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As a DM, I historically avoided heavy use of randomization during my tabletop roleplaying adventures. I tended was for story direction and session development to be determined by deliberate decisions instead of pure luck. Recently, I decided to alter my method, and I'm truly pleased with the outcome.

The Catalyst: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A popular actual-play show features a DM who often asks for "fate rolls" from the adventurers. This involves selecting a type of die and assigning potential outcomes based on the result. While it's fundamentally no different from consulting a pre-generated chart, these are created in the moment when a character's decision doesn't have a predetermined conclusion.

I opted to test this method at my own session, mostly because it appeared interesting and provided a departure from my standard routine. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the ongoing tension between planning and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

An Emotional Story Beat

At a session, my party had concluded a massive fight. When the dust settled, a player inquired after two beloved NPCs—a pair—had lived. In place of choosing an outcome, I handed it over to chance. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The possible results were: a low roll, both would perish; a middling roll, only one succumbed; on a 10+, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This led to a deeply emotional moment where the characters came upon the remains of their companions, forever clasped together in death. The group held last rites, which was particularly meaningful due to prior story developments. In a concluding reward, I decided that the forms were suddenly transformed, containing a enchanted item. I rolled for, the item's magical effect was precisely what the group lacked to solve another major situation. One just plan these kinds of perfect moments.

Improving DM Agility

This incident caused me to question if improvisation and making it up are truly the core of D&D. Even if you are a prep-heavy DM, your skill to pivot can rust. Players reliably excel at derailing the most detailed plots. Therefore, a skilled DM needs to be able to think quickly and create details in the moment.

Utilizing luck rolls is a excellent way to practice these talents without going completely outside your usual style. The strategy is to apply them for minor situations that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would avoid using it to decide if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. But, I might use it to decide whether the party enter a room moments before a major incident occurs.

Strengthening Player Agency

This technique also serves to maintain tension and cultivate the feeling that the adventure is dynamic, shaping according to their decisions in real-time. It prevents the sense that they are merely actors in a rigidly planned narrative, thereby strengthening the cooperative foundation of the game.

Randomization has historically been integral to the core of D&D. Original D&D were enamored with charts, which suited a game focused on exploration. While modern D&D frequently prioritizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Striking the Right Balance

Absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. However, there is also no problem with stepping back and letting the dice to decide some things rather than you. Direction is a significant aspect of a DM's job. We need it to run the game, yet we often struggle to give some up, in situations where doing so might improve the game.

A piece of recommendation is this: Don't be afraid of relinquishing a bit of your plan. Try a little improvisation for minor details. You might just find that the unexpected outcome is infinitely more rewarding than anything you might have planned in advance.