2d6 vs d12

[0-hr]

The unarmed damage for my monk character is listed as 2d6. I would rather roll 1d12 just because it's less math and I have a Champions inspired hatred of 6 siders.

I realize that it produces a linear distribution rather than a bell curve, but does that really matter in the long run? Also, isn't the average damage of 1d12 half a point less than 2d6? It's a trade off I'm willing to make to avoid those acursed cubes, but I don't want to run into some hidden benefit later that makes me look like a munchkinizer.

 

[Ottergame]

If you really have a problem adding 1-6 to 1-6, then yes, go with the d12 if you want.

 

[dcollins]

In 3.0 the medium monk level 12-15 in fact has 1d12 unarmed damage.

 

[AeroDm]

It was changed to 2d6 for the monks benefit, so I know that I would allow a player of mine to make such a switch.

 

[AuraSeer]

I once saw a 36-sided die that you'd probably like. It was labelled with the same number distribution as 2d6-- one each of 2 and 12, two each of 3 and 11, and so on.

Apparently the die didn't sell very well, because rolling exactly 2d6 at a time isn't very common in most games. (Just like in D&D, they most often roll in singles or in 3s.) I've never met anybody who owns one, and the store where I saw it has gone out of business. But if you can find one of these dice kicking around Ebay or some such, it sounds like exactly the solution you're looking for.

 

[alaric]

Multiple dice are usually favorable for the players, that's because players are the heros, and are setup to suceed from the beginning, in general an average roll from a player is fairly likely to be sucessful, so you're really trying more to minimize your low rolls. It's numerous low roles in a row that can take the average combat (that pc's see level after level) and turn it into something more deadly.

 

[Darklone]

Uhm. I wouldn't care for the "bell" curve (it's a triangle), but the biggest difference IMHO 2d6 has an average of 7 and d12 has an average of 6.5 ...

Actually I'm a little bit sad about it because 3rd edition saw sooo many barbarians and dwarves using greatswords instead of greataxes just because these 0.5 more damage...

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

You could always roll d4+d8

It isn't the same as 2d6 but you still get an average of 7 and a curve (albeit a flattened one).

AR

 

[Darklone]

Considering how many players roll 1d8+1d6 ... (darn energy weapons).

 

[Rashak Mani]

Actually I'm a little bit sad about it because 3rd edition saw sooo many barbarians and dwarves using greatswords instead of greataxes just because these 0.5 more damage...

Don't forget the Sword having a (19-20) x2 crit vs the GreatAxe having only a (20) x3... I prefer 19-20.