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In my role as a DM, I historically avoided significant use of randomization during my tabletop roleplaying games. I preferred was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be guided by character actions instead of random chance. However, I chose to try something different, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Spark: Watching an Improvised Tool

A popular podcast utilizes a DM who often requests "luck rolls" from the players. The process entails selecting a type of die and defining possible results based on the number. It's at its core no unlike rolling on a random table, these get invented on the spot when a player's action has no clear conclusion.

I decided to try this method at my own session, primarily because it appeared interesting and offered a change from my normal practice. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the perennial tension between preparation and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

A Powerful Session Moment

In a recent session, my group had concluded a massive conflict. Later, a cleric character asked about two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. In place of choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: a low roll, both would perish; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This triggered a deeply poignant scene where the characters came upon the corpses of their companions, still clasped together in their final moments. The cleric performed last rites, which was especially powerful due to prior character interactions. As a parting gesture, I decided that the remains were suddenly restored, revealing a spell-storing object. By chance, the bead's magical effect was exactly what the group required to solve another critical situation. It's impossible to script such magical coincidences.

Sharpening On-the-Spot Skills

This event led me to ponder if improvisation and thinking on your feet are in fact the core of tabletop RPGs. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Groups frequently take delight in ignoring the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a skilled DM needs to be able to think quickly and fabricate details in the moment.

Using luck rolls is a great way to develop these abilities without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to apply them for small-scale circumstances that don't fundamentally change the overarching story. For instance, I wouldn't use it to determine if the central plot figure is a traitor. However, I would consider using it to determine if the characters reach a location just in time to see a critical event takes place.

Strengthening Player Agency

This technique also serves to make players feel invested and create the sensation that the story is responsive, evolving according to their choices in real-time. It reduces the sense that they are merely characters in a rigidly planned narrative, thereby strengthening the shared nature of the game.

This approach has long been embedded in the original design. Original D&D were reliant on encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on exploration. While current D&D tends to prioritizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, that may not be the best approach.

Striking the Right Balance

Absolutely no problem with thorough preparation. But, there is also no problem with relinquishing control and letting the rolls to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Authority is a major part of a DM's role. We use it to run the game, yet we often struggle to release it, in situations where doing so can lead to great moments.

My final suggestion is this: Have no fear of temporarily losing the reins. Try a little randomness for minor story elements. The result could discover that the surprising result is far more powerful than anything you could have pre-written by yourself.