DICEs

Dices are small throwable objects used to generate random numbers in games. A die (singular) is usually a polyhedron with faces labeled with numbers or symbols; the standard plural is "dice." The form "dices" is rarely used as a noun and is the third-person singular present tense of the verb "to dice."

Dice have ancient origins across many cultures and were used for gambling and divination long before modern games. The current mainstream use centers on polyhedral dice made of plastic or resin, with common sets including several shapes each assigned a different number of faces.

Common dice types include the six-sided die (D6), four-sided (D4), eight-sided (D8), ten-sided (D10), twelve-sided (D12), and twenty-sided (D20). Percentile dice combine two ten-sided dice to produce 00–90 and 0–9 outcomes. In tabletop role-playing games, dice are rolled in combinations and described by notation such as "XdY," where X is the number of dice and Y is the number of faces.

Manufacture and fairness: Modern dice are precision-made to ensure balanced probability. Casino dice are often larger, with beveled edges and specific materials and finishes to resist wear and prevent cheating. Some dice are shaped or colored for aesthetics or educational use and may include symbols beyond numerals.

Probability and use: Each face of a fair die has equal likelihood, and the combined outcomes are used to resolve actions, determine damage, or generate random events. Notation such as "1d6" or "3d8" indicates the number of dice and their faces. Dice-based systems use various rules to combine results, such as adding, averaging, or taking the highest or lowest.