Slice & Dice is a tactical roguelike where your party of five heroes fights enemies using dice instead of traditional combat systems. Each hero has a custom six-sided die with faces showing attacks, shields, heals, and special abilities. The strategic depth comes from rerolling dice, choosing which faces to use, and upgrading die faces at level-ups. With 100+ hero classes, 20+ difficulty levels, and runs taking 30-60 minutes, Slice & Dice is the most elegant dice-based combat system in gaming — simple to learn, endlessly deep to master.
Combat in Slice & Dice rewards knowledge over reflexes. Understanding how each mechanic works — and how they interact — is what turns a struggling player into a dominant one. New here? Start with our beginner's guide for the basics.
Core Combat Mechanics
1. dice combat
Each turn, your five heroes roll their six-sided dice simultaneously. Each die face shows an action: Sword (deal damage), Shield (block damage), Heart (heal), or special abilities. You choose which face to activate for each hero. Unused dice are wasted. Enemy attacks are visible before your turn, letting you plan defense and offense strategically.
Why it matters: This is the foundation of all combat. Everything else builds on this.
2. hero rerolling
You get free rerolls each turn to change unfavorable die results. Rerolling a hero's die randomizes all faces. The number of free rerolls per turn starts at 2 and can be increased through items. Knowing when to reroll (bad faces on key heroes) versus keeping (acceptable faces) is the core tactical decision.
Why it matters: The most underrated mechanic. Players who master this early have a massive advantage.
3. item shop
Between fights, a shop offers items that modify gameplay: extra rerolls, passive bonuses (all Sword faces deal +1), hero-specific upgrades, and new heroes to recruit. Gold earned from fights is limited, so spending decisions matter. Shop items persist for the entire run.
Why it matters: Unlocks a new layer of gameplay depth once understood.
4. boss encounters
Every few fights features a boss with high HP, unique abilities, and powerful attacks. Bosses require multiple turns to kill, testing sustained damage output and healing capacity. Some bosses have special mechanics (shields that must be broken, phases that change behavior) requiring adaptive strategies.
Why it matters: The tactical edge that separates average players from advanced ones.
5. class upgrades
At level-ups, you choose to upgrade one die face for one hero — changing a basic Sword (2 damage) to a better Sword (4 damage) or a special ability (3 damage + poison). Class upgrades are permanent for the run and define each hero's role. Choosing between offensive and defensive upgrades shapes your party's strategy.
Why it matters: The endgame optimization mechanic. Small improvements here compound into massive gains.
Mechanic Synergies
Understanding how mechanics interact is where real optimization happens:
dice combat + hero rerolling
Each turn, your five heroes roll their six-sided dice simultaneously. When combined with hero rerolling, you get free rerolls each turn to change unfavorable die results. This combination is the core of every effective build.
item shop + boss encounters
Between fights, a shop offers items that modify gameplay: extra rerolls, passive bonuses (all Sword faces deal +1), hero-specific upgrades, and new heroes to recruit. Paired with boss encounters, every few fights features a boss with high hp, unique abilities, and powerful attacks. This is why the tier list favors builds that leverage both.
class upgrades as a Multiplier
At level-ups, you choose to upgrade one die face for one hero — changing a basic Sword (2 damage) to a better Sword (4 damage) or a special ability (3 damage + poison). Class upgrades are permanent for the run and define each hero's role. Choosing between offensive and defensive upgrades shapes your party's strategy. This system amplifies everything else — the better your class upgrades optimization, the more your other mechanics pay off.
Combat by Build
Each build approaches combat differently:
Warrior (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Deal consistent melee damage, use Shield faces defensively, upgrade toward cleave for AoE. Key equipment: Flaming Sword Die Primary mechanic: dice combat
Warriors have dice weighted toward Sword (damage) and Shield (block) faces. Full setup in our builds guide.
Mage (S-Tier)
Combat approach: Use spell faces for AoE damage, reroll for spell faces on critical turns, upgrade spells for stronger effects. Key equipment: Ice Staff Die Primary mechanic: hero rerolling
Mages have dice with spell faces dealing AoE damage, debuffs, or utility effects. Full setup in our builds guide.
Healer (S-Tier)
Combat approach: Heal damaged heroes each turn, use Shield when healing isn't needed, keep the party alive. Key equipment: Holy Shield Die Primary mechanic: item shop
Healers have dice weighted toward Heart (heal) and Shield (protect) faces. Full setup in our builds guide.
Ranger (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Deal consistent ranged damage, mark high-priority targets for team bonus damage. Key equipment: Poison Arrow Die Primary mechanic: boss encounters
Rangers have dice with ranged attack faces and utility abilities (mark target for bonus damage, evade). Full setup in our builds guide.
Specialist (A-Tier)
Combat approach: Leverage unique class mechanics for effects other classes can't replicate. Key equipment: Lightning Die Primary mechanic: class upgrades
Specialist classes (Bard, Monk, Alchemist) have unique die faces not found on standard classes. Full setup in our builds guide.
Advanced Combat Techniques
Damage Optimization
- Match your equipment to your build's stat priorities
- Exploit dice combat for maximum damage windows
- Chain hero rerolling and item shop for combo damage
- Use boss encounters to create openings
Survivability
- Learn enemy patterns before committing to attacks
- Rerolling dice is free (up to your reroll limit) — use rerolls every turn. A bad face on your healer when healing is needed should always be rerolled. Don't accept suboptimal faces passively.
- Position using dice combat to control spacing
- Save defensive options for guaranteed survival, not comfort
Boss Combat
Bosses test your understanding of every mechanic. See our boss guide for fight-specific strategies.
- Phase awareness — Most bosses change behavior at health thresholds
- Patience over aggression — One extra hit per opening beats dying to greed
- Build preparation — Swap gear and equipment for specific fights when needed
Common Combat Mistakes
- Button mashing — Committed attacks have recovery frames. Mashing locks you into animations.
- Ignoring hero rerolling — This mechanic exists for a reason. Players who use it take significantly less damage.
- Wrong equipment for the situation — Check our weapons guide for situational picks.
- Not learning from deaths — Every death teaches something. If you don't know why you died, you'll die the same way again.
- Overcommitting — Trading hits works in Forest Encounters but will get you killed in Final Boss.
More Slice & Dice Guides
- Slice & Dice Slice & Dice Overview
- Slice & Dice Best Builds
- Slice & Dice Tier List
- Slice & Dice Walkthrough
- Slice & Dice Beginner's Guide
- Slice & Dice Tips & Tricks
- Slice & Dice Weapons Guide
- Slice & Dice Boss Guide
- Slice & Dice Maps & Locations
- Slice & Dice Crafting Guide
- Slice & Dice Classes & Characters
Similar Games
If you enjoy Slice & Dice, check out these related guides:
- Risk of Rain 2 Combat Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Hades Combat Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
- Darkest Dungeon Combat Guide — roguelike game with similar mechanics
