Playing Cards vs. Polyhedral RPG Dice
Comparing 2 standards across 20 specifications. 20 key differences identified.
Standard playing cards are manufactured in rigid international dimensional standards. The two dominant global formats are Poker Size (2.5×3.5 inches / 63.5×88.9 mm, the universal standard for US casino gaming and TCGs) and Bridge Size (2.25×3.5 inches / 57.1×88.9 mm, narrower for multi-card hand holding), typically printed on 300–330 GSM embossed linen cardstock.
Polyhedral dice are standardized 7-die sets used in tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) including Dungeons & Dragons and Pathfinder. A standard set consists of D4 (tetrahedron), D6 (cube), D8 (octahedron), D10 (pentagonal trapezohedron), D% (percentile tens), D12 (dodecahedron), and D20 (icosahedron), manufactured in standard 16 mm to 22 mm millimeter heights based on Platonic solids.
Specification Comparison Table
20 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Poker Size Dimensions
|
2.5 × 3.5 inches (63.5 × 88.9 mm) Standard US/Casino width | — |
|
Bridge Size Dimensions
|
2.25 × 3.5 inches (57.1 × 88.9 mm) Narrow width (0.25" narrower) | — |
|
Tarot Size Dimensions
|
2.75 × 4.75 inches (70 × 121 mm) Standard Tarot/Oracle card | — |
|
Mini-European Size
|
1.73 × 2.68 inches (44 × 68 mm) Board game size | — |
|
Mini-American Size
|
1.61 × 2.48 inches (41 × 63 mm) Board game size | — |
|
Casino Cardstock Weight
|
300 to 330 GSM (Grams per Square Meter) | — |
|
Corner Radius Standard
|
3.5 (0.138 inches) mm (standard 1/8" die-cut rounded corner) | — |
|
Standard Deck Count
|
52 + 2 Jokers + 2 Ad Cards 56 cards per standard pack | — |
|
Finish Textures
|
Air-Cushion (Embossed Linen) vs Smooth Gloss | — |
|
Standard Set Composition
|
— | 7 Dice (D4, D6, D8, D10, D% tens, D12, D20) |
|
D4 Shape & Height
|
— | Tetrahedron (4 triangular faces) 16 to 18 mm (vertex to base) |
|
D6 Shape & Height
|
— | Cube (6 square faces) 16 mm (0.63 inches face-to-face) |
|
D8 Shape & Height
|
— | Octahedron (8 triangular faces) 15 to 16 mm (face-to-face) |
|
D10 / D% Shape & Height
|
— | Pentagonal Trapezohedron (10 kite faces) 16 mm (vertex-to-vertex) |
|
D12 Shape & Height
|
— | Dodecahedron (12 pentagonal faces) 18 mm (face-to-face) |
|
D20 Shape & Height
|
— | Icosahedron (20 triangular faces) 20 to 22 mm (face-to-face) |
|
Opposite Faces Sum (D6)
|
— | 7 (1+6, 2+5, 3+4) |
|
Opposite Faces Sum (D8)
|
— | 9 (1+8, 2+7, etc.) |
|
Opposite Faces Sum (D12)
|
— | 13 (1+12, 2+11, etc.) |
|
Opposite Faces Sum (D20)
|
— | 21 (1+20, 2+19, etc.) |