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When I am a game master, I usually avoided extensive use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. My preference was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by character actions instead of random chance. Recently, I chose to change my approach, and I'm very glad I did.

The Catalyst: Observing an Improvised Tool

A popular streamed game utilizes a DM who regularly requests "luck rolls" from the participants. He does this by picking a polyhedral and assigning potential outcomes based on the number. While it's at its core no different from using a random table, these get invented spontaneously when a course of events has no predetermined resolution.

I opted to test this approach at my own session, mainly because it appeared interesting and provided a change from my normal practice. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the often-debated tension between pre-determination and randomization in a roleplaying game.

A Memorable In-Game Example

In a recent session, my party had just emerged from a massive battle. Afterwards, a cleric character inquired after two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had lived. In place of deciding myself, I asked for a roll. I asked the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both would perish; a middling roll, only one would die; on a 10+, they survived.

The player rolled a 4. This led to a profoundly moving moment where the party discovered the corpses of their allies, still clasped together in death. The group conducted last rites, which was particularly significant due to earlier roleplaying. As a parting touch, I chose that the NPCs' bodies were suddenly restored, containing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the item's magical effect was perfectly what the party lacked to solve another major situation. One just plan these kinds of perfect story beats.

Improving Your Improvisation

This event 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 meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Groups often excel at upending the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to think quickly and create details in the moment.

Employing similar mechanics is a excellent way to practice these skills without going completely outside your usual style. The key is to apply them for minor decisions that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. As an example, I would avoid using it to establish if the main villain is a traitor. Instead, I would consider using it to figure out whether the characters reach a location right after a major incident takes place.

Strengthening Player Agency

Luck rolls also serves to keep players engaged and create the feeling that the adventure is responsive, progressing according to their decisions immediately. It prevents the sense that they are merely actors in a DM's sole story, thereby strengthening the cooperative foundation of storytelling.

This philosophy has long been embedded in the core of D&D. Original D&D were enamored with encounter generators, which fit a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though contemporary D&D frequently prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, this isn't always the only path.

Striking the Right Balance

There is absolutely no issue with being prepared. Yet, equally valid no problem with relinquishing control and permitting the dice to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Control is a major factor in a DM's job. We need it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to release it, even when doing so can lead to great moments.

The core recommendation is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of the reins. Experiment with a little improvisation for inconsequential story elements. The result could create that the surprising result is significantly more rewarding than anything you could have planned on your own.