Dice Divination 101 with Simply Witchery

Top Row: d%, d10, d12, d20 Bottom Row: d4, d6, d8

I do dice divination, or astragalomacny if you want the technical term, just about every day. There are so many uses for you RPG dice outside a game table. It's a great way to answer questions, gain guidance, see how likely something is to happen, as well as so many other things. Today I'm going to share with you what kinds of questions I ask the different dice and how I gain meaning from each number. Be sure to refer to the image above if you don't know your RPG dice by name yet!

Fist of all I want to talk about how I do a reading with dice. When I do what I call a full reading, I roll 5 of the seven dice, I don't roll the d4 or d%. Those dice have more specific uses that I'll discuss later. The d20 provides the overarching theme of the reading, the d12 gives practical advice on what to do, and the d10, d8, and d6 refine the theme and advice as clarifiers.

In the daily readings I do over on instagram during the week I roll the d20 and d12 and read them in the context of an oracle card and a rune in order to paint a picture of what's going on spiritually in the collective experience during that day. I've found that dice divination is a great way to add more layers to a tarot or oracle read and it super simple to incorporate into your practice. You can do one of these methods or roll any combination of the dice to do a reading. It a really great way to gain insight, exercise your intuition, and step out of the box as a diviner.

The D%

I use the d% to see how likely something is to happen. I always phrase the question like this: "How likely is ________ to happen?' The reader would then roll the die and get an answer. This one is pretty straightforward and simple. This could also be used to give timelines if that is a part of your practice but that's something I'm personally uncomfortable doing.

The D4

I use my d4 as I would a pendulum or the flip of a coin. The d4 is great for yes or no questions, though it is also worth noting that it has the same limitations as pendulum. It can only speak to the present moment and therefore isn't always accurate because of how your choices may change based on the information given. In a reading odd numbers are a no and even numbers are a yes.

The D6

The d6 is where you'll start to see more similarities to cartomancy. However, the d6 is much more limited than a tarot or oracle deck. I use the d6 as a clarifier in larger readings or alone when I want a very concise answer to my question. The d6 is also great when your question deals with a creative project or a business venture. These are the key words I use when rolling a d6:

1. Inspiration

2. Union

3.Exploration

4. Discovery

5. Transformation

6. Completion

The D8

The d8 gives a little more detail than the d6 does and allows the reader to look into a wider array of topics, including interpersonal issues and decision-making. It is till rather limited though and so I also use the d8 most often as a clarifier instead of on its own though it could be used alone as well. Here are the key words for the d8:

1. Union and partners

2. Community and relationships

3. Foundation and groundwork

4. Experimentation

5. Acceptance

6. Risk

7. Reward

8. Change

D10

The d10 is where things get much more complex. It can be used on its own and still give you a robust detailed reading, though not as detailed as a d20 roll will give you. The reader could ask the d10 any question, even yes or no questions.  In a yes or no reading anything above a 5 is a yes, and anything below a 5 is a no, and 5 itself is unsure. Here are the key words for the d10:

1. Raw emotion, intuition, new beginning, strength

2. Communication, balance, relationships

3. Joy, creativity, luck, the unknown

4. Loyalty, devotion, wisdom

5. Individuality, life, vision

6. Family, healing, love

7. Truth, knowledge, luck

8. Career, success, wealth

9. Wisdom, helpfulness, creativity

10. Cycles, oneness, spiritual energy

D12

I use the d12 differently than I do any other die. I don't ask the d12 any questions. I instead use it as a tool to help me understand what strengths I need to lean into and what weaknesses I need to look out for on a given day or in a given situation. Each number has a sign attached to it. Here they are for quick reference:

1. Aries 7. Libra

2. Taurus 8. Scorpio

3. Gemini 9. Sagittarius

4. Cancer 10. Capricorn

5. Leo 11. Aquarius

6. Virgo 12. Pisces

I keep a list of keywords for all the signs in my grimoire to reference when I do readings with a d12. Those words with a positive connotation would be your strengths and words with a more negative connotation are your weaknesses.

D20

The d20 will give you the most detail of all the dice and has the most keywords for each number. I use this die much like I use a majors only tarot deck. If you know tarot you may notice some similarities to the majors in the numbers. Here are your keywords.

1. New starts, action, originality, making decisions, independence

2. Harmony, cooperation, meditation, passivity, gestation, diplomacy, self-knowledge

3. Scattering, freedom, entertainment, self-expression, growth, travel

4. Practicality, work, order, building foundations, finances

5. Change, freedom, intellectual interests, travel, communication

6. Family, health, service, listening to others, change in the home, domestic & community responsibilities

7. Self analysis, achievement, reflection, rest, health, vacations

8. Business, power, responsibility, money, karma

9. Giving, to others, endings, service, changes, charity, sudden inspiration

10. Intuition, fortune, luck, a turn for the better

11. Limelight, inspiration, religion, tests, legal dealings, art, quick decisions

12. Waiting period, change of view, reversal, submission

13. Change, release, transformation

14. Active sexual principles, pregnancy, social and family obligation, competition, a need to verify

15. Indecision, bondage, freedom, laughter, discernment

16. Love affairs, accidents, awakenings, emotional health

17. Good fortune, rewards, travel, meditation, assistance

18. Caution, dreaming, healing, caring for your body

19. Love, marriage, overcoming obstacles, duality, new beginnings

20. Turning points, decisions, awareness, adaptability, reconstruction

That's all you need to start doing dice divination for yourself. So go get your hands on some dice and get to rolling. Let me know if you have any questions about dice divination or if you'd add or subtract any of the keywords I've listed above. I'd love to hear your thoughts.