These don’t get enough love. I admit not everybody has a d30. So go out and get a few. But the d12. That’s in standard RPG dice set.

So what about that d12. It doesn’t have to be just the “barbarian” die. First, that generally physically roll well and give just a whee bit more range than a d10. It hits a usable spot for many random tables. In my own games, I use a d12 fumble chart for combat and Arcane Mishaps. I have Grievous Injury random table for when things go really wrong. There’s just the right number options that I can be detailed without getting flaky trying to come up a d20’s worth of stuff. Heck, even while kicking around some ideas, I was considering and x in d12 skill system. You like an x in d6 but with twice the range.

And there’s the d30. Sure this can roll like a golf ball (but not as bad as that mythical d100. Yes I have one.) Many times it does feel overblown but it fills that spot where I want that flat curve for a lot of things. Now folks a lot smarter than me have already done a great jot doing a whole books of d30 charts like New Big Dragon Games. For a long time, I hadn’t really used my trusty d30. Then and idea struck me. Why not a couple of random encounter tables? Heck, I wouldn’t have to 30 entries. Roll once a day, if it’s blank then nothing interesting happened. I haven’t even typed this up. It’s just scribbles in my campaign notebook.

Yeah, it’s very much what you’d consider a working document. Now am I saying you have to use your d12’s and d30’s. Naw. Just play with all the toys you have in toy box. Play with the one’s you like and maybe find other ways to use the one’s that you haven’t played with in a while.

Have fun. That’s really the whole idea isn’t it?