Thinking About Dice Labels and Narrative Dice in Motif
Also check out the free RPG I was inspired to share from my slushpile by this post!
When it comes to TTRPGs, rolling dice is often about success and failure. But what if the dice could do more? What if they could weave a rich, story-driven narrative with every roll? Enter Motif, a narrative dice system that transforms the simple act of rolling dice into a powerful tool for storytelling. Motif provides answers to questions as an oracle system. Motif’s magic lies in its use of labeled dice, each one offering a different aspect of the story.
Rather than being limited to basic success/failure metrics, Motif turns each die into a question about the world, the characters, or the situation. It’s this layered, dynamic approach that sets Motif apart and gives it such powerful potential, whether you’re a seasoned GM or flying solo on an adventure. Let’s take a deep dive into the core dice labels that make this system tick.
Core Dice Build: A Flexible Narrative Tool
At the heart of a core Motif build is a simple but incredibly versatile system of three dice. These dice don’t just measure success or failure, they bring your narrative to life layer by layer with each roll. While the standard Motif build uses the following labels, what’s great about Motif is that you can totally tweak these labels to suit your game. But let’s first look at how the system works with the classic three-label approach:
- 1st Die: Answer
The first die is all about answering the question. It gives you the basic “yes/no” or “success/failure” outcome. Depending on how you set it up, this die will give you the simplest answer to your query.- 1-3: No
- 4-6: Yes
- Example: Let’s say your party is looking for shelter. You roll a 5, and you find a cabin nearby. Success!
- 2nd Die: Wrinkle
The wrinkle die is where things get spicy. It adds depth and complexity to your simple answer. It doesn’t just let you say “Yes” or “No”; it modifies that response and makes the outcome more interesting. This die determines whether your success has an extra twist or your failure is worse than expected.- 1-2: But… (the outcome has a twist, alleviating or complicating things).
- 3-4: Plain answer (straightforward and no complications).
- 5-6: And… (the answer is strong, with an additional benefit or complication).
- Example: The group rolls to see if they can find shelter. The answer die gives them a yes, but the wrinkle die adds a 6 (And). They find a cabin, and it turns out to be fully stocked with supplies. Bonus!
- 3rd Die: Flavor
Ah, the flavor die. This is where things get really fun. The flavor die brings the thematic richness to your roll, adding more context or tone based on what’s important for the moment. Think of it as an extra dimension, highlighting what’s most crucial for the scene. Whether it’s Safety, Advantage, Favorability, or even Weirdness, the flavor die gives your answer a distinct personality.- Low rolls indicate a lack of that flavor (or the opposite of it).
- High rolls emphasize that flavor in a big way.
- Example: Imagine you’re in a survival situation, trying to find shelter in a post-apocalyptic world. The flavor die is set to Safety. A roll of 1 means the shelter is unsafe (maybe it’s crawling with threats), but a roll of 6 means the shelter is perfectly secure and safe.
Beyond the Standard Build: Customizing Dice Labels
Now, here’s where Motif really shines… flexibility. Sure, you can use the standard Answer, Wrinkle, and Flavor setup, but why stop there? Motif allows you to completely customize the dice labels to match whatever’s happening in your game. This means you can use the dice for anything, from treasure hoards to NPC interactions to world-building elements. The sky’s the limit!
For example, let’s say your group stumbles upon an ancient treasure chest hidden in a ruined temple. You can assign dice labels like this:
- 1st Die: Value (How valuable is the loot?)
- 2nd Die: Condition (What’s the condition of the items?)
- 3rd Die: Danger (How dangerous is it to get to this treasure?)
Let’s roll:
- 1st Die: 6 (High Value) – This is treasure worth fighting for!
- 2nd Die: 1 (Poor Condition) – Most of the loot is in bad shape, so it might not be worth the trouble.
- 3rd Die: 5 (High Danger) – Traps abound! You’ll have to be cautious, or you’re toast.
So, there something truly valuable deep in there, but most of the hoard has been ruined and the danger is real. That means the players have a tough choice: go for the gold and risk their lives, or walk away empty-handed?
You could easily change this up to use in other situations, such as for NPC encounters or scene setting. Here’s a few examples:
- NPC Interaction:
- 1st Die: Relationship (How strong is the NPC’s bond with the group?)
- 2nd Die: Mood (How good or bad is the NPC feeling?)
- 3rd Die: Reaction (How well does the NPC respond to the party?)
- Scene Setting:
- 1st Die: Atmosphere (What’s the tone of the scene, dark or bright?)
- 2nd Die: Obstacles (How difficult are the problems or barriers here?)
- 3rd Die: Opportunity (What are the chances like to find resources and treasure?)
Adding Narrative Dice Layers to Other Systems
But wait, there’s more! You don’t have to play a Motif game to use Motif’s labeled narrative dice. One of the most exciting features is how easily it can integrate into other systems, acting as an add-on to your favorite RPGs or solo games. Whether you’re playing a dungeon crawl or running a one-shot, you can use Motif dice labels to spice up your game.
Here’s how Motif can enhance other systems:
- Solo Play: Use the dice as oracles to answer questions, generate plot twists, or decide on story outcomes without needing a GM.
- Loot Generators: You could roll for value, condition, and danger or other appropriate labels to generate interesting treasure hoards.
- World-Building: Need to define a new region? Assign thematic labels (like Hospitality, Danger, Wealth) and roll to quickly determine the flavor of a new area.
You can also layer Motif onto or in-between existing mechanics to add flavor and important details, which can be especially useful in low prep GMing and solo RPG situations. Let’s use an illustrative example! Imagine you’re running a traditional dungeon crawl. Instead of just having players roll to “disarm trap,” use the dice labels to flesh out the trap mechanics. Maybe you assign labels like:
- 1st Die: Visibility (How hard is it to detect?)
- 2nd Die: Severity (How bad is the trap?)
- 3rd Die: Effectiveness (How hard is it to avoid the trap?)
A roll of 1, 6, 3 could mean it’s a hard-to-detect trap and very dangerous if triggered, though reasonable to avoid with the right skill.
Try Letting Your Dice Tell the Story
The dice labels in Motif aren’t just random numbers on a die, they’re powerful storytelling tools. By giving each die a distinct role in your game, you’re creating a world that responds to the choices your players make in dynamic, unpredictable ways. Whether you’re deep in the heart of a Motif game or using these dice as a supplement to your favorite system, the possibilities are endless. You’re not just rolling dice, you’re crafting stories.
If this kind of thing interests you, be sure to check out the free duo TTRPG about a dying immortal I’m sharing from my slushpile because of this post!
So, what are you waiting for? How will you label your dice? What new stories are you going to tell? Let’s get rolling! If this spurred any thoughts, come scream at me on Bluesky about it.
