Or two coins.

Determining the correct d4 layout is left as an exercise for the reader.

Two coins isn’t the same thing mathematically.

If heads = 1 and tails = 2 then:
1+1=2
1+2=3
2+1=3
2+2=4
Average is 3, and the lowest is 2.

D4: 1
2
3
4
Average is 2.5, and the lowest result is 1.

d8/2 (rounded up):
1/2=1
2/2=1
3/2=2
4/2=2
5/2=3
6/2=3
7/2=4
8/2=4
Average is 2.5, and the lowest result is 1.

You make sure that the two coins are distinct from each other and decide ahead of time which on represents 0 and 1 and which one represents 0 and 2. Flip them both, add the values, then add 1 to the result.

That lines up mathematically.

12 Sided (1-4) Spotted 28mm

Spots numbering 1-4 are each represented on 3 sides of this 12 Sided die. 28mm in size

Dice Emporium (www.diceemporium.com)

Something like this?

Just a moment...

(www.thediceshoponline.com)

Or this?

20mm d4 12-Sided Metal Dice w/Black - Metal Dice - Koplow from Koplow

Buy 20mm d4 12-Sided Metal Dice w/Black - Metal Dice - Koplow from Koplow - part of our Dice & Supplies - Dice collection.

Noble Knight Games (eu.nobleknight.com)

Or this if you want it in metal with numbers?

https://doublesixdice.com/collections/triplefours
These are the ones I started with. I wish they had focused more on the d4 line than the d6 line but that’d be like asking Wizards of the Coast to make good martials

https://www.diceemporium.com/product/roman-d12-12-sided/
Chessex ones available in a few variations with roman numerals

https://www.thediceshoponline.com/specialist-dice/d12-specialist-dice.html?dice_sides=100&product_list_limit=100
pipped 12 sided d4s, a bit more expensive

https://www.nobleknight.com/P/2147622485/20mm-d4-12-Sided-Metal-Dice-w-Black
And if you really have money to burn, these are the only metal ones I could reliably find. It’s a chonky boy, bigger than a d12 you’ll normally get, basically the size of a d20, maybe even a bit bigger.

There was a game a few years ago called Nibiru that apparently has a decently priced set of 6 metal 12-sided d4s with cuneiform symbols, but it doesn’t seem like anyone in the US has the dice in stock (I found one website but I’m pretty sure it was gonna scam me). This appears to be the publisher’s website from the UK, though it has had that message about restocking their warehouse since at least this past July so idk, but they say the dice are in stock. Searching on Google were also some Spanish and German sites that maybe had them in stock, but I have no idea if those sites are reputable.

Yeah, you are right. I come from Dungeon Crawl Classics, where you have those d4. There, the “strange” dice shapes are generally referred to as Zocchi dice.

Well it is so obvious that surely it goes without saying

If you are going the pip route, could you - and please hear me out on this one! - combine both sets of values on the same die but without all the math of dividing by 2 or 3?

There’s these d8s that use numerals for 1-8 and pips for 1-4 repeated twice. With three different sets of symbols (say by adding roman numerals) you could have a d12 that also functions as a d6 and a d4, though I can’t say I’ve seen one. Trying to put 3 sets of symbols on each die face may create readability issues though.

I think there’s other dice out there that function as more than one die but I can’t find them atm. There’s also ones that are basically just a fidget spinner with various segments or sets of fidget spinners for each die, but you don’t actually roll those so I’m not counting them.

You (sir, madam or other desired) just earned the tag “Dice master” in my client.

That was fast and exactly what I meant!

But yeah, 3 sets would probably be a nightmare unless the dice are made large/huge…

Its about where the numbers on the dices are placed > either on the tip or side
If its on the side you read the number “flat on the table”
if its on the tip you read the number on the top

I do have a preference but i only say that i like the good one

Do you have a moment to talk about our lord and savior, the infinity d4?