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As a DM, I traditionally avoided significant use of randomization during my D&D adventures. I preferred was for the plot and what happened in a game to be guided by player choice as opposed to pure luck. Recently, I chose to alter my method, and I'm incredibly pleased with the outcome.

The Inspiration: Seeing 'Luck Rolls'

A popular actual-play show showcases a DM who regularly calls for "chance rolls" from the participants. The process entails selecting a type of die and outlining possible results contingent on the roll. It's essentially no distinct from consulting a pre-generated chart, these are created on the spot when a course of events has no obvious outcome.

I decided to try this method at my own game, mostly because it appeared interesting and offered a departure from my normal practice. The experience were remarkable, prompting me to reconsider the perennial balance between preparation and randomization in a D&D campaign.

An Emotional Story Beat

In a recent session, my players had just emerged from a city-wide battle. Afterwards, a player wondered if two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had survived. In place of choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both would perish; a middling roll, only one succumbed; a high roll, they survived.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a profoundly poignant moment where the party came upon the corpses of their companions, still holding hands in death. The cleric performed last rites, which was especially meaningful due to earlier roleplaying. In a concluding reward, I improvised that the remains were strangely transformed, containing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the item's magical effect was perfectly what the group required to solve another major story problem. One just plan this type of perfect coincidences.

Honing DM Agility

This event caused me to question if randomization and thinking on your feet are in fact the core of D&D. Although you are a prep-heavy DM, your skill to pivot can rust. Players frequently take delight in ignoring the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to pivot effectively and invent scenarios in real-time.

Employing luck rolls is a fantastic way to train these talents without going completely outside your comfort zone. The trick is to apply them for low-stakes decisions that have a limited impact on the campaign's main plot. For instance, I wouldn't use it to establish if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. However, I might use it to decide if the characters enter a room moments before a critical event unfolds.

Strengthening Shared Narrative

Luck rolls also serves to maintain tension and foster the impression that the story is alive, shaping according to their choices as they play. It combats the sense that they are merely pawns in a DM's sole script, thereby strengthening the shared aspect of roleplaying.

This philosophy has always been integral to the original design. The game's roots were reliant on charts, which fit a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though contemporary D&D frequently prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Finding the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely no problem with doing your prep. But, equally valid no issue with relinquishing control and permitting the rolls to decide some things rather than you. Control is a big part of a DM's job. We require it to run the game, yet we frequently find it hard to release it, in situations where doing so can lead to great moments.

The core recommendation is this: Do not fear of letting go of control. Experiment with a little randomness for minor details. It may discover that the surprising result is far more rewarding than anything you could have pre-written by yourself.