6/29/2015

d30 Challenge Day 29

d30 Challenge Day 29
This is my 29th entry in the d30 Challenge, which is a bastardization of an idea I first saw on Mark "CMG" Clover's feed. Now I'm a sucker for these things and I know some folks aren't so while I'm committed to answering one question about my favorite hobby each day, and putting together a d30 table before the end of the month, I know not everyone is so interested. I'll put the question & answer after the break, posting late in the day, and not promoting this on G+ so those who don't like this kind of thing should be exposed only minimally.

I think this is the best I can do....
Day 29's question is "Most frequently rolled # on a d20".

Ok.....this question is an odd one, at least for me. Of the years I have become a bit of a dice snob, having migrated to Gamescience dice some time ago. I don't begrudge players having non-Gamescience dice, but not everyone can be as enlightened as I am.

That....was....a....joke.....

Seriously though, I've bought a lot of dice in my day, and probably way too many even after I settled on Gamescience, but I know I have nothing on Mrs. Frugal GM. She LOVES the dice. So many shiny, sparkly, and beautiful colors. I think she just converted a portion of her love of shoes to dice...either that or we'll come to find out that most polyhedrals are made of a combination of chocolate and crack. Either way she buys more dice at one con than I'll get in a couple years...and the is counting any free dice I get from the guys over at the Crystal Caste (just some extra Origins-stamped dice).

My long-winded point is that Gamescience dice seem to roll much more "true" than other dice out there. I'm certain it is because the way they are made, but I won't get into the details....you can look that up yourself (I suggest starting with this video.) Because of this I use Gamescience....I have a few:

Most of my Gamescience dice

.....actually I'm missing a set or two of white dice that are in my GM lockbox. While I'm at it I want t point out that little baggie containing two grey un-inked Gamescience dice. There is a little card inside that reads, "RUBBED IN THE HAIR OF A LIVE GAME DESIGNER" and is signed by Dave Arneson. He gave those dice to a friend of mine at one of his last conventions.....I think it was Gencon 2008. He had been diagnosed with cancer and wasn't faring too well. He was wheeled around to all/some of the vendors where he gave them this little baggie with the dice. One of those recipients gave me his baggie of dice and I've treasured it ever since.

My un-named "cursed" d20Now on the flip side....I have this "cursed" non-Gamescience d20 that is kept in it own little leather bag along with another not-so-good d20. I was running a game at the 1st and only Octobercon here in Boise where one player broke open a new set of dice for my game. The guy was one of the local game store owners, really just a bookstore that had some gaming stuff, and obviously he didn't understand the care & feeding of new dice. This poor sod rolled more natural 1's than he did all other numbers combined. Luckily he still had a good time....
After the game I approached him and offered him a full set of well trained & behaved dice for that one d20. We both thought it was a good trade and I've kept this sickly white die segregated...just waiting to unleash a flurry of 1's when needed. My thought was to whip out this die if I suspected a player was cheating with their dice......maybe for a saving throw? I figure it'll earn its name the the 1st time I get to use it...until then it gets locked away from the others.....

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