Can you play Bunco or other dice games with 10- or 12-sided dice? You bet — here's how
Elevate a simple dice game to new heights with multi-sided dice
A simple dice game like Bunco works well with three six sided dice, but you can modify the game to new levels of fun with three 10- or 12-sided dice.
10-sided dice, called commonly called D10s (technically "decagonal" or "pentagonal trapezohedron" in mathematical terms) and 12-sided dice (technically "dodecahedron"), called D12s, can make an easy dice game like Bunco where you try to roll a three of a kind intensely more fun and are a great way to make a fast paced game even more frenetic.
Some dice go up to 20 points on a single roll. These dice are used for role playing games and can be used in Bunco, but you’ll have to triple or quadruple the “winning” score amount to make them work.
Consider using a dice cup to take turns rolling
Since D10 and D12 dies are sometimes larger to help people see the numbers on the sides, use a dice cup to help roll all three dice at once. It also helps you feel like a fancy bartender for a moment on each turn.
Modify house rules for what constitutes a Bunco
A Bunco is three dice rolled to represent the round number. But on twelve-sided dice, that doubles the number on each dice, with exponentially longer odds of rolling a Bunco and twice as many rounds. If that feels like too much or too long, consider these house rules:
- Consider awarding points for when two dice match out of three
- You could also opt to play with two dice instead of three dice
- Consider awarding an instant win if someone does roll three dice matching a Bunco with ten- or twelve-sided dice
- Alternatively, consider a "snake eyes" rule, where a player loses a turn, the round, or resets to zero points if they roll specific combinations during a game. Such as risking points by rolling all tens or twelves in any round not matching that round number
- If a player rolls the same number of the round on any two of three dice, consider awarding that person the ability to roll again for up to half the points of their next roll
We recommend using a pad of paper nearby to serve as a score sheet since how many points players earn can really add up fast across all the rounds.
Modify the round numbers for what the dice represent
How many rounds you play is set by the number on the dice. If you're playing with ten-sided dice, go up to 10 rounds. If you're playing with twelve-sided dice, roll through 12 rounds.
Other special considerations to play Bunco with ten- or twelve-sided dice
- If after half the rounds all the players have failed to score a Bunco, consider adjusting the requirement to two dice instead of three.
- Consider letting each player set a lucky number, so if they roll one die of three to land on their lucky number, the score for that roll receives an extra two points.
- The first player to roll all three dice for a Bunco should roll again
- Check out our guide on playing Bunco with 2 or 3 other players to help you setup a custom game
Play Bunco online, anytime, the traditional way
Bunco can be an exciting dice game, but if you don't have the number of players you need or a single die to work with, visit PlayBunco.com and start playing on your own. Bunco has simple rules and it's quick to learn if you've not played before. Check out our Bunco rules guide and start rolling.