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When I am a game master, I traditionally steered clear of extensive use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons adventures. I tended was for story direction and what happened in a game to be determined by deliberate decisions as opposed to random chance. Recently, I chose to try something different, and I'm truly pleased with the outcome.

The Spark: Watching 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known podcast features a DM who regularly calls for "chance rolls" from the adventurers. This involves selecting a specific dice and assigning consequences contingent on the number. While it's fundamentally no distinct from consulting a random table, these are created spontaneously when a course of events has no obvious conclusion.

I opted to test this method at my own table, mostly because it seemed engaging and provided a change from my standard routine. The results were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the often-debated dynamic between planning and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

A Memorable Story Beat

In a recent session, my party had concluded a massive battle. Afterwards, a cleric character asked about two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. In place of choosing an outcome, I handed it over to chance. I instructed the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: a low roll, both died; on a 5-9, only one succumbed; on a 10+, they survived.

The player rolled a 4. This resulted in a incredibly emotional scene where the characters discovered the bodies of their friends, forever clasped together in their final moments. The cleric conducted last rites, which was particularly significant due to prior story developments. As a final gesture, I chose that the forms were strangely restored, revealing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the bead's contained spell was perfectly what the party required to solve another major situation. It's impossible to script such perfect coincidences.

Improving On-the-Spot Skills

This event caused me to question if improvisation and making it up are truly the core of D&D. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt need exercise. Groups often find joy in upending the most carefully laid narratives. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to think quickly and fabricate scenarios in real-time.

Using similar mechanics is a excellent way to practice these talents without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The trick is to apply them for small-scale situations that don't fundamentally change the campaign's main plot. To illustrate, I wouldn't use it to determine if the main villain is a secret enemy. Instead, I could use it to determine if the party enter a room just in time to see a key action takes place.

Enhancing Shared Narrative

Spontaneous randomization also serves to maintain tension and create the sensation that the adventure is responsive, progressing based on their actions immediately. It reduces the feeling that they are merely characters in a pre-written narrative, thereby strengthening the cooperative foundation of storytelling.

This approach has always been embedded in the original design. Early editions were reliant on encounter generators, which made sense for a playstyle focused on treasure hunting. While current D&D frequently focuses on story and character, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, that may not be the required method.

Striking the Sweet Spot

Absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared. Yet, it's also fine no problem with letting go and permitting the rolls to determine certain outcomes rather than you. Direction is a significant aspect of a DM's responsibilities. We require it to run the game, yet we frequently find it hard to cede it, at times when doing so might improve the game.

A piece of advice is this: Do not fear of letting go of the reins. Embrace a little randomness for inconsequential story elements. It may find that the unexpected outcome is infinitely more rewarding than anything you could have pre-written in advance.