role playing gambling...

[DrAwkward]

It depends on how many of the players are gambling. If its a full party thing, we break out the actuals, otherwise if its just one or two we hand wave it with checks (provided there isn't important role playing going on along with it)

I've also tried making up some "house games" based on our set of multi-sided dice.

Twelves --
Players each roll 2d6, House rolls 3d4, high roll wins between house and each player. It pays even odds, and ties push.

[Riftwalker]

Nice. If on ties you simply roll again, the house expects to pull in 12.5% of the wager each game, assuming I didn't fudge up the math somewhere.

[Mulsiphix]

Can somebody link me to a d4 that isn't in the shape of a pyramid? I've looked through a couple dice sites and can't seem to find one.

[DrAwkward]

Can somebody link me to a d4 that isn't in the shape of a pyramid? I've looked through a couple dice sites and can't seem to find one.

There is a set of pill dice that seem to be gaining popularity. All the dice are basically cylinders with tapered edges. I can't find you any links from work though.

Otherwise, you can always halve a d8.

edit: "I coulda halved a d8" I'm such a dork.

[Xaels Greyshadow]

Try this link.

http://paizo.com/store/gameAids/dice...standard7Cubes


Xaels

[DrAwkward]

Nice. If on ties you simply roll again, the house expects to pull in 12.5% of the wager each game, assuming I didn't fudge up the math somewhere.

Yes, house odds are astronomical. I might consider putting in a bonus for the player rolling natural 12's. (I get 12.24% house advantage in my calcs)

Lesee if a natural 12 (provided the house doesn't push) pays...

2:1 the house makes 9.5%
3:1 the house makes 6.77%
4:1 the house makes 4%

I like it, because the House Odds look pretty slim until you do the math. Throw in the "2:1 on a nat 12!" and the suckers should start lining up.

[Mulsiphix]

The triangle in this image is what I know D4's as.

[Tony Misfeldt]

I've used gambling in a number of past adventures. Generally if it's important to the story line or if all the PCs want in, I break out the cards and we actually play while in character. If it's just a little side bar thing with one of the PCs then we simply roll dice using skills, proficiencies, whatever.

I have come up with some games of chance that can be done with dice for an adventure I'm working on (one of the PCs is a compulsive gambler, who gets suckered into going into a crooked gambling house and racks up a massive debt). One is a form of roulette. The wheel is set up with the numbers 1 through 20, six times in each of the 6 colours of the rainbow. A player has three choices on how to play. He can bet on a colour (1 in 6 chance), a number (a 1 in 20 chance), or a coloured number (a 1 in 120 chance). The DM then just has to roll either 1d6, 1d20, or 1d6 + 1d20 to determine if the PC wins.
Another game is a part mechanical, part magical slot machine. One is called The Dragon's Hoard. There are 5 wheels, each with a picture of all 6 chromatic dragons (White, Black, Green, Yellow, Blue, and Red). Match all 5 dragon heads and win the jackpot. The more powerful the dragon, the bigger the jackpot (obviously, 5 red dragons gives you the most). There's one more "One Armed Bandit" I created. I call it "TAROT". For this one you need a deck of tarot cards. Just shuffle the cards, draw one, put back, shuffle again, and repeat. If the player draws the same card three times in a row he wins (this indicates the slot machine came up with three matching icons). These are the only "honest" games in the house. All others (card games, dice games, etc) are rigged with marked cards, loaded dice, and professional gamblers/rogues. The odds of winning the honest games are dangerously stacked in the houses favour

[rabkala]

I use skill rolls to adjudicate any quick necessary gambling in the game. I do not want to let the game degenerate into something different than a RPG. I don't want players thinking they can run around cheating the populous without consequence. I don't want players thinking it is a great source of income.

In the past, we have played full blown poker tournaments and crap games. A DM I played with in the late 80's was a big gambling fan. It started out just using pennies and nickels for markers, but slowly progressed into real gambling. Since the DM was no good at cards, after he lost his money he would start betting things for your characters like magic items, extra hit points, ability points, and experience points.

On nights when we have low player turnout, we will break out board/card games or actually gamble. One of my current players is a huge collector of board games and card games. He has a whole room in his house filled with all sorts of weird games that he will break out for such occasions. One of the last games that fell after the holiday (where half the players wanted to cancel), the rest of us met and played a card game called grass. The one before that, we played LOTR risk and Star Wars risk into the wee hours of the morning. Other games can be fun, and offer a different way for the group to interact and bond.

[Mulsiphix]

Wish I could have been there for that RISK action. Sounds like a blast. I recently came across www.fantasyflightgames.com and found a treasure trove of board gaming goodness. I'd like to try the Doom boardgame myself . Just don't have enough players.

[DrAwkward]

The wheel is set up with the numbers 1 through 20, six times in each of the 6 colours of the rainbow. A player has three choices on how to play. He can bet on a colour (1 in 6 chance), a number (a 1 in 20 chance), or a coloured number (a 1 in 120 chance). The DM then just has to roll either 1d6, 1d20, or 1d6 + 1d20 to determine if the PC wins.

What do you have for payouts on these?

[DrAwkward]

One of my current players is a huge collector of board games and card games. He has a whole room in his house filled with all sorts of weird games that he will break out for such occasions.

Every gaming group needs a guy like this. Some of my favorites are Guillotine, Munchkin, and Arkham Horror.

Guillotine -- you line up nobles to get thier heads lopped. Each player, in turn, plays a card from thier hand (usually to re-arrange the line order) and collects the head of the next noble in line. Different nobles are worth different points, and some are worth more if you get a set. Grim, fun, and plays pretty fast.

Munchkin -- parody of D&D hack&slash gaming. It gets kinda vicious near the end, as folks start sabotaging each other.

Arkham Horror -- (I think I have the name right) High quality (but pricey) board game based on Lovecraft's work. In the city of Arkham, portals start opening up and monsters pour out. It's the players' job to close the portals before enough open that a Lord of Madness awakens and ends all things. I dig this game because it's cooperative play -- players versus board. Everybody has to work together or everybody loses. Its like playing "Call of Cuthulu" but the board does all the DMing.

[Maelstrom]

Talisman all the way.

Especially with the "Chaos Bloodbath" optional rules

[Mulsiphix]

Tannhäuser looks like great fun. I love settings in the WWII setting that have little to do with WWII itself. Ingenious is a blast to play