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As a Dungeon Master, I usually avoided significant use of chance during my D&D games. I preferred was for story direction and session development to be shaped by character actions rather than random chance. Recently, I opted to alter my method, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Catalyst: Watching a Custom Mechanic

A popular podcast utilizes a DM who frequently calls for "luck rolls" from the players. The process entails picking a specific dice and assigning consequences based on the result. While it's at its core no unlike consulting a pre-generated chart, these get invented on the spot when a character's decision doesn't have a predetermined resolution.

I decided to try this technique at my own table, mainly because it seemed engaging and provided a departure from my usual habits. The outcome were eye-opening, prompting me to think deeply about the perennial tension between preparation and randomization in a tabletop session.

A Memorable In-Game Example

At a session, my players had survived a city-wide battle. When the dust settled, a player inquired after two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had survived. In place of choosing an outcome, I asked for a roll. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both would perish; a middling roll, a single one would die; a high roll, they survived.

The die came up a 4. This led to a incredibly poignant moment where the adventurers came upon the bodies of their companions, forever united in death. The cleric conducted a ceremony, which was uniquely meaningful due to earlier roleplaying. In a concluding reward, I improvised that the NPCs' bodies were strangely restored, showing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the bead's magical effect was perfectly what the group lacked to address another critical situation. One just orchestrate this type of serendipitous coincidences.

Honing On-the-Spot Skills

This incident caused me to question if improvisation and making it up are actually the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. Even if you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Adventurers often excel at ignoring the best constructed plots. Therefore, a good DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and invent scenarios in real-time.

Utilizing on-the-spot randomization is a fantastic way to develop these skills without going completely outside your preparation. The key is to apply them for low-stakes situations that won't drastically alter the campaign's main plot. To illustrate, I wouldn't use it to determine if the king's advisor is a traitor. However, I could use it to determine whether the PCs arrive right after a major incident unfolds.

Strengthening Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also serves to maintain tension and cultivate the feeling that the story is alive, progressing in reaction to their actions in real-time. It prevents the feeling that they are merely pawns in a pre-written narrative, thereby enhancing the collaborative aspect of the game.

This philosophy has always been integral to the original design. Original D&D were filled with charts, which made sense for a playstyle focused on exploration. Although contemporary D&D often emphasizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, that may not be the required method.

Striking the Healthy Equilibrium

Absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. Yet, equally valid no problem with letting go and allowing the whim of chance to guide minor details in place of you. Control is a major part of a DM's responsibilities. We require it to facilitate play, yet we frequently find it hard to cede it, at times when doing so might improve the game.

My final recommendation is this: Do not fear of relinquishing a bit of control. Experiment with a little randomness for inconsequential outcomes. It may create that the unexpected outcome is significantly more powerful than anything you could have scripted on your own.