Where/How can I use my d30?

[ExtravagantEvil]

Ok, out of a consumer sense of whimsy while at the mall, I paid 3 dollars and got a nice little d30. Now, I want to know, are there any game systems that use it, ever, so that it isn't just a d-Ecorational piece. If not, what are some fun ways I can incorporate it into my games?
Many thanks from the Dark Lord, ExtravagantEvil.

[Shyftir]

I have a friend who uses his as his character whenever he doesn't have a good mini for it.

[herrhauptmann]

We had a houserule for one. Each game session, the d30 was on the table, and was allowed to sub in for a d20 roll. 1,10,20 were all fumbles. But 21-30 were all equivalent to getting a 20 on a d20 (except for the purposes of vorpal and similar). However, that dice was allowed once in the entire day, and the entire table had to agree to use it.
Since this was 4E, the whole getting a crit wasn't as game winning as in other rule sets. But it was great when used for a fighters villain's menace or other similar powers (secondary effects on a hit which boosted teh entire party). It pretty much guaranteed that the BBEG would go down like a wimp.

[MyLifeMyMusical]

Maybe you could re-work/house rule some of the Luck feats from Complete Scoundrel?

[Skorj]

Make a fun "critical results table" for your game, based on a d30 role. I did this for a campaign long ago, and the almost mystical significance the d30 took on was much fun - since it was only ever rolled to see the result of a critical, it was usually a dramatic event that everyone would stop to watch.

[a_humble_lich]

I had a DM who refered to the d30 as the Orb of Influence. When the players were doing things he didn't like he'd throw the Orb at them. Those things hurt.

[panaikhan]

I own some pretty strange dice, including two D30's, a D100, several 'spindle' D20's (they only roll sideways like a column) and a spherical D6 (it stops on a number due to a ball-bearing inside that rattles around)

The only time I've ever actually used the D30 was back in 2e, when spell charts didn't really go over 30, and I used it for random scrolls.

[dsmiles]

As a DM, I base all of my outdoor random encounter tables on the d30.

[grarrrg]

got a nice little d30....what are some fun ways I can incorporate it into my games?

Talk with your DM, see if he'll let you use it for your Hit Point rolls on a Lightning Warrior, if he objects, explain to him that the Lightning Warrior doesn't even get a Familiar, so the LEAST he can do is let you have d30 hit dice.

[Psyx]

several 'spindle' D20's (they only roll sideways like a column)

Insta-banned at my games from the moment I saw a player 'roll' one on his character sheet (he was playing off his lap, sat on an armchair) that all-too-easily rolled onto the next face with a mere twitch of the knee.

d30s rock for deciding character birthdays.

[Yuki Akuma]

Play Risus with the Funky Dice variant rule.

[subject42]

It's not D&D, but the Rifts RPG system makes heavy use of d30s.

[TheDarkOne]

It's not D&D, but the Rifts RPG system makes heavy use of d30s.

I don't recall this, but it's been a while since I played rifts. As I recall, combat was d20, skills were %, damage other misc effects were other misc smaller dice. What am I missing?

[Androgeus]

use it to represent a goblin mook

[subject42]

I don't recall this, but it's been a while since I played rifts. As I recall, combat was d20, skills were %, damage other misc effects were other misc smaller dice. What am I missing?

I honestly don't remember. I only played one rifts campaign and it was utterly terrible. All I know is that I had to go buy a d30 for it.

Initiative, maybe?

[Mongoose87]

Back in 1e, IIRC, there were 30 1st level spells, so the d30 was used to randomly determine your starting spells.

[TheDarkOne]

I honestly don't remember. I only played one rifts campaign and it was utterly terrible. All I know is that I had to go buy a d30 for it.

Initiative, maybe?

Pretty sure that was a d20 too. I've got my rifts books at home, I'm going to check it out when I get there.

[grimbold]

I had a DM who refered to the d30 as the Orb of Influence. When the players were doing things he didn't like he'd throw the Orb at them. Those things hurt.

my dm does this too

you might want to use it as some nerd bling. Also when you are rolling for high amounts of damage (read 3 consecutive quickened meteor showers) they can be handy

[subject42]

Pretty sure that was a d20 too. I've got my rifts books at home, I'm going to check it out when I get there.

It was stat checks that were a d30, apparently. D20s were for combat checks and d100s were for skills.

[dariathalon]

Randomly sub it in for any d2, d3, d6 or d10 rolls you make.

[Saph]

You use it with this feat from Critical Miss.


The Legendary Hero

You're just really great.

Prerequisites: Str 16+, Dex 16+, Con 16+, Int 16+, Wis 16+, Cha 16+

Benefit: On any occasion where you would roll a 20-sided dice (such as for attacks, saving throws and skill rolls) you can instead roll a 30-sided dice. A roll of 1 counts as a critical failure, as with a 1 on a 20-sided dice. Where a roll of 20 on a 20-sided dice is a critical success, then a roll of 30 will count as a critical success. Where a roll of 19 or 20 on a 20-sided dice is a critical success, then a roll of 29 or 30 will count as a critical success.

Notes: The best way to handle gaining this feat is just to start using it. Most people are unused to D30s and will often mistake one for a D20, so you will probably be able to use this feat for quite a while before anyone actually notices.

[flabort]

Try to convince your DM to let you use a homebrew class that uses it for HD.
Or, if you're the DM, increase a monster's damage to a d30.


Here: the srd gives us increased damage dice from the Improved Natural Attacks feat.

1d2, 1d3, 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 2d6, 3d6, 4d6, 6d6, 8d6, 12d6.

1d10, 2d8, 3d8, 4d8, 6d8, 8d8, 12d8

Notice something?
First, it's the 1d2-->1d3-->1d4-->1d6-->1d8 line.
Then, compare 1d10-->2d8 and 1d8-->2d6.

When advancing a step, we can therefore either increase the size of dice to the next up, or knock it down a size and double the number of dice.
So, in theory, we could use 1d8-->1d10-->1d12-->1d20-->1d30-->1d40-->2d30. This, of course, assumes 3d6 is roughly equal to 1d20...
If it starts at, say, 1d6 damage from a claw attack, and we take the (modified?) feat 5 times, 1d30 would be roughly the damage it can do.

[turkishproverb]

D30's get used occasionally. I think rifts had them, along with someother palladium products. A few smaller RPGs and older editions of D&D use them occasionally.

d5's, 7's, 14's, 16's, 24's, 34's, and 50's on the other hand...