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In my role as a DM, I historically steered clear of significant use of luck during my Dungeons & Dragons games. I tended was for narrative flow and session development to be guided by deliberate decisions as opposed to the roll of a die. However, I opted to alter my method, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Catalyst: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A popular podcast features a DM who regularly requests "fate rolls" from the players. The process entails picking a polyhedral and outlining consequences based on the result. While it's at its core no distinct from using a pre-generated chart, these get invented in the moment when a player's action lacks a obvious outcome.

I opted to test this method at my own table, mainly because it appeared engaging and offered a break from my standard routine. The outcome were remarkable, prompting me to think deeply about the ongoing balance between pre-determination and spontaneity in a roleplaying game.

A Memorable Session Moment

At a session, my players had concluded a city-wide conflict. Afterwards, a player inquired after two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. In place of deciding myself, I handed it over to chance. I instructed the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both would perish; a middling roll, a single one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a incredibly emotional sequence where the characters found the bodies of their friends, still united in death. The group held a ceremony, which was especially meaningful due to prior roleplaying. In a concluding reward, I improvised that the NPCs' bodies were strangely transformed, revealing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the item's contained spell was exactly what the group required to solve another pressing quest obstacle. You simply orchestrate such serendipitous coincidences.

Improving Your Improvisation

This incident made me wonder if chance and spontaneity are actually the beating heart of D&D. Even if you are a prep-heavy DM, your skill to pivot may atrophy. Adventurers often find joy in derailing the best constructed plots. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to pivot effectively and fabricate details on the fly.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a great way to develop these skills without going completely outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to deploy them for small-scale circumstances that have a limited impact on the overarching story. For instance, I wouldn't use it to determine if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. However, I would consider using it to figure out whether the PCs arrive just in time to see a critical event occurs.

Strengthening Collaborative Storytelling

This technique also works to make players feel invested and foster the impression that the story is dynamic, progressing in reaction to their choices as they play. It prevents the perception that they are merely characters in a pre-written story, thereby bolstering the cooperative foundation of the game.

This philosophy has historically been integral to the game's DNA. The game's roots were enamored with encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. Even though current D&D tends to prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Striking the Healthy Equilibrium

There is absolutely no issue with thorough preparation. But, it's also fine nothing wrong with letting go and permitting the rolls to decide some things instead of you. Authority is a significant factor in a DM's responsibilities. We require it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, in situations where doing so might improve the game.

A piece of advice is this: Don't be afraid of letting go of control. Try a little randomness for minor story elements. It may discover that the organic story beat is far more memorable than anything you could have scripted by yourself.