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When I am a game master, I historically steered clear of heavy use of chance during my D&D adventures. I preferred was for story direction and session development to be shaped by character actions rather than the roll of a die. However, I opted to change my approach, and I'm very happy with the result.

The Spark: Watching 'Luck Rolls'

A popular actual-play show features a DM who regularly requests "fate rolls" from the adventurers. He does this by selecting a polyhedral and outlining potential outcomes tied to the roll. While it's fundamentally no different from using a random table, these are devised on the spot when a character's decision has no obvious conclusion.

I decided to try this technique at my own table, mostly because it looked interesting and provided a departure from my usual habits. The experience were remarkable, prompting me to reflect on the perennial tension between planning and randomization in a tabletop session.

An Emotional Session Moment

In a recent session, my players had just emerged from a massive conflict. When the dust settled, a player wondered if two beloved NPCs—a sibling duo—had made it. Rather than choosing an outcome, I asked for a roll. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both were killed; a middling roll, only one succumbed; on a 10+, they survived.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a deeply moving moment where the characters found the remains of their allies, forever united in their final moments. The group conducted a ceremony, which was uniquely powerful due to prior roleplaying. In a concluding touch, I chose that the remains were strangely restored, revealing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the bead's contained spell was exactly what the group required to address another critical quest obstacle. It's impossible to script these kinds of magical story beats.

Honing On-the-Spot Skills

This incident led me to ponder if randomization and thinking on your feet are truly the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. Although you are a prep-heavy DM, your skill to pivot need exercise. Players reliably take delight in derailing the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a skilled DM needs to be able to adapt swiftly and invent scenarios in the moment.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a great way to practice these abilities without going completely outside your usual style. The key is to deploy them for low-stakes situations that have a limited impact on the session's primary direction. As an example, I would not employ it to establish if the central plot figure is a traitor. However, I might use it to decide whether the characters arrive right after a major incident takes place.

Enhancing Shared Narrative

Spontaneous randomization also serves to keep players engaged and foster the sensation that the adventure is responsive, evolving in reaction to their choices as they play. It reduces the sense that they are merely characters in a pre-written narrative, thereby strengthening the shared foundation of the game.

This philosophy has long been embedded in the game's DNA. Original D&D were enamored with random tables, which fit a game focused on treasure hunting. Even though modern D&D often focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Achieving the Right Balance

Absolutely nothing wrong with thorough preparation. But, there is also no issue with letting go and permitting the whim of chance to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Direction is a big part of a DM's role. We use it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to give some up, at times when doing so might improve the game.

The core advice is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of the reins. Experiment with a little chance for smaller details. It may find that the surprising result is significantly more memorable than anything you would have pre-written on your own.