the table.

1-12: the campaign

d360: real-world/fantasy-world integration

The d360 is a very special die: it represents and speaks for the GOD/DESS over all-that-is. It is omni-gendered, omni-present being, just like a circle has 360 degrees and covers or encloses everything. Demi-gods are somewhere beneath the 360, and DM should use the d60 to represent them (or less in the case of most evil gods -- do note that most nature based "evil" beings are really just chaotic expressions of the goddess side of this all-that-is).

The actual power of the demi-gods related to this d360, all-that-is, is that they really vie for one of the quadrants that made the shape of man (and animals) with 4 limbs. But, since they never can reach consensus on WHO should "own" and control any of these quadrants, it generally takes the shape of a d60 -- six different, overlapping powers, in tension.

Every face above 180 (or is it the evens?) is real-dominant. This means everything below this (or odd) is fantasy- dominant or dream world.

Rolled once per campaign to set a mood for the encounter and to add single token to the balance. The DM might track these to look for larger patterns.

I'm contemplating an idea where a person can be their own DM and play by themself. They'd roll a d60 and look up on a table what happens. In NPC battles, they could roll for their opponent. Things that they enter, like dungeons or castles, would have another dice (like d32) to build the sub-domain as they go. Likewise, once entering a room, four different d20 would give knowledge on the 1) kind of room 2) objects within it 3) any NPCs, and 4) suspicious items (secret doors, etc).

The d32 covers 1 of 4 different types of rooms (div 4 into 8 sequences). Open/light (inviting) vs. closed (user is concealing somet

Each number except 1-5 can be represented by some combination of d60 rolls. All 1s Like a being of all-that-is, the results of the d360 range from the profound to the seemingly mundane, but can be used by the DM to work with the mechanic to simulate a GOD over the whole realm (WotC, right?). In theory, Ravenloft would be a 45 degree range somewhere in the 360 which could move around if something significant happened in the reams (an actual death of the 5-headed dragon, fro example). For this example, the range will be placed between 225 to 270. If you're presently in Ravenloft, many of these rolls will need to be "darkened" and re-interpreted for that domain. For example, there is never sunlight in that domain (unless you find the secret ending).

  • 1. Earthquake. The Earth splits open before you. Roll to see how deep the
  • 2. A human materializes in front of you and wants to know what you're doing. They are from somewhere in your current real-life universe, but can astrally project into your game world.
  • 3. A demi-planar entity is revealed to you (perhaps a demi-god which seeks a relationship) and/or perhaps delivers you a message.
  • 4. An elemental (of the woods, sea, etc.) gives your body a code, which you feel with significance, but whose meaning perhaps eludes you (i.e. at the moment, yes?). You may feel it in your present real-life body.
  • 5. a war party of some kind charges at you. (remember to figure out the leaders/factions involved, who knows how to divine it, yet?) (5)
  • 6. Nothing at all happens, the world is still and time as stopped, but for a moment. Note your feelings in the vastness of infinite stillness (6d60, all 1s)
  • 7. and above....
  • 133?: Your food rations take a little bit tastier today.
  • 176: The morning is crisp and the sound of birds is in the air.
  • 180. One of the players should state their real-life name to King Hekaton, Giant of the North. "King Hekaton, I am Peter McDaniel, player of Krog the Warrior in the realms. They must find a shrine (Shrine of the All-Father?), in which to do so properly. If they already did so, as you might have read this aloud, they should write it down and leave it for him when the time comes as a note.
  • 181: One of the players must state their character`s name to their god in the game world. "I am Krog the Destroyer, Master of the Blade", or (lower-level) "I am Kris, Seeker of Truth and Virtue".
  • 182: The party states to the DM, its purpose for playing.
  • 183: The party must address itself to Spirit of the Forest and state their purpose for being in the lands of the Forgotten Realms.
  • 190:
  • 200:
  • 210: you take something from the fantasy world, and put it into ours, removing it from the fantasy side
  • 220:
  • 225: (Raveloft start): A mist appears over the ground this morning. At this point the players might enter the subdomain of Ravenloft through the misty beginning scenario.
  • 226:
  • 270: (Ravenloft end): The clouds lift up and the sky is filled with nice sunny clouds on this crisp, cool day.
  • 359:
  • 360: After the game, go outside and do something that is related to your class. IF you're a leader class, go to your city hall and learn something about your government. IF you're a fighter, enroll in boxing class, or simply go to the gym.

It may be that there needs to be different dice, one of each color of the chromatic dragon's heads, representing what the configuration of the whole realm is. These could be traded among DMs as their players change major dynamics. Each one can "rotate" (subtract or add) the words above 45 degrees and keep their original "shape", modifyng their wording perhaps when Strahd is dominant, when the white dragon/Hekaton is dominant, like the present 5e era. However, Strahd (orange dragon) is very close and competes with this "GOD"-setup. 

These come in pairs, but the 1000 year war showed that they must also be separate, never together.  If you, as DM, try, expect the land and the elements to crumble together.  Good luck salvaging that mess.
  • Blue dragon/Nordic particularly a Valkayri configuration,
  • Green Dragon/Earth goddess,
  • Yellow dragon/demigods whcih favor the humanoids.
  • Orange dragon/Strahd when man is dominant but Odin when he isn't
  • Red dragon/War gods dominant
  • Purple / Marinehtar: used for when the final endgame of D&D itself is engaged.

Out-of-game (like artificial character background generation) d10s are used. But the real magic, comes in using special dice that are not platonic, yet have equal faces all around.

Calculating DM level

DMs are effectively 5-classed players. That means it takes 5x as much XP to level. Fortunately, they have 5 players, often. So if you have 5 LVL 3 players, you are a LVL 3 DM. Each player should be a different class, otherwise consider their level divided by 2 and every susequent player divided by 2 yet again.

XXXDMs level can be roughly calculated by summing player XP and dividing by 2, plus thier total copper value, plus how many 1 mi hexes of dominion you have over the realms x complexity_modifier. This modifier ranges from 1 to 8 depending on how many stat you have over the realm. Map data, People and population, gods holding dominsion over regions and underworlds, knowledge of human evilish and animal NPCs in different biomes (including dungeons),

5 players 1 = 1 LVL for the DM

gollark: They should publish the grammar as BNF or something.
gollark: I'd assume *not*, since they mostly developed before there was sufficient global communication to make it work nicely.
gollark: Is this just a normal thing for most other languages which English is totally missing?
gollark: English is apparently more hellishly convoluted than most, given its history.
gollark: Really? Wow.
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