this post was submitted on 09 Sep 2025
46 points (94.2% liked)

What is this thing?

7306 readers
108 users here now

Let us help you identify that mysterious object you’ve found.

Currently in CHALLENGE mode: If you've got something obscure knocking about, post a picture, and let's see how we do. Please prefix such posts with "CHALLENGE:" so we know we've got a fighting chance.

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

I know WHAT it is, but I dont know why it exists, what use it has, or where it may have come from. All sides are identical, its translucent green. The pips are scalloped, not painted on, and are otherwise unremarkable. Help me out here, its definitely my favorite d6, but I am struggling to figure out a purpose for a +5 dice.

...I mean, aside from that I need a +5 weapon, clearly.

top 17 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 16 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

I had one of these in red. It's for some really shitty magic tricks

[–] baahb@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 5 hours ago

Thank ya for verifying.

[–] SpaceNoodle@lemmy.world 1 points 20 hours ago (1 children)
[–] fartographer@lemmy.world 1 points 10 hours ago

Good point!

[–] calliope@retrolemmy.com 26 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Magic tricks, for example.

Apparently they’re called Forcing Dice; obviously they sell different ones but the concept is the same.

Obviously these dice will not stand close scrutiny so they are most effective when used sparingly, substituted for a regular die at a critical moment.

Very useful to magicians who need to force a specific number as part of a trick, or as part of a humorous routine.

[–] lugal@lemmy.dbzer0.com 19 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

How do you look at this for longer than 2 seconds without noticing it? Guess it's a good example of how much of magic is distraction

[–] davidgro@lemmy.world 28 points 23 hours ago

My guess is the magician rolls the forcing dice (perhaps after showing other identically colored dice for close inspection), instantly reads off the result, giving just enough time to see the top faces match what they said, then scoops them back up and moves on with the trick.
You might not get those two seconds.

[–] Goretantath@lemmy.world 7 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

Ikr, baking the dice is a wayyy better option

[–] AMillionMonkeys@lemmy.world 23 points 1 day ago

I'm guessing it's part of a magic trick.

[–] Bags@piefed.social 18 points 1 day ago

Made me think of this lol

Seems like "some kind of joke" is a likely answer, but I don't know for sure.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 6 points 22 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago)

I cross-posted this to !clacksmith@lemmy.world, the resident Threadiverse dice experts, so they might also be able to provide some insights.

[–] Crozekiel@lemmy.zip 4 points 21 hours ago (1 children)

I have one of these in red, but it is larger than what I would consider a standard d6. No idea why. Someone left a box full of ttrpg dice at my apartment like 20 years ago and it was inside...

[–] baahb@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I think thats how I came to acquire this

[–] Crozekiel@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 hour ago

Likely spawned into existence via the same arcane rituals that brought us candy corn and those weird strawberry hard candies on every grandmother's coffee table.

[–] Pfeffy@lemmy.world -2 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

You can't figure out any possible reason why a dice would have incorrect sides? Have you ever seen that trick coin? What are you imagining it could possibly be?

[–] baahb@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 5 hours ago

You come off like an ass, but I'll give the benefit of the doubt that I'm reading that into your words and will answer assuming as much.

A trick coin has the benefit of being deceptive. You can only see one side of a coin at a time. This however only shows 5s. It clearly only shows 5s to the point where from basically any angle, it shows not one, but three 5s. As the other commenters suggest, this does appear to be a forcing die, but also as suggested, its probably for really crappy magic tricks, and won't actually work as a trick die.

A trick die, like a trick coin, is intended to pass scrutiny in use. An all 5 dice may make it a round in yahtzee but its green, so this one at least is obviously different fom most die. If it is actually supposed to pass scrutiny, I'd go with a weighted die.

As for what it could possibly be, cheapo brand magic tricks wasn't something that crossed my mind, but fits. I gave how I would use it in my post and if I already knew what it was, I wouldn't be asking "what's this thing?" In /C/whatisthisthing.