Using dice differently

In an old post on D&D with porn stars, Zak mused about using cards in stead of dice when creating something where (random) relations are also of interest. When drawing two or more cards, the suits and numbers indicate relations when the same or opposing forces, for instance, when different.

Definitely useful, and fun to boot, but dice may give you something similar and I do not mean rolling multiple times and see if results are identical or not.

When picking dice from your dice bag, the colour, number of sides, material, texture, transparency, marbliness etc. may also be tagged to different properties of the facts you want to decide on.

This made me wonder to what extent I am using dice at the table, and I have to admit, not so much. What I do, is rolling for multiple attacks (multiple monsters or multiple attacks from a single creature). After tossing the dice, the most left one is then the attack roll for the first monster, the next one for the second etc. Or, different colours may mean different type of attacks; bite or claw. Usually, I also throw dice for damage simultaneously to save time in case the attack is a hit.

Also, for random encounters I use multiple dice. If I have to roll once for every 3 hours, then I roll 4 dice for the day, with the left one happening first etc. Dice may also be used to give info on the mini's on the table (number of rounds for certain effects), or may even reflect monsters.

But to grab a random die and have its properties mean something, that is something to explore more in depth in the coming sessions. I will see if I can come up with something useful during play.

 Any of you a suggestion how to use die properties in play?

My thoughts are being eaten

Two weeks ago Zak, of D&D with porn stars, started the Thought Eater DIY RPG Essay Tournament. The idea is that 2 competitors will write an essay on the same subject and the public may vote who is to proceed to the next round for another essay for yet another subject.

I joined in to see how I will fare within the field of, assumingly, native speakers and DIY guru's. I am not supposed to publish my entries here before the end of the voting, or even to say if my essay is already online or not, but as soon as I am allowed to, I will post my entries here as well.

Might just as well be the proper kick-off of this blog ...