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As a Dungeon Master, I usually avoided extensive use of luck during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. I preferred was for story direction and session development to be shaped by character actions rather than pure luck. However, I decided to try something different, and I'm truly glad I did.

The Inspiration: Seeing a Custom Mechanic

A popular streamed game utilizes a DM who regularly asks for "chance rolls" from the participants. This involves picking a specific dice and assigning possible results based on the roll. While it's fundamentally no unlike rolling on a pre-generated chart, these are created spontaneously when a player's action lacks a predetermined outcome.

I chose to experiment with this approach at my own session, primarily because it appeared novel and presented a departure from my standard routine. The results were remarkable, prompting me to think deeply about the perennial tension between preparation and randomization in a tabletop session.

An Emotional Story Beat

In a recent session, my group had concluded a city-wide fight. Afterwards, a player asked about two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had survived. Instead of choosing an outcome, I asked for a roll. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both died; a middling roll, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they survived.

Fate decreed a 4. This resulted in a incredibly emotional scene where the party found the remains of their allies, still holding hands in their final moments. The cleric performed last rites, which was particularly meaningful due to earlier character interactions. In a concluding touch, I chose that the remains were suddenly restored, revealing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the item's magical effect was precisely what the group needed to solve another critical story problem. It's impossible to script these kinds of serendipitous story beats.

Sharpening On-the-Spot Skills

This experience led me to ponder if chance and making it up are actually the essence of D&D. While you are a prep-heavy DM, your ability to adapt need exercise. Groups frequently find joy in ignoring the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and fabricate content in the moment.

Employing on-the-spot randomization is a great way to develop these skills without venturing too far outside your preparation. The strategy is to apply them for small-scale decisions that won't drastically alter the campaign's main plot. For instance, I would not employ it to determine if the main villain is a secret enemy. Instead, I would consider using it to determine if the PCs arrive just in time to see a major incident occurs.

Empowering Collaborative Storytelling

Spontaneous randomization also works to maintain tension and foster the sensation that the adventure is responsive, shaping based on their decisions immediately. It prevents the sense that they are merely characters in a DM's sole narrative, thereby bolstering the shared aspect of roleplaying.

This approach has always been integral to the original design. The game's roots were enamored with encounter generators, which suited a game focused on treasure hunting. Even though contemporary D&D often focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, this isn't always the best approach.

Finding the Healthy Equilibrium

There is absolutely no issue with doing your prep. But, it's also fine no problem with relinquishing control and letting the dice to guide minor details rather than you. Direction is a significant aspect of a DM's role. We require it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to release it, in situations where doing so could be beneficial.

A piece of suggestion is this: Don't be afraid of letting go of control. Try a little randomness for minor outcomes. It may find that the unexpected outcome is far more powerful than anything you would have planned by yourself.