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As a game master, I usually avoided heavy use of randomization during my Dungeons & Dragons games. I tended was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by player choice instead of random chance. That said, I opted to try something different, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Spark: Observing 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known streamed game features a DM who regularly asks for "luck rolls" from the adventurers. He does this by choosing a polyhedral and assigning consequences based on the result. This is at its core no different from rolling on a pre-generated chart, these are created in the moment when a character's decision has no predetermined conclusion.

I decided to try this technique at my own game, mostly because it appeared engaging and offered a change from my standard routine. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the ongoing dynamic between preparation and randomization in a roleplaying game.

An Emotional Story Beat

During one session, my players had survived a massive battle. Later, a cleric character asked about two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had lived. Instead of picking a fate, I asked for a roll. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The possible results were: a low roll, both were killed; a middling roll, only one would die; on a 10+, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This led to a incredibly moving scene where the party discovered the remains of their friends, still holding hands in their final moments. The group performed last rites, which was uniquely meaningful due to prior roleplaying. As a final reward, I decided that the forms were miraculously transformed, containing a spell-storing object. By chance, the item's contained spell was precisely what the group required to solve another critical situation. You simply plan these kinds of magical story beats.

Honing On-the-Spot Skills

This incident caused me to question if randomization and spontaneity are truly the essence of tabletop RPGs. Even if you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt need exercise. Players often excel at derailing the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a effective DM has to be able to pivot effectively and invent scenarios on the fly.

Employing similar mechanics is a fantastic way to practice these skills without venturing too far outside your preparation. The strategy is to deploy them for minor circumstances that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. As an example, I would avoid using it to determine if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. Instead, I might use it to figure out whether the PCs arrive right after a key action occurs.

Strengthening Collaborative Storytelling

This technique also works to keep players engaged and foster the feeling that the adventure is alive, progressing in reaction to their choices as they play. It reduces the perception that they are merely actors in a rigidly planned narrative, thereby enhancing the collaborative foundation of the game.

Randomization has always been embedded in the game's DNA. The game's roots were reliant on random tables, which suited a game focused on dungeon crawling. Although modern D&D often emphasizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the required method.

Achieving the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely no issue with doing your prep. Yet, there is also no issue with relinquishing control and allowing the rolls to guide minor details in place of you. Authority is a big factor in a DM's responsibilities. We use it to facilitate play, yet we frequently find it hard to cede it, even when doing so could be beneficial.

My final advice is this: Have no fear of letting go of your plan. Experiment with a little improvisation for minor story elements. You might just create that the unexpected outcome is far more rewarding than anything you might have scripted by yourself.