Dice Rolling

Myth-Weavers has a built-in dice roller wired directly into the posting experience. Rolls are server-side, timestamped, and tamper-proof. This makes it easy for GMs and players alike to keep track of previous rolls and combat in the play-by-post style.

The dice roller is designed to mimic the real table. You roll dice while crafting your post rather than having to wait for the post to save to see the results. Rolls are immediately permanent parts of the topic's timeline; they can't be hidden from the GM or other players (though hidden rolls can be later revealed). No cheating!

How to roll

In any topic, open the Dice Roller panel. Standard dice notation:

1d20 — one twenty-sided die
2d6+3 — two d6, sum, add 3
1d20+1d6 — combine dice anywhere a number can go
keep(4d6,highest,3) — four d6, keep the highest three (the classic D&D ability score)
Attack Roll:1d20+5 — put a label before a colon so you (and everyone else) remember what the roll was for
Init:1d20+4;1d6 — separate multiple expressions under one label with a semicolon

Type, click Roll, or use ⌘/Ctrl+Enter for the keyboard shortcut. Not sure of the syntax? The ? Syntax button on the dice panel opens a quick reference.

A single roll line is capped at 200 dice (counting any rerolls or exploding dice it generates) — well beyond any normal roll. If you exceed it, the roll is rejected with a "maximum of 200 dice" message and nothing is posted; split it into smaller rolls.

The Random tab of the reply composer, with an expression typed but not yet rolled. The live readout confirms the syntax before you commit.

Notation in detail

The standard formula is [number]d[sides][operation][modifier] — 1d20+3 rolls one d20 and adds 3.

Arithmetic: add, subtract, multiply, and divide — 2d6+3, 1d8-1, 1d6*2, 2d10/2.
Combine dice anywhere a number can go — 1d6+1d8, 1d10*1d10, 1d6*1d6+3+1d10.
Labels go before a colon and are required in the panel — Attack:1d20+5.
Multiple expressions under one label, separated by semicolons — Attack:1d20+4;1d6+2 rolls both and reports each result.

Functions

More complex rolls use function-call syntax: the function name wraps the dice in parentheses, e.g. keep(4d6,highest,3). Two rules apply throughout:

A flat modifier goes after the closing parenthesis, not inside — keep(2d20,highest)+3 works, but keep(2d20+3,highest) errors (the first argument must be dice, not an expression).
Functions nest — the dice argument can itself be a function, e.g. drop(reroll(4d6,1,below),lowest).

Throughout, order is highest or lowest and direction is above, below, or both.

keep / drop

keep(dice, order, number) rolls the dice and keeps the number highest or lowest; drop(dice, order, number) discards them instead. Omit number and one die is kept/dropped. keep and drop are inverses — keep-highest-3 of 4d6 equals drop-lowest-1.

keep(4d6,highest,3) — the classic D&D ability score (keep the best 3 of 4d6)
keep(2d20,highest) / keep(2d20,lowest) — D&D 5e advantage / disadvantage

sort

sort(dice, order) returns the rolled dice sorted highest-to-lowest or lowest-to-highest — sort(4d6,highest).

reroll

reroll(dice, threshold, direction, count) rerolls any die at or beyond the threshold. With below, dice at or under the threshold are rerolled; with above, dice at or over it. count caps how many times each die is rerolled — omit it (or use 0) for unlimited. Default direction is below.

reroll(6d6,3) — reroll any 1, 2, or 3 until it comes up 4 or higher
reroll(4d6,1,below,1) — reroll 1s, but only once each (keep the second result even if it's another 1)

explode

explode(dice, threshold, count) — for each die at or above the threshold, roll an extra die; if that one also reaches the threshold it explodes again. count limits the chain (omit or 0 for unlimited) — explode(3d6,6).

success / failure

success(dice, threshold, direction, cancel, bonus) counts how many dice meet the criteria. above counts dice at or over the threshold; below, at or under it. Set cancel to yes to let each 1 cancel a success, and bonus to yes to add a success for each maximum die rolled. Both default to no.

success(5d10,8,above) — count dice that rolled 8 or higher
success(explode(5d10,10),8,above,no,no) — New World of Darkness pool (10s explode, 8+ are successes)

failure(dice, threshold) counts dice at or below the threshold — the same as success(dice, threshold, below).

repeat

repeat(expression, count) runs the whole expression count times and returns a list of results. Because the result is a list, you can't add to it at the top level — put any modifier inside: write repeat(keep(4d6,highest,3)+4,6), not repeat(keep(4d6,highest,3),6)+4.

repeat(3d6,6) — roll 3d6 six times (D&D ability scores)
repeat(drop(4d6,lowest),6) — 4d6-drop-lowest, six times

Game systems

Several systems have dedicated roll functions:

age(modifier, target) — Adventure Game Engine. Rolls 2d6 plus a stunt d6, adds the modifier, and compares to the target if one is given. Doubles trigger a [STUNT: x] result.
arsmagica(modifier) / arsmagica(modifier, botches) — Ars Magica. The plain form rolls 1d10 + modifier (a 10 counts as 10). Add a botch-dice count for the stress mechanic: a 10 becomes 0 and rolls that many botch dice (a 0 on any is a botch); a 1 explodes, doubling the multiplier for each consecutive 1.
fate(modifier) — Fate / Fudge. Rolls 4dF and adds the modifier; use fate(0) for no modifier.
genesys(ability, proficiency, boost, difficulty, challenge, setback, success, advantage, triumph, failure, threat, despair) — Genesys narrative dice (outputs symbol dice).
l5r(ring, skill) — Legend of the Five Rings 5e (outputs symbol dice).
ore(pool, hard, wiggle, expert…) — One-Roll Engine. Counts of pool, hard, and wiggle dice; add as many expert-die values as you need, comma-separated.
rollandkeep(rolled, kept, explode, raises, free, target) — Roll & Keep (7th Sea, older L5R). rolled and kept are d10 counts; explode (yes/no) re-rolls 10s into the pool; raises raise the target in +5 steps; free adds +5 bonuses; target is the difficulty to meet or beat.
tor(sixes, weary, favor) — The One Ring. Rolls that many d6 plus a d12 (2d12 keep-highest with favor, keep-lowest with ill). weary set to yes zeroes d6 results under 4. On the d12, the Eye of Sauron is 0 and the Gandalf rune is an automatic 10.
ffgsw(ability, proficiency, boost, difficulty, challenge, setback, force, success, advantage, triumph, failure, threat, despair, light, dark) — Fantasy Flight Games Star Wars narrative dice.
savage(trait, wild, modifier, tn) — Savage Worlds trait roll. Rolls the trait die and a Wild Die (defaults to a d6); both "ace" (a maximum face re-rolls and adds, repeating), and the higher total is kept. Adds the modifier and compares to the target number (defaults to 4); every full 4 over the target is a raise. A natural 1 on both dice is a critical failure. Set wild to 0 for an Extra (no Wild Die — then a natural 1 on the lone die is the critical failure). Example: savage(8,6,2,4) rolls a d8 trait + d6 Wild, +2, vs TN 4.
savagedmg(count, size, modifier, toughness) — Savage Worlds damage. Rolls the damage dice, which all ace, and sums them plus the modifier (no Wild Die). Add a toughness to compare: meeting or beating it is Shaken, and every 4 over it is a wound. Example: savagedmg(2,6,1,7) rolls 2d6 (acing), +1, vs Toughness 7.
wfrp(tn, attack) — Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. Rolls d100 against the target number; you succeed by rolling at or under it, and the degrees of success are counted in tens (e.g. TN 60, roll 20 → 5). Set attack to yes to also reverse the roll's digits for a hit location (Head / Left Arm / Right Arm / Body / Left Leg / Right Leg) and flag doubles as a critical. Example: wfrp(60) for a skill test, wfrp(60,yes) for an attack.

Common rolls

Paste these straight into the panel (rename the label before the colon to taste):

Ability scores (3d6 ×6): Ability Scores:repeat(3d6,6)
Ability scores (4d6 drop lowest ×6): Ability Scores:repeat(drop(4d6,lowest),6)
Ability scores (4d6, reroll 1s, drop lowest ×6): Ability Scores:repeat(drop(reroll(4d6,1,below),lowest),6)
Attack and damage: Attack and Damage:1d20+5;1d6+2
D20 with advantage: Attack with Advantage:keep(2d20,highest)+3
D20 with disadvantage: Attack with Disadvantage:keep(2d20,lowest)+3
New World of Darkness pool: Strength + Athletics:success(explode(5d10,10),8,above,no,no)
Savage Worlds trait roll (d8 + Wild d6 vs TN 4): Fighting:savage(8)
Savage Worlds damage: Damage:savagedmg(2,6)
Warhammer skill test (TN 60): Skill Test:wfrp(60)

Visibility

Decide who sees the result before you roll:

Everyone (default) — the roll and result are visible to all topic readers.
GM Only — only you and the GM(s) see the roll and the result. GM-rolled GM-only rolls are invisible to all players. Useful for random encounters, secret events, and the like.
Blind — you see that you rolled but not the result; only the GM(s) see the actual number. Useful for perception checks, saves, anything where the player should be in the dark.

The pending-and-claim flow

After rolling, the result sits in your Pending Rolls panel. Pending rolls aren't attached to any post yet — they're staged.

This is the core dice mechanic: roll first, then write the post and claim the rolls you want to attach. The rolls appear inline in the timeline, timestamped to when they were originally rolled, not when you claimed them. That way the correct rolls show up when that action was taken, so the GM can see exactly when something was rolled.

Rolls you have made but not yet posted. Tick the ones that should ride along with your reply.

The whole staging step end to end: type an expression, roll it, and watch the result land in Pending Rolls ready to be claimed.

Why pending-and-claim matters

PBP runs on trust, but pure trust scales badly across years and dozens of players. The pending-and-claim model makes the trust mechanical: every roll is permanently recorded and timestamped at the moment of rolling, not the moment of claiming. A GM can see that someone rolled six times in a topic and claimed two — visible, not necessarily punishable, but a basis for a conversation if the pattern matters. Most players never need to think about it; it's there for the rare case where it does.

In the timeline

Claimed rolls show up inline in the topic, in chronological order. Each displays:

Who rolled and when
The dice expression and label
Individual die results and the total
A visibility indicator if the roll is GM-only or blind

A claimed roll set rendered under the post it belongs to, one numbered row per roll.

[GM]

Adding a roll a player forgot. If a player wrote their post but forgot to claim the roll, you don't have to make them redo it. Roll the dice yourself in that topic's dice panel — the result lands in the timeline as an unclaimed roll. On that roll's card, Claim into player's post above attaches it to the post directly above (the buttons name whose post they target, so you always know where it's going). Because you're a GM you can claim into any member's post in your game, not just your own.

Undoing a claim. Claimed the roll into the wrong post? Open the roll's Show details (in the roll panel under the post) and use Detach from post. The roll pops back out to the timeline at its original spot, ready to claim again. Anyone who can edit the post can detach a roll from it.

Drawing cards

Some games want cards rather than dice — Savage Worlds initiative, a tarot spread, a Deck of Many Things, a homebrew oracle. The Cards mode of the Random tab draws them, and the result lands in the timeline exactly like a roll: same claiming, same visibility options, same permanence.

Pick a deck, choose how many cards, and press Add Draw. The draw joins whatever else you have queued — you can queue two dice rolls and a card draw and commit them together, in order.

The Draw Cards panel. Pick a deck, set how many, and add the draw to the queue — or deal one to every player at once.

One each deals a separate card to every player in one click — the button shows the count, so for a four-player game it reads One each (4). Each draw is its own row, labelled with that player's name, so the result reads as an initiative order rather than an anonymous handful of cards. If the deck is set to stay open, all of them come from the same deck, so no two players can be dealt the same card.

You can also type a draw instead of using the picker. The Type tab takes card lines alongside dice, one per line:

Attack:1d20+5
Initiative:draw 1 from @blackrock-initiative

Preview only covers the dice — a card draw has no preview, because drawing a card really does take it out of the deck.

Every game can use the standard decks (a 52-card deck, one with jokers, a tarot deck, and the Savage Worlds action deck). A GM can add decks of their own; see below. Community-forum topics can draw from the standard decks too — game decks and open decks need a game.

A committed draw. The cards render as faces, and the detail column names the deck and how many are left in it.

Decks that stay open

By default each draw is independent: the deck is shuffled fresh, so drawing three cards twice in a row can give you the same card twice. That matches how dice work, and it's what you want for a tarot reading or a one-off omen.

For initiative, you want the opposite — a deck that remembers what's already been dealt. Tick Keep this deck open for this topic when you draw, and the deck stays open: subsequent draws come from what's left, and the panel shows how many cards remain.

An open deck belongs to the topic it was opened in, so two simultaneous combats in two threads each get their own without anyone having to think about it. You can have several open at once in the same topic.

Decks stay open inside a game. In the community forums there is no game to hold one, so draws there are always independent — you get the standard decks and a fresh shuffle every time, and no "keep this deck open" option.

[GM]

Reshuffling and closing. With an open deck selected, you get two extra buttons. Reshuffle returns every card and starts a fresh shuffle — that's the one you want when Savage Worlds tells you to reshuffle at the end of a round in which a Joker was dealt. Close stops any further drawing.

Neither one touches history. Draws already made stay in the topic, exactly as they were, forever — closing a deck, deleting a deck, or editing one never changes a card that was already dealt.

Why deleting a draw doesn't put the card back. If you delete a card draw, the card stays spent. Returning it would let a card that players have already seen come back around, which is the card equivalent of quietly rerolling. If you need cards back, reshuffle — it's visible to everyone, which is the point.

A note on the count. The "cards left" number is worked out per person. A GM-only draw doesn't move it for the players, because otherwise the number would give away that a hidden draw happened. Your count is the true one; theirs may read high.

Making your own decks

[GM]

Manage Game → Card Decks is where a game's own decks live. Write one card per line:

A♠  Ace of Spades
🐉  Ancient Dragon | A wyrm of the old world
The Fool

Start a line with an emoji or symbol followed by two spaces to give the card a face; anything after a | is a description. Card images beyond emoji aren't supported yet.

Editing a deck never disturbs a game in progress — a deck already open in a topic keeps playing with the cards it was opened with.

Roll history

Every roll is permanently recorded. The full roll history for a topic shows every roll ever made there — who, what, the results, the visibility. Useful for the rare audit and for the always-interesting "wait, when did Jen's character last crit?" stats.

Next steps

Your character probably needs a home. Characters, Resources, and Maps covers sheet linking, wiki pages, and the rest.