What Dice Do You Need for D&D? The Seven-Die Set Explained

You need seven dice to play D&D: a d4, d6, d8, d10, a percentile d10, a d12 and a d20. The d20 decides whether you succeed; the others mostly roll damage and hit points. One standard dice set holds all seven, and most players later add extra d6s or a second d20.

What does each D&D die do?

The D&D Basic Rules call the dice by the letter d plus their number of sides. “3d8 + 5” means roll three eight-sided dice, add them, then add 5. Here is where each die shows up in the rules.

The d20 is the one you roll most

The rules call ability checks, attack rolls and saving throws “the three main kinds of d20 rolls.” Almost every turn starts with one. When you have advantage, you roll a second d20 and use the higher result; with disadvantage you use the lower.

How percentile dice work

To get a number from 1 to 100, roll two d10s. One gives the tens digit and the other gives the ones. A 7 on the tens die and a 1 on the other reads as 71, and two zeros read as 100. Some d10s are numbered in tens (00, 10, 20) so you can tell which is which. That tens die is the seventh die in a set.

What about a d3, d2 or d100?

The rules cover these without special dice. For a d3, roll a d6, divide by 2 and round up. For a d2, roll any die and call odd 1 and even 2. Real d100s and other odd shapes exist, and they live on our dice wall of fame.

How many dice sets does a D&D player need?

One set is enough to start. It contains every die type the rules use, and you can roll the same die twice when a spell asks for more.

A second set or a handful of extra dice saves time in a few common spots:

• Big damage rolls. Fireball deals 8d6, so a single d6 means eight rolls.
• Advantage and disadvantage. Two d20s let you roll both at once.
• Sharing. A spare set helps a friend who forgot theirs.

Dungeon masters roll for monsters and traps as well, so a spare set is handy behind the screen. Material matters less than count for a first set. If you are deciding between resin, metal or gemstone, see our dice materials comparison.

Do Pathfinder and other games use the same dice?

Yes for Pathfinder: Paizo’s own Pathfinder Second Edition sets hold a D4, D6, D8, D10, D00, D12 and D20. Many other tabletop roleplaying games also use some or all of the seven shapes.

Do starter sets come with dice?

Often, yes. Wizards of the Coast lists “a set of 11 dice” in Starter Set: Heroes of the Borderlands, released September 16, 2025. A starter box works well for a group learning together; a separate dice set gives each player dice of their own.

Official and licensed sets are another route. Critical Role, for example, sells seven-piece character sets through its own shop. Our guide to Critical Role and licensed dice covers what is official. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by Wizards of the Coast, Paizo or Critical Role.

What to keep your dice in

A drawstring bag is the simplest way to carry a set to game night, and it keeps small d4s from going missing. Look for a bag with a firm cord and a flat base if you want it to stand open on the table.

Dice as a first session or new campaign gift

A dice set is a classic welcome gift for someone joining a group or starting a campaign. Pair it with a bag, or pick a set in the colors of their character. More ideas by recipient live in our D&D gift guide.

No dice yet? Our free dice roller rolls any combination online. For how sets differ on edges and weight, return to the DnD dice sets guide.