What Dice Do You Need for D&D? (A Friendly Guide from a Dice Goblin)

So, you've decided to venture into the wonderful world of Dungeons & Dragons. Excellent choice, brave adventurer! You've got a character idea, a questionable backstory, and perhaps an ambitious plan to befriend something with far too many teeth. (I approve!)

But before you embark on your grand adventure, there's one rather important question lingering...

What Dice Do You Actually Need To Play D&D?

If you've wandered into a game store or browsed an online shop, you've probably noticed that dice come in all sorts of strange shapes, sizes, colors, and sparkly little varieties. Some look like enchanted gemstones, others look like they were plucked straight from the hoard of the dragon your party's bard tried to seduce.

And if you're anything like me, you'll quickly discover that collecting them is almost as fun as playing the game itself.

As the artist behind The Griffon's Nest, I spend a rather suspicious amount of time pouring resin, experimenting with colors, and turning piles of sparkly shinies into handmade dice. So, allow me to be your guide!

The Seven Dice You Need To Play D&D

Let's start with the essentials.

A standard Dungeons & Dragons dice set contains seven polyhedral dice, each with a different number of sides. Together, these seven little wonders handle everything from swinging a sword and casting a spell to convincing a suspicious shopkeeper that you absolutely did not steal that enchanted necklace (which you definitely did).

Here's the official adventurer's inventory:

• D4 - Four-sided die
• D6 - Six-sided die
• D8 - Eight-sided die
• D10 - Ten-sided die
• D% - Percentile die
• D12 - Twelve-sided die
• D20 - Twenty-sided die

Each die has its own job, and you'll quickly become familiar with which one to grab when your Dungeon Master starts describing something dubious.

Now, let's meet the party!

Meet Your D&D Dice: What Does Each Die Do?

The D20: The Star of the Show

If D&D dice had royalty, the D20 would be sitting on the throne.

The twenty-sided dice is arguably the most important die in your entire collection. It's the one you'll reach for constantly, and the one most likely to make you either the hero of the story or the reason the party needs to visit a temple.

You'll typically roll a D20 when:

• Attacking an enemy
• Making ability and skill checks
• Attempting saving throws
• Trying to persuade, deceive, or intimidate someone
• Attempting something that your Dungeon Master probably should've said no to

The D20 is also responsible for two of the most celebrated (or dreaded) moments in D&D: natural 20s and natural 1s.

A natural 20 is a critical hit on an attack roll. A natural 1 is an automatic miss on an attack roll. Both can make for some wonderfully memorable moments around the table. And both can make roleplay magical.

The D12: The Hitmaker

The D12 is a bit of an underrated member of the dice family.

You won't use it quite as often as your D20 or D6, but when you do, there's usually some serious damage involved.

This chunky twelve-sided fellow is commonly used for:

• Greataxe damage
• Certain class abilities
• Barbarian weapon attacks
• Other larger damage rolls

If your character is the sort who prefers solving problems with a giant axe rather than a lengthy diplomatic discussion, you'll probably develop a soft spot for the D12.

The D10 & D%: Partners in Crime

Most standard Dungeons & Dragons dice sets include two ten-sided dice. One is numbered 0-9, while the other is marked in increments of ten (00, 10, 20, and so on).

Together they can generate percentile results from 1-100.

You'll need these dice for certain game mechanics, tables, and other situations where a percentile chance roll is needed.

For example:

• A D10 is used for damage rolls and certain spells or abilities
• A percentile D10 is used alongside the regular D10 to get a percentile roll

A little tip for beginners: Rolling a 00 and a 0 typically represents 100 on a percentile roll.

Twice the dice means twice the opportunity for chaos. A beautiful partnership really.

The D8: Your Reliable Middle Child

A shoutout to all of my fellow middle children.

While not quite as famous as the D20, the D8 is certainly no less important.

The D8 is a regular visitor to damage rolls and spellcasting adventures. You'll most often encounter it when using:

• Longswords (depending on how they're wielded)
• Certain martial weapons
• Healing spells such as Cure Wounds (a lifesaver, literally)
  
• Various class features and magical abilities

It's a dependable little die that actually gets the job done. And honestly, every adventuring party needs someone like that.

D6: The Familiar Face

Ah, the humble D6.

You've definitely encountered this bad boy before. It's the classic cube used in board games like Yahtzee, Monopoly, and approximately every other game your family has ever argued over.

In D&D, the D6 gets used for:

• Sneak attack damage (talking to you, Rogues!)
• Fireball damage (eyeing you suspiciously, Wizards!)
• Various weapons and spells
• Certain class abilities and healing effects

In fact, some spells require you to roll several D6s at once. Honestly, there's something incredibly satisfying about scooping a handful of dice and watching them scatter across the table. Unless they're all 1s. We don't talk about those.

The D4: The Pointy Pyramid of Doom

Small, yes. Innocent, definitely not.

The D4 is the teeny tiny (typically) pyramid shaped die responsible for some surprisingly painful encounters.

You'll use it for:

• Small weapon damage rolls
• Certain spells
• Healing and other class abilities

Unlike most dice, the D4 has a slightly different shape and numbering arrangement. Its result is generally read from the number at the top or bottom of the die, or the number indicated by a specific design.

And a word of warning from someone who makes these things: never underestimate the damage a D4 can do to an unsuspecting bare foot.

Somewhere a rogue is taking notes and using D4s as caltrops.

It's important to note, however, that while the pyramid is the most common shape for a D4, you may often find more unique shapes amid handcrafted dice -- my own sets have a fun, surprise shape.

So, Do You Really Need All Seven Dice?

For most novice adventurers, a standard seven-piece polyhedral dice set is the perfect place to start.

You'll have everything you need for the majority of Dungeons & Dragons gameplay without having to purchase individual dice.

Of course, you can always buy extra dice. If you ask me, that's a perfectly reasonable decision.

Sometimes you'll need multiple dice of the same type for damage rolls, spells, or abilities. Having extra makes gameplay easier and saves you from repeatedly rolling the same dice.

Plus there's something to be said for having options.

Your character might be a gloomy half-elf warlock, but that doesn't mean your entire dice collection needs to be gloomy, too.

Unless, of course, you want it to be. In which case, I fully support your commitment to the aesthetic.

I recommend starting with one complete seven-piece D&D dice set. Once you've played a few sessions, you'll have a much better idea of which dice you'd like to collect next.

Why Handmade Dice Are Worth the Extra Love

Ahh, my favorite part. Completely unbiased, of course.

You can find D&D dice just about anywhere. Your local game store, online retailers, convention vendors, and probably somewhere in the bottom of your junk drawer if you've been playing long enough.

Factory-made plastic dice are perfectly suitable for playing. They do the job, they're accessible, and they're a great starting point. 

But handmade resin dice? That's an entirely different kind of magic.

When you purchase a handcrafted dice set, you're getting something created with a little more personality. Every pour, pigment, inclusion, and finishing touch contributes to the final design.

Some of the possibilities include:

• Galaxy dice with swirls of cosmic color, shimmering stars, and glitter that looks like it's from another dimension.
• Teacup dice sets with delicate Victorian floral patterns and milky backgrounds that look like they came out of a Bridgerton fantasy. (I'm the original maker of these, by the way. Shameless self-promotion.)
• Liquid core dice that have mesmerizing moving centers that dance and delight as you roll the dice.
• Floral dice that include tiny dried flowers and botanical details.
• Forest dice with earthy greens, woodland inspired pigments, mushrooms, and other natural elements.
• Celestial dice made up of moons, stars, mystical colors, and plenty of magical sparkle.

And then there's the wonderful wicked world of sharp-edge resin dice.

Unlike traditional rounded dice, sharp-edge dice art cast in specialized molds that create crisp edges with defined corners. They're then carefully hand-sanded and polished to achieve that clean, gemstone-like finish.

At The Griffon's Nest, every single dice set is handmade. I pour, sand, polish, and paint each and every set by hand myself, which means every little detail gets attention.

No giant production lines. No mass-produced duplicates. No manufacturing plants. Just one dice maker, a whole lot of resin, and an ever-growing collection of ideas that probably won't fit in my house.

And because handmade dice are created individually, no two sets will ever be exactly alike.

Explore our artifacts and uncover your next favorite set.

Choosing a D&D Dice Set That Matches Your Character

One of the best parts about collecting dice for D&D is finding a set that really feels like it belongs to your character.

Sure, technically, you can use any dice for any character. But where's the fun in that?

Imagine rolling your druid's nature-themed dice or using a set of dark, moody purple dice for your warlock. Suddenly even a basic attack roll feels more immersive.

Of course, those are merely suggestions. Your pink glitter-covered paladin is just as welcome at the table as your brooding, black-cloaked monk. Never let anyone tell you otherwise.

Handmade Dice vs. Factory-Made Dice: What's the Difference?

If you're shopping for your first D&D dice set, you might be wondering whether handmade resin dice are actually worth it.

That depends on what you're looking for.

Both handmade and factory-produced dice can be great additions to your gaming collection, but there are a few differences worth understanding.

	Factory-Made Dice	Handmade Dice
Production	Mass produced	Individually crafted
Designs	Often repeated patterns that are exactly alike	Unique color combinations and effects. Can be custom made
Materials	Commonly acrylic or plastic	Commonly resin
Balance	Often contain bubbles and voids inside, making them less balanced and consistent.	Made entirely by hand, where dice with voids or defects are scrapped, often more balanced than plastic dice.
Finishing	Varies by manufacturer	Individually sanded, polished, and painted by hand.
Availability	Widely available	Often produced in one-off or limited batches
Collectibility	Varies	Popular among artisan dice collelctors.

 

One important thing to remember: Neither handmade nor manufactured dice are automatically guaranteed to be perfectly balanced. A well-made die should be geometrically consistent, and the material should be properly distributed. 

If fairness matters to you, look for a dice maker who takes care with casting, finishing, and quality control. Typically, small businesses and handmade dice makers can do this far more consistently than large manufacturers who prioritize getting the product on the shelf over true dice quality.

How Many Dice Sets Should A Beginner Have?

This is the question nobody wants to ask because they already know the answer.

How many dice sets are truly enough to play? One.

How many dice are necessary? That's an entirely different question.

For a beginner, one complete seven-piece polyhedral dice set is perfectly sufficient to get started. As you play more, you might find yourself wanting more.

And before you know it, you've gone from owning one little dice set to having a dedicated dice hoard. Not to fear, you're among friends here.

Ready to Roll? Find Your Next Favorite D&D Dice Set!

So, what dice do you need for D&D?

The answer is incredibly simple: a standard seven-piece polyhedral dice set containing a D4, D6, D8, D10, D%, D12, and D20. That's your starting inventory. Everything else is an opportunity to add a little more personality to your adventures.

And if you're looking for something a little more special than your average plastic dice, I'd love for you to explore The Griffon's Nest.

Every set is handmade by yours truly, with plenty of care, creativity, and probably more glitter than any reasonable person should have in their home.

Whether you're searching for your first D&D dice set, adding to your growing collection, or hunting for the perfect dice to match your newest character, there's always room for another little treasure.

After all, your character deserves excellent equipment. And your dice deserve to be pretty.

May your rolls be high, your adventures be legendary, and your D4s never find their way into your bare feet.

Happy adventuring!