A Roll Of Chance's Dice...

Unique Tavern Games For Your Adventures

Spice up your next tavern visit with this selection of ten original games tailored to suit the skills
of a wide variety of characters: wisdom, intelligence, strength, dexterity, charisma, roguish luck,
the grace of the gods and a healthy dose of chance!

“Ori'gato natha nuor d'mayar's ebbt thir'ku l'ba'dor!”

Let a roll of chance's dice, alter the board – Drow saying
- Source: Jarlaxle Baenre, Road Of The Patriarch by R A Salvatore

by PENNY BLAKE

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, D&D, Wizards of the Coast, Forgotten Realms, Ravenloft, Eberron, the dragon ampersand, Ravnica and all other Wizards of the Coast product
names, and their respective logos are trademarks of Wizards of the Coast in the USA and other countries. This work contains material that is copyright Wizards of the
Coast and/or other authors. Such material is used with permission under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. All other original material in
this work is copyright 2019 by Penny Blake and published under the Community Content Agreement for Dungeon Masters Guild. Cover image by patrimonio designs ltd
www.shutterstock.com

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. A ROLL OF CHANCE'S DICE
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Introduction Dragon's Hoard
These ten tried and tested tavern games have Each player places an equal amount of gold
evolved at our gaming table over two decades coins in the pot. This is now called The
of Dungeons and Dragons gaming. Dragon's Hoard
Each one involves a different combination of Each player now takes turns to creep into
skill and luck and no doubt each is played a the dragons den and pilfer the hoard by
little differently from tavern to tavern and rolling a d4 and obeying the conditions
region to region so as a DM you can feel free to described below:
be as fastidious or flexible as you wish, sticking
Roll on a d4 Outcome
rigidly to the rules or modifying them to suit
your party. 1 Take 1 coin from the
hoard
Some games are played by your players exactly 2 Take 2 coins from
as their characters would play them, while the hoard
others are determined by real-life dice rolls to
decide in-game outcomes. 3 Freeze! The dragon
is waking up – take
Either way, we have found that role playing the nothing.
action as much as possible is the key to getting 4 Take 4 coins from
the most fun and enjoyment out of the games, the hoard
so provide your characters with plenty of scene
setting and description and encourage them to
describe the actions their characters are The third time a player rolls a 3 “The dragon
performing and how these play out based on the has awoken! Drop the gold and run for your
outcomes of the dice. life!” That player is out and must return all
their gold to the hoard.
You can choose to keep the games played just
When the hoard is empty each player still in
within your own party if you like, but role-
the game gets to keep what they stole from
played tavern games are a fantastic way for PCs
the hoard.
to become acquainted with NPCs, get the
measure of a new town, pick up gossip and
adventure hooks and forge friendships and
rivalries with NPCs. Hag
A d6 is rolled in the beginning to determine
which number is The Hag for that game.
For example, The Hag might be 3.
Each player pays an ante and then takes turns
to roll a d6 3 times in secret and record each
roll.

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Each player now places their bet or folds.
Players now take turns to reveal the total of
Brag
their 3 dice (but not the separate numbers
they rolled so for example when rolling 3, 5, 2 This fast thinking memory game is after the
a player would announce their score as 10) fashion of 'I went to the shops.'
The player with the highest score wins the One player starts by putting a coin in the
round and so the pot. middle and pompously declaring a location
or setting and listing one monster they
If someone suspects that the highest roller has fought while they were there:
rolled The Hag they can challenge them by
shouting HAG! “When I went to the woods and I killed a
kobold”
If they are right, then the highest roller is out
of the game and the pot goes to them as or
reward for catching The Hag. “When I went to Avernus and I fought a
hellwasp”
If they are wrong, then they are out of the
game. The next player must then meet their coin
with another and best their brag by adding a
new monster:

“When I went to the woods, I killed a kobold

Fairy Geas Mother and five phase spiders”

A player is out of the game if:

Each player places an ante and then rolls a – They hesitate too long
d20 to determine their geas. The geas is a – They can't think of a monster to add
number which the player is now forbidden – They make a mistake naming the
to roll on pain of suffering the wrath of their monsters already listed
fairy geas mother (ie, having all their points – They can't remember the monsters
stripped away and sent back to zero) already listed
Each player now places a bet to stay in the – They trip over their own tongue
game and takes turns to roll a d20. This ends
the first round. If any of these occur the other players must
shout BRAG! And that player is out of the
Play continues with each player placing a bet
game.
to stay in at the start of each new round
before rolling a d20 and adding it to their
Players can also challenge each other if one
running score.
player lists a monster that is not native of
The first to reach 100 or higher wins the pot. that area or setting.
If any player rolls their geas number their
score reverts to zero. “What was a fairy dragon doing in Stygia?”

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. A ROLL OF CHANCE'S DICE
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Then the player must quickly provide a very with them!) and they have the chance to
plausible or entertaining explanation or be raise the stakes and roll again or quit.
called a BRAG! And sent out of the game. At the DM discretion, any players who
worship a deity have one chance to say a
The winner is the last player left in the game prayer and change a lose roll to a Grace roll.
and takes the pot as their reward for ridding
the world of so many terrible beasts.

Abyssal Chicken Don't drop the baby

This game requires two equal teams of three
The aim of this game is to have the highest or more players and in-game action is
score below 15 at the end of the game. represented by dice rolls as described
below.
Each player enters an ante then rolls a d4
and decides whether to up the stakes and Two tankards of ale are filled and each team
continue, stick or 'Chicken Out' (In which has to pass the ale tankard down the line to
case everyone calls them an Abyssal the last member without 'dropping the baby'
Chicken). (dropping or spilling the drink).

Everyone who is not an Abyssal Chicken The last player in line has to down the drink
then rolls a d6 and adds it to their score. and run to the start of the line to have it
refilled and pass it down again.
Again they have the chance to stick,
'Chicken out' or up the stakes and continue. This is represented by each player on each
team taking turns to roll a dc 10 dexterity
Everyone still in the game now rolls a d8 check. The dc rating increases by 5 each time
and the highest scorer wins the pot with the a player has downed a pint of ale.
caveat than anyone rolling over 15 is out.
Play continues until one team 'drops the
baby'. The other team are the victors and the
losers must buy all their drinks for the rest
Grace of the evening.

One player chooses a number between 1

and 6 and places a bet that they will roll Pluck The Chicken
that number.
Others place bets on whether they will roll This might seem on the surface as a game of
that number (win) or its opposite on a d6 agility but players can use any of the six
(lose). ability areas to try and outwit and out
maneuver their opponent.
If the player rolls anything but those two
numbers it counts as a Grace (the gods are In pluck the chicken the agile warrior, the
dexterous thief, the wise cleric or the

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intelligent wizard all have a chance to use Each rolls a d20 and adds their modifier
their skills to win the day. (whoever gained advantage from the last
round may use it now) and the highest
In-game action is represented by dice rolls
roller gains advantage for the last round.
as described below.
A ring is chalked on the floor. The size of the
ring can vary from game to game. Two Round 4: Go for broke: Both players choose
contestants each place a large feather in a skill for their final flourish.
their hat or helmet (Vrock, Diatryma etc). Each rolls a d20 and adds their modifier
The winner is the one to knock the feather (whoever gained advantage on the last
from their opponent's hat or helm by any round may use it now) and the highest
non-magical means. If a player steps out of roller knocks the feather from the other's
the ring play pauses until they step back in. head and wins the game.
Round one: Advantage: Each player decides Rewards: This game can be played for
which of their skills they are going to try money where players and onlookers can
first to gain advantage over their opponent. place bets on who will win. Otherwise the
(perhaps use their wisdom to wait for an loser could perform some forfeit such as
opening, their intelligence to outwit, their buy the winner a drink or buy the bar a
charisma to feint or distract, their agility to round. Some bars offer a system where
move swiftly and accurately etc etc) customers get a free drink for every feather
Each rolls a d20 and adds the relevant skill they are wearing in their hat (ie: Every
modifier. The highest gains advantage in opponent they have defeated that night at
round 2 (gets to roll a second d20 and pick pluck the chicken).
the higher score).

Round 2: Attack: The player who gained Chwinga Racing

advantage in round 1 now gets to attack
their opponent. They choose which skill The Chwinga are a shy but ultimately
they will use (it doesn't have to be the same inquisitive race and staying in a local tavern
as last time) and their opponent chooses would allow them to continue to study the
which they will use to defend themselves. ways of many other races and cultures.
Each rolls a d20 and adds their chosen skill In this tavern the Chwinga earn extra
modifier (remember the attacker has money by taking part in daily races, set up
advantage) and the highest roll gains on a long trellis. Each Chwinga mounts their
advantage on the next round. preferred tiny creature – frog, snail, mouse,
bumblebee etc. Bets are placed and then
they're off!
Round 3: Counter attack: The defender on
To play, have your party each choose a
the last round now gets to attack back. They
Chwinga to bet on and state which type of
choose which skill to use and their
opponent chooses which skill to defend
with.

Not for resale. Permission granted to print or photocopy this document for personal use only. A ROLL OF CHANCE'S DICE
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steed they are riding and how much they Players (usually other wizards) now place a
bet. bet that they will be able to claim the gold
without waking the Sleeping Beauty.
Then let each roll a d20 to see who takes
the lead (with the others taking respective All the bets are placed in a bag and the
positions according to their roll) . Sleeping Beauty then sits in the chair with the
bag on their lap and casts Sleep on
Offer some commentary to get the
themselves.
atmosphere and tension flowing, then have
each player roll again and add this to their Players take it in turns to try and traverse the
first roll. area, get to the chair, and take the bag of
coins before the Sleeping Beauty wakes up.
Again, the new highest takes the lead, next
highest 2nd etc. Spells may be allowed but not dispel magic,
obviously. Other spells may be allowed /
Repeat this a total of five times, offering
banned at the DM's or the group's discretion.
exciting commentary all the while, and on
the fifth turn the highest is the winner and The winner is the first to claim the bag of
takes the gold. money without waking the sleeper. If the
sleeper wakes up before the bag is claimed
then they win.

Sleeping Beauty To play, choose a Sleeping Beauty and have

them say which spells / traps etc they are
setting. (These don't HAVE to cause damage!
This is a game favored by magic users They could be sound, light or even heal spells
(although anyone could play it with a little so be as creative as you like.)
tweaking of the logistics). Take bets and let the sleeper cast sleep on
It can vary wildly from a civilized and themselves.
amusing parlor game to a diabolically Each player takes turns to try and cross the area
dangerous dice with death and so many without setting off a spell. To do this the DM
taverns have had cause to ban it. states how many feet it is to the chair (say, 20
In-game action is represented with dice rolls ft) and every 2 or 3 feet the player must roll a
as detailed below. DC check (decided by the DM) to see if they
set off the spell. Dexterity is the obvious choice
A large area is chalked on the floor with a but depending on the situation the DM is free to
chair in the center and a bag of gold beneath choose something else.
the chair.
If a spell is set off and the player fails to defend
One wizard is chosen to be the Sleeping against or negate its effects they are out of the
Beauty and can set up any number of wards, game and the next player has a chance to try.
spells, traps, runes etc inside the chalked area
(Limitations in number / type / time spent The winner is the one to claim the bag without
casting etc can be set by either the tavern waking the sleeper. If the sleeper wakes up then
owner (ie the DM) or by the players as a they win the game instead.
group. )