Seven Dice, One Little Book: Using a Dice Codex

A little metal book opens, and the usual collection of loose dice becomes a set of numbered dials.

Our 7-in-1 Dice Codex takes a different approach to keeping RPG rolls together. Before bringing it into a game, spend a few minutes getting familiar with the scales and result markers.

Start with the dice notation

In common RPG notation, the number after “d” tells you the die's range. A D6 produces a result from 1 to 6; a D20 produces 1 to 20.

The number before “d” tells you how many results to generate. For 2d6, generate two separate D6 results and add them. For 1d8 + 3, generate one D8 result, then add 3.

Do not replace 2d6 with one D12 result. The possible totals and their probabilities are different.

Choose the right dial

Find the scale your game calls for, rotate its spinner, let it stop, and read the indicated result. Identify the pointer for that dial before your first game rather than guessing mid-turn.

For repeated rolls, record each result before generating the next. Keep any game-specific reroll rules separate from the operation of the device.

Read percentile results carefully

Standard percentile notation combines a tens result, 00–90, with a units result, 0–9. For example, 70 and 3 mean 73; 40 and 0 mean 40. The combination 00 and 0 means 100.

Check how your device labels its ten-sided scales. On a scale marked 1–10, a result of 10 represents the zero digit when used for percentile notation—not an extra ten to add.

Make it work for the group

Ask your game master whether alternative dice devices are welcome. Keep results visible, and bring conventional dice when the table or event requires them.

The appeal is keeping the rolls together and enjoying a different little ritual. Conventional dice still have a place in the bag.

Learn its layout before the adventure begins. Then the interesting decisions can happen inside the game.

Further reading: D&D Beyond: Playing the Game — Dice