First of all, I would like to thank LEN Polygon for sending us one of their dUltimate, i.e., a “multi-die die”, in order to be able to write this review. Before starting I just want to point out that this project was born thanks to a successful Kickstarter campaign.
I am sure the name ‘dUltimate’ immediately evokes a lot of curiosity, so I will show you the possibilities it offers. In short, dUltimate is a single die that “contains” (or rather, performs the function of) every other die used in a classic RPG set (d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20).
For other information, I also suggest you to visit the official website.
Review of the Use of dUltimate
For me, the biggest doubts related to dUltimate concerned precisely how to use it, and I want to start this review by clarifying that.
First you have to decide which specific die is being rolled (d4, d6, etc.). Then, you roll the die and wait for it to stop.
One of its faces (or rather, a set of faces) remains at the top, the one to be read. You must always look to the top-most circle and triangle (read with the numbers oriented in the correct way and not upside down). The important thing then is to understand which results correspond to which die:
- d4: in the triangle, the number of little triangles on the right indicates the result.
- d6: in the circle, the number of dots indicates the result.
- d8: in the triangle, the number on the left indicates the result.
- d10: in the triangle, the number at the bottom indicates the result.
- d12: in the circle, the number indicates the result.
- d20: in the triangle, the top number indicates the result.
Also some triangles may not have results but arrows; this indicates that the result for that die must be found in the triangle indicated by the arrow. The reason for this method is that it allows each number on the ‘die’ to have the same probability of coming up.
Here are two examples of use. The results of the dUltimate rolls are referenced to the images immediately below in this review:
- d4: 4
- d6: 6
- d8: 8
- d10: 8(0)
- d12: 6
- d20: 18
- d4: 1
- d6: 6
- d8: 8
- d10: 10(0)
- d12: 6
- d20: 10
The Speed of Use of dUltimate
The fact that dUltimate is so original and brilliant an idea is already very clear, but we must understand how much this makes it functional.
First of all you have to keep in mind that it is a die with many faces and therefore very prone to roll a lot before stopping. If you don’t have a lot of patience (or just want to limit this property), I highly recommend rolling it in a dice tray.
The time saved can be used (at least initially) to understand the result shown. This die has been designed with a lot of care and ingenuity, but it certainly can’t be read as easily as a traditional one. The results corresponding to the various types of dice cannot be arranged in a rational way in order not to alter the probabilities. It would have been convenient to have, for example, the dice in ascending clockwise (or counterclockwise) order, but that isn’t possible. This certainly isn’t the fault of the creator, but the fact that the initial uses require a little more effort and attention must be taken into account.
There is a ‘learning curve’.
On Multiple Rolls
As for reading, the more attentive will have already noticed a lack: one of the two d10s. Ten-sided dice are usually two in a set so hobbyists can also throw them as percentile dice. This product therefore needs to be launched twice to achieve this: once for the ‘ones’ and once again for the ‘tens’.
Speaking of multiple rolls, if you have to roll a certain number of the same type of dice (yes 8d6 Fireball, I’m talking about you), there is no other solution than to roll dUltimate several times. This certainly isn’t as straightforward as rolling a handful of traditional dice. On the other hand, if you have to roll different dice combinations (for example 1d6 + 1d4) then things are better and you have the real advantage of rolling a single die and having all the necessary results immediately.
The possibility of having the results of several types of dice with a single roll also guarantees an additional advantage to the Game Master in the fact that players have no way of knowing what kind of roll it was, adding an extra level of mystery.
Materials and Aesthetics
dUltimate is about the size of a table tennis ball (diameter of 4 centimeters) and a variable weight according to the models. The one we received is in plastic and weighs about 30 grams, while the metal version comes in at around 150 grams. The plastic of our dice is robust and pleasant to the touch; it is a pleasure to play with it while listening to the narrator!
The design of the dUltimate shown in this review is very simple: white base and black lettering. It has no other decoration, but is good for reading. The original idea and the bizarre shape already make it interesting. However, I would like to point out that, in addition to the metallic version, some variants have been unlocked through the stretch goals (black with yellow writing and phosphorescent with black writing).
Final Considerations of the dUltimate Review
The first thing that emerges is that it hardly admits neutral opinions; it is the type of product that tends to be loved or hated, leaving few anywhere in between.
In my opinion, the situation must still be brought to a different level of reading, before giving a final opinion. This die is probably one of the few that is much less suitable for novices. An experienced role player already knows the basic function of the dice and can afford to “level up”, appreciating a less-than-immediate reading. Why should this be done? Simple, because it is genuinely fun. Anyone who loves riddles, futuristic designs, and originality will also appreciate this die.
Last advice, but certainly not least: it should not be seen as a substitute for the classic set of dice. Waging war within such a wonderful hobby would be silly indeed! As can be seen from this review, I enjoyed dUltimate and see it very well as an alternate die, a die to add to the odd dice collection or use as a travel die. For my personal taste, its originality was the aspect that I appreciated the most!
