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In my role as a DM, I usually steered clear of heavy use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. I preferred was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by deliberate decisions rather than pure luck. Recently, I chose to change my approach, and I'm incredibly glad I did.

The Inspiration: Observing an Improvised Tool

An influential actual-play show features a DM who frequently calls for "chance rolls" from the adventurers. This involves picking a specific dice and outlining possible results contingent on the number. While it's essentially no distinct from using a pre-generated chart, these get invented spontaneously when a character's decision has no clear conclusion.

I decided to try this technique at my own session, mostly because it appeared engaging and provided a break from my normal practice. The outcome were fantastic, prompting me to reconsider the often-debated dynamic between pre-determination and randomization in a D&D campaign.

A Memorable Story Beat

During one session, my party had survived a large-scale battle. Later, a cleric character inquired after two key NPCs—a pair—had survived. Rather than choosing an outcome, I asked for a roll. I instructed the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: a low roll, both died; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they survived.

The die came up a 4. This triggered a deeply moving scene where the adventurers discovered the bodies of their allies, forever holding hands in their final moments. The party held a ceremony, which was uniquely meaningful due to prior roleplaying. In a concluding touch, I decided that the NPCs' bodies were strangely transformed, revealing a magical Prayer Bead. By chance, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the group needed to resolve another critical situation. You simply script this type of serendipitous coincidences.

Sharpening On-the-Spot Skills

This experience caused me to question if randomization and thinking on your feet are in fact the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. Even if you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Groups often excel at derailing the best constructed plans. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to pivot effectively and fabricate details in real-time.

Using luck rolls is a fantastic way to develop these skills without straying too much outside your usual style. The trick is to deploy them for low-stakes circumstances that have a limited impact on the campaign's main plot. For instance, I would not employ it to determine if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. However, I might use it to decide if the characters enter a room just in time to see a key action occurs.

Enhancing Collaborative Storytelling

This technique also works to maintain tension and cultivate the impression that the story is dynamic, evolving in reaction to their choices immediately. It combats the perception that they are merely pawns in a pre-written narrative, thereby strengthening the cooperative aspect of the game.

Randomization has historically been part of the game's DNA. The game's roots were filled with encounter generators, which suited a game focused on dungeon crawling. While contemporary D&D often focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, this isn't always the only path.

Striking the Right Balance

Absolutely no problem with doing your prep. However, equally valid nothing wrong with relinquishing control and permitting the dice to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Direction is a major aspect of a DM's responsibilities. We need it to run the game, yet we often struggle to give some up, in situations where doing so might improve the game.

A piece of recommendation is this: Do not fear of temporarily losing the reins. Experiment with a little improvisation for smaller story elements. The result could discover that the organic story beat is significantly more rewarding than anything you would have scripted in advance.