Some game actions use a die roll to determine their outcome. Any method may be used to simulate this as long as all results have an equal chance of occurring. For example, using a 20-sided die to simulate a 6-sided die by dividing by 3 and rounding up (rerolling on 19 or 20) is acceptable. Dice with similar numbers clumped together (such as a spindown life tracker) may not be used for these actions.
With Adventures in the Forgotten Realms, several cards were added that require the roll of a D20, (the associated Commander Products might use a D4 or a D12, etc). If you don’t have the required die, you may use another method that yields the same results with the same probability. Spindown life trackers are not allowed in tournament play as there is excessive anecdotal evidence that the results can be manipulated easier than with a fair D20. However, in casual games, the MTR doesn’t apply and a spindown is fine. If you think you a player at your kitchen table is cheating, why are they at your kitchen table?
Dice must have clear and easy to read values, and not be so large as to be disruptive when rolled. They must be rolled from a discernable height. Dice that leave the playing surface after landing, become mixed with similar dice, or do not land flat are ignored and rerolled.
These rules are just to ensure no one can hide the result of a roll, or roll improperly. It also covers the age-old D&D question of “If it rolls off the table, do I re-roll or keep the result”. The section about the dice not being so large as to be disruptive, is because this game has trolls, and if that rule isn’t there, someone will bring a 1 ft diameter dice plushie and argue that it’s legit because the rules don’t say they can’t.
Players are expected to be clear about why they are rolling a die. A player who wishes to respond to a die roll is expected to the prevent the rolling player from taking action, but the rolling player cannot rush through to preempt responses. A die roll is complete once the result is visible to the opponent.
These rules are in place to stop gamesmanship on both sides of the table. Typically cards that use dice rolling have the rolling as part of resolving the effect. Once the roll starts, the effect is happening. As such, it is important for the players to communicate that they are about to roll, so the opponent knows they need to respond. We don’t want opponents deciding that they werent given a chance to respond until after the result is known. We also don’t want a player to push past any possible responses by rolling too fast and claiming its “too late” to respond. We definitely don’t want a player just rolling D20s and then when they get a result they like, claim it was for an effect.
