Dice & Gear
What Dice Do You Need for D&D? Every Die Explained
D&D uses a standard set of seven dice: a d4, d6, d8, two d10s, a d12, and a d20. The "d" number is how many sides the die has, so a d20 is the twenty-sider, and it's the one you'll roll most by far. One boxed set covers everything the game asks of you. This guide explains what each die actually does at the table, how to read the weird ones, and how to tell a d8 from a d10 at a glance (everyone struggles with that at first).
Reading the name: what "d20" means
Any time D&D tells you to roll, it names dice in the format "XdY": roll X dice with Y sides. So 1d20 is one twenty-sided die, 3d6 is three six-siders added together, and 2d8+3 is two eight-siders plus three. That notation is the whole system. Once it clicks, every spell and weapon in the book reads like a recipe.
Meet the seven
| Die | Shape cue | What it does in play |
|---|---|---|
| d20 | The big golf ball | Attacks, saving throws, skill checks. The "did I succeed?" die. |
| d12 | Rounder, chunky pentagons | Greataxe damage, a few big spells. The least-used die. |
| d10 | Kite-shaped faces, points up and down | Mid-size weapon damage; also half of d100 rolls. |
| d10 (percentile) | Same shape, numbered 00-90 | Pairs with the d10 for rolls from 1 to 100. |
| d8 | Two pyramids glued base-to-base | Longswords, healing spells, lots of class dice. |
| d6 | The normal one | Fireball, sneak attack, and every board game you've ever owned. |
| d4 | The pointy pyramid | Daggers and small heals. Steps on you in the dark. |
The d8/d10 confusion is universal, so here's the tell: d8 faces are triangles, d10 faces are kites, and a d10 has a flat equator running around its middle while the d8 has clean points top and bottom. You'll still grab the wrong one for your first three sessions. Everyone does, and tables are patient about it.
Rolling a d4 is its own small comedy. It lands flat instead of tumbling, and depending on the mold, the result reads either at the peak or along the bottom edge. If the numbers cluster around the point, read the point.
The percentile pair (d100)
The set's strangest ritual: some rolls ask for a d100, which you make by rolling both d10s at once. The die marked 00-90 gives the tens digit, the regular one gives the ones. So 40 + 7 is 47. Double zeros count as 100. You'll use this rarely (wild magic, loot tables, a GM consulting something mysterious behind the screen), which makes it feel like an event every time.
Which dice your character actually leans on
The d20 dominates everyone's night, since every attack, save, and check runs through it. After that it splits by class. Greatsword fighters live on d6 pairs, rogues stack d6s for sneak attack, warlocks fire d10s, clerics heal on d8s, and that barbarian with the greataxe is the only person at the table who loves the d12. None of this changes what you need to buy; the seven-die set covers all of it. It changes what you'll eventually want more of, which is a different question, and our how many dice do you need guide answers it (spoiler: more d6s, eventually).
Buying your first set
Any $10 acrylic set from a game store does the job perfectly. Pick the colors you like; that's genuinely the whole decision, though make sure the numbers are readable at arm's length, since high-contrast numbering beats gorgeous-but-illegible swirls at an actual table. Once you know the hobby's sticking, the upgrade paths (resin, metal, stone, and what each feels like to roll) are covered in our dice materials comparison.
If you're gearing up for a first session, dice plus a pencil is most of the packing list. The rest of it is here.
Frequently asked questions
What dice come in a standard D&D set?
Seven dice: d4, d6, d8, two d10s (one numbered 0-9, one 00-90), d12, and d20. That set covers every roll in fifth edition D&D and nearly every other tabletop RPG.
Which die is used most in D&D?
The d20, and it's not close. Every attack roll, saving throw, and ability check uses it, which is several rolls per player per hour. Damage dice like the d6 and d8 come out only when something connects.
How do you roll a d100 in D&D?
Roll both d10s together: the 00-90 die is the tens digit, the 0-9 die is the ones. A 30 and a 4 reads as 34; two zeros read as 100. Some tables just roll one d10 twice, tens first.
How do you read a d4?
Depends on the mold. If the numbers sit at the tips of each face, read the number at the top point; if they run along the bottom edges, read the edge facing you at the base. Either way, all three visible copies of the correct number agree.
Do I need my own dice to play D&D?
Technically no; nearly every GM carries loaners and will happily push them across the table. Practically, a $10 set you picked yourself is the hobby's best small pleasure, and having your own means never waiting for a borrowed d20 to come back around.