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When I am a Dungeon Master, I traditionally avoided significant use of chance during my D&D games. My preference was for story direction and what happened in a game to be guided by character actions as opposed to pure luck. Recently, I opted to try something different, and I'm incredibly glad I did.

The Spark: Observing an Improvised Tool

An influential podcast utilizes a DM who regularly calls for "fate rolls" from the adventurers. This involves picking a type of die and outlining consequences tied to the roll. While it's at its core no different from rolling on a random table, these are devised spontaneously when a course of events doesn't have a clear outcome.

I decided to try this technique at my own game, mainly because it looked novel and presented a change from my standard routine. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to think deeply about the ongoing dynamic between planning and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

A Memorable Session Moment

In a recent session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale fight. Afterwards, a player asked about two friendly NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. Instead of picking a fate, I asked for a roll. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both were killed; a middling roll, only one succumbed; a high roll, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This led to a profoundly emotional sequence where the party came upon the remains of their companions, still united in their final moments. The party held last rites, which was especially meaningful due to earlier story developments. As a final gesture, I chose that the remains were strangely restored, containing a enchanted item. By chance, the bead's magical effect was exactly what the group required to resolve another critical quest obstacle. You simply script this type of magical coincidences.

Improving Your Improvisation

This incident led me to ponder if chance and making it up are in fact the beating heart of D&D. While you are a prep-heavy DM, your improvisation muscles can rust. Adventurers reliably excel at derailing the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a good DM must be able to pivot effectively and fabricate scenarios in real-time.

Using luck rolls is a great way to practice these skills without venturing too far outside your preparation. The trick is to use them for low-stakes circumstances that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. As an example, I would avoid using it to determine if the main villain is a secret enemy. But, I would consider using it to determine whether the PCs arrive just in time to see a key action unfolds.

Strengthening Collaborative Storytelling

Spontaneous randomization also serves to keep players engaged and create the feeling that the adventure is responsive, evolving in reaction to their choices immediately. It combats the sense that they are merely characters in a rigidly planned script, thereby enhancing the cooperative foundation of roleplaying.

This approach has historically been part of the original design. The game's roots were enamored with random tables, which fit a game focused on dungeon crawling. While modern D&D tends to prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, this isn't always the best approach.

Achieving the Healthy Equilibrium

There is absolutely nothing wrong with thorough preparation. Yet, equally valid no problem with letting go and permitting the dice to guide minor details in place of you. Control is a significant part of a DM's job. We need it to manage the world, yet we frequently find it hard to give some up, even when doing so might improve the game.

The core suggestion is this: Have no fear of temporarily losing control. Embrace a little improvisation for minor story elements. It may find that the surprising result is significantly more memorable than anything you would have pre-written in advance.