Dice & Randomness

Doodle Engine supports two randomness primitives: the ROLL effect and the roll condition. Both roll a random integer between min and max (inclusive).

ROLL effect

ROLL <variable> <min> <max>: rolls a random integer and stores it in a variable. Use this when you need to:

• Display the result to the player
• Branch on the result in multiple places
• Reference the roll value later in the scene

ROLL bluffRoll 1 20
NARRATOR: You rolled a {bluffRoll}!

The {bluffRoll} placeholder is replaced with the variable’s value when the snapshot is built. This works in any dialogue text: speaker lines, narrator lines, choice text, and notification messages.

roll condition

roll <min> <max> <threshold>: rolls a random integer and returns true if the result is >= threshold. No value is stored. Use this for hidden checks where the player doesn’t need to see the outcome.

CHOICE @bluff
  REQUIRE roll 1 20 15
  GOTO success
END

If the roll fails, the choice is hidden. Multiple choices can each have their own roll require for competing outcomes.

Skill check pattern

The most common pattern: roll once with the ROLL effect, show the result, then branch:

NODE skill_check
  # Roll first, before any dialogue
  ROLL bluffRoll 1 20
  NARRATOR: @bluff.setup

  CHOICE @bluff.choice.attempt
    GOTO resolve
  END

  CHOICE @bluff.choice.back_down
    END dialogue
  END

NODE resolve
  # Show the result using {bluffRoll} in the locale string
  NARRATOR: @bluff.rolled

  IF variableGreaterThan bluffRoll 14
    GOTO success
  END

  GOTO failure

NODE success
  NARRATOR: @bluff.success
  ADD relationship bartender 2
  END dialogue

NODE failure
  NARRATOR: @bluff.failure
  END dialogue

With locale strings:

bluff.setup: 'You consider spinning Marcus a tale to get a free drink...'
bluff.rolled: 'You spin the tale, rolling a {bluffRoll}.'
bluff.success: 'The story lands perfectly. Marcus slides over a free drink.'
bluff.failure: 'Marcus raises an eyebrow. "Nice try."'

Hidden check pattern

For a check the player doesn’t see (e.g., a random encounter, a lucky find), use the roll condition directly on a REQUIRE:

NODE explore
  NARRATOR: @explore.searching

  # 25% chance of finding the coin (roll 1-4, need 4+)
  IF roll 1 4 4
    ADD item old_coin
    NOTIFY @notification.found_coin
  END

  GOTO continue

Threshold reference

Dice	Threshold	Approximate chance
1 20 15	15+ on a d20	30%
1 20 11	11+ on a d20	50%
1 20 6	6+ on a d20	75%
1 4 4	4 on a d4	25%
1 2 2	2 on a coin flip	50%

Variable interpolation

{varName} works anywhere in dialogue text, not just with rolls. Any variable in state.variables can be interpolated:

# Show current gold
BARTENDER: "You've got {gold} gold on you. Enough for a drink?"

# Show quest progress
NARRATOR: "Reputation: {reputation}."

If the variable doesn’t exist, the placeholder is left as-is ({gold}).