Using the Dice or Chits

[crimhthanthegreat]

The chits themselves have not survived to this day but I thought (since I ran across them) that you all might be interested in the info on the sheet that came with the chits that were used in lieu of dice back in the day. This came with one of the sets that we bought, odd since dice came with the other sets. The text I am posting below was on both sides of the top of one page the same size as a page in the original books.

USING THE DICE OR CHITS

Throughout the rules, references are made to generating random numbers by rolling dice. This is because Dungeons & Dragons was designed for use with special 4-sided, 6-sided, 8 sided, 12-sided and 20-sided dice. If you do not have immediate access to these multi-sided (or polyhedral) dice, you can use the enclosed coupon to help get a set, and/or you can use the chit system of random number generation, which is described below. Both give the same results.

To use the numbered chits, cut off the laminated portion of the back cover fold-out, and then carefully cut along the lines dividing the chits. You should have 90 cardboard chits. Notice that they are printed in two different groups: 1 to 4, 1 to 6, 1 to 8, 1 to 10 (two sets) 1 to 12, and 1 to 20 (two sets). These duplicate the various dice-types used in the game.

To use the chits, place each different type in a small container (perhaps a small paper cup), and each time a number generation is called for, draw a chit at random from the appropriate container. Be sure to return the first chit before another draw is required. In this manner, any of the required die rolls can be easily duplicated. If a percentage roll is indicated, simply draw from the 1 to 10 chits two times, treating the chit printed "10" as "0" , so any number from 01 through 100 or "00" can be generated.

With these systems, a wide range of random possibilities can be easily handled. For a linear curve (equal probability of any number), simply use the appropriate die or chit type for 1-4, 1-6, 1-8, 1-10, 1-12, or 1-20. If some progression is called for, determine and use the appropriate die or chits (for instance, 2-7 would call for a draw or roll of 1-6, with 1 added to the result).

It is even possible to get extensions of the base numbers. With chits , for example, 1-30 can be gotten by drawing a 1 to 10 chit and then drawing a 1 to 6 chit. If the second chit was 1 or 2, there would be no addition to the base number (the 1 to 10 chit); if 3 or 4, 10 would be added to the base, and if 5 or 6, 20 would be added. This gives an equal probability of any number occurring from 1 through 30.

Base numbers can similarly be extended with dice. for example: to generate 1-20, roll a 20-sided die and a 6-sided die. (A 20-sided die is number 1-0 twice) If the 6-sided die comes up 1-3, the number shown on the 20-sider is 1-10 (1-0), and if the 6-sider comes up 4-6, add 10 to the 20-sided die and the numbers become 11-20 (1-0). This application can be used with the 12-sided die to be 1-24.

For bell curves (increasing probability of numbers in the center, decreasing at both ends), just use the same dice or chit type two or more times, or even use two or more different types of dice or chits. The curve of 3-18 (adding three 6-sided dice, or three draws from the 1 to 6 chits) is a good example of a bell curve.


IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO OBTAIN A SET OF POLYHEDRA DICE TO USE IN PREFERENCE TO THE CHITS WITH THE GAME, USE THE COUPON BELOW BY PRESENTING IT AT YOUR TSR OUTLET OR SENDING DIRECT TO TSR HOBBIES, POB 756, LAKE GENEVA, WI 53147 USA.

[Finarvyn]

Sweet! Even though I've played since '75, we had those funky soft dice from the onset and I never actually played with chits. (Of course, we used chits in some wargames but never in OD&D.) As such, I never knew that there was a special instructions page that went with the chit version of the rules. Very nice. An EXALT is in order.

[tgamemaster1975]

I am right there with Fin, I never played with the chits and always wondered how that was worked. Thanks for posting the info.

[crimhthanthegreat]

The following question was asked over at DF and I am also posting my answer here, again if anyone has better info, please post it.

A DFer wrote

I never owned a set with the chits. The only chit games I ever had was Dungeon the boardgame and Starship Troopers. Were the chits similar to one of these and were each of the separate die types colored or just white?

I never owned either of those games so I don't know if they were similar or not. Each of the separate die types were colored. As to what color they are this very colorblind old guy has no clue, but I asked the other old guys in my gaming group what they could remember and did not get a lot of agreement (somewhere between 27-30 years since we last saw the chits), but here is what I sorted out from what they told me. One set was either a very dark blue or black, and one set was a light grey or light tan or something, one set was a light blue, one set was a medium-dark blue, one set was a steel blue, one set was a very pale blue, one set was a medium gray or something and one set was a different light blue. There was not a lot of agreement on the colors except that there were 8 different colors. Also the number printed on the chits were of different colors and most likely black, white and blue. I make absolutely no claims of the accuracy of this information, since I never did know what color they were even when we first opened the box. If anyone has more accurate information, please post it.