Listen, we’ve all done it at least once, whether you’re a player who just REALLY didn’t want to fail that important roll, or you’re a DM who wants to not successfully hit the player for the tenth time in a row, lying about a dice roll is a timelessDungeons & Dragonstradition.
But you’re able to’t just say whatever number you want. Some numbers are a lot easier to get away with than others. And to be frank, some are just less fair. If you want to be the best at bluffing dice, you’ll need to know what the easiest numbers are to get away with.
2020
Kicking things off with the hardest roll to lie about, this is an obvious one. Rolling a “nat 20” is an act of hype, celebration, and usually guaranteed success. It even deals bonus damage in combat. Rolling a 20 is literally the best thing you can roll.
And that’s the problem. With in-person games, other players will often want to look at the dice to see for themselves, not even with suspicion but pure excitement. Hiding the dice after rolling will draw unwanted attention, and too frequent 20s will absolutely cause the others to side-eye you. All in all, not worth it.
191
The far other end of the spectrum is the “nat 1.” A critical failure may not be as celebrated as the 20, but it’s just as noticeable.
Maybe you low-key like to fail at things; maybe you want to establish some kind of Wil Wheaton-style reputation for being cursed. Regardless, too many nat 1s will certainly be noticed.
1819
A 19 is a 20 without so much pomp about it. You’d think that’d make it a good one to lie about getting, but it’s not. It being the best number that doesn’t cause a table to cheer is the reason it’s too easy a target.
Getting too many 19s is just as suspicious as getting too many 20s, if not even more so.
1718
An 18 is basically just a 19, but slightly easier to get away with.
1613
While not as beneficial as other numbers, 13 has a certain superstitious history. It’s unlucky.
Sure, it’s a less noticeable number to lie about than some higher ones. But when you’re pressing your luck with deception, why risk that luck running out?
1517
There’s nothing special about 17. It’s just a high number, which is more noticeable than low ones.
1415
Ah yes, the 5’s. Often referred to as an ‘honorary even number,’ numbers divisible by five are pleasing to the brain in a way I don’t understand.
And that’s the problem; this uncanny appeal makes them more noticeable than your average number, especially when it’s one of the higher ones.
132
Now we’re hitting the instances where a remarkably low number is just as hard to get away with as a remarkably large one.
Two, like 19, is the most severe roll you’re able to make without being a “nat __,” which makes it both more and less suspicious.
123
Three is still a pretty remarkable failure of a dice roll. Short of a DC 5 check with a proficiency bonus, odds are you’re failing at whatever you’re rolling for.
There’s little reason to lie about rolling a 3, short of not wanting to have rolled a nat 1. So if your goal is to secure a failure, this is a solid choice.
115
Remember the “honorary even number” spiel I gave about the five in 15? That applies here too.
The difference is that a 15 will likely be a success, while a 5 won’t. This makes it easier to get away with.
