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""Special" Dice: How far Back?" Topic


8 Posts

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robert piepenbrink Supporting Member of TMP16 Apr 2018 1:17 p.m. PST

It would appear, if the archaeologists and Fox news are correct, that "character building" dice have been with us at least 600 years.
link


Yes, it's perfectly true that if you're trying to cheat with them you should probably put the two "4" sides opposite one another. But it may have been a first effort.

Winston Smith16 Apr 2018 1:26 p.m. PST

Roman D20.
link

Richard Brooks Sponsoring Member of TMP16 Apr 2018 2:41 p.m. PST

About 20 years ago at the Metropolitan Museum in NYC I saw an Egyptian display that had several dozen die on display. I could swear that at least one was a 20 sided die made of clay or bone as were the rest of the die. Over half the die were more than 6 sided.

Oberlindes Sol LIC Supporting Member of TMP16 Apr 2018 4:55 p.m. PST

Love that Roman d20.

Chris Wimbrow17 Apr 2018 6:57 a.m. PST

It's not necessarily cheating if everyone is using the same die or dice. Just adjusting the probabilities of a given result.

Mick the Metalsmith17 Apr 2018 7:53 a.m. PST

Some of these dice might have been for fortune telling too. I doubt they were cheater dice, no more than a 32 card deck of cards is a cheater deck. We just don't know the game.

Personal logo miniMo Supporting Member of TMP17 Apr 2018 8:32 a.m. PST

The oldest known dice are the D4 used for the Royal Game of Ur c.2600–2400 BCE. Three tips with a single mark, one tip not marked.

Dice were special when they were invented!

Personal logo etotheipi Sponsoring Member of TMP19 Apr 2018 4:40 a.m. PST

Ignorant primitives! Everyone nowadays knows you turn the 2 into a 5 …

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