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In my role as a Dungeon Master, I historically avoided extensive use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying sessions. I preferred was for the plot and what happened in a game to be guided by deliberate decisions instead of random chance. Recently, I chose to change my approach, and I'm truly glad I did.

The Spark: Seeing 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known actual-play show utilizes a DM who often requests "luck rolls" from the players. The process entails selecting a type of die and outlining possible results based on the result. This is at its core no unlike rolling on a random table, these get invented on the spot when a player's action doesn't have a predetermined conclusion.

I decided to try this method at my own game, mainly because it looked engaging and provided a break from my usual habits. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the perennial tension between preparation and randomization in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful Session Moment

During one session, my players had survived a massive conflict. Later, a player wondered if two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. Rather than choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both were killed; on a 5-9, only one succumbed; on a 10+, they made it.

Fate decreed a 4. This led to a incredibly emotional scene where the party discovered the bodies of their allies, forever clasped together in their final moments. The group conducted a ceremony, which was especially meaningful due to earlier story developments. As a final gesture, I chose that the remains were strangely restored, showing a enchanted item. By chance, the item's magical effect was precisely what the group required to address another major quest obstacle. It's impossible to script these kinds of magical coincidences.

Sharpening On-the-Spot Skills

This event made me wonder if improvisation and thinking on your feet are in fact the core of this game. Although you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles need exercise. Players frequently take delight in derailing the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a good DM must be able to adapt swiftly and fabricate details in the moment.

Employing luck rolls is a fantastic way to train these abilities without going completely outside your usual style. The trick is to use them for minor situations that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would not employ it to decide if the king's advisor is a traitor. But, I could use it to figure out if the PCs reach a location moments before a major incident occurs.

Strengthening Collaborative Storytelling

Spontaneous randomization also helps maintain tension and cultivate the impression that the adventure is alive, shaping in reaction to their choices as they play. It combats the perception that they are merely characters in a pre-written story, thereby strengthening the cooperative aspect of the game.

This approach has historically been part of the original design. Early editions were reliant on charts, which made sense for a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though modern D&D frequently prioritizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, that may not be the only path.

Achieving the Healthy Equilibrium

There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. However, equally valid no problem with relinquishing control and letting the whim of chance to decide some things in place of you. Control is a big aspect of a DM's role. We require it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to release it, even when doing so might improve the game.

A piece of recommendation is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of control. Embrace a little improvisation for minor details. The result could find that the unexpected outcome is significantly more rewarding than anything you might have pre-written in advance.