🔗 Share this article

When I am a DM, I historically avoided heavy use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. My preference was for story direction and what happened in a game to be determined by character actions as opposed to random chance. Recently, I decided to change my approach, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Catalyst: Observing 'Luck Rolls'

An influential podcast features a DM who regularly calls for "luck rolls" from the participants. The process entails picking a type of die and outlining potential outcomes based on the roll. It's essentially no different from rolling on a random table, these are created in the moment when a player's action has no obvious outcome.

I opted to test this method at my own table, primarily because it appeared engaging and provided a departure from my standard routine. The outcome were remarkable, prompting me to reconsider the perennial balance between pre-determination and spontaneity in a roleplaying game.

A Powerful In-Game Example

In a recent session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale battle. Later, a player asked about two beloved NPCs—a pair—had made it. Rather than choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both died; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they made it.

The player rolled a 4. This resulted in a deeply moving scene where the party came upon the remains of their companions, still united in death. The group conducted a ceremony, which was especially significant due to previous story developments. As a final touch, I decided that the NPCs' bodies were miraculously restored, showing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the item's magical effect was precisely what the party needed to solve another critical story problem. You simply plan such perfect story beats.

Sharpening Your Improvisation

This experience led me to ponder if improvisation and making it up are actually the beating heart of this game. While you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Groups often excel at upending the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to pivot effectively and invent details in the moment.

Using on-the-spot randomization is a fantastic way to train these talents without venturing too far outside your preparation. The trick is to deploy them for small-scale circumstances that have a limited impact on the campaign's main plot. As an example, I would avoid using it to determine if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. But, I could use it to decide whether the characters enter a room moments before a key action takes place.

Strengthening Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also works to keep players engaged and cultivate the impression that the adventure is responsive, progressing according to their choices as they play. It combats the sense that they are merely characters in a DM's sole script, thereby strengthening the collaborative aspect of roleplaying.

This approach has long been embedded in the core of D&D. The game's roots were filled with encounter generators, which fit a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though modern D&D frequently emphasizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, it's not necessarily the required method.

Striking the Right Balance

Absolutely no problem with thorough preparation. But, equally valid no problem with stepping back and permitting the dice to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Control is a significant factor in a DM's role. We use it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, even when doing so could be beneficial.

The core suggestion is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of your plan. Experiment with a little randomness for minor details. You might just find that the organic story beat is significantly more memorable than anything you might have pre-written by yourself.