How do you cope with a string of bad rolls?

[Nintendogeek01]

Anyone who's played RPG's long enough knows that bad rolls happen, sometimes they happen a lot. This has nothing to do with improving your rolls or tweaking results, this question is more about what to do when the stress of it starts to get to you.

So how do you, as the player, cope with a string of bad rolls? Most of the advice I've seen around is how the DM can make failure fun, but I've not really seen what the player personally can do if their bad luck is starting to interfere with their enjoyment of the game.

[Squiddish]

First, make sure your dice aren't cursed.

Second, acknowledge your bad luck in-universe. Maybe even go on a quest of some sort (DM permitting) to get some sort of luck-increasing item, or maybe bargain with a god/goddess of luck.

[Maglubiyet]

Usually, if you look at it objectively, you are not rolling any worse than would be expected. Calculating the probabilities can help to recognize that your "bad luck" falls well within the normal distribution of dice rolls.

Also, be aware of confirmation bias -- you *think* you're rolling bad so you only remember the times when you do. You forgot about that 10 you rolled on a d10 and the 19 on a d20.

[Nintendogeek01]

Usually, if you look at it objectively, you are not rolling any worse than would be expected. Calculating the probabilities can help to recognize that your "bad luck" falls well within the normal distribution of dice rolls.

Also, be aware of confirmation bias -- you *think* you're rolling bad so you only remember the times when you do. You forgot about that 10 you rolled on a d10 and the 19 on a d20.

Objectively, across a campaign, what you're saying is 100% correct. So what about those individual sessions where the player legitimately is failing all but one or two of their rolls? In the long-run of a campaign the distribution might be fine but in the individual session that player is understandably getting frustrated and losing investment in the game.

[Maglubiyet]

Objectively, across a campaign, what you're saying is 100% correct. So what about those individual sessions where the player legitimately is failing all but one or two of their rolls? In the long-run of a campaign the distribution might be fine but in the individual session that player is understandably getting frustrated and losing investment in the game.

Some systems have a mechanic like "take 10", where you can automatically succeed in simple tasks. In most games I extend this to everything, unless there's a compelling reason not to. The heroes are, after all, supposed to heroic.

If you're a rogue of *course* you can scale to the top of a 50' pole. The only time you should need to roll is when it's covered in grease, you're getting shot at, or that pole is on a pitching ship in the middle of a hurricane.

I also favor game systems that give players options to re-roll failures, like Bennies in Savage Worlds or Fate Points in Fate.

[Yllin]

When rolling bad, it's sometimes more interesting to focus on being more of an audience than an actor (being a player implies both). Then you can enjoy the show of how other PCs beat the obstacle or how your character fails spectacularly. I'm not saying you should stop roleplaying, just a slight change in attitude.

[Stryyke]

If I roll 3 bad rolls in a row, I switch to different dice. You should always have several sets. Perhaps it doesn't actually help, but when you start fresh with new dice, your view of what's happening changes.

[Freed]

I forego everything and roleplay. No I don't Dimplomatize the dragon, I talk to him. I don't bluff the ogre, I tell him a lie. I don't fight the enemy, I distract him!

[Koo Rehtorb]

Shrug and remind myself that every roll from here on is just as likely to succeed, no matter how bad my luck is currently.

[bulbaquil]

Usually, my character dies when this happens. Or fumbles and has something horrible happen.

[MrStabby]

Just put up with it till things come around. Yeah, sometimes it sucks but it too will pass.

[Asha Leu]

Just deal with it. Really, that's all you can do. Sometimes you're going to roll poorly. Sometimes you're going to roll poorly many times in a row. That's just the reality of playing games that use dice.

[Faily]

Purge the dice that failed me with fire and holy water.

Other than that, it's annoying, but I tend to roll with it much more now than what I did earlier in my gaming career. I carry on, and usually try to roleplay my failures to make it more entertaining for everyone else... besides, laughter is the best remedy.

[HidesHisEyes]

I don't think there is much that a player can do, although the suggestions above are all good ones. It is down to how the GM runs the game really. I think in 5E D&D, which is what I mainly play, there are three big solutions.

1) The "take 10" and "take 20" rules referred to above. These rules aren't specifically included in 5E but they don't need to be, since the assumption is that if it stands to reason that a character can do something then no roll is required. So first off make sure your DM isn't calling for rolls when it's unnecessary.

2) The fate points and bennies from other games, also referred to above, have an equivalent in 5E in the form of inspiration. In the games I run I power up inspiration in a couple of ways: it can be accumulated and spent when the player likes rather than being a binary thing that you either have or don't have at a given time, and rather than grant advantage on a check it allows you to reroll a failed check after seeing the result. Also I use it to reward not just roleplaying your character's prescribed traits but general cool stuff and creative thinking. Often when I give players inspiration it's because the solved a problem in a way I hadn't anticipated but really couldn't argue with.

3) The most important thing, and something you CAN do as a player, is just to remember that one of the assumptions of many RPGs is that you can fail and die horribly. Even if your DM is being reasonable with DCs and when to make a check, and generous with inspiration or its equivalent, you can still fail and/or die as a result of bad luck. If that wasn't the case then the victories and high rolls when they did happen would be meaningless.

And, again as mentioned above, remember that dice are unpredictable by nature. It's perfectly possible to go through an entire adventure, or campaign, or even a lifetime of doing this hobby, and have mostly bad luck. You'd have to roll a die a literally infinite number of times to guarantee a perfectly predictable spread of results. With that in mind it's best to just embrace the randomness and not get too attached to your character!

[iceman10058]

I usually just go with the roles, and if my character dies, so be it. Bad luck is an actual thing that can kill heroes before their time or when it can harm them the most. I find it adds a bit of realism and dramatic tension to the game.

[Jerrykhor]

The answer is simple: Take the Lucky feat.

Or, play a Diviner Wizard and be a boss at dictating rolls when it matters.

[JellyPooga]

I pray to the dice gods. If in doubt of the appropriate prayer, it goes a bit like this;

"Dice Gods, I have prayed to you before.
And still I have no tongue for it.
No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad.
Why we fought, or why we died.
All that matters is that the dice fell as we stood against many. That's what's important!
Chance is what pleases you...so grant me one request;
Grant me revenge!
And if you do not listen, then the HELL with you!"

And then you should sacrifice a salty snack or sweet/alcoholic beverage upon the altar of your character sheet and when you throw your next die, be sure of the knowledge that nothing you can do or say will alter the fickle whims the the mighty Dice Gods.

And always remember that which is best in life; to roll dice in contest with your enemies, see the result fall before you and hear the lamentation of your GM.

[Phoenixguard09]

With lots of swearing.

[Dimers]

With lots of swearing.

Yeah, no kidding. Me? I moan. Maybe two fifths of the time I piss and moan. Not literally, it's just a phrase.

Occasionally it's hilarious, though, getting the GM or other players inventing ideas on just how my character managed to screw that up.

[Yora]

"Keep rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling, ..."

[hymer]

"Are there any number of seven or higher on this d20?" Roll furiously until one appears. "Oh, there you are. Where were you when I needed a hit?"

Some of my players rotate their dice when they get bad luck. Particularly naughty dice sometimes get retired into the dice box for the session.

[Jan Mattys]

Anyone who's played RPG's long enough knows that bad rolls happen, sometimes they happen a lot. This has nothing to do with improving your rolls or tweaking results, this question is more about what to do when the stress of it starts to get to you.

So how do you, as the player, cope with a string of bad rolls? Most of the advice I've seen around is how the DM can make failure fun, but I've not really seen what the player personally can do if their bad luck is starting to interfere with their enjoyment of the game.

Honestly? I game to relieve stress.
If bad rolls happen, they happen. I laugh about it.
It's all about the story we are building together, man, and failing can be hilarious if done well.

[redwizard007]

With lots of swearing.

This. Lots and lots of this.

[GungHo]

I put the dice in the microwave, set the timer to 1 minute, and hover-hand over the start button to let them know I mean business.

[georgie_leech]

One session, I rolled nothing but ones on every attack I made, 5 in total. At that point I gave up and spent the combat taking the Help Action and Mastermind Bonus Action to set up the Fighter and Sor/Wiz. Then I took the Lucky Feat next level.

[Sariel Vailo]

I just have two sets of dice

[BarbieTheRPG]

"Keep rolling, rolling, rolling, rolling, ..."

I agree fully. It's all you can do really and if failed rolls cause you stress, it might be time to take a break from the table.

It's only a game