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What is the correct term for this die? It is a standard die in any 7 dice set.

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It has multiples of ten from 10 to 00 written on it (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, (1)00).

I seem to think that it is called a 'percentile die', is this correct?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Just a quick reminder that comments aren't for chatting or mini-answers. Thanks everyone! \$\endgroup\$ Feb 15, 2016 at 21:06

2 Answers 2

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The two ten-sided dice used together to generate a number in the range 1-100 (or 0-99) are percentile dice (plural). The same term is applies to a pair of twenty-sided dice, each marked 0-9 twice, used for the same purpose.

Back in the Before Time, dice sets didn't include a die marked with double-digits; you would just roll different-colored dice, having declared one of them the "tens". I think that sometimes the specific die you are asking about is called the tens die; Chessex calls it a "Tens 10" on their website.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ The "Before Time"... lol, nice. Very well put. Hearkening from said time, that's exactly how our old ways now seem, like relics. I vaguely remember a die with 100 sides: it was the size of a squash ball and would roll forever before landing on a side, which were so small that any slight nudge would cause it to roll another number. \$\endgroup\$
    – John
    Feb 15, 2016 at 20:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ @John en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zocchihedron \$\endgroup\$
    – fectin
    Feb 16, 2016 at 3:28
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The one with the multiples of 10 on it is often referred to as a "decader" die, at least on crafting sites like etsy and shapeways.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Decader is the term I've always used, too. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 15, 2016 at 19:45
  • \$\begingroup\$ @Dewi May I ask where abouts that term is used, geographically? \$\endgroup\$
    – Yakk
    Feb 16, 2016 at 15:21
  • \$\begingroup\$ I don't think it seems geographically limited. I'm not 100% sure, since I've not been paying much attention when it's used, but I think I've heard it used both in the UK and in Austin, TX, including by a Canadian. So, more likely it's related to age/social group? I'm in my 40s and I'm one of the youngest in my roleplaying group: so it may be a greybeard term? But weighing against that is that I can find no evidence of its use on the net before 2009. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 16, 2016 at 17:31
  • \$\begingroup\$ Given I can't find a reference for this pre-shapeways, I'm wondering if this is just a shapeways coinage which has worked its way into the collective consciousness to the point where some of us can't remember a time without it? I coulda sworn we called them this 20 years ago... but now I'm unsure. \$\endgroup\$ Feb 16, 2016 at 17:41
  • \$\begingroup\$ I'll continue to call is a "tens" die, but +1 for teaching me a new nerdy term. \$\endgroup\$
    – Tim Grant
    Mar 5, 2016 at 17:07

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