🔗 Share this article

When I am a DM, I traditionally steered clear of significant use of randomization during my D&D games. I preferred was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be guided by deliberate decisions instead of pure luck. That said, I chose to try something different, and I'm very happy with the result.

The Catalyst: Watching 'Luck Rolls'

An influential podcast showcases a DM who regularly requests "fate rolls" from the adventurers. The process entails picking a polyhedral and defining consequences based on the result. While it's at its core no distinct from consulting a random table, these get invented on the spot when a course of events doesn't have a obvious outcome.

I chose to experiment with this method at my own game, mostly because it looked engaging and presented a change from my standard routine. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to reconsider the often-debated tension between preparation and randomization in a tabletop session.

A Powerful Session Moment

During one session, my party had survived a large-scale battle. When the dust settled, a cleric character wondered if two beloved NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. Rather than choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both died; a middling roll, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This led to a incredibly poignant sequence where the party discovered the remains of their friends, forever clasped together in their final moments. The cleric performed funeral rites, which was particularly meaningful due to earlier character interactions. In a concluding touch, I improvised that the remains were suddenly transformed, revealing a enchanted item. By chance, the bead's magical effect was precisely what the group required to resolve another pressing situation. One just plan these kinds of serendipitous coincidences.

Improving On-the-Spot Skills

This experience caused me to question if randomization and making it up are truly the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Groups frequently find joy in ignoring the best constructed plans. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and create details on the fly.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a great way to train these skills without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to deploy them for low-stakes decisions that have a limited impact on the overarching story. For instance, I wouldn't use it to establish if the central plot figure is a traitor. But, I could use it to determine if the characters enter a room right after a major incident unfolds.

Empowering Player Agency

This technique also helps make players feel invested and create the sensation that the story is alive, evolving in reaction to their decisions in real-time. It reduces the perception that they are merely actors in a pre-written script, thereby bolstering the cooperative aspect of the game.

This approach has historically been part of the core of D&D. Early editions were filled with encounter generators, which made sense for a playstyle focused on treasure hunting. Although current D&D often focuses on narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, that may not be the best approach.

Finding the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely no issue with doing your prep. But, there is also no issue with letting go and permitting the dice to guide minor details in place of you. Direction is a big part of a DM's role. We require it to facilitate play, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, even when doing so could be beneficial.

The core advice is this: Don't be afraid of relinquishing a bit of control. Embrace a little improvisation for minor details. You might just discover that the unexpected outcome is infinitely more powerful than anything you could have scripted by yourself.