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When I am a game master, I usually steered clear of extensive use of chance during my D&D sessions. I tended was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by player choice as opposed to pure luck. However, I opted to change my approach, and I'm very glad I did.

The Spark: Watching an Improvised Tool

A well-known streamed game features a DM who regularly calls for "fate rolls" from the adventurers. He does this by picking a type of die and defining possible results tied to the result. While it's at its core no distinct from rolling on a random table, these are created in the moment when a character's decision has no clear outcome.

I decided to try this approach at my own game, mostly because it looked novel and presented a departure from my normal practice. The outcome were remarkable, prompting me to reconsider the ongoing dynamic between pre-determination and spontaneity in a roleplaying game.

A Memorable Story Beat

At a session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale conflict. When the dust settled, a player asked about two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had lived. In place of choosing an outcome, I asked for a roll. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both were killed; a middling roll, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they both lived.

The player rolled a 4. This resulted in a deeply moving sequence where the adventurers found the corpses of their allies, still holding hands in their final moments. The party conducted a ceremony, which was particularly meaningful due to prior roleplaying. In a concluding touch, I decided that the NPCs' bodies were miraculously transformed, revealing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the item's contained spell was precisely what the group required to solve another pressing situation. It's impossible to plan this type of magical moments.

Honing Your Improvisation

This incident made me wonder if chance and making it up are actually the beating heart of D&D. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your skill to pivot can rust. Adventurers frequently find joy in upending the most carefully laid narratives. Therefore, a good DM needs to be able to think quickly and create scenarios in the moment.

Utilizing luck rolls is a excellent way to practice these abilities without going completely outside your usual style. The strategy is to apply them for low-stakes circumstances that won't drastically alter the overarching story. To illustrate, I would avoid using it to establish if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. Instead, I would consider using it to decide if the PCs arrive just in time to see a major incident takes place.

Empowering Player Agency

This technique also works to maintain tension and create the feeling that the story is alive, evolving in reaction to their actions immediately. It reduces the sense that they are merely pawns in a DM's sole narrative, thereby strengthening the cooperative nature of the game.

Randomization has always been embedded in the original design. Early editions were reliant on charts, which made sense for a playstyle focused on exploration. Even though contemporary D&D frequently focuses on narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, that may not be the only path.

Finding the Right Balance

It is perfectly nothing wrong with thorough preparation. Yet, there is also no issue with stepping back and permitting the dice to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Authority is a big factor in a DM's role. We use it to facilitate play, yet we often struggle to cede it, in situations where doing so can lead to great moments.

The core advice is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of control. Try a little chance for minor details. It may create that the surprising result is infinitely more rewarding than anything you could have planned by yourself.