d12? any use??? [Archive] - Wizards Community

d12? any use??? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Izodor_Shadowcaster
08-05-06, 01:43 PM I think we do not use it often enough. We should use it more often. The only use it has now in a game is Barbarian Hit Dice (wait, correction- that is just during character creation) and Great axe. Maybe there is also one spell or two who use it, but it is a fact that it is underused. We should use it more often or just delete it, we could give the barbarian d10 hit dice and some minor bonus on something and who needs a great axe.
Janus_Walcott
08-05-06, 01:44 PM Knights also have d12 hit dice, and so does one of the Tome of Battle classes, IIRC.
Man In Light
08-05-06, 02:08 PM Well something similar is discussed in this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=121)
savant_warlord13
08-05-06, 02:13 PM Don't forget dragon and undead hit dice.
Whisper_Swiftblade
08-05-06, 02:27 PM honestly, it realy should get some more use.
Edymnion
08-05-06, 02:28 PM My Warforged's Goliath Greathammer does d12 damage :)
SeraphimDominion
08-05-06, 03:06 PM Rainbow Blast. A spell that eventually requires that you not only own 5 d12s, but that they each be a different color.
Rotipher
08-05-06, 03:57 PM FWIW, some smart-alec gamers in the late 80s designed a minor RPG about nightmares, and deliberately based their entire game-system around the d12. Why? Because it was underused back then, also! ;-)
GreyLord
08-05-06, 03:58 PM Well, if you REALLY want to use it I suppose you could use a D12 based game system like the Rangers of Taradoin system or instead of using 2d6 for a Great Sword, houserule it to use that, or use a D12 instead of doubles of D6, or any number of things like that if you really wanted to.

OR...you just wait for one of your players to select a Barbarian using a Great Axe...

Wait a second...something just struck me...if I recall, some undead and other monsters use d12 for determining hd...so there's more than just one or two uses for a D12.

You could also research spells that use it too...
GreyLord
08-05-06, 04:00 PM One other thought...the 3e D&D system IS the D20 system overall in design...not the D12 system...or D6 system...just something to think about I suppose.
General_Ridley
08-05-06, 04:08 PM Barbarian Hit Dice
Dragon Hit Dice
Undead Hit Dice
Dragon Disciple Hit Dice
a good number of prestige class hit dice
a small, but significant amount of weapons
some spells (Greater Harm from Heroes of Horror does 20d12 damage with a 20th level caster)
VrecknidjX
08-05-06, 04:08 PM I use it a lot to determine if wandering monsters are going to attack the party. It gives the players a reason to use their d12.

Dave
Kursk
08-05-06, 08:27 PM 1D12 + 1D8 = 2-20 with a curve. I use different dice combos for random tables where I don't want = distribution.
Gilganarz_the_reporter
08-06-06, 03:54 AM Just remember:

"Your D12 crys itself to sleep at night."

;)
Tenzhi
08-06-06, 04:10 AM The d12 sees more use than the poor, lonely d30.
Edymnion
08-06-06, 02:01 PM The d12 sees more use than the poor, lonely d30.Heh, I have a d30, actually...
Cthulhu3125
08-06-06, 02:21 PM The aboleth's slime affliction does d12 damage per 10 minutes to those so affected.

*dies from effort of recalling d12-related facts*
ArcTan
08-06-06, 06:39 PM The d12 has been an odd one out ever since they were first discovering Platonic solids. They didn't use to think it existed -- they thought it was just the d4, d6, d8 and d20, and associated each of them with the elements (d4's are fire because they're pointy and hurt, d6's are earth because they pack solidly, d8's are air because they bounce around airily, and d20's are water because they flow smoothly past each other).

They really freaked out when they figured out that d12's were Platonic solids too, and made a big deal over it and everything. Eventually decided that they were the Quintessence.

Hence why the awesome spell _bolt of glory_, channeling the quintessence of positive energy, uses d12's. (Or it could be just that the spell needs to be that awesome. :) )
Darkuwa
08-06-06, 06:54 PM The d3 gets more play and it doesn't even exist.
Sphyre
08-06-06, 07:37 PM The d3 gets more play and it doesn't even exist.

(yes, i know OotS)

I actually have a d6 with two 1s, two 2s, and two 3s on it because they get used so often. It's nice not having to "declare" whether you're using a d6/2 round up, or subtract 3 if it's greater than 3 or some other variation. Along with the fact that if you're doing crazy things like you have 5 different conditional modifiers that you have to add to the attack, you just removed one more, for ease.

I know some people who can't even add their str and enhancement bonus to damage, I don't want to know if they ever power attack or get an energy weapon....
DarkSoldier
08-06-06, 09:43 PM Bolt of glory from Spell Compendium is a 6th-level cleric and Glory domain spell that does (CL/2)d12 (max 7d12), (CL)d12 (max 15d12) to Negative Energy Plane natives, evil outsiders, and undead, and none to good outsiders and Positive Energy Plane creatures.

Originally in Book of Exalted Deeds, the spell did d8's in that book, and was on the exalted arcanist and Glory domain lists.
Prak, the Mad
08-06-06, 10:06 PM well, there's a thread on the third page of the "mature" boards about it...
Nom
08-07-06, 09:44 AM they thought it was just the d4, d6, d8 and d20Which is sort of bizarre, because it doesn't take a lot of maths to figure out that the d4 is the dual of itself and the d6 and d8 are duals of each other. (Dual, layman's explanation: put a vertex in the middle of each face and connect them up - what shape do you get?) It seems obvious to me to go looking for the dual of the 20, which would quickly produce the 12.
LivingShadow
08-07-06, 10:47 AM I seem to remember a dragon having a breath weapon usinng d12s
babysamurai
08-07-06, 11:16 AM Heh, I have a d30, actually...

I do too, but do you use it?
Elendur
08-07-06, 11:22 AM d12's are a good way to detect noobs at your table. They will often mistake it for a d10 or d20.
Izodor_Shadowcaster
08-07-06, 11:28 AM d12's are a good way to detect noobs at your table. They will often mistake it for a d10 or d20.

I do agree with that. ;) :D
Oldtimer
08-07-06, 11:44 AM The d12 has been an odd one out ever since they were first discovering Platonic solids. They didn't use to think it existed -- they thought it was just the d4, d6, d8 and d20 ...

... They really freaked out when they figured out that d12's were Platonic solids too, and made a big deal over it and everything.
"They"? Who are the mysterious "they" you're talking about? Aliens? Men in black? Illuminati?

/Mikael
Izodor_Shadowcaster
08-07-06, 12:27 PM "They"? Who are the mysterious "they" you're talking about? Aliens? Men in black? Illuminati?

/Mikael

I think he means the WotC Ninjas.
Oldtimer
08-07-06, 12:40 PM I think he means the WotC Ninjas.
It still doesn't make sense to me. Polyhedric dice (platonic solids) found their way into the budding D&D game as Gary Gygax found a set in a School Supply Catalog. All five of them.

Is he claiming that the WotC Ninjas had mysteriously forgotten about that, and re-invented polyhedric dice?

I'm confused.
Dunelord
08-07-06, 12:54 PM At least it isn't the d5.
Rahlious
08-07-06, 04:58 PM I'm surprised the Greatsword and Greataxe don't do the same damage. If the Greatsword were changed to d12 instead of 2d6, then people would be rolling d12's a lot more. Poor greataxe... you might really want the x3 crit for flavor and fun, I guess.
Death Stryke
08-07-06, 10:35 PM I've used d12s to represent what hour of the night the party gets attacked/something happened/something happens/etc.

DS
Grendor_Hagortough
08-08-06, 12:20 AM Well something similar is discussed in this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=121)

OMG i spent an hour reading these
good stuff
Tillie_the_Pirate
08-08-06, 02:15 AM To answer your question stated in the subject...

d12? any use???

...the answer is yes.
horrorshow
08-08-06, 08:58 AM d12's are a good way to detect noobs at your table. They will often mistake it for a d10 or d20.

Letting them is really funny...

When they mistake it for a d20 roll crap for ages until they remember, and get frustrated and annoyed, but it's best seeing their faces as they work ot how they rolled a 12 on a d10. :devil:
Shaggy
08-09-06, 07:50 AM "They"? Who are the mysterious "they" you're talking about?
The ancient greeks. Most notably Plato. Although the facts are incorrect. Plato knew about the dodecahedron; he just didn't associate it to any element.
Shaggy
08-09-06, 08:05 AM I actually have a d6 with two 1s, two 2s, and two 3s on it because they get used so often.
I want one (or preferably a few) of those, as well as one (or a few) with three "+" and three "-". I know Koplow makes them, but I havn't been able to find any anywhere so far (and nobody seems interested in importing them). I suppose I might get around to order some from the US myself eventually.

I do have a few d30 though, but they measure 35 mm between two opposite faces. Not that I ever use them, but it's not exactly a very managable size. I'm not sure they exist in smaller sizes though.
Sulaco
08-09-06, 09:30 AM I was putting together a bid document for a proposal yesterday. These things must follow the outline sections laid out in the RFP (Request for Proposals). There is no set system, everyione does there's differnetly, but this particular one used the letter D for each section designation.

One of those sections didn't apply to us and so was not used but it still had to be listed to illustrate that it was intentionally left empty, so on the table of contents it was listed as D12: Not used.

No one else could figure out why I was laughing.
Araciel
08-09-06, 10:33 AM haha the only D&D player around always laughs to himself at the most unusual moments.

i HATE D12s....they roll more than D20s do for some reason, so if you are ever caught in a situation in which you MUST use one, it's likely it will roll onto the floor. this can cause you to lose it, and even though it's the crappiest, most useless thing in existence, it means you no longer have a complete set of dice....@#$%#$&
Elendur
08-09-06, 12:02 PM At least it isn't the d5.I love my d5. I use it for concealment miss chances.
Bruunwald
08-09-06, 12:11 PM Seeing this thread caused a number of thoughts to flash through my poor, tired brain.

1. There are people who are worried that their dice are bored.

2. There are people who are bored, themselves.

3. There are people so bored they allow themselves to feel gipped by one company that sold them dice, if another company does not provide them a means for using those dice.

4. A lot of threads are begun by people who haven't considered all the uses for a thing before they complain that there are no uses for a thing.

DMs (or any DM worth his salt) get plenty of use out of all of their dice.
MistWolf
08-09-06, 03:57 PM Oh yeah, I like my d12! Battle Railer, baby! 3d12!
Sikyanakotik
08-09-06, 09:10 PM If you have a jumbo set, the d20 and d12 make two out of three good juggling balls for when you're really bored during a game. Just be careful not to drop them too often. :dice:
Carefree Butterfly*
08-09-06, 10:05 PM Are you kidding? The d12 is the Swiss Army Knife of dice! The d12 can be used as a d2, d3, d4, d6, and...er...d12! I think it's also the most attractive of the dice.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Izodor_Shadowcaster 08-05-06, 01:43 PM	I think we do not use it often enough. We should use it more often. The only use it has now in a game is Barbarian Hit Dice (wait, correction- that is just during character creation) and Great axe. Maybe there is also one spell or two who use it, but it is a fact that it is underused. We should use it more often or just delete it, we could give the barbarian d10 hit dice and some minor bonus on something and who needs a great axe.
Janus_Walcott 08-05-06, 01:44 PM	Knights also have d12 hit dice, and so does one of the Tome of Battle classes, IIRC.
Man In Light 08-05-06, 02:08 PM	Well something similar is discussed in this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=121)
savant_warlord13 08-05-06, 02:13 PM	Don't forget dragon and undead hit dice.
Whisper_Swiftblade 08-05-06, 02:27 PM	honestly, it realy should get some more use.
Edymnion 08-05-06, 02:28 PM	My Warforged's Goliath Greathammer does d12 damage :)
SeraphimDominion 08-05-06, 03:06 PM	Rainbow Blast. A spell that eventually requires that you not only own 5 d12s, but that they each be a different color.
Rotipher 08-05-06, 03:57 PM	FWIW, some smart-alec gamers in the late 80s designed a minor RPG about nightmares, and deliberately based their entire game-system around the d12. Why? Because it was underused back then, also! ;-)
GreyLord 08-05-06, 03:58 PM	Well, if you REALLY want to use it I suppose you could use a D12 based game system like the Rangers of Taradoin system or instead of using 2d6 for a Great Sword, houserule it to use that, or use a D12 instead of doubles of D6, or any number of things like that if you really wanted to. OR...you just wait for one of your players to select a Barbarian using a Great Axe... Wait a second...something just struck me...if I recall, some undead and other monsters use d12 for determining hd...so there's more than just one or two uses for a D12. You could also research spells that use it too...
GreyLord 08-05-06, 04:00 PM	One other thought...the 3e D&D system IS the D20 system overall in design...not the D12 system...or D6 system...just something to think about I suppose.
General_Ridley 08-05-06, 04:08 PM	Barbarian Hit Dice Dragon Hit Dice Undead Hit Dice Dragon Disciple Hit Dice a good number of prestige class hit dice a small, but significant amount of weapons some spells (Greater Harm from Heroes of Horror does 20d12 damage with a 20th level caster)
VrecknidjX 08-05-06, 04:08 PM	I use it a lot to determine if wandering monsters are going to attack the party. It gives the players a reason to use their d12. Dave
Kursk 08-05-06, 08:27 PM	1D12 + 1D8 = 2-20 with a curve. I use different dice combos for random tables where I don't want = distribution.
Gilganarz_the_reporter 08-06-06, 03:54 AM	Just remember: "Your D12 crys itself to sleep at night." ;)
Tenzhi 08-06-06, 04:10 AM	The d12 sees more use than the poor, lonely d30.
Edymnion 08-06-06, 02:01 PM	The d12 sees more use than the poor, lonely d30.Heh, I have a d30, actually...
Cthulhu3125 08-06-06, 02:21 PM	The aboleth's slime affliction does d12 damage per 10 minutes to those so affected. dies from effort of recalling d12-related facts
ArcTan 08-06-06, 06:39 PM	The d12 has been an odd one out ever since they were first discovering Platonic solids. They didn't use to think it existed -- they thought it was just the d4, d6, d8 and d20, and associated each of them with the elements (d4's are fire because they're pointy and hurt, d6's are earth because they pack solidly, d8's are air because they bounce around airily, and d20's are water because they flow smoothly past each other). They really freaked out when they figured out that d12's were Platonic solids too, and made a big deal over it and everything. Eventually decided that they were the Quintessence. Hence why the awesome spell _bolt of glory_, channeling the quintessence of positive energy, uses d12's. (Or it could be just that the spell needs to be that awesome. :) )
Darkuwa 08-06-06, 06:54 PM	The d3 gets more play and it doesn't even exist.
Sphyre 08-06-06, 07:37 PM	The d3 gets more play and it doesn't even exist. (yes, i know OotS) I actually have a d6 with two 1s, two 2s, and two 3s on it because they get used so often. It's nice not having to "declare" whether you're using a d6/2 round up, or subtract 3 if it's greater than 3 or some other variation. Along with the fact that if you're doing crazy things like you have 5 different conditional modifiers that you have to add to the attack, you just removed one more, for ease. I know some people who can't even add their str and enhancement bonus to damage, I don't want to know if they ever power attack or get an energy weapon....
DarkSoldier 08-06-06, 09:43 PM	Bolt of glory from Spell Compendium is a 6th-level cleric and Glory domain spell that does (CL/2)d12 (max 7d12), (CL)d12 (max 15d12) to Negative Energy Plane natives, evil outsiders, and undead, and none to good outsiders and Positive Energy Plane creatures. Originally in Book of Exalted Deeds, the spell did d8's in that book, and was on the exalted arcanist and Glory domain lists.
Prak, the Mad 08-06-06, 10:06 PM	well, there's a thread on the third page of the "mature" boards about it...
Nom 08-07-06, 09:44 AM	they thought it was just the d4, d6, d8 and d20Which is sort of bizarre, because it doesn't take a lot of maths to figure out that the d4 is the dual of itself and the d6 and d8 are duals of each other. (Dual, layman's explanation: put a vertex in the middle of each face and connect them up - what shape do you get?) It seems obvious to me to go looking for the dual of the 20, which would quickly produce the 12.
LivingShadow 08-07-06, 10:47 AM	I seem to remember a dragon having a breath weapon usinng d12s
babysamurai 08-07-06, 11:16 AM	Heh, I have a d30, actually... I do too, but do you use it?
Elendur 08-07-06, 11:22 AM	d12's are a good way to detect noobs at your table. They will often mistake it for a d10 or d20.
Izodor_Shadowcaster 08-07-06, 11:28 AM	d12's are a good way to detect noobs at your table. They will often mistake it for a d10 or d20. I do agree with that. ;) :D
Oldtimer 08-07-06, 11:44 AM	The d12 has been an odd one out ever since they were first discovering Platonic solids. They didn't use to think it existed -- they thought it was just the d4, d6, d8 and d20 ... ... They really freaked out when they figured out that d12's were Platonic solids too, and made a big deal over it and everything. "They"? Who are the mysterious "they" you're talking about? Aliens? Men in black? Illuminati? /Mikael
Izodor_Shadowcaster 08-07-06, 12:27 PM	"They"? Who are the mysterious "they" you're talking about? Aliens? Men in black? Illuminati? /Mikael I think he means the WotC Ninjas.
Oldtimer 08-07-06, 12:40 PM	I think he means the WotC Ninjas. It still doesn't make sense to me. Polyhedric dice (platonic solids) found their way into the budding D&D game as Gary Gygax found a set in a School Supply Catalog. All five of them. Is he claiming that the WotC Ninjas had mysteriously forgotten about that, and re-invented polyhedric dice? I'm confused.
Dunelord 08-07-06, 12:54 PM	At least it isn't the d5.
Rahlious 08-07-06, 04:58 PM	I'm surprised the Greatsword and Greataxe don't do the same damage. If the Greatsword were changed to d12 instead of 2d6, then people would be rolling d12's a lot more. Poor greataxe... you might really want the x3 crit for flavor and fun, I guess.
Death Stryke 08-07-06, 10:35 PM	I've used d12s to represent what hour of the night the party gets attacked/something happened/something happens/etc. DS
Grendor_Hagortough 08-08-06, 12:20 AM	Well something similar is discussed in this comic (http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=121) OMG i spent an hour reading these good stuff
Tillie_the_Pirate 08-08-06, 02:15 AM	To answer your question stated in the subject... d12? any use??? ...the answer is yes.
horrorshow 08-08-06, 08:58 AM	d12's are a good way to detect noobs at your table. They will often mistake it for a d10 or d20. Letting them is really funny... When they mistake it for a d20 roll crap for ages until they remember, and get frustrated and annoyed, but it's best seeing their faces as they work ot how they rolled a 12 on a d10. :devil:
Shaggy 08-09-06, 07:50 AM	"They"? Who are the mysterious "they" you're talking about? The ancient greeks. Most notably Plato. Although the facts are incorrect. Plato knew about the dodecahedron; he just didn't associate it to any element.
Shaggy 08-09-06, 08:05 AM	I actually have a d6 with two 1s, two 2s, and two 3s on it because they get used so often. I want one (or preferably a few) of those, as well as one (or a few) with three "+" and three "-". I know Koplow makes them, but I havn't been able to find any anywhere so far (and nobody seems interested in importing them). I suppose I might get around to order some from the US myself eventually. I do have a few d30 though, but they measure 35 mm between two opposite faces. Not that I ever use them, but it's not exactly a very managable size. I'm not sure they exist in smaller sizes though.
Sulaco 08-09-06, 09:30 AM	I was putting together a bid document for a proposal yesterday. These things must follow the outline sections laid out in the RFP (Request for Proposals). There is no set system, everyione does there's differnetly, but this particular one used the letter D for each section designation. One of those sections didn't apply to us and so was not used but it still had to be listed to illustrate that it was intentionally left empty, so on the table of contents it was listed as D12: Not used. No one else could figure out why I was laughing.
Araciel 08-09-06, 10:33 AM	haha the only D&D player around always laughs to himself at the most unusual moments. i HATE D12s....they roll more than D20s do for some reason, so if you are ever caught in a situation in which you MUST use one, it's likely it will roll onto the floor. this can cause you to lose it, and even though it's the crappiest, most useless thing in existence, it means you no longer have a complete set of dice....@#$%#$&
Elendur 08-09-06, 12:02 PM	At least it isn't the d5.I love my d5. I use it for concealment miss chances.
Bruunwald 08-09-06, 12:11 PM	Seeing this thread caused a number of thoughts to flash through my poor, tired brain. 1. There are people who are worried that their dice are bored. 2. There are people who are bored, themselves. 3. There are people so bored they allow themselves to feel gipped by one company that sold them dice, if another company does not provide them a means for using those dice. 4. A lot of threads are begun by people who haven't considered all the uses for a thing before they complain that there are no uses for a thing. DMs (or any DM worth his salt) get plenty of use out of all of their dice.
MistWolf 08-09-06, 03:57 PM	Oh yeah, I like my d12! Battle Railer, baby! 3d12!
Sikyanakotik 08-09-06, 09:10 PM	If you have a jumbo set, the d20 and d12 make two out of three good juggling balls for when you're really bored during a game. Just be careful not to drop them too often. :dice:
Carefree Butterfly* 08-09-06, 10:05 PM	Are you kidding? The d12 is the Swiss Army Knife of dice! The d12 can be used as a d2, d3, d4, d6, and...er...d12! I think it's also the most attractive of the dice.