GW & Chessex Dice are Kind of Crap: Proved with Statistics!

[The Other Dave]

Over on Dakka Dakka:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/wiki/en/That% ... is_of_Dice

The results: GW and Chessex dice (with rounded edges and dimpled pips) rolled 1's 29% of the time over 144,000 rolls - the expected value, of course, is 16.6% - that's a very large and statistically significant difference. Square dice (meaning without rounded edges) with pips performed much better at 19% 1's, and casino dice (square, with dots painted on instead of drilled out) were spot-on.

Of course, this opens up a moral can of worms - since pretty much everyone uses GW or Chessex dice, does switching to casino dice or just non-rounded dice with numbers (rather than pips) give you an unfair advantage if your opponent is using GW / Chessex dice? Clearly, like the article says, using GW dice for Ld checks and casino dice for to-hit rolls would be extremely dodgy, but should someone using dice that statistically roll fewer 1's also be prepared to share with an opponent who isn't using them? Should it be (like candy at school) a "bring enough to share or don't bring any" kind of thing?

Or should we all just use dice that tend to roll low, safe in the knowledge that everybody's in the same boat?

[Primarch]

Casino dice are kind of expensive and I already have a lot of GW dice.....

[The Other Dave]

Casino dice are kind of expensive and I already have a lot of GW dice.....

And that's a perfectly reasonable stance to take - I'm not going to rush out and replace my dice either. But then what happens when some hypothetical person does decide to shell out for a bucket of casino dice? He has a statistically-significant advantage over you and your GW dice now - should he be expected to let you borrow half of his dice whenever you play him? I think that's reasonable, but you know how some people are with their dice...

Eh, I don't really think it's that big a deal. This is just the kind of thing I think about when I have free time, heh.

[Primarch]

Casino dice are kind of expensive and I already have a lot of GW dice.....

And that's a perfectly reasonable stance to take - I'm not going to rush out and replace my dice either. But then what happens when some hypothetical person does decide to shell out for a bucket of casino dice? He has a statistically-significant advantage over you and your GW dice now - should he be expected to let you borrow half of his dice whenever you play him? I think that's reasonable, but you know how some people are with their dice...

Eh, I don't really think it's that big a deal. This is just the kind of thing I think about when I have free time, heh.

So long as he is making the same tests on the same dice throughout the game, its ok I guess. (e.g. Ld tests as well as to hit rolls). Whilst casino dice do roll statistically correctly, there is no guarantee what any given roll will be at any given time. The casino dice guy would just have slightly better odds in general.
Mind you, since some people think that winning at all costs is the only way to go, I wouldnt be suprised to see casino dice showing up in tournaments and such.

[Miggy Smallz]

I'd buy a set of casino dice if I knew where to get them. I've only ever seen like, one die at Yellow Sub.

[Primarch]

I'd buy a set of casino dice if I knew where to get them. I've only ever seen like, one die at Yellow Sub.

Try Tokyu Hands, they usually have some.

[Spevna]

If I had casino dice and the guy I was playing thought they were giving me an advantage I would have no problems with letting him use them.

[Alpharius]

If I had casino dice and the other guy thought it was unfair, I'd switch them out for regular loaded dice. In the Alpha Legion we always have a Plan B

[Konrad]

If I had casino dice and the other guy thought it was unfair, I'd switch them out for regular loaded dice. In the Alpha Legion we always have a Plan B

And Alpharius wins the sportsmanship award yet again. (sarcasm alert)
Do you keep a stock of exploding, contact poisoned casino dice in the Alpha Legion armory as bait for guys who have read the article.
"No fair! Casino dice!"
"Well, okay, I guess you can use my dice, just to be fair."
(rolls them) "Hey I feel dizzy,auuugh...." " BOOM!"
I remember after I read the article thinking who the hell would pay like 15 bucks for two dice. But then again, yeah, I think I've met a couple who would. Silly

[Alpharius]

Do you keep a stock of exploding, contact poisoned casino dice in the Alpha Legion armory as bait for guys who have read the article.
"No fair! Casino dice!"
"Well, okay, I guess you can use my dice, just to be fair."
(rolls them) "Hey I feel dizzy,auuugh...." " BOOM!"

I like how this man thinks. You sir are obviously not a fan of the Rowboat Girlyman's "Codex Astartes"