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As a Dungeon Master, I traditionally shied away from heavy use of luck during my tabletop roleplaying adventures. My preference was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by deliberate decisions instead of random chance. However, I decided to change my approach, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Catalyst: Seeing a Custom Mechanic

An influential podcast showcases a DM who often requests "luck rolls" from the players. He does this by selecting a polyhedral and outlining possible results contingent on the roll. While it's at its core no unlike consulting a random table, these are created on the spot when a course of events has no predetermined resolution.

I chose to experiment with this method at my own game, mostly because it looked interesting and provided a change from my normal practice. The results were remarkable, prompting me to reflect on the ongoing dynamic between planning and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

A Memorable Session Moment

During one session, my group had survived a massive battle. Later, a player asked about two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. Instead of picking a fate, I asked for a roll. I told the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both died; on a 5-9, only one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a profoundly poignant sequence where the party found the remains of their companions, forever holding hands in their final moments. The group performed funeral rites, which was particularly powerful due to earlier story developments. As a parting touch, I chose that the remains were strangely transformed, revealing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the bead's magical effect was exactly what the party needed to resolve another major quest obstacle. You simply orchestrate these kinds of serendipitous coincidences.

Honing Your Improvisation

This incident made me wonder if improvisation and thinking on your feet are actually the core of D&D. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your skill to pivot need exercise. Players frequently find joy in ignoring the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a effective DM has to be able to pivot effectively and invent details on the fly.

Using on-the-spot randomization is a great way to train these skills without straying too much outside your usual style. The key is to deploy them for small-scale circumstances that have a limited impact on the campaign's main plot. For instance, I would avoid using it to establish if the main villain is a secret enemy. But, I could use it to figure out whether the PCs arrive moments before a key action occurs.

Strengthening Shared Narrative

Spontaneous randomization also serves to make players feel invested and create the feeling that the adventure is responsive, evolving based on their decisions immediately. It prevents the sense that they are merely actors in a pre-written narrative, thereby strengthening the collaborative nature of the game.

Randomization has historically been part of the original design. Original D&D were reliant on charts, which fit a game focused on exploration. Although contemporary D&D tends to emphasizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Finding the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely no problem with thorough preparation. But, there is also nothing wrong with stepping back and allowing the dice to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Direction is a significant part of a DM's job. We use it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, in situations where doing so could be beneficial.

A piece of suggestion is this: Have no fear of letting go of control. Experiment with a little randomness for minor details. You might just find that the surprising result is far more memorable than anything you would have pre-written by yourself.