1d3? [Archive] - Wizards Community - Pages Merged by Solauren

1d3? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
wulfhere
08-02-07, 11:18 AM hello, i am new to D&D, my father played some but he is to busy to help us and he don't remember that much, any way, i am learing to become a DM, can some one tell me what dice 1d3 is, and how to make a map, and one thing i don't under stand is how to fit it all on my table.
Witch
08-02-07, 11:20 AM A d3 is a d6 divided by two, rounded up.
Forgarn
08-02-07, 11:27 AM are you referring to a battle map?
Ace_of_Night
08-02-07, 11:30 AM How to fit it all on your table? Buy a bigger table... >_<

Naah but without joking, it, funnily enough, depends on what kind of table you're playing at (dinner table, salon table, kitchen table, ??? table) We normally play on a salon table, which is rather small but if we put paperwork and books under the table there's plenty of room on the table for the battlegrid and maps. And food and drinks shouldn't be on the D&D table anyway, put those on another table :P
Agreed though, that doesn't leave much room for a DM screen, which can be a nuisance if your players will readily spoil your game by looking at your papers for what awaits them at the next corner. My players aren't like that, they know it's more fun if it's a secret, so they tend not to peek.
A good alternative for a DM screen, however, is a laptop. Doesn't have to be an expensive one, just a $50 one bought second-hand that can handle word, adobe acrobat, excel and whatever else you might think of that you need. It's a lot more organised and less spacious than a big DM screen surrounding dozens of sheets of paper, and if you have to go to the bathroom/get a drink/have dinner you can simply save the files in a hidden folder, shut everything off and go do that.
lastknightleft
08-02-07, 11:34 AM you can find a 1d3 as an individual order on some online gaming stores, I wish I had kept the link to the one I got my 1d3 at. I love my 1d3 I play a gnome with a dagger and by coincidence had bought a 1d3 just to have in my collection, Also the using a d6 works or you can find d6's made with only the #s 1-3 printed on them, I have one of those as well.
Karui_Kage
08-02-07, 11:39 AM d6 = d3
1 = 1
2 = 1
3 = 2
4 = 2
5 = 3
6 = 3
Soluphobe
08-02-07, 11:42 AM Ya know, a die with three sides is a spatial impossibility, unless you were using those prism die. I use 2 ways for a d3.

1d4 reroll 4's
|1d6-3.5| + .5
Ace_of_Night
08-02-07, 12:08 PM And as for making a map.. Use pencil and paper and draw one.. unless you're more skilled with paintshop or something, then draw it there and print it.
Just go from simple to precise.
1. Draw the lines that represent land/sea borders.
2. Draw rivers, lakes and the like.
3. Draw lines to represent borders of countries or such, if those exist in your campaign.
4. Draw thinner borders around different types of terrain (draw a part that'll become a forest, draw a part that'll be a desert, etc.)
5. Draw circles to represent cities and towns, a bigger circle is a bigger city (just like the normal real world map)
6. Make it somehow clear which areas are urban, forest, plains, tundra, etc, most easily done by using different colors for each.
7. Name as many things as you think you'll need names of (start with countries, then capitols, then cities, and just don't bother with towns/thorps until your group actually comes near them.)

If I've missed something, everyone is free to correct me.

As a rule of thumb though, make less different countries and cities than in the real world, else it might get confusing. Just stick to 3-5 countries, each with 1-2 great capitol cities, 5 big cities and 25 or so smaller cities (that still sounds like a lot but for a world it isn't really.) If we had to make it as intricate as the real world it'd take days, if not weeks to make such a map (even God didn't make the world in one day, or did he? :P Though I still think God's the best DM ever)
wulfhere
08-02-07, 12:14 PM thank you, i know how to do more things now, i have one more question though. how do i make a battle map, and a dungeon map?
Ebonarc
08-02-07, 12:16 PM and a dungeon map?

Graph paper. There are programs for the same purpose, but you can never beat graph paper.
Forgarn
08-02-07, 12:18 PM agreed...as for a battle mat, there are hundreds of options here from $0 to $45 and every where in between.
Forfeit
08-02-07, 12:21 PM Ya know, a die with three sides is a spatial impossibility, unless you were using those prism die. I use 2 ways for a d3.

1d4 reroll 4's
|1d6-3.5| + .5

His "1d3" must be a normal 6 sided dice but with only 1, 2 and 3 writen on it, twice.

And a battle map is a grided surface that can be writen on, and cleaned once you want it be clear again.
Ace_of_Night
08-02-07, 12:27 PM Battle map: Use the grid in the back of the DMG or print one from this website. Use small objects to represent the players and the monsters. They don't have to be D&D minis as they're too expensive for most DMs, including me. Anything from chess pieces to pebbles will do, as long as you know which object is what player/monster.

Dungeon map: Fairly simple, take an empty a4 sheet, draw straight lines for hallways, rectangles/circles/other forms for rooms, crosses for traps, doors are something like -==- in the wall, secret doors -oo- in the wall, and use characters for other things (S for stairs, T for table, F for fire, whatever helps you remember what was supposed to be there.)
Onikani
08-02-07, 12:27 PM There are dice that are sort of triangular and elongated.
technically, they should have 5 sides, but 2 of them are rounded, so it can only land on one of the other 3.

just google d3, you'll see them in a heartbeat.
lastknightleft
08-02-07, 12:32 PM agreed, I have a 1d3 that is 123 on a d6 and I have my oblong 1d3 dice that rolls a 1,2, or 3. It's a bizzare shape but it exists.
Ace_of_Night
08-02-07, 12:36 PM People, we've figured the 1d3 part now, so if you all could refrain to actually adding something that'd be nice :P

For the ones who still didn't get what a d3 is:
http://www.rpgmall.com/product_info.php?products_id=36734&
stargate525
08-02-07, 12:37 PM His "1d3" must be a normal 6 sided dice but with only 1, 2 and 3 writen on it, twice.
I've seen ones that are triangular prisms, with the two end pieces rounded off.
wulfhere
08-02-07, 12:48 PM thanks for all your help, i am on my way to makeing my first sesion, btw, what do you guys like for a LvL 1 party, kolbolts, goblins, gnoll, bugbears, i am trying to deside on what should live in the old elven ruins
Ace_of_Night
08-02-07, 12:54 PM Rats, spiders, bats, snakes, fire beetles, other vermin. After level 1-2 they're not so great anymore, so why not use them now? :)
wulfhere
08-02-07, 01:19 PM Rats, spiders, bats, snakes, fire beetles, other vermin. After level 1-2 they're not so great anymore, so why not use them now? :)

thanks, i never thought of those
Onikani
08-02-07, 01:44 PM and a pack of goblins.

If the party only kills animals and vermin its kinda lame.
they need to kill at least one set of weak humanoids in the first adventure.
:)
Ace_of_Night
08-02-07, 01:54 PM Agreed, but as he said that already himself I didn't really see the need to add it again :P
Audious
08-02-07, 02:16 PM We just do 1d4-1, if it lands on 1, it's 3.
Tuah
08-02-07, 02:19 PM The dungeon map is a map drawn on (usually) graph paper, using the smallest grid portions as 5-foot squares as to conserve space. It is only seen by the Dungeon Master who describes everything to players. Another player might make a small, sketchy map to keep track for the players, but this is not nessicary.

The battle map is made when a battle begins. Simply draw out the area players are fighting in on 1-inch squares. This is the one you place miniatures on. Some people use vinyl gridsheets with special markers for convenience, and others use the official grid tiles that are usually found with books. I use those when I can't find anything else. :P
Disciple_of_Salsa
08-02-07, 02:26 PM Or Dungeon tiles. Get a set or two of dungeon tiles and you should be fine.
Frugal
08-02-07, 02:27 PM Ya know, a die with three sides is a spatial impossibility, unless you were using those prism die. I use 2 ways for a d3.

1d4 reroll 4's
|1d6-3.5| + .5

Um, the 1d6-3.5 +.5 doesn't give you the proper distribution:

1 = -2
2 = -1
3 = 0
4 = 1
5 = 2
6 = 3

Now I suppose you could ignore negatives and say that a roll of 3 is 3 instead of 0 and get the expected results and distribution, but why do that when you could just do 1d6 divided by 2 round up far more easily?
Frugal
08-02-07, 02:29 PM We just do 1d4-1, if it lands on 1, it's 3.

Also doesn't give you the proper probabilities. You get a 25% chance of a 1 or a 2 and a 50% chance of a 3.
Karui_Kage
08-02-07, 02:31 PM Look in the Monster Manual 3.5, in the back of the book where monsters are listed by CR. Try any encounter that would be a CR 1 or lower. If it's lower, try putting in 2 or 3 of the creatures. For example, with a CR 1/4 creature, try an encounter of 3 or 4.

Also, do trial and error. If the party dies a lot initially, tone down the encounters, let them 'respawn'. I wouldn't recommend this once you and the players understand the game fully, but for the learning process, everyone will make mistakes.
Curtcleancut
08-02-07, 02:37 PM Use a 1d6
1 = 1
2 = 2
3 = 3
4 = 1
5 = 2
6 = 3

Use square graph paper to make yourself a dungeon or map to hide from the players. Don't let them see any of your dungeon's secret doors or anything else. Keep this map hidden from your players.

You can buy a big map that you use on the table. These are washable with water based markers. My map cost $35.00. You can also down load larger square papers from the internet to use for the table maps. They're sorta a pain in my experience. Use loose change like pennies, quarters, and other coins for your players and monsters. Poker chips work too. You can use anything really. We even use cups and glasses for our dragons and giants.

Have fun!
Onikani
08-02-07, 02:39 PM if you look hard enough (about 3 minutes) you should be able to find free downloadable images that you print out and use to make minis.

:)
Tuah
08-02-07, 02:44 PM Or Dungeon tiles. Get a set or two of dungeon tiles and you should be fine.

Ah yes, that's the term I was looking for!

They're really useful, aren't they? :D

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
wulfhere 08-02-07, 11:18 AM	hello, i am new to D&D, my father played some but he is to busy to help us and he don't remember that much, any way, i am learing to become a DM, can some one tell me what dice 1d3 is, and how to make a map, and one thing i don't under stand is how to fit it all on my table.
Witch 08-02-07, 11:20 AM	A d3 is a d6 divided by two, rounded up.
Forgarn 08-02-07, 11:27 AM	are you referring to a battle map?
Ace_of_Night 08-02-07, 11:30 AM	How to fit it all on your table? Buy a bigger table... >_< Naah but without joking, it, funnily enough, depends on what kind of table you're playing at (dinner table, salon table, kitchen table, ??? table) We normally play on a salon table, which is rather small but if we put paperwork and books under the table there's plenty of room on the table for the battlegrid and maps. And food and drinks shouldn't be on the D&D table anyway, put those on another table :P Agreed though, that doesn't leave much room for a DM screen, which can be a nuisance if your players will readily spoil your game by looking at your papers for what awaits them at the next corner. My players aren't like that, they know it's more fun if it's a secret, so they tend not to peek. A good alternative for a DM screen, however, is a laptop. Doesn't have to be an expensive one, just a $50 one bought second-hand that can handle word, adobe acrobat, excel and whatever else you might think of that you need. It's a lot more organised and less spacious than a big DM screen surrounding dozens of sheets of paper, and if you have to go to the bathroom/get a drink/have dinner you can simply save the files in a hidden folder, shut everything off and go do that.
lastknightleft 08-02-07, 11:34 AM	you can find a 1d3 as an individual order on some online gaming stores, I wish I had kept the link to the one I got my 1d3 at. I love my 1d3 I play a gnome with a dagger and by coincidence had bought a 1d3 just to have in my collection, Also the using a d6 works or you can find d6's made with only the #s 1-3 printed on them, I have one of those as well.
Karui_Kage 08-02-07, 11:39 AM	d6 = d3 1 = 1 2 = 1 3 = 2 4 = 2 5 = 3 6 = 3
Soluphobe 08-02-07, 11:42 AM	Ya know, a die with three sides is a spatial impossibility, unless you were using those prism die. I use 2 ways for a d3. 1d4 reroll 4's \|1d6-3.5\| + .5
Ace_of_Night 08-02-07, 12:08 PM	And as for making a map.. Use pencil and paper and draw one.. unless you're more skilled with paintshop or something, then draw it there and print it. Just go from simple to precise. 1. Draw the lines that represent land/sea borders. 2. Draw rivers, lakes and the like. 3. Draw lines to represent borders of countries or such, if those exist in your campaign. 4. Draw thinner borders around different types of terrain (draw a part that'll become a forest, draw a part that'll be a desert, etc.) 5. Draw circles to represent cities and towns, a bigger circle is a bigger city (just like the normal real world map) 6. Make it somehow clear which areas are urban, forest, plains, tundra, etc, most easily done by using different colors for each. 7. Name as many things as you think you'll need names of (start with countries, then capitols, then cities, and just don't bother with towns/thorps until your group actually comes near them.) If I've missed something, everyone is free to correct me. As a rule of thumb though, make less different countries and cities than in the real world, else it might get confusing. Just stick to 3-5 countries, each with 1-2 great capitol cities, 5 big cities and 25 or so smaller cities (that still sounds like a lot but for a world it isn't really.) If we had to make it as intricate as the real world it'd take days, if not weeks to make such a map (even God didn't make the world in one day, or did he? :P Though I still think God's the best DM ever)
wulfhere 08-02-07, 12:14 PM	thank you, i know how to do more things now, i have one more question though. how do i make a battle map, and a dungeon map?
Ebonarc 08-02-07, 12:16 PM	and a dungeon map? Graph paper. There are programs for the same purpose, but you can never beat graph paper.
Forgarn 08-02-07, 12:18 PM	agreed...as for a battle mat, there are hundreds of options here from $0 to $45 and every where in between.
Forfeit 08-02-07, 12:21 PM	Ya know, a die with three sides is a spatial impossibility, unless you were using those prism die. I use 2 ways for a d3. 1d4 reroll 4's \|1d6-3.5\| + .5 His "1d3" must be a normal 6 sided dice but with only 1, 2 and 3 writen on it, twice. And a battle map is a grided surface that can be writen on, and cleaned once you want it be clear again.
Ace_of_Night 08-02-07, 12:27 PM	Battle map: Use the grid in the back of the DMG or print one from this website. Use small objects to represent the players and the monsters. They don't have to be D&D minis as they're too expensive for most DMs, including me. Anything from chess pieces to pebbles will do, as long as you know which object is what player/monster. Dungeon map: Fairly simple, take an empty a4 sheet, draw straight lines for hallways, rectangles/circles/other forms for rooms, crosses for traps, doors are something like -==- in the wall, secret doors -oo- in the wall, and use characters for other things (S for stairs, T for table, F for fire, whatever helps you remember what was supposed to be there.)
Onikani 08-02-07, 12:27 PM	There are dice that are sort of triangular and elongated. technically, they should have 5 sides, but 2 of them are rounded, so it can only land on one of the other 3. just google d3, you'll see them in a heartbeat.
lastknightleft 08-02-07, 12:32 PM	agreed, I have a 1d3 that is 123 on a d6 and I have my oblong 1d3 dice that rolls a 1,2, or 3. It's a bizzare shape but it exists.
Ace_of_Night 08-02-07, 12:36 PM	People, we've figured the 1d3 part now, so if you all could refrain to actually adding something that'd be nice :P For the ones who still didn't get what a d3 is: http://www.rpgmall.com/product_info.php?products_id=36734&
stargate525 08-02-07, 12:37 PM	His "1d3" must be a normal 6 sided dice but with only 1, 2 and 3 writen on it, twice. I've seen ones that are triangular prisms, with the two end pieces rounded off.
wulfhere 08-02-07, 12:48 PM	thanks for all your help, i am on my way to makeing my first sesion, btw, what do you guys like for a LvL 1 party, kolbolts, goblins, gnoll, bugbears, i am trying to deside on what should live in the old elven ruins
Ace_of_Night 08-02-07, 12:54 PM	Rats, spiders, bats, snakes, fire beetles, other vermin. After level 1-2 they're not so great anymore, so why not use them now? :)
wulfhere 08-02-07, 01:19 PM	Rats, spiders, bats, snakes, fire beetles, other vermin. After level 1-2 they're not so great anymore, so why not use them now? :) thanks, i never thought of those
Onikani 08-02-07, 01:44 PM	and a pack of goblins. If the party only kills animals and vermin its kinda lame. they need to kill at least one set of weak humanoids in the first adventure. :)
Ace_of_Night 08-02-07, 01:54 PM	Agreed, but as he said that already himself I didn't really see the need to add it again :P
Audious 08-02-07, 02:16 PM	We just do 1d4-1, if it lands on 1, it's 3.
Tuah 08-02-07, 02:19 PM	The dungeon map is a map drawn on (usually) graph paper, using the smallest grid portions as 5-foot squares as to conserve space. It is only seen by the Dungeon Master who describes everything to players. Another player might make a small, sketchy map to keep track for the players, but this is not nessicary. The battle map is made when a battle begins. Simply draw out the area players are fighting in on 1-inch squares. This is the one you place miniatures on. Some people use vinyl gridsheets with special markers for convenience, and others use the official grid tiles that are usually found with books. I use those when I can't find anything else. :P
Disciple_of_Salsa 08-02-07, 02:26 PM	Or Dungeon tiles. Get a set or two of dungeon tiles and you should be fine.
Frugal 08-02-07, 02:27 PM	Ya know, a die with three sides is a spatial impossibility, unless you were using those prism die. I use 2 ways for a d3. 1d4 reroll 4's \|1d6-3.5\| + .5 Um, the 1d6-3.5 +.5 doesn't give you the proper distribution: 1 = -2 2 = -1 3 = 0 4 = 1 5 = 2 6 = 3 Now I suppose you could ignore negatives and say that a roll of 3 is 3 instead of 0 and get the expected results and distribution, but why do that when you could just do 1d6 divided by 2 round up far more easily?
Frugal 08-02-07, 02:29 PM	We just do 1d4-1, if it lands on 1, it's 3. Also doesn't give you the proper probabilities. You get a 25% chance of a 1 or a 2 and a 50% chance of a 3.
Karui_Kage 08-02-07, 02:31 PM	Look in the Monster Manual 3.5, in the back of the book where monsters are listed by CR. Try any encounter that would be a CR 1 or lower. If it's lower, try putting in 2 or 3 of the creatures. For example, with a CR 1/4 creature, try an encounter of 3 or 4. Also, do trial and error. If the party dies a lot initially, tone down the encounters, let them 'respawn'. I wouldn't recommend this once you and the players understand the game fully, but for the learning process, everyone will make mistakes.
Curtcleancut 08-02-07, 02:37 PM	Use a 1d6 1 = 1 2 = 2 3 = 3 4 = 1 5 = 2 6 = 3 Use square graph paper to make yourself a dungeon or map to hide from the players. Don't let them see any of your dungeon's secret doors or anything else. Keep this map hidden from your players. You can buy a big map that you use on the table. These are washable with water based markers. My map cost $35.00. You can also down load larger square papers from the internet to use for the table maps. They're sorta a pain in my experience. Use loose change like pennies, quarters, and other coins for your players and monsters. Poker chips work too. You can use anything really. We even use cups and glasses for our dragons and giants. Have fun!
Onikani 08-02-07, 02:39 PM	if you look hard enough (about 3 minutes) you should be able to find free downloadable images that you print out and use to make minis. :)
Tuah 08-02-07, 02:44 PM	Or Dungeon tiles. Get a set or two of dungeon tiles and you should be fine. Ah yes, that's the term I was looking for! They're really useful, aren't they? :D