Roll a D4: Four Sided Dice Roller
This free d4 roller is for DnD players, Dungeons & Dragons fans and game masters who need a fast, fair four sided die. Tap the die to roll, set how many d4s you want and add a modifier for spells like Magic Missile or a Potion of Healing. The page covers what a d4 is used for in 5e, how to read a physical four sided die and the odds behind each face.
Tap the die to roll 1d4. Space and Enter work too.
Average for 1d4: 2.5 (before you roll)
How to use the d4 roller
Tap to roll. Press the big die and the dice roller shows the result. Space and Enter work too once the page has focus, unless you are typing in a box.
Set the count and modifier. One d4 is the default. Raise the dice count for a handful of d4s, such as 2d4 for a Potion of Healing before the +2, or several Magic Missile darts. Type a modifier to add or subtract after the dice are totaled.
Read every face. When you roll more than one d4, each face appears under the total so the table can see the individual dice. The average for your current notation is shown before you roll.
Need mixed dice or typed notation such as 2d4+1d6? Use the main DnD dice roller. To see exact odds for any pool, open the dice probability calculator.
What a d4 is used for in 5e
The d4 is the pyramid in a standard seven-dice set. It is the smallest polyhedral die most players own, and it shows up whenever the rules call for a small amount of damage or healing.
Weapon damage on a d4 includes the dagger, dart, sling, club, light hammer, sickle and whip. Many of those weapons are simple or finesse options, so new characters and rogues see this die often even after they pick up stronger attacks.
Spells use it too. Magic Missile deals 1d4+1 force damage per dart, and a 1st-level casting creates three darts. Healing Word restores 1d4 plus your spellcasting ability modifier under the 2014 rules (SRD 5.1). Under the 2024 rules (SRD 5.2.1) it restores 2d4 plus the modifier. A standard Potion of Healing restores 2d4+2 hit points, which averages 7. New to the bag? See what dice you need for DnD.
How to read a physical d4
A physical d4 is a tetrahedron: four triangular faces that meet at points. That shape is why people ask how to read it. Two numbering styles are common.
On some dice the number sits along each edge, and you read the number that is right-side up around the base resting on the table. On others the number sits at each vertex, and you read the number on the point that aims up. Both styles are fair if the die is well made. This virtual d4 roller just returns a number from 1 to 4, which is what the rules actually want.
Average d4 roll and odds
Every face of a fair d4 is equally likely, so each of 1, 2, 3 and 4 has a 25% chance. The average of one d4 is 2.5. Add a modifier after that: Magic Missile at 1d4+1 averages 3.5 per dart, and three darts average 10.5.
Two d4s average 5. That is why 2d4+2, the Potion of Healing roll, averages 7. The possible totals on 2d4 range from 2 to 8, with 5 in the middle most often. If you want the full chart, the probability calculator will build it.
Virtual dice vs a physical d4
A physical d4 can tumble into a book or land on a point, which is part of why some players dislike rolling it at the table. A virtual dice roller removes that friction: you get a clear number, a total with the modifier already added and a session average if you keep rolling.
Each roll here uses your browser's cryptographic random number generator, with extra values thrown out so no face is favored. See the about page for the method, or the dice roller FAQ for more on randomness and privacy.
More than a d4
Damage and healing often start with an attack roll or a spell attack on a d20. After you hit, come back here for the d4, or use the main roller to type the attack and the damage as separate rolls. Ability scores use d6s, not d4s: the stat roller handles 4d6 drop lowest.
Four Magic Missile-style d4s also have a dedicated 4d4 roller. The rest of a standard set lives here too: the d6 roller, d8 roller, d10 roller, d12 roller, d20 roller and d100 roller.
d4 roller FAQ
Is this d4 roller free?
Yes. It is free, with no ads and no sign up. Open the page on any device and roll.
What is the average d4 roll?
The average of one d4 is 2.5, which is (1 + 4) divided by 2. Each face has a 25% chance. Two d4s average 5, so a Potion of Healing at 2d4+2 averages 7.
How do you read a physical d4?
Some four sided dice print the number around the base, so you read the number along the bottom edge that is sitting on the table. Others print the number at each point, so you read the number on the vertex that points up. This roller skips that choice and shows the face as a number from 1 to 4.
What is a d4 used for in 5e?
A d4 covers small weapon damage such as a dagger, dart, sling, club, light hammer, sickle or whip. It also covers Magic Missile (1d4+1 per dart) and a Potion of Healing (2d4+2). Healing Word restores 1d4 plus your spellcasting ability modifier under the 2014 rules (SRD 5.1). Under the 2024 rules (SRD 5.2.1) it restores 2d4 plus the modifier.
Can I roll more than one d4?
Yes. Set the dice count above the result, then tap to roll. You can roll up to 20 d4s here. For a larger pool or mixed dice, use the main dice roller and type something like 6d4 or 2d4+2.
Is the d4 roll truly random?
Each dice roll draws random numbers from your browser's cryptographic generator. Values that would favor a face are thrown out and drawn again, so all four faces have the same 25% chance.
See the Nat20 Roller FAQ for more on notation, advantage and how rolls stay random.