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When I am a Dungeon Master, I historically shied away from significant use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying sessions. My preference was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by deliberate decisions as opposed to random chance. However, I decided to alter my method, and I'm incredibly pleased with the outcome.

The Spark: Watching an Improvised Tool

A popular streamed game utilizes a DM who regularly asks for "luck rolls" from the participants. The process entails choosing a polyhedral and assigning possible results contingent on the roll. While it's at its core no unlike rolling on a random table, these get invented in the moment when a player's action lacks a predetermined resolution.

I decided to try this technique at my own game, mostly because it appeared interesting and provided a departure from my standard routine. The experience were eye-opening, prompting me to reflect on the perennial tension between preparation and spontaneity in a tabletop session.

A Powerful Session Moment

During one session, my group had just emerged from a massive fight. Afterwards, a cleric character inquired after two beloved NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. In place of deciding myself, I let the dice decide. I told the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both would perish; on a 5-9, only one succumbed; a high roll, they made it.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a profoundly moving scene where the characters came upon the bodies of their allies, still united in death. The group performed last rites, which was uniquely powerful due to earlier story developments. In a concluding touch, I improvised that the forms were miraculously transformed, revealing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the bead's magical effect was exactly what the group needed to resolve another major story problem. One just orchestrate such serendipitous story beats.

Honing DM Agility

This experience caused me to question if randomization and making it up are truly the beating heart of this game. Even if you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt need exercise. Groups frequently excel at ignoring the best constructed plots. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to think quickly and fabricate content on the fly.

Using luck rolls is a great way to develop these skills without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The key is to deploy them for low-stakes situations that won't drastically alter the overarching story. For instance, I would avoid using it to determine if the central plot figure is a traitor. But, I would consider using it to figure out if the PCs reach a location moments before a key action takes place.

Strengthening Collaborative Storytelling

This technique also helps make players feel invested and cultivate the impression that the game world is dynamic, shaping in reaction to their actions as they play. It reduces the perception that they are merely characters in a pre-written story, thereby bolstering the shared aspect of storytelling.

This philosophy has historically been part of the game's DNA. The game's roots were reliant on encounter generators, which suited a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. Even though contemporary D&D tends to prioritizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, that may not be the required method.

Achieving the Healthy Equilibrium

Absolutely no issue with being prepared. But, equally valid nothing wrong with stepping back and letting the whim of chance to decide some things instead of you. Authority is a major part of a DM's role. We require it to run the game, yet we often struggle to cede it, even when doing so could be beneficial.

A piece of recommendation is this: Have no fear of letting go of control. Try a little improvisation for smaller story elements. The result could create that the unexpected outcome is far more powerful than anything you might have planned by yourself.