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As a Dungeon Master, I traditionally shied away from heavy use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons games. I tended was for the plot and session development to be determined by player choice rather than the roll of a die. However, I chose to try something different, and I'm truly glad I did.

The Inspiration: Observing 'Luck Rolls'

An influential actual-play show showcases a DM who often asks for "fate rolls" from the players. He does this by picking a specific dice and outlining consequences tied to the roll. It's at its core no unlike rolling on a random table, these get invented on the spot when a player's action lacks a clear outcome.

I decided to try this method at my own session, mostly because it seemed engaging and provided a break from my normal practice. The outcome were fantastic, prompting me to think deeply about the often-debated tension between planning and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

A Memorable Story Beat

During one session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale fight. Later, a cleric character asked about two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. Instead of deciding myself, I handed it over to chance. I asked the player to roll a d20. The possible results were: on a 1-4, both died; a middling roll, only one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a deeply poignant scene where the party came upon the remains of their allies, forever clasped together in their final moments. The group held funeral rites, which was especially powerful due to previous story developments. As a parting reward, I chose that the forms were strangely restored, showing a magical Prayer Bead. I rolled for, the item's contained spell was exactly what the party needed to solve another critical quest obstacle. It's impossible to orchestrate these kinds of perfect coincidences.

Improving Your Improvisation

This experience made me wonder if randomization and making it up are in fact the core of tabletop RPGs. Although you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Groups reliably take delight in upending the best constructed plans. Therefore, a effective DM must be able to think quickly and fabricate content in real-time.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a fantastic way to train these talents without straying too much outside your preparation. The trick is to use them for small-scale circumstances that have a limited impact on the campaign's main plot. As an example, I wouldn't use it to decide if the king's advisor is a traitor. But, I would consider using it to determine whether the PCs enter a room right after a key action occurs.

Empowering Collaborative Storytelling

This technique also helps maintain tension and create the impression that the story is alive, evolving according to their actions in real-time. It combats the feeling that they are merely pawns in a DM's sole narrative, thereby enhancing the cooperative foundation of storytelling.

Randomization has always been embedded in the original design. Early editions were enamored with encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on exploration. While modern D&D often prioritizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, this isn't always the best approach.

Finding the Right Balance

Absolutely no problem with thorough preparation. Yet, there is also no problem with letting go and letting the dice to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Authority is a major aspect of a DM's job. We require it to facilitate play, yet we often struggle to release it, at times when doing so could be beneficial.

A piece of recommendation is this: Have no fear of temporarily losing control. Embrace a little randomness for minor outcomes. It may discover that the surprising result is infinitely more memorable than anything you would have planned on your own.