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Full disclosure: These are from my own online store (see my profile.) I've sold a small number of them over the years to dice collectors, but I don't know why anyone would want them or what they are used for.

Years ago, I picked up some of these weird yellow dice from Crystal Caste in one of their bulk dice packs.

Symbols on the faces appear to be:

  • OV (appears twice)
  • W or M (appears four times)
  • X (appears four times)
  • L (appears twice)
  • Arrow (appears three times)
  • D (appears twice)
  • O (appears three times)

I've looked all over, and still have no idea what game they were designed for. Does anyone know what game they're from?

yellow dice with arrows and letters

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    \$\begingroup\$ Something about the fact that you sell these without even knowing what they are really tickles me. Plus, I really want one to just pull on my DM some time. "Roll a death save, please." "Okay. [rolls] It's an arrow pointing toward Dan." "?" +1 all around! \$\endgroup\$
    – nitsua60
    Apr 16, 2020 at 22:36

2 Answers 2

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(I recently answered this question on BGG Facebook page, here it is reprinted)

It is for a Tennis game by Richard Archer, patented as US20020171199 in 2001, now abandoned. The twenty-sided die would be used in the advanced game and also acted as the tennis ball. Here is a quote from the patent:

Referring to FIG. 2, in an alternative embodiment of the invention a special twenty-sided dice can be used for a separate advanced game. Note that W (winner) and O (out) are the same as on the basic dice shown in FIG. 1. However, instead of R (rally), this dice has letters telling the receiver of the throw how he must return the throw for the rally to continue. The markings on the dice telling the receiver how he must return the throw for the rally to continue are as follows:

(a) X (cross court)—receiver becomes thrower and must return dice cross court into the backcourt for the rally to continue. If it isn't cross court and in the back court (area behind the service court back line) thrower loses the point. If it is in cross court back court, read dice and continue the rally.

(b) ↓(down the line)—receiver must return dice down the side line and into back court for the rally to continue. If dice goes short, in front of service line, or cross court, thrower loses the point.

(c) OV (this has two meanings)—If it comes up on the serve it means the same as a let, serve it over. If it comes up on a rally, it means you must throw an overhead. From above the court, throw overhead overhand over the net and into the court. Remember if the overhead bounces completely out of the box you lose the point. Figure out how to throw it so this doesn't happen.

(d) L (lob)—must throw a lob (high arcing shot) over the net and into the backcourt for rally to continue. You lose the point on any lob that falls short, in front of the service court back line.

(e) D (drop shot)—must throw dice over the net and into service portion of court for rally to contine. A very short shot.

Source: https://patents.google.com/patent/US20020171199

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    \$\begingroup\$ Nice find, and welcome! \$\endgroup\$ Apr 22, 2020 at 18:44
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    \$\begingroup\$ Welcome to RPG.SE! Take the tour if you haven't already, and check out the help center for more guidance. Great first answer! \$\endgroup\$
    – V2Blast
    Apr 23, 2020 at 9:32
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EDIT: The correct answer was given by Hawklord.

Probably Promo Dice

Similarly to Sciborg's comment, I also looked all over the internet and found no clue. Honestly they look like promo dice from some custom-dice site, showing that even the small sides of a d20 can contain two letters, but also symbols.

(I would have preferred to post this answer as a comment, but my rep is too low. Please feel free to move it to the comment section, if this makes sense and is possible.)

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Just an FYI, if you had posted this as a comment it may have been removed as we don't allow answers in comments. This is a perfectly valid answer, it would be better with more support but I think in the case the lack of support for any alternative is support enough. \$\endgroup\$
    – linksassin
    Apr 22, 2020 at 7:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ Thanks for the info, that's very interesting. So the correct place for posting an educated guess is an answer. \$\endgroup\$
    – Rayllum
    Apr 22, 2020 at 11:52
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    \$\begingroup\$ Assuming it is an educated guess yes. So long as your provide some evidence to support your guess. You have done so here by stating that you have looking for them and not found them, only minor improvement would be evidence of other promo dice you are aware of. An uneducated guess has no place. \$\endgroup\$
    – linksassin
    Apr 22, 2020 at 23:38

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