What Is a d10?
The ten-sided die (d10) is a staple of tabletop role-playing games. Shaped like a pentagonal trapezohedron, it is numbered 0 through 9, where the 0 typically counts as 10. In D&D, the d10 is used for weapon damage (longswords with Versatile, pikes, heavy crossbows), certain class hit dice, and a variety of spell effects.
Beyond D&D, the d10 is the core die for the entire World of Darkness family of RPGs, including Vampire: The Masquerade, Werewolf: The Apocalypse, and Chronicles of Darkness. In these systems, players roll pools of d10s against a target number to determine success or failure.
Percentile Dice: Using Two d10s as a d100
One of the most common uses of the d10 is rolling percentile dice (d100). You roll two d10s together: one represents the tens digit and the other the ones digit, giving a result from 1 to 100. For example, rolling a 4 and a 7 gives you 47, while a 0 and a 0 is read as 100.
Percentile rolls appear throughout D&D for things like wild magic surges, random encounter tables, and loot generation. They are also central to RPG systems like Call of Cthulhu and Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, where most checks are resolved by rolling under a skill percentage.
Common d10 Rolls in D&D
- Weapon damage - Heavy crossbows, pikes, and longswords (two-handed) all deal 1d10 damage. The d10 sits between the more common d8 and the heavy-hitting d12 in terms of average output.
- Hit dice - Fighters, paladins, and rangers use a d10 for their hit dice, gaining 1d10 hit points (plus Constitution modifier) each time they level up.
- Eldritch Blast - The warlock's signature cantrip deals 1d10 force damage per beam, making it one of the most-rolled d10 results at any D&D table.
- Toll the Dead - This popular cleric cantrip deals 1d12 to injured targets but 1d8 against healthy ones, keeping the d10 in regular rotation for spellcasters.