Reward Triggers

When a player takes an action and gets something they want, it triggers a very basic and universal response in their brain. It's a universal stimulation, similar to the kind of enjoyment we get from interacting on social networking sites, playing video games, painting a picture, or cleaning the house. Those activities stimulate an influx of dopamine through our systems, a neurotransmitter that makes us feel good when we are productive or creative.

But it isn't just triggered from getting a reward, it has to be earned. There needs to be a clear cause and effect connection between the character's action and the positive results. This is why players often enjoy a result more if they rolled a dice or moved a token before it happened... it makes them feel like they did something more active that resulted in their victory.

These moments of triumph are a vital part of the tabletop experience, and will come up at some point in your games whether you recognize them or not. You can take advantage of this natural instinct in order to keep your group entertained and satisfied during gaming sessions.

Remember to reward them often enough that they feel a sense of progress and achievement when they perform an action. Describe the positive results of their action in an evocative manner. Don't just gloss over something when they get it right... let them know for sure that they have succeeded and show them the results.

And, as mentioned before, there needs to be some way of making the player feel like an active participant in order to get the full effect. This could involve rolling dice or moving a token or miniature, but it can often be as simple as having the player clearly state and describe their action. If the player feels like they are the catalyst for their own achievement, it becomes a reward trigger in their mind... a good feeling and sense of satisfaction that comes from getting the job done.

There are lots of things that players can do that provide this satisfaction, but it is up to the GM to identify the ones that appeal to a particular player and providing opportunities for it to happen. It could be:

• Learning a secret nobody else knows (Getting a secret note passed to them)
• Gaining a new piece of cool loot (Getting to write it on their character sheet)
• Dealing damage to enemies (Rolling a critical hit)
• Winning a social encounter (Having an enemy NPC bow in reverence and respect to them)

Of course you don't want to overdo this technique either. Space out these moments of true achievement with lots of challenges and twists in between. Make them fight for it. The key to satisfaction comes through the setbacks that must be overcome in order to reach it. Throw adversity and tribulations at the players so that their moments of success feel earned. Then sit back and watch your players cheer themselves on as they march onward to victory!

Happy ventures!

Embracing the Spirit of Challenge

An important truth worth remembering when it comes to any game, tabletop or otherwise... making things too easy for the players can be just as frustrating as making them too hard. The enjoyment of gaming comes from problem-solving, risk, and reward. Without any one of these elements, it all falls apart and becomes tedious.

I have been both player and DM when this problem has surfaced. Sometimes it is something as simple as the DM being afraid to let any PCs die, or suffer significant setbacks after failing an encounter. It's nice that the DM is worried about their players and player characters, but there needs to be a balance. Somewhere between the antagonistic and apathetic "Killer DM" who seeks the destruction of the players, and the friendly game-runner who just wants to see his players win all the time lies a happy medium.

If your game is too easy, you will start to see symptoms soon enough. Players will start to actively pursue more difficult encounters and challenges in an attempt to test out the difficulty of the campaign. If they are consistently successful and impervious to any major consequences, then you risk boredom and the stagnation of your gaming sessions.

Oddly enough, some players may also begin to get increasingly paranoid about failing the simplest of tasks. This is why you want to show your players that they can overcome setbacks when they happen. You want your players to want to avoid negative consequences but accept them when they occur. Don't make your players afraid of failure. If a die roll goes badly and you soften or refuse to recognize the bad result, it's going to do just that. It's going to make the players feel like the consequences are so bad that even the DM doesn't want to administer them. Like an over-protecting parent, you make the PC afraid of the world around them. It's an unhealthy attitude that leads to either a lack of challenge in your games or a crippling sense of fear and reluctance to act from your players.

If the players accomplish every single thing they set out to do, it's not a game. It's not even a story. Stories require conflict. They require obstacles to interact with and overcome. The enjoyment we get from achievement comes from the fact that it is earned through persistence. Make each die roll count, remember to only roll when it really matters. Let there be truly compelling challenges and consequences in your campaigns. Let the players struggle and fight for their victories. Don't abuse them, but encourage them to stand up to the obstacles you present them with and find their triumph. You want an environment in which it isn't always easy to win, but it's possible and surmountable. There's no real satisfaction in a victory unearned, so make the challenge fit the reward. Then you can have truly satisfying moments for your gaming group, and fun stories that can be remembered and retold for days to come.

Happy ventures!

Links: Online Resources for Tabletop Gaming

(With my current work schedule this week I fell behind a bit, so in lieu of a full entry I would like to share this collection of links to my favorite online resources.)

Great (Free) Web Sites and Apps for Game Mastering:

Roll20: For live online gaming, it doesn't get any better than this! You can add your own graphics, organize multiple maps and screens, control the players' view, and even allow them to move their own tokens on the screen. Great stuff for those times when you can't get a group together in person!

Ambient Mixer: I love this site for the sheer amount of control you have in customizing and personalizing your own atmospheric sound effects. You have the ability to mix your own tracks and save them to the site, or choose from one of many user-created combinations of background noises to set the mood of a scene.

Mythweavers: The character sheet hosting on this site is first class! They cover a multitude of game systems, and setting up an account lets you fill out and save digital records of your characters. Convenient and easy, it really streamlines character creation and you won't have to worry about losing your sheet as long as you have an internet connection.

Master Plan: Master Plan was made with 4th Edition Dungeons and Dragons in mind, but its flowchart creation tools and initiative tracking can be a valuable resource for planning a campaign in any system. Check out this cool application and see if it will help you with your own game mastery needs.

RP Tools: "RPTools is a brand of open-source programs designed to enhance traditional pen-and-paper role playing games." These include a useful initiative tracking app, an online map builder, and more!

Wizards of the Coast Dice Roller: Never be without the ability to roll anything from a d6 to a d20 with this handy browser-based free dice roller from Wizards of the Coast!

Happy ventures!

Adventuring Gear: Initiative Trackers

Art from Penny Arcade by Mike Krahulik and Jerry Holkins

It's high time I talked about an important issue to every game master: Initiative tracking. While some systems have fairly simple ways to determine the order that the players take their turns, many simply rely on the time-tested method of assigning a numerical value to each character and counting down in descending order. 

When it comes to initiative, it can be a real pain to keep track of things. Sometimes it just slows things down, which is why I only call for an official initiative roll if the players are facing a significant encounter. No initiative roll is needed for a scuffle with a single feral rat or a pair of cleaning robots. When it is time to call for initiative rolls, it's best to have a plan for how to handle it before you begin.

Breaking It Down

When initiative begins, it is always a good idea to have the players all roll together and have their numbers added up as soon as possible. However, it is also preferable that they don't call out these numbers right away. That can get chaotic and confusing. Even a simple method like going clockwise around the table and having each player recite their initiative roll will keep things from descending into a confused mess of shouted numbers and people talking over each other.

Let's be clear, though... initiative is for tracking when the enemies move more than the players. If there are two or more players with subsequent turns, they can choose to go in whatever order they want. Player one can hold his turn and go after player two, and so on. It only matters when the next enemy gets to act in the initiative, and what they can accomplish before the next player character gets a turn.

With this in mind, you can use the enemy initiative slots as a point of reference to move things along more quickly. You can start by rolling the enemy's initiative. I recommend always consolidating these rolls by sometimes allowing bad guys to share initiative slots. You can have a pair of mooks make a single initiative roll, or roll initiative for enemies based on enemy type rather than one roll for each individual. (For instance, a group of goblins might all get one initiative slot, and the bugbears just make a single initiative roll as well.)

Now let's say the enemies have initiative values of 14, 6, and 3. Using these as reference, you can start by asking "Who has an initiative greater than 14?" And then you know that those players will be going first. You can then work out who has the better initiative and record it, but this way you are able to divide initiative into more digestible chunks. You can then proceed with "Who has an initiative between 14 and 6?" and so on.
If you don't like using these methods, you could also try grouping the players by fives, or tens. "Who got an initiative between one and five? Five and ten?" These processes won't make initiative an effortless endeavor, but they may make things a bit easier to manage by breaking the information down into smaller sections that are easier to record. 

I strongly recommend designating a particularly organized player to help you manage initiative in some respect, whether by writing it down or calling out the turn order as the game proceeds. It can make it much easier to have a second set of eyes and hands to help out while you keep track of other things, like movement and hit points. Some groups might have a player that manages the initiative entirely themselves before handing it off to the DM.


Writing Boards and Magnetic Pieces

My own magnetic initiative tracker.

Via The Dungeoneering Dad

The easiest tool for initiative tracking is an erasable writing board. A whiteboard or chalkboard will work, of a convenient size for your game table. Make sure it is placed within clear eyesight of yourself or whoever is tracking the initiative order once the encounter begins. You can make your own initiative tracking tool using magnetic tape, and a wipe away dry erase poster board. By cutting up the poster board and attaching it to the magnets, you can stick them to a surface and have pre-made names ready to arrange in any order. There are also ready made versions of these tools for sale by certain manufacturers. 

Screen Hangers

The standees that I like to use for assigning seats and remembering PC names can also be hung from the top of a DM screen. This means that they can be lined up in order of initiative, for another easy to view way to track the progress of the turn. If you use this method, just remember that their sequence will be reversed if viewed from the other side. So if you make the hangers two sided, either the DM or the players will have to read it from right to left if they want to keep track of the sequence. 

Numbered Cards

This method can also be very convenient... have index cards or sticky notes filled out with numbers: one, two, three, and so forth. You could even use an ordinary deck of playing cards! Pass them out to the players based on what position they have in the initiative. Keep any cards that represent the enemy combatants' initiative slots. Then you can just start counting up from one, with the players taking their turn when their number is called. I like to use sticky notes in conjunction with my name tag standees when I use this method. 

Turn Tokens

For games with less structured turn cycles, or no initiative system, I recommend some kind of tokens that can be flipped over whenever a player makes a move. Bottle caps work well for this, since it is very clear whenever the cap has been flipped. These serve as markers of a spent action, so that you know exactly which players have had a chance to act this turn. You can then have your own set of tokens to represent enemy characters as well. With this technique, you may cut down on the risk of players missing their turns or getting skipped over.

Computer Software

If you use a laptop or tablet for game running, then having a program on hand for initiative tracking might be the way to go. There are a number of useful campaign managing applications for sale online, or you might be interested in free generic program like Initiative Tool. In any case, just be sure not to take up too much space at the game table with computer equipment. I prefer using a tablet or Android phone for my digital needs because I find that a laptop can take up a lot of space that could be otherwise used for notes, maps, minis, and other tools.

Other Methods

There are many other methods for tracking initiative, an each group must find their own style that fits their needs. There is no single comprehensive method for handling initiative, and these techniques presented are intended as suggestions for your own convenience. Feel free to share your own tips and tricks for fast and smooth initiative tracking in the comments or through Twitter or Facebook.

Using Random Tables and Generators

Via Rich Burlew, Giant in the Playground

Random tables (charts that associate dice roll values with specific concepts) are a great way to add a layer of unpredictablity to your game. When they are implemented in the right way, that is. If overused, or included without a strong purpose, they can also make things very boring. The art of rolling on random tables is based around knowing why you are using one in the first place.

Background Details

One of the simplest reasons for using a random table is for when you need to decide on a superficial characteristic that won't have a strong impact on the game itself. Things that are relatively innocuous but still add to the immersive fun of the game world, like the appearance of an NPC or the name of a local shop. Random tables can help you save a lot of muss and fuss by preventing you from having to wrack your mind for specific details when they aren't so important. You can find a lot of digital random generators of this kind on this very cool web site.

Random Encounters

Random encounter tables also have their uses, but are the most misunderstood variants of all. These tables should never be mandatory, and should be properly balanced for the needs of your play group.You don't want a "Wandering Monster" table that will drop an army of hill giants upon your low level players, unless you have a way for your players to approach such a situation without being destroyed in combat (Just as a pair of kobolds would be a poor match for your epic-level campaign.) 

Typically, random encounters exist to fill time and increase the average challenge level of a dungeon. By causing the players to expend some resources in the form of HP damage or using up ammunition, random encounters can balance out the difficulty of a level without forcing you to redesign your set pieces on the fly. Is the party a bit too fresh to find the final boss a threat? Throw a pack of spider warriors their way, or roll up a skeleton squad instead. Just remember that you are never beholden to random tables, and you have the option of avoiding them entirely if you so wish.

Another reason for using these random generators is simply for randomizing the order or implementation of prepared encounters.

For instance, I once ran a race for my players comprised of ten separate encounters. I mapped them out in flow chart form, but left each point of the map blank. Then I rolled on a chart made up of all ten encounter types and assigned each map point its own encounter. Which means that the encounters were pre-made but assigned to random places on the map.

In another instance, I prepared about five major encounters for a naval voyage. I knew that the group would only have time for one or two during a session, so I used a random table to determine which encounter to use whenever they triggered one. These encounters included a mermaid attack and an unscrupulous merchant. I also used a table to determine how far they traveled between encounters so that the voyage wouldn't seem regimented and monotonous. Finally, I rolled for weather conditions, which would be an overall superficial choice of the kind I described earlier.

The players shouldn't be at risk of major catastrophe or victory based on a mandatory random roll.  Those kinds of moments should grow from their choices and interactions with the primary plot points and encounters of your campaign.

Source of Inspiration

Finally, there are times when you are just plain out of ideas for a game, and need something to stimulate your imagination. Random tables can be used as a starting point for some very cool campaign ideas. You can find many tables online full of story ideas for many tabletop settings. It's a great way to jump start your creativity and overcome writers block! Just remember to elaborate on whatever you end up with and personalize it for yourself and your play group.

Don't let any random encounter seem truly random, and you might not even want to let the players know that you rolled for it. A few fake rolls and misdirection at key points will prevent players from ever guessing when you are rolling dice for real!

Whether its to flesh out your map, to add uniqueness to the setting, or just to get the ball rolling on your next campaign, random generation can be a very useful tool for your games. Hopefully this entry has given you some great ideas for how to include them in your next tabletop escapade. Happy ventures!

Slaves to the Dice

When you roll dice as the game master, you don't ever do it while expecting a certain result. When you call for a roll from your players it is no different. 

Unfortunately this is not a universal policy. I have participated in a convention game where the DM kept calling for skill checks for the group to overcome a certain challenge. There was no consequence for failure, but he kept calling for rolls anyway. After a couple minutes of laughing and joking our way through the repeated failures, boredom set in. A silence fell over us all, filled only by the sound of plastic polygons clattering across the tabletop. It was like some grim ritual as we waited for the dice to provide us with the right numbers to free us to adventure again. It's times like those that remind me why tabletop gaming often gets the short shrift as a mainstream activity. That sort of monotony is unheard of in other media, and misses the basic concept of entertainment as a whole.

Dice rolling doesn't need to impede your progress, and you don't need the dices' permission to advance. Rolling doesn't do anything but create a branching path of outcomes, and if the eventual outcome will be identical regardless of the result, it has no point. 

And then there are the worse cases where a roll is called for when performing a simple action, like ordering a drink from a bartender or tying your horse to a post.

 Remember the message you are sending when you call for a roll. A roll doesn't represent a character's action within the fiction, it represents their risk of failure. It represents danger. At the very least it represents the chance that things won't work out as well as you planned. 

Critical Success and Failure in MY Game? It's More Likely Than You Think.

In many systems, rolling the lowest value has extra serious consequences. Critical failure, botch, whatever you want to call it. But in most systems, it is not that unlikely an event. In a D20 role playing game, that's one in twenty chance. That makes it so much worse if it is applied to basic and everyday actions. 

Don't turn your bold adventurers into this guy.

If every single time you used your car there was a one in twenty chance of being involved in an accident, you'd soon find yourself taking the bus everywhere. So it is with dice rolls to determine success at basic out-of-combat actions like climbing a tree, dancing a jig, or taking their dire badger for a walk. Your players will stop taking decisive actions if they are afraid that the most basic move might result in a negative consequence. It's like being trapped barefoot in a room of broken glass, your players are just going to end up stuck in a corner or tiptoeing around at a glacial pace. Or worse, it becomes a comedy of errors with characters randomly tripping over their own feet and causing mayhem when they attempt to accomplish anything.

Conversely, don't ever tell a player to make a roll and deny them success even if they roll the highest value. It's deliberately misleading the player into thinking they have a chance of success so you can pull the rug from under them, and watch their shock when a critical success is denied. If an action is impossible, it does not need a roll. Your players should always be considered a friend. And you shouldn't play those kinds of tricks on your friends, it just ain't right.

In the heat of combat, of course, things become more difficult. That's when a character is under pressure and will often need to roll for actions that would usually be easy to perform. This principle applies to non-combat scenarios too. If the character is under pressure, and there may be consequences for failure, it is time to start chucking dice. Let's put it this way: making yourself a sandwich is routine, but making a sandwich for the Crown Empress will require a roll, and the player had better hope it's a good one!

There are always those few instances where failure is inevitable.

Routine Skills, Abilities, and Training

If you want a player to know something, then don't require a skill check for it. Instead, look to the earliest writings of Dungeons and Dragons for inspiration on how to handle these things. In some of the early modules, such as the Isle of Dread, there are scenarios in which a player character of the thief class has the ability to navigate certain hard to reach locations regardless of their statistics. Why? By virtue of their basic training as a thief, of course.

Computer programs often have features that work by triggering automatically if the conditions are met. "IF/THEN" statements, or conditional statements. This provides a great framework for how we treat player characters. If they ask to do something that would help to progress the game, don't play dice with it. Instead of rolling the dice on vital information or basic actions, first determine if that player's class has training or specialization in the skill. Then treat it as a 'routine' action, one that doesn't require a roll. The player has passed a 'gate' by having the proper skill. They still get to perform their role in the game, practicing their specialty, and you have encouraged them to use their skills rather than fear them.

This way you can plan adventures and scenarios around the characters in your party. A thief may already know of a local smugglers' guild, and a wizard may notice a spy using a common disguise spell. These things can happen by fate rather than chance, paving the way for the story while showcasing the unique skill sets of the PCs.

How do you know the difference between a skill check that should be routine and a skill check that needs a roll? Here are my general guidelines when making that call:

View this table as an image here.

One Last Note

One of the worst thing any dungeon master can say is "Oops." It makes everyone nervous and damages your own confidence. Though it happens to the best of us, we can prevent a lot of oops moments by remembering not to let sheer chance undermine your game. No DM should feel like they are a slave to the dice. They aren't artifacts of power, or sacred stones of fateful import. They are gaming aids to keep things lively and exciting. Your main tools are still your knowledge of the rules, creativity, and of course your own awareness of your players!

Happy ventures!

Flick of the Wrist, Roll of the Dice + Dice Rolling Adventuring Gear

A friend requested that I talk a bit about physical techniques of dice rolling. So get ready for something a little different as we dig into the flick of the wrist and clatter of polygons that determine your fate at the game table. Unlike most articles on this site, this one is primarily directed toward players, the primary dice-chuckers at the game table.

Dice Rolling Rules

These are my core rules of dice rolling. The Do's and Don'ts of the roll to keep your game running smoothly and avoid fumbling for results or having to crawl under the table.

• Don't roll the dice unless it is called for by the DM. This was covered in this previous article. Rolling dice is noisy and distracting and sometimes entirely unnecessary. If you are itching to make a skill check, let the game-runner know before you send 'em flying.  

• Don't throw your dice across the table. It's really annoying when your dice knock over the the playing pieces or end up in somebody's drink. Have a small flat-surface area to use as a designated roll area and use it consistently.

• Roll your dice together, not one after the other. Not only does this save time, but it avoids the risk of the second dice crashing into the first dice you roll and changing its result. This was a sneaky maneuver that one of my players pointed out to me in jest, but it's not as funny to actually do this as a goof.

• Combine your rolls when possible. Make attack rolls and damage rolls at the same time. If you trigger an ability that allows you to take the best of two rolls, make them both at the same time. It saves hassle and gives you immediate results. 

• Roll on a flat, smooth surface. You want to make dice rolls as clear and legible as possible. You will also need to work out some house rules for when dice fall off the table or land slightly askew. My house rules declare that dice that fall outside the designated roll areas need to be re-rolled, as well as a cocked die that didn't land on a clear result. Your own rulings may vary.

• Always have some spare dice on hand in case yours get lost. For your group, I recommend buying a pound of dice bag from online or at your local game store. Just generic ones of various shapes and sizes so that a missing d8 doesn't bring everything to a grinding halt.

• Show respect for your fellow players dice and don't roll someone else's without their express permission. It's bad form to touch another player's gaming tools.

Dice Rolling tools

The following are basic descriptions of tools you can use to store dice and make rolling easier. Remember that hard surfaces of any kind will eventually wear down your dice and prevent them from rolling quite as consistently, so keep this in mind if you have fancier or more delicate sets. Most of the tools listed here come with padded variations to avoid such issues.

Dice Tray

A dice tray is a simple and elegant solution to keep your dice contained and managed. You can use many kinds of small containers, buy a specialty tray, or make your own with cardboard, cardstock, and maybe some felt lining(for smoother and quieter rolls.) You roll the dice within the confines of the container and it keeps them from flying off. Of course it has to be a flat level surface and be visible to other players at the table (No hiding your dice rolls) I use a small clear plastic container when I need a tray, it fits the criteria just fine.

Dice Tower

This is the Cadillac of your options, and these are sold at many game stores and resources. Basically a standing box with a whole on either end. The dice drop through the top, bounce off a couple of platforms and pop out the bottom where they land on a result. These are great for keeping your dice contained, but also make a fair racket when in use. They also are the hardest on your dice in terms of wear and tear, but they are fun and have undeniable appeal.

Dice Cup
A dice cup holds your dice and can also be flipped over to dump them out and get a quick result. Simple and elegant, they cut right to the chase when it comes to getting your result. Flip the cup over and see what you got. Leather dice cups are a popular version, and having one with a lid lets it double as a dice bag.



Dice Bag
While it is exclusively a storage option, a dice bag is important to players who want to keep their pieces seperate and protected. A simple little sack large enough for one or more sets of dice is best, with a drawstring to keep it closed. Some folks like the chain mail variations, but it is just a matter of taste. Whatever works best for you and feels right.

Happy ventures!

Don't Roll Them Bones Unless You Mean It!

Previously I shared some details about how to keep your game engaging and dynamic. I think it's about time I get into the nitty-gritty and lay out some of the rules I set at the game table to make sure I follow that core principle. The first one worth mention is of course:

Don't roll the dice unless failure would have a unique and interesting result!

This includes dice rolls made by the players. The basic reasoning behind this is simple: the dice are there to help you add an element of chance to the game. They don't need to be a crutch for game-running, decision making, or keeping players engaged.

Rolling dice too often can hurt your game in a number of ways:

• It slows down the action.
• It devalues the impact of the dice results on your game.
• It places the core of your game on randomness instead of strategy.
• It adds the potential for failure in cases that may pointlessly disrupt the game.

Automatic Successes and Failures

There are times when a dice roll may be required, but there are also times when automatic success or failure is the most logical choice.

Success should always be automatic when the result is either immaterial or crucial to the progress of the campaign. Sometimes a roll may be made to determine how quickly you find the vital clue that leads you to the next chapter, but it should never incorporate the possibility of not finding the clue at all. Each roll should have a distinct purpose, so rolling five times to find the clue is likely to leave your group bored and frustrated. Many systems use the "take 10" or "take 20" system to avoid this problem (In which you can choose to spend some extra time on certain tasks and automatically complete the task as if you rolled a 10 or a 20.) 

Automatic failure is a trickier matter, and should be implemented carefully. You'll want to use it more sparingly to avoid undue frustration and dead-ends for your players, but it still has its own appropriate time and place. It could be an instance of an obvious goofball move like grappling with an intangible ghost, or simply a contingency the DM has planned for, like a failsafe alarm if the heroes shut down a security system, but some things just can't be avoided. Don't roll dice if the task is impossible, just break the news to the group right then and there.

Being Prepared For Success or Failure

In any case, the roll of the dice should always be associated with two or more results, not a foregone conclusion. Dice rolling, especially rolling in the open, is the one way that action is allowed to take place out of the hands of player and DM, so it should generally be unnecessary to undermine it by vetoing the result. Try to have an idea of the possible outcomes in mind before you call for a roll, not after you realize that a failed spot check has derailed your game. (Same goes for unlikely successes.)

Also keep in mind that failure is not a bad thing! It is necessary for the suspense and challenge of a game campaign. Failure should open up new possibilities for a player just as often as closing them. Dropping to the floor at an enemy's blow, for example, leads in to a chance to roll out of the way of their next attack! And finally, keeping up a brief but evocative narrative of the action, whether provided by the player or DM, will help to keep things from becoming a slog. When the ranger casts out her grappling hook and fails a roll, it doesn't just end with "you fail." She sees the hook pull taught against the ledge, and it pulls loose a rocky outcropping and falls free, dropping a stone on the head of an angry troll beneath that snarls a vicious threat.  The overall aim of all this is to subconsciously convince your players that failure isn't the end, but the source of conflict and drama from which enjoyment is derived. The player should ideally be able to find enjoyment in the unfolding action and gameplay, regardless of a streak of bad luck. The average dice results should not dictate whether or not a player has fun.

Having Fun With Dice and Without Them

But why is it that players and DMs tend to roll dice excessively instead of leaving them for when they are needed? One of the main reasons for this is because it gives the player a sense of active participation in the action, more so than the abstract description of their character's actions. Being able to do something with your hands and crunch the numbers of a roll is stimulating and attention grabbing, whether it is relevant or not. Additionally, some pragmatic players prefer tossing the bones to detailed role playing or storytelling and it is their way of amusing themselves to pass the time.

Rather than punishing the players for this habit, which wastes time and possibly disrupts the campaign (A character who keeps making dexterity rolls and falling over their own feet, for instance) Your group should remember to include alternative methods to provide the same feeling of interactivity. Miniatures and maps are a start, kept within reach of the players so that they can move their avatar around to represent their actions. Tokens like FATE's fate points or Savage World's bennies provide an in-game economy built around player actions that can keep things moving along. Some players might also find taking notes or modifying character sheets a useful way to track progress and stay engaged with the game. Whatever makes your players feel involved is great!

The players are of course always free to have fun rolling dice whenever they please as long as it is not disruptive. There's never anything wrong with a joke roll to determine a character's current desert cravings or feelings about jazz music. But if it comes down to rolls called by the DM, dice being used to affect the outcome or continuity of the campaign, be concentious, be prepared for any result, and make it count!

To be continued...