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As a DM, I historically avoided significant use of luck during my D&D adventures. I preferred was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be guided by deliberate decisions as opposed to the roll of a die. However, I decided to try something different, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Catalyst: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A popular streamed game features a DM who often requests "chance rolls" from the participants. He does this by choosing a polyhedral and outlining potential outcomes based on the result. This is fundamentally no unlike consulting a pre-generated chart, these are devised in the moment when a character's decision doesn't have a clear outcome.

I decided to try this technique at my own table, primarily because it looked novel and provided a break from my usual habits. The outcome were fantastic, prompting me to reconsider the often-debated balance between planning and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful Story Beat

In a recent session, my group had survived a large-scale conflict. Afterwards, a player wondered if two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had lived. Instead of choosing an outcome, I handed it over to chance. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both died; a middling roll, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they survived.

The player rolled a 4. This led to a profoundly moving sequence where the characters found the remains of their companions, still holding hands in death. The party performed funeral rites, which was uniquely powerful due to earlier story developments. As a final touch, I decided that the forms were strangely restored, containing a magical Prayer Bead. By chance, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the group required to address another pressing situation. One just plan these kinds of perfect coincidences.

Honing DM Agility

This incident caused me to question if chance and making it up are truly the beating heart of D&D. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your improvisation muscles need exercise. Adventurers frequently excel at upending the most carefully laid narratives. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and create content on the fly.

Utilizing on-the-spot randomization is a fantastic way to practice these abilities without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The key is to apply them for minor circumstances that have a limited impact on the session's primary direction. For instance, I would avoid using it to establish if the king's advisor is a traitor. However, I could use it to determine whether the characters reach a location right after a critical event occurs.

Enhancing Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also works to maintain tension and foster the feeling that the adventure is responsive, shaping based on their decisions as they play. It reduces the perception that they are merely actors in a rigidly planned narrative, thereby enhancing the collaborative aspect of the game.

Randomization has always been part of the game's DNA. Early editions were enamored with charts, which fit a playstyle focused on exploration. While current D&D frequently prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the only path.

Striking the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely no problem with thorough preparation. But, there is also no problem with letting go and permitting the rolls to guide minor details instead of you. Control is a significant part of a DM's role. We need it to run the game, yet we often struggle to give some up, in situations where doing so can lead to great moments.

A piece of advice is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of control. Try a little improvisation for inconsequential story elements. You might just find that the organic story beat is infinitely more rewarding than anything you might have pre-written in advance.