Meta Dice: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 05:04, 8 March 2026

Unofficial
Base Die	Minimum Value	Range	Dice Notation	Avg. Result
d4	1	1/2/3/4	md4	2.50
d6	2	2/2/3/4/5/6	md6	3.66
d8	3	3/3/3/4/5/6/7/8	md8	4.87
d10	4	4/4/4/4/5/6/7/8/9/10	md10	6.10
d12	5	5/5/5/5/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12	md12	7.33
d20	10	10/10/10/10/10/10/10/10/10/10/11/12/13/14/ 15/16/17/18/19/20	md20	12.75

Meta Dice

Meta Dice refer to the special forms of the d4, d6, d8, d10 and d12 dice used in Metaforce. Unlike normal dice which have the full range of numbers (d6 having 1/2/3/4/5/6), they have a minimum number as decided by the value of a character's Attribute or their Metaphor value. The numbers in bold highlight the modified sides of each die. d4s do not have a modified side, but may be considered a Meta-die for the purposes of preventing exploding dice.

The odds of rolling any value above the minimum remains the same as a normal die, but the player can't roll below the minimum, ensuring better averages overall.

While the d20 die is not typically used in Metaforce, a Meta-d20 is specified here on the chance a game-master may want to use it.

Beyond d12

Rank	Dice Notation
5	md12
6	2md12k1
7	3md12k1
8	4md12k1
9	5md12k1
10	6md12k1

Since Attributes and Metaphors can exceed rank 5, and there isn't a die incrementally larger than d12 used in Metaforce (normally), additional dice are rolled for every rank above and the highest result of the set is used in the check or interaction. (Ranks 7 and higher are typically accessible after reaching Level 7 or higher).

Usage

Meta dice are Versatile Bonuses. So the value they add or subtract can be used in any believable aspect of the interaction. When used in Attack Rolls, they can be used to deal Size Damage to bigger opponents.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{|
+<center>
-| style="padding:1em; vertical-align:top;" |
+{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |
-__TOC__
+| style="width:100px;" | '''Base Die'''
-|
+| style="width:50px;" | '''Minimum Value'''
-<div style="max-width:80em; align:center; margin:auto;">
+| style="width:150px;" | '''Range'''
-{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin-left:1em;" |
+| style="width:50px;" | '''Dice Notation'''
-|+ Meta Dice Chart
+| style="width:50px;" | '''Avg. Result'''
-! style="width:50px;" | Base Die
-! style="width:50px;" | Minimum Value
-! style="width:150px;" | Range
-! style="width:50px;" | Dice Notation
-! style="width:50px;" | Avg. Result
 |-
 |d4 || 1 || 1/2/3/4 || md4 || 2.50
@@ Line 24: / Line 19: @@
 ! colspan=5 | Unofficial
 |-
-|d20 || 10 || '''10'''/10/'''11'''/11/'''12'''/12/'''13'''/13/'''14'''/14/'''15'''/<br>15/'''16'''/16/'''17'''/17/'''18'''/18/'''19'''/19/'''20'''/20 || md20 || 16.50
+|d20 || 10 || '''10'''/'''10'''/'''10'''/'''10'''/'''10'''/'''10'''/'''10'''/'''10'''/'''10'''/10/11/12/13/14/<br>15/16/17/18/19/20 || md20 || 12.75
 |}
 ==Meta Dice==
-  <code>'''<big>Meta Dice</big>'''</code> refer to the special forms of the d6, d8, d10 and d12 dice used in Metaforce. Unlike normal dice which have the full range of numbers (d6 having 1/2/3/4/5/6), they have a minimum number as decided by the value of a character's [[Attribute]] or their [[Metaphor]] value. The numbers in bold highlight the modified sides of each die. d4s do not have a modified side, but may be considered a Meta-die for the purposes of preventing '''exploding dice'''.
+  <code>'''<big>Meta Dice</big>'''</code> refer to the special forms of the d4, d6, d8, d10 and d12 dice used in Metaforce. Unlike normal dice which have the full range of numbers (d6 having 1/2/3/4/5/6), they have a minimum number as decided by the value of a character's [[Attribute]] or their [[Metaphor]] value. The numbers in bold highlight the modified sides of each die. d4s do not have a modified side, but may be considered a Meta-die for the purposes of preventing [[Explode|exploding dice]].
   The odds of rolling any value above the minimum remains the same as a normal die, but the player can't roll below the minimum, ensuring better averages overall.
-  While the d20 die is not typically used in Metaforce, a Meta-d20 is specified here on the chance a game-master may want to use it. It is much more powerful than regular dice so use it responsibly.
+  While the d20 die is not typically used in Metaforce, a Meta-d20 is specified here on the chance a game-master may want to use it.
-{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; text-align:center; margin-left:1em; max-width:385px;" |
+==Beyond d12==
-|+ Beyond d12 / +5
+{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; max-width:385px;" |
-! style="width:30%; | Minimum Value
+| '''Rank'''
-! style="width:30%; | Range
+| '''Dice Notation'''
-! style="width:30%; | Dice Notation
-|-
-| +5 || 5 to 12 || md12
-|-
-| +6 || 6 to 13 || md12+1
 |-
-| +7 || 7 to 14 || md12+2
+| 5 || md12
 |-
-| +8 || 8 to 15 || md12+3
+| 6 || 2md12k1
 |-
-| +9 || 9 to 16 || md12+4
+| 7 || 3md12k1
 |-
-| +10 || 10 to 17 || md12+5
+| 8 || 4md12k1
 |-
-| +11 || 11 to 18 || md12+6
+| 9 || 5md12k1
 |-
-| +12 || 12 to 19 || md12+7
+| 10 || 6md12k1
 |}
-==Beyond d12==
+  Since Attributes and Metaphors can exceed rank 5, and there '''isn't a die incrementally larger than d12''' used in Metaforce (normally), additional dice are rolled for every rank above and the highest result of the set is used in the check or interaction. (Ranks 7 and higher are typically accessible after reaching Level 7 or higher).
-  Since Attributes and Metaphors can exceed a +5 value, and there '''isn't a die incrementally larger than d12''' used in Metaforce (normally), values above 5 are simply a fixed bonus on top of the roll to slightly improve odds.
- When an Attribute or Metaphor reaches +6, they use the d12 Meta-Die as normal, then add +1. Regardless of the limits set by the Game-Master (To 10, to 12 or beyond), Meta-Dice can continue to grow for as long as the Player invests in that particular aspect of their character.
 ==Usage==
-===Attribute/Improvised Checks===
+  Meta dice are [[Versatile Bonus]]es. So the value they add or subtract can be used in any believable aspect of the interaction. When used in [[Attack Roll]]s, they can be used to deal [[Size Damage]] to bigger opponents.
-  Meta Dice are used in a character's '''Attributes''' whenever they have a modifier that is non-zero. When it is in the positives, they may gain access to the appropriate Meta die when applicable. However, depending on the Game-Master, negative values in an Attribute may apply a base value penalty instead.
+[[Category:Mechanics]]
- When a player character has no appropriate Metaphor for the task or check at hand, an '''Improvised check''', or '''Straight-'Attribute''' check is called instead. The character adds their Attribute base value, or their Attribute-die instead (when directed).
- A character with the '''Auto-Die''' quality to their Attribute may roll their attribute die unconditionally. And a character that has the '''Level Boost''' quality may add their character level to specified attribute check. A player may spend 1 Meta-Point to use their Attribute die on an Improvised check, and if they roll the minimum value, add +1 to that result.
-===Metaphor Sub-Abilities===
- Meta Dice feature most prominently as part of a '''character's Metaphor Sub-Abilities'''. Particularly as part of a Skill, but other forms of Metaphor can also work provided the bonus '''can allow for random values''' each time it is called upon.
- The cost to acquire Dice-based Bonuses is double that of base values. As such a md4 costs 2 XP, md6 costs 4XP, md8 costs 6XP and so on. Meta-dice do not explode when rolling their maximum values.
- The effect each Dice can contribute to can be of any single type, such as a Skill bonus for Skill checks, ToHit for attack rolls or to inflict more damage, or a [[Status Condition|Status Magnitude]] on hit.
-===Meta-Point Ability: Create a Meta-Die===
- Using <code><big>[[Meta Point|Meta-Points]]</big></code>, a player can create a d12 Meta-Die for use in a check or interaction to help their odds of success or survival. The user rolls an md12 and view its result, they may use that number to modify any value of the interaction for an amount of MP equal to the result. So if one rolls a  10, they can pay 10MP to add or subtract 10 from any value of the interaction, be it Skill/ToHit of any creature, or even the damage/magnitude that would be caused by an interaction. If the user chooses not to pay, the result is lost and they can't create a Meta-die again until the next interaction.
- If the user has less than 12MP remaining, the highest appropriate dice they can afford is used instead. So if a character has 7MP, an md6 die can be used instead. This ability can't be used if the character has 3 or less Meta-points.
-</div>
-|}