Can You Play D&D with Just a d20? What Works and What Doesn’t

Yes, you can play D&D with just one d20, especially during your first session or a short one-shot. A single d20 can handle attack rolls, ability checks, saving throws, initiative, and death saves.

The trouble starts when your character deals damage, regains hit points, takes a Short Rest, or uses a spell that calls for d4s, d6s, d8s, d10s, or d12s.

That does not mean you have to cancel game night.

You can borrow dice from another player, use a digital roller, or temporarily convert your d20 results into smaller die results. These workarounds are enough to get you through a session, although a complete polyhedral set will make regular play much faster.

This guide follows the current D&D Basic Rules. Your table may use an older edition or house rules, but the basic problem remains the same: a d20 handles most success-or-failure rolls, while other dice usually determine damage, healing, and variable effects.

What Can You Roll with One d20?

The d20 is the main decision-making die in Dungeons & Dragons.

Under the official D&D Basic Rules, ability checks, saving throws, and attack rolls are all types of D20 Tests.

That covers a surprising amount of the game.

Game situation	Can one d20 handle it?
Attacking an enemy	Yes
Sneaking past a guard	Yes
Persuading an NPC	Yes
Resisting a spell	Yes
Rolling initiative	Yes
Making a death saving throw	Yes
Rolling with Advantage	Yes, by rolling twice
Rolling with Disadvantage	Yes, by rolling twice

Your rogue may roll a d20 to sneak through a dark hallway. Your fighter may roll one to hit a goblin. Your wizard may roll one to resist an enemy effect.

Even Advantage and Disadvantage do not require two physical d20s. You can roll the same die twice, remember both numbers, and use the higher or lower result.

If you are still learning why this die appears so often, our guide to what d20 means in gaming explains its role in more detail.

For now, remember this:

The d20 usually decides whether your action works. Other dice often decide how much happens afterward.

What Can’t a d20 Handle Normally?

Imagine your fighter swings a longsword at a goblin.

You roll your d20, add your attack modifier, and beat the goblin’s Armor Class.

The attack hits.

Then your Dungeon Master says:

“Roll damage.”

A longsword normally uses a d8 for damage. If your only physical die is a d20, you now need another way to produce a result from 1 to 8.

The same issue appears throughout a normal session.

Game situation	Die normally used
Dagger damage	d4
Shortbow damage	d6
Longsword damage	d8
Greataxe damage	d12
Some healing effects	d4 or d8
Sneak Attack	Multiple d6s
Fireball	Multiple d6s
Divine Smite	Multiple d8s
Short Rest recovery	Your class’s Hit Die
Percentile tables	d100

This is the real limitation of playing with one d20.

You can usually determine whether an attack lands. You cannot normally determine its damage without another die, a digital tool, or a conversion method.

How to Play D&D with Only One d20

Maybe you joined a last-minute one-shot. Maybe you forgot your dice bag. Maybe you handed your only spare set to a new player.

Nobody needs to cancel the adventure.

Here are the simplest ways to keep the game moving.

Roll the Same d20 Twice for Advantage or Disadvantage

Advantage means rolling two d20s and using the higher result. Disadvantage means rolling two d20s and using the lower result.

You can do this with one physical die.

1. Roll the d20 once and remember the result.
2. Roll it a second time.
3. Use the higher number for Advantage.
4. Use the lower number for Disadvantage.

For example, your rogue has Advantage on a Stealth check.

The first roll is 7. The second is 16.

You use the 16, then add your Stealth modifier.

An extra d20 makes this faster, but it is not required.

Borrow Damage Dice from the Table

This is often the easiest solution during an in-person game.

Most regular players and Dungeon Masters bring more dice than they need. Asking to borrow a d8 for your longsword or a few d6s for Sneak Attack is completely normal.

You do not need to borrow an entire set. Just borrow the die your character needs at that moment.

For a first session, this is usually better than trying to memorize a conversion table.

Use a Digital Dice Roller

A digital roller can generate every standard D&D die.

This lets you keep your physical d20 for important rolls while using your phone for:

• Weapon damage
• Healing
• Hit Dice
• Spell damage
• Random tables
• Percentile rolls

This hybrid setup works especially well for spellcasters.

Roll the important attack with your physical d20. Then let your phone handle the pile of d6s when the wizard drops a Fireball.

You keep the satisfying part of rolling at the table without spending the next five minutes converting numbers.

Use Your d20 to Simulate Smaller Dice

A d20 can also simulate several smaller dice.

This works because you can divide the 20 possible d20 results into equal groups. Each final result must occupy the same number of d20 faces.

When 20 cannot be divided evenly by the die you need, the unused results must be rerolled.

This is an emergency workaround, not the normal way D&D is played.

Die needed	How to simulate it with a d20
d4	1–5 = 1, 6–10 = 2, 11–15 = 3, 16–20 = 4
d6	1–3 = 1, 4–6 = 2, 7–9 = 3, 10–12 = 4, 13–15 = 5, 16–18 = 6; reroll 19–20
d8	1–2 = 1, 3–4 = 2, continue in pairs through 15–16 = 8; reroll 17–20
d10	1–2 = 1, 3–4 = 2, continue in pairs through 19–20 = 10
d12	Use 1–12 directly; reroll 13–20

Suppose your rogue hits with a dagger, which deals 1d4 damage.

You roll your d20 and get 14.

Under the d4 conversion:

• 1–5 means 1
• 6–10 means 2
• 11–15 means 3
• 16–20 means 4

A 14 therefore becomes a result of 3.

The probabilities remain fair because each possible d4 result is represented by five faces on the d20.

This method works well for one or two rolls. It becomes much less convenient when you need several dice.

Simulating one d8 is manageable. Simulating 8d6 for a Fireball means rolling your d20 at least eight times, and possibly more if you keep landing on 19 or 20.

At that point, borrowing dice or opening a digital roller is much faster.

Is One d20 Enough for Your Type of Game?

The answer depends on what kind of session you are playing.

Situation	Is one d20 enough?
First D&D trial session	Yes
Short, roleplay-heavy one-shot	Usually
You forgot your dice bag	Yes, with borrowed or digital dice
Regular weekly campaign	Not ideal
Combat-heavy adventure	Usually not
Rogue using many Sneak Attack dice	Not comfortably
Wizard casting large damage spells	Not without digital dice
Dungeon Master running several monsters	No, unless using a digital roller
Online D&D game	Physical dice may be optional

A single d20 works best when:

• The group is small.
• Combat is limited.
• Other players are willing to share.
• You have access to a phone.
• You are only trying D&D for the first time.

It works poorly when several people need the same die at once.

Picture a combat round where the fighter is waiting to attack, the cleric needs to make a saving throw, the rogue has Advantage, and the Dungeon Master is rolling attacks for four goblins.

Everyone can technically share one d20.

Most of the session will also involve asking:

“Who has the die?”

The question is not only whether one d20 can produce the correct random results. It is whether your setup allows the game to keep moving.

What Is the Minimum Dice Setup for a Beginner?

You do not need a huge dice collection to start playing D&D.

Despite what the dice goblin inside many players may eventually claim, your first session does not require six matching sets, a gemstone death-save die, and a special bag for dice that rolled too many natural 1s.

There are three sensible beginner setups.

First Session: One d20 and a Digital Roller

The minimum practical setup is:

• One physical or borrowed d20
• A digital dice roller
• Your character sheet
• Access to the rules

This is enough to learn the game and decide whether you actually enjoy it.

You do not need to buy anything before your first session.

Regular Player: One Complete Seven-Piece Set

For regular in-person play, one standard seven-piece polyhedral set is the simplest option.

It normally includes:

• d4
• d6
• d8
• d10
• Percentile die
• d12
• d20

You do not need to memorize every shape before playing. Your character sheet, weapon entry, spell, or Dungeon Master will tell you which one to roll.

Our guide to what dice are used in D&D explains the role of each die in more detail.

Frequent Player: Add the Dice Your Character Uses Most

After a few sessions, you may want:

• One additional d20 for Advantage and Disadvantage
• Extra d6s for Sneak Attack or Fireball
• Extra d8s for healing or Divine Smite
• Extra dice that match your character’s common attacks

These are conveniences, not requirements.

A new rogue does not need ten d6s before the first session. A wizard does not need a dedicated Fireball set before learning their spell list.

Start with one complete set. Add more dice when your character actually needs them.

Do You Need to Buy a Full Dice Set Before Your First Game?

No.

Borrowing dice is normal. Using a digital roller is normal. Arriving at your first session without knowing which strange shape is the d12 is also very normal.

Your first game should be about learning how D&D feels, not proving that you already own the right accessories.

Once you know you want to keep playing, a full dice set makes the game easier.

You no longer need to:

• Pass one d20 around the table
• Stop and convert every damage roll
• Borrow the same d8 six times
• Open your phone whenever your character attacks

When choosing your first set, prioritize readability and comfortable rolling.

A beautiful die is not very useful if nobody at the table can tell whether it rolled a 13 or an 18.

You also do not need the most expensive material or the sharpest edges for your first character. Clear numbers and a design you enjoy will matter more during actual play.

When you are ready for your own set, you can read our guide to choosing the right d20 for your D&D character or explore URDICE D&D dice sets.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you use a d20 for damage in D&D?

Not directly. Weapons, spells, and class abilities specify which damage die to use, such as a d4 for a dagger or a d8 for a longsword. You can temporarily simulate a smaller die by converting d20 ranges, but using the correct die or a digital roller is much faster.

Can a d20 simulate a d6?

Yes. Treat 1–3 as 1, 4–6 as 2, 7–9 as 3, 10–12 as 4, 13–15 as 5, and 16–18 as 6. Reroll a 19 or 20. This keeps all six results equally likely.

Do you need one dice set per player?

No. Players can share dice, and many groups keep spare sets at the table. However, one set per player reduces waiting and makes combat run more smoothly.

Can you play D&D without physical dice?

Yes. Digital dice rollers and virtual tabletops can generate every die result required by the game. Physical dice add a tactile tabletop experience, but they are not required for the rules to function.

Can a Dungeon Master use only one d20?

Technically, yes. Practically, it will be slow. A Dungeon Master may need to roll for several monsters, damage effects, random encounters, and hidden checks. A full dice set or digital roller is much more convenient.

What is the minimum number of dice needed for D&D?

One d20 and a digital roller are enough to start. For comfortable physical play, one complete seven-piece polyhedral set is the usual beginner setup.

Start with the Die You Have

You can play D&D with just one d20.

It can handle attacks, ability checks, saving throws, initiative, and many of the rolls that decide whether your character succeeds.

The limitations appear when you need damage, healing, Hit Dice, or random tables.

You can borrow the missing dice. You can use a digital roller. You can even convert your d20 into smaller dice when necessary.

All three methods work.

A complete polyhedral set simply makes the game faster and easier.

So do not delay your first adventure because you do not own the perfect dice collection yet.

Start with the die you have. Add the rest when you are ready.