At the table / Choosing what to score
Keep the high rolls.
Keep your score low.
Every roll asks the same question: take the points you see, or risk another roll? Start with the cost of each die—then consider what your opponents can still match.
A high roll is a low cost.
A 5 on a d6 and a 19 on a d20 both cost just 1 point. Those are useful starting candidates for removal: scoring them locks in that low cost.
It is a guideline, not an automatic decision. Check for matches, required penalties, and your game total first.
d6: 5 → 1 point · d20: 19 → 1 point
Judge the cost, not the number.
A larger number does not always mean a better result. A 4 on a d6 costs 2 points, while a 15 on a d20 costs 5.
You can score more than one eligible die. Taking several inexpensive results lets you reroll the dice that are costing you more.
d12: 10 + d20: 18 → 2 + 2 = 4 points
Leaving dice means leaving chances.
A small Sin die still in play gives an attacker holding that color another chance to match. A Nemesis die still in play can also bring more Nemesis dice into your turn.
A low-cost removal may therefore be worth more than its points suggest. Weigh the current score against the specific effects your opponents can trigger.
A newly absorbed Nemesis cannot be scored on arrival. It must join your next roll.
Matches can change the calculation.
Mythical Match-up dice must be scored as pairs. A matching pair scores 0; otherwise, add both dice’s ordinary scores.
Sin-match penalty rolls are scored immediately. Within that penalty roll, every die showing a repeated number scores 0—even three or more of a kind.
Penalty roll: 4, 4, 5 → just 1 point
Near 70? Check the whole table.
Low points are usually your aim, but exactly 70 takes priority over a lower total. When anyone reaches 70 or more, finish the round before deciding the winner.
Consider your running total before removing dice. Rerolling can improve a result or make it worse; it never guarantees the score you need.
What do penalty rolls cost on average?
With fair, independent six-sided dice and all repeated numbers scoring zero, the average penalties are:
More dice also create more chances to match, so the average penalty does not rise in direct proportion to the number of dice.
These averages describe the penalty roll itself—not the chance of triggering it, Sin transfers, or the rest of the turn. They are not a universal strategy for choosing dice.