Dice, Donations, and D20s: Extra Life Fundraising & Thoughts About the D20 Die

Minor Potion of Healing (Helping): How the D20 Can Power Your Extra Life Fundraising

The iconic twenty-sided die, or D20, is a staple in tabletop roleplaying games (TTRPGs), helping determine fate with every roll. But did you know that this simple polyhedral powerhouse can also be a great way to support your Extra Life fundraising? Whether you’re playing kickball with goblins, navigating a cavern, or rolling for charity, the D20 is more than just a tool—it’s a gateway to adventure and impact.

As someone who didn’t grow up playing TTRPGs but played many board games with my family, I consider myself a fairly new role-playing fan. I started playing D&D with some old high school friends as a way to connect during the pandemic in 2020. Five years later, after meeting incredibly inconsistently over Discord, our campaign is coming to an end. It’s a bittersweet moment for me, as I loved connecting over a fictional world in 5E, where my characters draw inspiration mostly from one of my favorite podcasts: NADDPOD (Not Another Dungeons and Dragons Podcast). The master improv members from the old CollegeHumor channel on YouTube helped me realize that role-playing games are meant to be silly, humorous, and filled with impactful storytelling. That’s why, of course, one of my characters drew inspiration from the legendary Jimmy Buffett by slowly learning “Margaritaville” on the steel drums throughout the middle portion of our campaign. But enough about me and my stories; let’s dive into the little twenty-sided rock that brings communities together.

A Brief History of the D20

The D20’s roots stretch back to the ancient world, where polyhedral dice were used in divination and games. Archaeologists have uncovered twenty-sided dice dating back to ancient Rome, Egypt, and Greece, often made of materials like stone, bone, and bronze. These dice were likely used for games, gambling, and even predicting the future. Or, at least, that’s what I’m told.

Fast forward to the 20th century, and the D20 found its way into modern gaming thanks to Dungeons & Dragons, first published in 1974. Created by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, D&D introduced the twenty-sided die as a way to bring an element of chance and excitement to roleplaying adventures. Over time, the D20 became the standard for determining success or failure, shaping the fate of countless heroes, rogues, and wizards in campaigns around the world.

The die’s appeal goes beyond its functionality—it represents unpredictability, strategy, and the thrill of the unknown, all of which make it an exciting tool for fundraising and community engagement.

It’s a bit crazy to think both twenty-sided dice and six-sided, more standard dice, bring communities together. I think it’s human nature to enjoy gambling and unpredictability, but that’s beyond my research for this blog!

How to Use Roleplaying & the D20 for Extra Life

Want to make your fundraising as epic as your TTRPG campaigns? Here are some creative ways to bring the D20 into your Extra Life adventure:

• Roll for Donations: Set up donation tiers where donors can roll a D20 to determine what fun, silly, or challenging action you’ll take on stream. A natural 20? Time to celebrate! A critical fail? Maybe you take on a penalty.
• Charity One-Shots: Host a D&D or TTRPG one-shot campaign where players donate to influence the story. Let them add monsters, grant bonuses, or even resurrect fallen party members for a donation.
• Level Up Your Goals: Treat your fundraising goals like a character leveling system. Every milestone unlocks a new challenge, costume, or themed gameplay element.
• D20 Challenges: Assign different fundraising challenges to D20 results. Roll a 5? You have to play blindfolded for five minutes. A 17? Time to grab 17 snacks for your table.

I think the easiest, simplest thing to do with D20s if you’re part of a tabletop-loving group is to have them roll for a donation. Every year, I ask my campaign mates to roll a D20 and donate whatever number they get. Luckily, they are all incredibly nice and roll with advantage, meaning they roll twice and take the higher number. If you don’t want to plan an elaborate campaign or one-shot for friends to donate to, this is probably the easiest way to get donations for your local member hospital. Heck, you can even keep a D20 in your pocket and make anyone who asks how they can support your Extra Life page roll with advantage and donate that number. This also slowly indoctrinates them into the magic of rolling the D20… just saying…

The Wildest D20 Roll Ever?

I can’t write a D20 blog without mentioning one of the most legendary rolls that has happened in Extra Life history. And I don’t think I’m being hyperbolic when I say that…

Extra Lifer WildWest Dan took things to the next level—literally—by dropping a D20 from a height of 15-20 miles (24-32 km)! That’s right, he sent a die into the stratosphere and let gravity decide its fate. The full video is on his website with more information (I won’t spoil anything here).

Check out the full details (and the final roll result!) on his site: wwdan.tv/diceroll.

Roll High, Fundraise Higher

Extra Life is all about turning our passions into real-world impact, and whether you’re rolling for a natural 20 or laughing through a natural 1, your fundraising efforts help change kids’ health. It’s a pretty natural fit that both Extra Life and tabletop games bring people together; that’s why the D20 and Extra Life will continue to stand the test of time.

So grab your dice, rally your party (to donate and register), and make this tabletop weekend legendary!

Cheers y’all,
Bradley (Coral Lakewood/Poppy Margaritaville)