DMs have vastly different roles from other players in DnD. They act as NPCs and narrators at the same time. This means they have different needs and requirements than the rest of the players since they do different stuff.
For the majority of actions in DnD, you use dice to decide the outcome of things. Players who act as player characters (“PCs”) need a couple of dice to be good to go. Is it different for DMs? How many dice should a DM really have?
Usually, it’s recommended to have at least 2 or 3 sets of every dice. These include d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, and d20 dice. You don’t need a more considerable amount of dice as a DM. However, many DMs like to collect a lot of dice as a hobby. If the other players in your party are looking for you to supply them with dies, the amount of dice needed depends on how many players you are.
Now that you know how many dice a DM typically needs, let’s get into the nitty-gritty. In what situations is it good to have a large number of dice as a DM? This and more will be answered below.
How Do You Use Dice As A DM?
Let’s get into what DMs actually do with dice since it’s different from what the other players do with their dice. Depending on what sort of DM you are, you might use dice somewhat differently.
For example, back in the day, DMs usually rolled all the dice. PCs just said what they wanted to do and how they wanted to do it, and then the DM took care of the dice rolling.
Of course, they also rolled dice for monsters and other checks as well. Over time, players eventually wanted to roll for themselves, although there are still player groups that let their DM do all of the dice rolling.
You can also use dice rolls as a creative way of surprising players. For example, if you as a DM suddenly break out a big-number dice and start doing some sort of check, this will raise some eyebrows. Maybe a monster is lurking nearby, waiting to pounce on you.
The most common thing to do with dice as a DM, however, is to do the duties of a DM. That is, using dice to determine some narrative point, and using dice to roll for the baddies.
How much you should use dice for deciding narratives is a somewhat contentious question, some players like to roll less, and some more. It’s not uncommon to do a roll behind the DM screen and then make up a number for effect.
If you follow the basic ground rules, you have a lot of leeway depending on what your players like. I would recommend sticking as much as possible to the rules when you’re a beginner and then starting to develop your style.
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Does the DM Roll Death Saves?
Generally, the players roll to save their own lives. As I mentioned previously, however, there is a lot of leeway here. If your group has the opinion that it’s fun to let the DM roll for death, then do so.
Some groups even let the DM roll death saves behind the DM screen to prop up some tension. Other groups like to let their players roll in secret.
This can be a fun way of mixing things up, the other players aren’t exactly sure whether or not it’s worth healing the potentially dead player.
Some DMs like to wait with death rolls until another player comes into contact with the concerned party. I can’t stress this enough, do what you find interesting and fun!
How Do You Roll Damage As A DM?
DMs usually do damage rolls for monsters and other baddies. DMs can decide to either take the average damage of that monster and apply it to the player, or roll dice.
Most people roll dice for this purpose, although I’m not sure it’s because it’s the better method, but DnD players just like rolling dice.
Plus, a lot of players find taking averages boring. Maybe that’s because they like rolling dice so much. The randomness is a part of the fun, for sure.
What Dice Are Used Most In DnD?
Every standard DnD die has a practical purpose when it comes to playing. These dice almost always come in bundles, too. D20 die probably gets used the most in a session, however. For example, it is used in fights to determine accuracy and speed.
If you’re interested in reading more about DnD dice and what they’re all used for, you can check out our article on DnD dice!
Read more: How Many Dice Should You Have In DnD?
Do You Need 100-Sided Dice For DnD?
There’s a very clear answer to this question: no, you don’t need a 100-sided die. Is it awesome to own one? Yes, most definitely. There’s a very simple solution for rolling from 1-100, however. Roll a d10 twice, and use one roll for the two-digit number and the other roll for the single digit.
Preferably, say what you’re going to roll for before you do it, so as to avoid cheating accusations.