While anyone who's picked up a board game knows how useful numbered dice can be for adding an easily digestible element of uncertainty into a game, dice that use symbols to represent non-numerical concepts can be quite a tough sell. These dice are not particularly common, and the most well-known type, FUDGE dice, can be easily replaced with numerical dice. However, more complex non-numerical dice exist in other tabletop games, primarily in games published by Edge Studio (formerly Fantasy Flight Games). Here, I'll be examining strengths and weaknesses of non-numerical dice in general as well as taking a deeper look at two systems in particular: Legend of the Five Rings 5e and Genesys.
Non-Numerical Dice in General
The Good:
Symbols allow dice to communicate complex ideas, especially on faces with multiple symbols. Rather than numbers dictating a sliding scale of power, success, or completion, symbols allow a single result to represent specific events. When multiple dice are rolled together, symbols allow for incredibly information-rich results, providing detailed prompts for groups to roleplay with.
The Bad:
Since each system will likely use different symbols, knowledge will not transfer easily from system to system. In addition, getting used to the symbols of any given system may take multiple sessions, making it difficult to start a game using non-numerical dice. Finally, there's just fewer existing non-numerical dice systems to pull inspiration and information from when designing new systems, so most systems that use these dice are somewhat experimental.
The Ugly:
Perhaps the greatest issue with non-numerical dice is the buy-in. While learning a new system is always a time investment, traditional systems don't also require you to purchase an entirely new set of dice. While digital dice rollers are an option, the tactile feedback of physical dice is irreplicable by an app.
Legend of the Five Rings 5e
The Good:
The dice system for L5R 5e only uses two types of dice and four different symbols, making it fairly easy to learn. The real meat of the system, however, is how mixed results combined with a roll and keep system generate an interesting risk management element that provides the foundation for the entire system. With every roll, you have to gauge whether additional successes or opportunities are worth the increase in strife. In addition, strife, while risky, is not inherently detrimental, as it is a powerful driver for roleplay. If you want every die roll to be a choice for your players that gives them both control of the narrative as well as a detailed prompt, L5R 5e is perhaps the single greatest RPG when it comes to delivering that experience.
The Bad:
While not a conceptual issue with the dice, there is a balancing issue with the system where one of the die types (skill dice) has too many blank faces, resulting in rolls feeling "whiffy" at times. This apparently came about as a result of the dice molds being made before the system was finalized.
The Ugly:
Legend of the Five Rings 5e came off the back of the highly acclaimed 4th Edition which used numerical dice, and many fans of that system are not happy with the changes Fantasy Flight Games made to the series. This has resulted in a good deal of misinformation regarding the game, which can drive off players. In addition, the issue with whiffy dice cannot be resolved without also obsoleting the existing non-numerical dice, so such an improvement to the game will likely further incense players.
Genesys
The Good:
As an updated version of Fantasy Flight Games' Star Wars dice, the narrative dice system used in Genesys has stuck around longer than other non-numerical dice systems, so there's quite a lot of content to explore using it. In addition, the use of dice for both player actions as well as the challenges they must overcome allows for more mixed results that reflect both the competence of player characters as well as the difficulties they must overcome. The system also trends towards successes with complications or failures with opportunities, allowing for interesting narrative twists as well as failures that can lead to future successes. Finally, the way the different types of dice are organized allows for easy improvisation with how all circumstantial bonuses and penalties just require you to add more Boost or Setback dice.
The Bad:
The narrative dice system is much more difficult to understand than other non-numerical dice systems when you first start out. There are six different dice types and six different symbols, and the symbols are not easily distinguishable from one another at a quick glance. The reliance on unique symbols instead of more commonly understood ones is both intimidating and detrimental to new players. Lastly, dice rolls are painfully slow for new groups, as players will need to cancel certain symbols out with one another.
The Ugly:
With the way opportunities are handled, it's easy for players to default to passing boost dice to other players instead of experimenting with them. This can result in both unbalanced encounters as well as player stagnation. To combat what some fans dub "the blue wave," the game master might need to implement houserules, which can frustrate some players.
Using Non-Numerical Dice in Your Game
The downsides of non-numerical dice can be quite intimidating. They hinder accessibility, are difficult to understand at first, and have a reputation of being used as a money-making scheme. However, they're still worth experimenting with. If you're thinking of using non-numerical dice in your game, make sure to ask yourself these questions:
1) Do my dice accomplish anything otherwise impossible or unwieldy with numerical dice?
2) Is whatever my dice accomplish worth the cost in accessibility?
3) Are the symbols on my dice easily readable and intuitive?
If the answer to any of these questions is "No," you may wish to stick with numerical dice.
Concluding Thoughts
I personally find non-numerical dice fascinating, though I understand why many shy away from them. If you haven't already, I encourage you to try one of these two systems for at least three sessions as a player.
Next time, I will be discussing the difference between input and output randomness in both video games and tabletop games.
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