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As a game master, I traditionally shied away from extensive use of randomization during my Dungeons & Dragons adventures. I tended was for the plot and what happened in a game to be guided by deliberate decisions instead of random chance. However, I opted to alter my method, and I'm truly glad I did.

The Spark: Seeing 'Luck Rolls'

A popular actual-play show utilizes a DM who regularly requests "chance rolls" from the adventurers. He does this by selecting a polyhedral and assigning consequences contingent on the result. While it's essentially no different from using a random table, these are created in the moment when a player's action doesn't have a predetermined outcome.

I chose to experiment with this approach at my own table, primarily because it looked engaging and offered a departure from my normal practice. The results were fantastic, prompting me to think deeply about the often-debated tension between preparation and randomization in a D&D campaign.

A Memorable In-Game Example

At a session, my players had survived a large-scale conflict. Afterwards, a player wondered if two friendly NPCs—a brother and sister—had lived. Rather than picking a fate, I asked for a roll. I instructed the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both died; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This triggered a deeply emotional sequence where the party discovered the bodies of their allies, forever holding hands in death. The cleric held last rites, which was uniquely powerful due to previous roleplaying. As a final reward, I decided that the NPCs' bodies were miraculously restored, showing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the item's magical effect was exactly what the party lacked to address another major quest obstacle. It's impossible to script such magical coincidences.

Honing Your Improvisation

This event caused me to question if improvisation and making it up are actually the essence of tabletop RPGs. Even if you are a detail-oriented DM, your skill to pivot can rust. Groups often find joy in derailing the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to pivot effectively and create details in real-time.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a fantastic way to train these talents without going completely outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to use them for small-scale situations that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would not employ it to determine if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. But, I might use it to figure out if the party arrive just in time to see a critical event occurs.

Strengthening Shared Narrative

Spontaneous randomization also serves to keep players engaged and cultivate the feeling that the story is alive, evolving according to their actions immediately. It prevents the sense that they are merely actors in a rigidly planned script, thereby bolstering the collaborative foundation of the game.

This philosophy has always been embedded in the core of D&D. The game's roots were reliant on charts, which made sense for a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. Although contemporary D&D frequently focuses on narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Finding the Right Balance

There is absolutely no problem with being prepared. But, it's also fine no problem with letting go and allowing the rolls to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Direction is a significant part of a DM's job. We use it to facilitate play, yet we can be reluctant to release it, even when doing so might improve the game.

The core suggestion is this: Don't be afraid of temporarily losing control. Try a little chance for smaller outcomes. It may discover that the unexpected outcome is significantly more rewarding than anything you could have pre-written by yourself.