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When I am a DM, I traditionally steered clear of significant use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying sessions. I tended was for the plot and session development to be determined by deliberate decisions rather than the roll of a die. However, I opted to change my approach, and I'm truly pleased with the outcome.

The Catalyst: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A popular podcast showcases a DM who regularly asks for "luck rolls" from the adventurers. This involves choosing a type of die and outlining potential outcomes tied to the number. It's essentially no different from consulting a random table, these get invented in the moment when a player's action has no predetermined conclusion.

I decided to try this method at my own session, primarily because it seemed engaging and presented a departure from my usual habits. The experience were eye-opening, prompting me to reflect on the ongoing balance between pre-determination and improvisation in a tabletop session.

An Emotional In-Game Example

In a recent session, my players had concluded a large-scale fight. Later, a cleric character inquired after two beloved NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. Rather than deciding myself, I asked for a roll. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both died; a middling roll, a single one would die; on a 10+, they survived.

Fate decreed a 4. This led to a incredibly moving sequence where the party came upon the remains of their companions, still clasped together in their final moments. The party held funeral rites, which was especially meaningful due to previous story developments. As a final reward, I chose that the NPCs' bodies were suddenly transformed, revealing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the party required to solve another critical story problem. It's impossible to plan these kinds of magical coincidences.

Honing Your Improvisation

This incident caused me to question if randomization and thinking on your feet are in fact the essence of D&D. Even if you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Players often excel at derailing the most detailed narratives. Therefore, a good DM must be able to pivot effectively and invent content in the moment.

Utilizing on-the-spot randomization is a excellent way to develop these skills without straying too much outside your preparation. The strategy is to apply them for small-scale situations that have a limited impact on the campaign's main plot. For instance, I would not employ it to decide if the main villain is a traitor. But, I might use it to decide whether the characters enter a room right after a major incident occurs.

Empowering Shared Narrative

Luck rolls also works to maintain tension and create the feeling that the game world is responsive, progressing based on their choices in real-time. It combats the perception that they are merely characters in a pre-written story, thereby strengthening the collaborative nature of storytelling.

This philosophy has historically been part of the core of D&D. The game's roots were reliant on encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on exploration. Although modern D&D often focuses on story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Striking the Right Balance

It is perfectly nothing wrong with thorough preparation. But, there is also nothing wrong with stepping back and allowing the dice to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Authority is a big aspect of a DM's role. We use it to run the game, yet we frequently find it hard to cede it, at times when doing so might improve the game.

A piece of advice is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of your plan. Experiment with a little chance for inconsequential outcomes. You might just find that the unexpected outcome is far more powerful than anything you would have scripted in advance.