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In my role as a DM, I traditionally avoided significant use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying adventures. I tended was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be determined by character actions as opposed to pure luck. Recently, I opted to alter my method, and I'm very glad I did.

The Inspiration: Seeing 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known streamed game showcases a DM who regularly requests "luck rolls" from the participants. The process entails selecting a type of die and outlining consequences tied to the result. While it's fundamentally no distinct from consulting a random table, these get invented in the moment when a character's decision has no predetermined conclusion.

I decided to try this technique at my own session, mainly because it appeared interesting and presented a change from my normal practice. The outcome were remarkable, prompting me to think deeply about the ongoing balance between pre-determination and improvisation in a D&D campaign.

An Emotional Story Beat

In a recent session, my group had concluded a large-scale fight. When the dust settled, a cleric character wondered if two beloved NPCs—a pair—had made it. Rather than picking a fate, I asked for a roll. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The possible results were: a low roll, both died; a middling roll, a single one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

The player rolled a 4. This resulted in a incredibly moving sequence where the characters discovered the corpses of their allies, forever holding hands in death. The cleric held last rites, which was especially powerful due to prior story developments. As a parting gesture, I decided that the forms were suddenly transformed, containing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the party required to solve another pressing story problem. It's impossible to script this type of magical coincidences.

Improving Your Improvisation

This experience caused me to question if randomization and making it up are actually the core of D&D. Although you are a prep-heavy DM, your improvisation muscles can rust. Players reliably take delight in upending the most detailed plots. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to think quickly and invent content in the moment.

Utilizing on-the-spot randomization is a great way to develop these abilities without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to apply them for minor circumstances that don't fundamentally change the overarching story. As an example, I would not employ it to establish if the main villain is a secret enemy. Instead, I could use it to determine if the party enter a room moments before a major incident unfolds.

Empowering Shared Narrative

Spontaneous randomization also serves to make players feel invested and foster the sensation that the adventure is alive, evolving according to their actions immediately. It combats the perception that they are merely pawns in a DM's sole story, thereby strengthening the collaborative aspect of storytelling.

This philosophy has historically been part of the game's DNA. Original D&D were enamored with encounter generators, which suited a game focused on dungeon crawling. While contemporary D&D tends to prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, that may not be the required method.

Striking the Healthy Equilibrium

It is perfectly nothing wrong with doing your prep. But, it's also fine no problem with letting go and allowing the rolls to decide some things instead of you. Authority is a significant factor in a DM's responsibilities. We require it to run the game, yet we frequently find it hard to release it, at times when doing so can lead to great moments.

My final suggestion is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of control. Try a little randomness for smaller details. It may discover that the organic story beat is infinitely more rewarding than anything you would have scripted on your own.