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When I am a DM, I usually steered clear of extensive use of chance during my D&D sessions. I preferred was for the plot and what happened in a game to be shaped by deliberate decisions rather than pure luck. However, I opted to try something different, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Catalyst: Watching an Improvised Tool

A well-known podcast showcases a DM who often asks for "fate rolls" from the players. He does this by picking a type of die and assigning possible results contingent on the result. While it's at its core no distinct from consulting a pre-generated chart, these are devised spontaneously when a course of events doesn't have a obvious resolution.

I decided to try this method at my own session, mainly because it appeared novel and presented a break from my usual habits. The outcome were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the perennial dynamic between preparation and randomization in a roleplaying game.

A Powerful Session Moment

At a session, my players had survived a large-scale battle. Afterwards, a cleric character wondered if two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. Instead of picking a fate, I handed it over to chance. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both would perish; a middling roll, only one would die; on a 10+, they survived.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a incredibly poignant scene where the characters came upon the corpses of their companions, still clasped together in their final moments. The party conducted a ceremony, which was uniquely powerful due to earlier story developments. As a final reward, I chose that the forms were miraculously transformed, containing a magical Prayer Bead. By chance, the item's magical effect was perfectly what the group required to resolve another pressing quest obstacle. You simply plan such serendipitous coincidences.

Sharpening DM Agility

This incident led me to ponder if randomization and making it up are in fact the core of D&D. Even if you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles need exercise. Players frequently find joy in ignoring the most carefully laid plots. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to think quickly and fabricate scenarios in the moment.

Using on-the-spot randomization is a excellent way to develop these skills without going completely outside your usual style. The strategy is to use them for small-scale circumstances that have a limited impact on the overarching story. For instance, I would avoid using it to establish if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. Instead, I would consider using it to determine whether the PCs reach a location right after a key action takes place.

Empowering Collaborative Storytelling

Luck rolls also helps keep players engaged and cultivate the sensation that the game world is dynamic, shaping based on their choices as they play. It reduces the feeling that they are merely characters in a DM's sole story, thereby bolstering the shared foundation of storytelling.

This philosophy has long been integral to the game's DNA. Original D&D were reliant on charts, which made sense for a playstyle focused on exploration. Even though current D&D frequently emphasizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Finding the Right Balance

There is absolutely no issue with being prepared. Yet, there is also nothing wrong with relinquishing control and permitting the dice to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Direction is a major factor in a DM's role. We require it to facilitate play, yet we frequently find it hard to give some up, even when doing so could be beneficial.

A piece of advice is this: Do not fear of temporarily losing control. Embrace a little randomness for smaller details. The result could discover that the organic story beat is far more memorable than anything you would have pre-written by yourself.