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In my role as a game master, I traditionally shied away from extensive use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. I preferred was for story direction and what happened in a game to be shaped by player choice rather than pure luck. However, I decided to alter my method, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Spark: Seeing 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known podcast utilizes a DM who regularly asks for "chance rolls" from the adventurers. The process entails selecting a type of die and outlining consequences based on the number. While it's at its core no different from consulting a pre-generated chart, these are created on the spot when a player's action lacks a clear conclusion.

I decided to try this method at my own game, primarily because it seemed novel and offered a departure from my normal practice. The outcome were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the perennial dynamic between pre-determination and spontaneity in a tabletop session.

An Emotional Story Beat

During one session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale conflict. When the dust settled, a player asked about two friendly NPCs—a sibling duo—had made it. Rather than choosing an outcome, I handed it over to chance. I instructed the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both were killed; a middling roll, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they made it.

The player rolled a 4. This resulted in a incredibly moving moment where the party discovered the corpses of their companions, still holding hands in death. The cleric performed funeral rites, which was uniquely significant due to earlier roleplaying. As a final reward, I improvised that the NPCs' bodies were suddenly restored, revealing a enchanted item. I rolled for, the item's contained spell was exactly what the party needed to address another pressing quest obstacle. One just script such perfect coincidences.

Improving Your Improvisation

This experience made me wonder if randomization and making it up are in fact the beating heart of this game. While you are a meticulously planning DM, your skill to pivot may atrophy. Players reliably excel at ignoring the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to pivot effectively and fabricate details in real-time.

Employing luck rolls is a fantastic way to train these abilities without straying too much outside your preparation. The strategy is to use them for minor decisions that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. For instance, I would not employ it to decide if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. But, I would consider using it to figure out whether the characters arrive just in time to see a critical event takes place.

Strengthening Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also serves to keep players engaged and cultivate the feeling that the story is dynamic, evolving according to their choices as they play. It prevents the feeling that they are merely characters in a DM's sole narrative, thereby bolstering the shared nature of the game.

This approach has always been embedded in the original design. Early editions were enamored with charts, which fit a game focused on exploration. Although modern D&D frequently emphasizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, that may not be the only path.

Achieving the Healthy Equilibrium

There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. However, it's also fine no problem with letting go and permitting the rolls to decide some things in place of you. Control is a significant part of a DM's responsibilities. We use it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, in situations where doing so could be beneficial.

My final suggestion is this: Do not fear of temporarily losing control. Experiment with a little randomness for inconsequential details. You might just find that the surprising result is significantly more memorable than anything you might have pre-written in advance.