D&D Dice Explained: What Each Die Does and How to Choose a Set

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Pick up a set of Dungeons & Dragons dice and the shapes immediately tell you this is not an ordinary board game. Each die does a different job, and knowing which one to reach for makes a session run much more smoothly. If you’re preparing for your very first game, read our first D&D session checklist. For the difference between class-specific tins, see the Beadle & Grimm’s dice comparison.

The six shapes you’ll use most

The d20 is the familiar twenty-sided die used for many attacks, ability checks and saving throws. The smaller dice often determine damage, healing or other game effects, depending on the feature you are using.

  • d4: four sides, often used for smaller damage or healing rolls.
  • d6: six sides, common in damage rolls and many other tabletop games.
  • d8: eight sides, used by numerous weapons and class features.
  • d10: ten sides. Two ten-sided dice can also be used for percentile rolls when one marks tens and the other units.
  • d12: twelve sides, frequently associated with heavy weapon damage.
  • d20: twenty sides, central to many D&D success-or-failure rolls.

The exact die and number rolled are always determined by your character sheet, the applicable rules and your game master. A die is a tool, not a rule on its own.

Why do some sets have more dice than others?

A compact polyhedral starter set covers the basic shapes, but players often roll several matching dice at once. A spellcaster may want extra damage dice; a game master may appreciate more than one d20. That is the idea behind class-oriented collections.

Beadle & Grimm’s Game Master Character Class Dice includes 16 dice, while the Wizard set also contains 16. Other classes have different counts and combinations. Compare the exact contents on each listing rather than assuming the dice differ only in colour.

What should a new player buy?

One usable set of polyhedral dice is enough to get started in most D&D games. If you already know your character, a class-specific set can be convenient, particularly when it gives you multiples of dice you use frequently. For groups, a spare set at the table is useful when a player forgets theirs.

Buying dice in South Africa

Explore dice and counters at Bell & Barter, including the Character Class Dice range. Check the number of dice and their individual faces before choosing. Attractive packaging is a bonus; a set that matches the rolls you actually make is the better purchase.