Dice notation is the standard way to describe dice rolls in tabletop RPGs. The format is XdY where X is the number of dice and Y is the number of sides. For example, 2d6 means "roll two six-sided dice." You can add modifiers like 2d6+3, use dl for "drop lowest" (e.g., 4d6dl1), or kh for "keep highest" (e.g., 2d20kh1 for D&D advantage).

In D&D 5e, the standard method for generating ability scores is 4d6 drop lowest (notation: 4d6dl1). You roll 4 six-sided dice, remove the lowest result, and sum the remaining 3 dice. This produces scores ranging from 3 to 18, with an average of approximately 12.24 — higher than a straight 3d6 roll. Repeat this 6 times for your Strength, Dexterity, Constitution, Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores. Use the "Roll 6 Stats" button above to generate a full set instantly.

In D&D 5e, advantage means rolling 2d20 and taking the higher result (2d20kh1 — keep highest 1). Disadvantage means rolling 2d20 and taking the lower result (2d20kl1 — keep lowest 1). Advantage roughly equates to a +5 bonus on average, while disadvantage equates to a -5 penalty. The probability of rolling a natural 20 with advantage is 9.75% (vs 5% normally), and with disadvantage it drops to 0.25%.

This roller supports all standard RPG dice: d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, and d100. You can use any number of dice (up to 100) and any number of sides (up to 1000). The notation also supports modifiers (+/-), drop lowest/highest (dl/dh), and keep lowest/highest (kl/kh) with optional counts. Examples: 3d8+2, 5d6dl2, 4d10kh3, 1d100.

Modifiers are added or subtracted after all dice are rolled and after any drop/keep operations. For example, 1d20+5 rolls a d20 and adds 5 to the result. 4d6dl1+2 rolls 4d6, drops the lowest die, sums the remaining 3, and then adds 2. You can use positive modifiers (e.g., +3) or negative modifiers (e.g., -2). This is useful for skill checks, attack rolls, and damage calculations.

Drop lowest (dl) removes the specified number of lowest dice from the pool before summing. Keep highest (kh) selects only the specified number of highest dice, discarding the rest. They can produce the same result: 4d6dl1 (drop 1 lowest out of 4) is equivalent to 4d6kh3 (keep 3 highest out of 4). Choose whichever notation feels more intuitive for your use case. Drop is commonly used for ability score generation, while keep is used for advantage-like mechanics.

Yes! After each roll, use the Copy button to copy the result to your clipboard. The roll history (shown below the roller) keeps track of your recent rolls during the session. Click any history entry to instantly re-roll that notation. Note that history is stored in your browser's local storage and will persist between visits. Use the Clear button to remove all history entries.

4d6 drop lowest produces higher and more heroic ability scores than a straight 3d6 roll. The average of 3d6 is 10.5, while 4d6 drop lowest averages about 12.24. It also significantly reduces the chance of extremely low scores: the probability of rolling a 3 with 3d6 is ~0.46%, but with 4d6 drop lowest it drops to ~0.08%. This method was adopted in D&D 3rd edition and remains the standard in 5e for creating competent adventurers while still allowing for some variability.