How to use this dice roller

Use this page as the operating manual for the controls on 3D Dice Roller: modes, quick dice, quantity/sides/modifier, notation, results, and local presets.

Workflow

1. Choose Regular, RPG, or Custom in the Dice style row (or tap a Quick Dice chip to set sides). Dice style and sides are set for the next roll; nothing is thrown until you press Roll Dice or Roll Notation.
2. Set How many, Sides, and Modifier as needed, then press Roll Dice. A roll starts and faces/total appear when it finishes. Quick Dice only selects the die; steppers wait for Roll Dice.
3. To type an expression, open Roll notation, enter text in Dice notation (examples beside the field include d20, 2d6+3, 4d8-1), then press Roll Notation. The expression is parsed; faces and total appear, or an on-screen error if the text is invalid. Examples beside the field: d20, 2d6+3, 4d8-1.
4. Read the faces and total above the toolbar. Use History to show recent rolls (always visible on desktop; toggle on mobile). You can review the last outcomes without leaving the tool.
5. Use Copy Result to copy the formatted roll line, or Fullscreen / Fullscreen table for a larger shared-screen view (Exit table returns to the normal layout). The result is available for sharing or a larger shared-screen view. Reset clears the on-screen result only; it does not change How many, Sides, Modifier, or presets.
6. Press Save current notation to keep the current expression (up to twelve presets). Use Reset storage, confirm the prompt, to clear this site’s dice presets and history in the browser. Presets/history are updated or cleared only on this device. Reset storage asks for confirmation first and cannot be undone.

Worked examples

• Single d20 check: Select RPG, tap the d20 Quick Dice chip (or set How many to 1 and Sides to 20), then press Roll Dice. The result shows the face and total.
• Damage as 2d6+3: In Roll notation, enter 2d6+3 in Dice notation, press Roll Notation. You can also set How many to 2, Sides to 6, Modifier to +3, then press Roll Dice. If the dice show 4 and 5, the faces sum to 9 and the +3 modifier makes the final total 12.
• Recurring 4d6 preset: Enter 4d6 in Dice notation, press Save current notation, then tap the 4d6 chip later to reload those values before rolling again.

Before you roll

Decide how you want to set the roll. Quick Dice chips select a common polyhedral die (or Custom) without throwing yet—then press Roll Dice. How many, Sides, and Modifier let you configure quantity and bonus before you roll. Roll notation lets you type an expression such as 2d6+3 and press Roll Notation.

Under Dice style, pick Regular for standard six-sided dice, RPG for common polyhedral sides, or Custom when you want free Sides values through the steppers or notation.

Optional Appearance controls (Die color, Pip / number color or Number color, Dice animation) change how rolls look, not which numbers are drawn. Auto-roll on timer is also optional. For every Options control, see the Options sidebar reference below, or use the circular “i” icons beside each label on the roller.

If something looks wrong

If Dice notation is not accepted, keep to the examples shown beside the field (d20, 2d6+3, 4d8-1). The tool shows an on-screen error and does not roll until the text matches a supported form.

How many is limited to 1–40 and Sides to 2–1000 on the steppers (Regular locks Sides at 6). Very large typed counts or sides may parse in notation but are not what the steppers are built for.

If the 3D tray cannot start, a lightweight graphical view still shows the same result. Opening 3D dice details explains that the secure random draw is unchanged.

Turning Dice animation off only changes presentation. Pause or disable Auto-roll on timer if repeated rolls are unexpected.

Mobile and keyboard notes

On narrow screens, use Show setup / Hide setup so the table stays visible; the Options heading still links to What do these options mean? for the full reference.

Buttons such as Roll Dice, Roll Notation, Copy Result, and Fullscreen are standard controls you can reach with keyboard focus and activation in a typical browser.

Each Options label includes a circular “i” button: hover or focus it on desktop, or tap it on mobile, for a short explanation. Press Escape to close an open tip.

Results are also announced through an on-page live region so the total is available without relying only on the animation.

Options sidebar reference

This section documents every Options sidebar control on the roller. Short “i” tips beside each label answer what the control does right now; the entries below add when to use it, examples, and related controls. Toolbar actions outside Options (Roll Dice, Reset, Copy Result, History, Fullscreen) are covered at the end where they affect how you read results.

Dice style and Quick Dice

What it does: Dice style chooses Regular (standard six-sided dice), RPG (common polyhedral sides such as d4–d20 and d100), or Custom (free Sides values). Quick Dice chips select a common side count or Custom; they update the selection and do not throw dice by themselves.

When to use it: Use Regular for board games that only need d6. Use RPG for tabletop skill checks and polyhedral sets. Use Custom when a homebrew die needs an unusual number of sides.

Example: Regular: set How many to 2 for 2d6. RPG: tap d20, then Roll Dice for a typical skill check. Custom: set Sides to 30 for 1d30 when your game needs it.

Related controls: How many, Sides, Modifier, and Roll notation all read the same selected quantity, sides, and modifier.

How many

What it does: Sets how many individual dice are rolled at once. It does not change how many faces each die has.

When to use it: Increase this when a game asks for several dice of the same type, such as 4d6 for character stats.

Example: 1 means one die. 2 with six sides is written as 2d6. 4 with six sides is 4d6.

Related controls: Sides sets faces per die. Modifier adjusts the final total after those dice are summed.

Sides

What it does: Sets how many faces (possible numbers) each die has. Regular mode locks this at 6. RPG and Custom allow other values (Custom via the stepper; RPG also via Quick Dice).

When to use it: Match the die your game rule names: d6, d20, d100, and so on.

Example: 6 sides means results from 1 to 6. 20 sides means results from 1 to 20. Two dice with 6 sides is written as 2d6.

Related controls: How many is the number of dice. Dice style Regular disables free Sides editing.

Modifier

What it does: A modifier is a number added to or subtracted from the dice total after the faces are rolled. It does not change the numbers shown on the dice themselves; it changes the final total. Positive values increase the total; negative values decrease it. The result line can show faces, the modifier, and Total together.

When to use it: Tabletop games often add a character bonus or penalty. For example, roll 1d20 + 5 because a character has a +5 skill bonus. The roller calculates dice and modifier; you apply the total to your game’s rules.

Example: 2d6 + 3: if the dice show 4 and 5, the faces sum to 9; +3 makes the final total 12. 1d20 − 2: if the d20 shows 15, the final total is 13.

Related controls: How many and Sides define the dice. Roll notation such as 2d6+3 sets the same modifier from typed text.

Appearance (colors and animation)

What it does: Die color changes the body color of rendered dice. Pip / number color (six-sided) and Number color (polyhedral) change face markings only. d6 face style switches pips versus printed numerals on six-sided dice. Dice animation turns the 3D throw presentation on or off. None of these settings change which numbers are drawn.

When to use it: Use colors for contrast on a shared screen. Turn animation off if you prefer an immediate result presentation or reduced motion.

Example: Pick a brighter Die color and a contrasting Number color so faces stay readable at a distance. Animation Off still uses the same random outcome.

Related controls: Fullscreen enlarges the table layout without changing appearance presets or results.

Auto-roll on timer

What it does: When enabled, the roller repeats the current dice setup after the selected delay. A countdown under the dice table shows time until the next scheduled roll. The next roll waits until the current roll finishes so animations do not overlap. Pause auto-roll temporarily stops the schedule; Resume continues it. Turning the checkbox off stops future automatic rolls.

When to use it: Useful for demos, idle tables, or repeatedly testing the same expression without pressing Roll Dice each time.

Example: Enable Auto-roll on timer with a 5-second Roll timer to see “Next roll in …” under the table between throws.

Related controls: Roll timer (seconds) sets the delay. Pause / Resume auto-roll only appears while auto-roll is on.

Roll timer (seconds)

What it does: Sets how many seconds to wait between automatic rolls (1–60). It does not change dice results—only the delay before the next scheduled roll when Auto-roll on timer is enabled.

When to use it: Lengthen the delay for shared viewing; shorten it for rapid demos.

Example: Set 10 seconds if a group needs time to read each total before the next throw.

Related controls: Requires Auto-roll on timer. The countdown under the table reflects this interval.

Roll notation and Dice notation

What it does: Dice notation accepts expressions such as d20, 2d6, 2d6+3, or 4d8-1. Roll Notation parses the field and rolls it. Invalid text shows an on-screen error and does not roll. Supported forms match the examples beside the field; there is no dedicated advantage/disadvantage, exploding-dice, or keep-highest syntax.

When to use it: Use typed notation when you already know the expression, or when sharing a written roll with someone else.

Example: Enter 2d6+3 and press Roll Notation (or Enter). Faces are listed, then the modifier is applied for the Total.

Related controls: See the Dice notation reference page. Presets save and reload notation strings. How many / Sides / Modifier stay in sync when notation parses successfully.

Saved Presets, Save current notation, and Reset storage

What it does: Save current notation stores the Dice notation string as a chip (up to twelve). Tapping a chip reloads quantity, sides, and modifier for that expression. Presets and history are stored in this browser only and are not shared across devices. Reset storage, after confirmation, clears this site’s dice presets and roll history in the browser and cannot be undone.

When to use it: Save recurring checks such as 4d6 or 1d20+5. Use Reset storage on a shared computer when you want a clean slate.

Example: Enter 4d6, Save current notation, then tap the 4d6 chip next session to restore those values before rolling.

Related controls: Reset on the toolbar only clears the current on-screen result; it does not clear presets. History lists recent completed rolls from the same browser storage.

History, Reset, Copy Result, and Fullscreen

What it does: History shows recent completed roll lines from this browser. Reset clears the current result display (and cancels an in-flight roll) without changing How many, Sides, Modifier, or presets. Copy Result copies the formatted last roll line (notation, faces, modifier when present, and total) to the clipboard. Fullscreen / Fullscreen table expands the dice table for easier viewing; it changes layout, not the roll result. Exit table or the overlay control returns to the normal layout. Hide dice controls / Show dice controls (persistent desktop toolbar) only affect whether the Options panel is visible on desktop. Mobile Enter Roll Mode opens an immersive full-viewport roll overlay with Exit Roll Mode.

When to use it: Use Copy Result to paste into a chat. Use Fullscreen on a TV or shared laptop. Use History to recount the last few throws.

Example: After a 2d6+3 roll totaling 12, Copy Result pastes the same formatted line shown in the app so you can paste it elsewhere.

Related controls: Reset storage (in Options) clears presets and history. Auto-roll countdown remains available in table mode when auto-roll is enabled.