So I’m an MC Frontalot fan from way back. In fact, my second-ever blog post for mental_floss mentioned the man, the legend, the nerd — and the awesome documentary about him, Nerdcore Rising (now available on DVD, and highly recommended). Well, my man Front has done something amazing and powerfully nerdy — he has embarked on a journey to quit smoking using the power of Dungeons & Dragons. How, you ask? Let me excerpt a bit from his “Dorknotes” blog:

2. Keep a d20 in your pack of cigarettes. If it doesn’t fit, keep die, lighter, and pack together in some kind of totable container. May I suggest a pouch?

3. Whenever you feel like smoking, that means the GM (you) is trying to poison your character (also you). Time for a saving throw! I decided the DC (Difficulty Class) for my save vs Poison is 15. Roll the d20. 15 and up: I am saved from that cigarette I wanted! Hooray? 14 and under: oh darn, I get to enjoy another satisfying and flavorful cancer treat.

4. If you make the save, you really can’t have a cigarette. Rolls have to be at least an hour apart. If you haven’t rolled for two hours, that does not mean you get to roll twice. Be strict, or the GM Regulatory Cabal will revoke your authority. (I assume? I haven’t GM’d since like 1988.)

[Editor's notes: "d20" is a 20-sided die; "GM" stands for "Game Master" and is generally equivalent to "Dungeon Master" in gaming parlance; a "saving throw" is when you roll a die (typically a d20) in a D&D game when your character is in mortal peril -- if you beat a certain number, your character is safe, if not, you're toast.]

Read the rest, including the rule in which Front’s character gains Wisdom (which affects his saving throw), so after fifteen days on the campaign he’ll have to roll a natural 1 to get a cigarette. Clever.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Fuzzy Gerdes, used under Creative Commons license:

(Via Waxy.org.)