RE: (TFT) Crossbows - Penetrating weapons suggestion

[<srydzews@ix.netcom.com>]

rsmith wrote:
> The problem about X dice - Y, when X and Y are
> both large is that theoretically X could do 
> maximum damage, but in reality it will do close 
> to average damage... the maximum damage comes 
> up so rarely that it may as well be discounted.
>
> If we use larger number of dice, the problem
> gets worse.

Yes.  This is easily avoided by using a smaller 
number of larger (i.e., > six-sided) dice, but 
such subtleties are evidently lost on SJ.  :)

I say this no so much to bust on Jackson as to say that there really can be a point to polyhedra dice other than confusing the uninitiated.  Consider this table of percentage chances of getting the result shown:

result  4d6      2d12
2      -----    0.694
3      -----    1.389
4      0.077    2.083
5      0.309    2.778
6      0.772    3.472
7      1.543    4.167
8      2.701    4.861
9      4.321    5.556
10     6.173    6.250
11     8.025    6.944
12     9.645    7.639
13     10.802   8.333
14     11.265   7.639
15     10.802   6.944
16     9.645    6.250
17     8.025    5.556
18     6.173    4.861
19     4.321    4.167
20     2.701    3.472
21     1.543    2.778
22     0.772    2.083
23     0.309    1.389
24     0.077    0.694

Confounded city-slicker fancypants dice...
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