Amusing that the video length is 12 minutes.

@compy3835

9 ай бұрын

Wow I didn’t even notice. That’s so cool.

This is exactly how I imagine a lore bard would teach about something. Recounting knowledge on a subject from multiple different contexts through various methods of study. All wrapped up in a poetic delivery. I love this video and hope you continue to do similar videos

"I've got a Dungeon Master's Guide, I've got a twelve sided die I've got Kitty Pryde, and Nightcrawler too Waiting there for me, yes I do, I do" I listened the crap out of that album back in the day

@jamiechester4555

9 ай бұрын

The existence of this song more than justifies the existence of that die

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

Me too!

Musician here, there are 12 notes in an octave (7 white keys and 5 black keys). 12 is significant because it has the most factors of any reasonably sized number. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 12. If you divide the octave into 13 or 11 it sounds quite cursed because it sounds too similar to 12 to have its own identity, but is clearly wrong. Sevish, a xenotonal KZreadr has a website where you can experiment with other divisions of the octave.

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

Oh man, I totally forgot about the 12 notes in an octave! I wish I would have mentioned that too!

A very cool foray into the most "taken for granted" aspect of the hobby. Fascinating how the dice are the culmination of some of the most sophisticated mathematical and philosophical thinking.

We've been using the d12 since 1e days in two ways (besides weapon/spell damage): 1) Current Weather and 2) an NPC's reaction/mood. Works for us.

For years, I have been considering replacing the D20 with the D12. The reason? I like the swinginess of the D20, but it has too much influence on the outcome. It leads to a lot of situations where the Barbarian fails to push the boulder aside, but the Wizard succeeds. This could be corrected by inflating the player's modifiers like in 3.5 and Pathfinder, but then you are playing with numbers that are larger than they have to be. For a long time, I considered offering this change as a house rule, but now it is going to be one of the core changes I make in my system. The D12 rolls really nicely, so it is a good replacement for the D20. The D10 (and you can make an infinite number of dice with that overall shape) does not roll well, IMO. The number 12 is also highly composite. You can divide it into halves or quarters like a D20, but you can also divide it into thirds or sixths. Not fifths, but I think thirds are more useful. 12 is also a significant number to humans. There are 12 months in a year, 12 hours in each day and night, the number "a dozen" is very common. This is because it was one of the two mathematical bases used by humans since antiquity. I think it is pretty cool to draw on history that stretches back into mythology for the purposes of a fantasy game. I hadn't considered the sum of opposite faces being 13 before. It doesn't bother me, and for those who believe in such things, I would just say that the shape itself is 12-sided, and 12 is a perfect number like you said. Having 12 and 13 both represented by a die very well represents the duality of what dice are supposed to do. The D12 in D&D is underutilized, anyway. Yes, the Greataxe and the Lance use it, but 2D6 has a higher average damage, and I think more available enchantments if you just use official sources for magic items. It's a real shame, IMO. I was very surprised that Matt Mercer's company decided to use a 2D12 system. Personally, I am not really a fan of 2DX and its stepped pyramid shape of results that it generates, but that's another issue. So it's weird that people seem to be giving more attention to the noble D12 now.

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

12 is indeed an awesome number. I hadn't heard about Mercer's 2d12 system in development, definitely seems different.

It's interesting to see how superstition crops up wherever people wish they had more control over situations. Sailors are often superstitious because of how dangerous the sea is, and any ritual to ensure their safe return is worth doing. Gamblers, and gamers, have all sorts of quirks about how they roll dice. The higher the stakes and the more out of your hands the situation is, the more likely you are to resort to magical thinking, and I just think that's neat.

1 more tip on 13... 12 are the solar months but 13 are the lunar months. So this struggle refers to the ancient times when lunar and solar cultures battled for dominion. 12 is regular and 13 is irregular but 13 has a perfect calendar fit and 12 has an impefect calendar fit that has to be fixed by the 7 days of 31st plus the 29 of feb every 4 years

Add up opposite sides to get max+1 is standard on most dice. On most D6, the 3 and 4 are opposite each other, 5 and 2, and 6 and 1. On most D8, 8 and one are on opposite sides, as are 7 and 2, 6 and 3, and 4 and 5. The D4 is an outlier and there are many inconsistent ways different D4 are manufactured to be read in the first place.

You forgot about the Toll the Dead spell, which also uses d12 in damage (when the target is wounded).

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

That's a great spell, but not in the PHB.

@NathanRoseDesign

9 ай бұрын

@@esperthebard O I didn't even knew that! Yes it is from Xanathar's apparently.

The D12 is the noblest of all the dice.

Alright. Before I even start, I like how that video is exactly 12 minutes long.

Awesome video. 12 is my favorite number. Being divisible by 1,2,3,4,6, and 12 makes it pretty cool. And when I worked at a plant nursery when we ordered in groups of 10 it was very hard to create neat ordered groups of plants, but 12 it was much easier.

If you don't know the story of how these dice got into the game, look it up. I think it's fascinating because ever since they came along, we've all been trying to figure out how to use them game-wise, and the d12 has really gotten the least attention and use. It's a shame. Equality for all dice now!

I've always liked the d12. It rolls well, but I really like how it can be evenly divided by 2, 3, 4, 6, and ofc 12. I've sometimes thought that civilization should have adopted base 12 mathematics.

@davidburnett5049

9 ай бұрын

Ten fingers makes it a hard prospect

Truly great work Esper! Indeed, when it comes to connotations we get from numbers, there are striking differences between many cultures. 7:18 That's how the Yemenites celebrate Bar Mitzvas. The Yemenite diaspora have lots of traditions that are somewhat different, even than other Sephardi Jews. But yeah, the "meat" of the "ceremony" at the synagogue, is the exact same for every single boy.

I got a 50-bag of d12's on sale for dirt cheap 15 years ago, so I built a whole homebrew system around it. It's always been my favourite polyhedron.

Oh lord. This is already going crazy.

Great video, not what I expected from an Esper video. Very interesting and entertaining.

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it!

Not a video I expected, but one I very much enjoyed

Nicely done! 12 minutes on the dot ofc! :)

Oh God not the Wheezers

12 Has been my favorite number for a long time

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

It is a fantastic number. I wish I would have mentioned that there are also 12 notes in a musical octave.

Great, now I want to make a game where the wizard's spells use a combination of d4, d6, d8, and d20 for all their effects while the cleric's all use d12 and nothing else.

I liked to modify some of the things I used in my RPGs! As for the Romans I can only guess? But I like to think that they used it in more ways than we know!

i love this die - im making my own game system to show it some much needed love.

"My sides are many, my angles aren't few. I'm the Dodecahedron, and who are you?"

GREAT video Esper. Great lesson!!

I use the d12 for random encounters

12 minute vídeo perfect

Way back when, GW's Advanced Heroquest used d12's. Personally, I like them because it would be easy to convert any d6 game to d12, with the bonus of a little bit more granularity as you can now have new numbers between the old numbers.

Love to see it, Esper. Very Vsaucy of you.

@kevin9989

9 ай бұрын

Grace and peace, brother.

The only die you never get to use

I recently heard of a set of house rules that, while their goal was to speed up combat, they have the added effect of making the d12 possibly do much more damage than a 2d6. I'll explain: Attack rolls are DEAD. Take Armor Class and subtract 10 (or subtract Descending AC from 10 if playing an OSR game), this new number is expressed as Damage reduction or "Defense" and lowers incoming damage. Dexterity and shields are supposedly deflecting the blow and making it not as powerful. The big thing to remember is that damage dice EXPLODE, that is you roll another die and add to the damage whenever you roll the highest possible outcome, with d4 daggers sometimes doing crazy chain explosions. However, for a 2d6 greatsword, or a 5d6 fireball, you have to roll ALL 6's, whereas rolling a d12 you have a higher % chance of rolling just a 12. And even rolling another one. And another. And another...nah, that'd never happen and kill the BBEG in the first round before she can use her scroll of dimension door to escape. Surely.

Check out the ttrpg Mystic Forces that uses the d12 as its primary die. The d12 is the most satisfying die to roll IMO.

Thank you. That was adequately nerdy.

Lol I’ve heard that those ancient dodecahedron are used for knitting gloves.

Friday the 13th is based on the day where Jacques DeMolay and other templars were arrested by King Philip IV of France

@berserkshirtbear1271

9 ай бұрын

it should be pointed out that by "the others" I don't mean all of them, the majority escaped as they were forewarned

Regular polygons were important to the Platonists of Ancient Greece and the Pythagoreans. The regular polygon represented the abstract perfection of the Platonic Form, in both a concrete and allegorical way. A regular solid was even more significant as a representation, as, unlike with a drawing, you could physically hold the solid in your hand and thereby "grasp" its intricacies with your mind. Pentagons themselves were considered to be "extra" regular polygons by the Ancient Greeks, because regular pentagons contained the golden ratio (φ) within them. (φ appears in the ratio of the lengths of a regular pentagon's diagonals to its sides.) The golden ratio of course holds great significance both to the Greeks and to any artists or philosophers pursuing beauty or the sublime. Thus it is no coincidence that the Ancient Greeks found uses for and created many dodecahedrons.

I think Esper is a reincarnated mathematician. Awesome video!

Intresting.

Good information

Ah Kos, some say Kosm... Wait no, wrong video.

i really want the monsterous heroes book, i went to your website and i didnt see any info, are you still working on it? edit. i found it in the link above sorry. keep up the fantastic work i love the emporium top quality art and design edit number 2, i loved the emporium so much i just ordered the monsterous heros book, dude i love what you are doing! keep up the fantastic work. p.s the signed emporium was a super nice touch.

Thank you for the video! I am considering 13 to be the lucky one ) Also, I'll be that guy: "Actually" there technicaly 13 zodiac signs.

Alright man be frank with me where shrooms involved in the making of this video? I felt like I was strapped to a chair Clockwork Orange style listening to this info rush lol

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

Ah, but it only seems that way to the more singularly-focused barbarian mind.

@davidthebarbarian6851

9 ай бұрын

@@esperthebard ayy what can I say I see D12 I roll D12 and think not of the bloodshed I bring in my wake

video muito bacana, esper abraços do brasil

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

valeu mesmo, abraço!

I like to use 2d12 instead of 2d6 in Monopoly; really speeds up gameplay.

Did you purposefully made this video 12 min for this?!

@esperthebard

9 ай бұрын

I'll give you one guess 😉

Technically the last supper was Jesus and his disciples. Nothing said only the apostles were there

This video is also 12 minutes long

The d3 is NOT a d6.