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In my role as a game master, I traditionally shied away from extensive use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. My preference was for the plot and session development to be guided by character actions as opposed to pure luck. Recently, I decided to alter my method, and I'm incredibly glad I did.

The Inspiration: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A popular actual-play show utilizes a DM who regularly asks for "chance rolls" from the adventurers. He does this by picking a specific dice and outlining potential outcomes contingent on the number. It's fundamentally no unlike using a random table, these get invented in the moment when a character's decision doesn't have a obvious outcome.

I opted to test this method at my own game, mostly because it appeared engaging and presented a change from my normal practice. The outcome were fantastic, prompting me to think deeply about the ongoing dynamic between pre-determination and randomization in a D&D campaign.

An Emotional Session Moment

During one session, my party had survived a massive conflict. Later, a cleric character inquired after two friendly NPCs—a pair—had survived. In place of picking a fate, I handed it over to chance. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both would perish; on a 5-9, only one would die; a high roll, they made it.

Fate decreed a 4. This resulted in a incredibly poignant moment where the party came upon the corpses of their friends, forever holding hands in their final moments. The party performed last rites, which was especially significant due to previous story developments. As a final touch, I chose that the NPCs' bodies were miraculously restored, containing a spell-storing object. By chance, the item's contained spell was exactly what the group lacked to solve another critical quest obstacle. One just script this type of perfect moments.

Honing On-the-Spot Skills

This incident caused me to question if improvisation and making it up are in fact the core of this game. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Players frequently find joy in derailing the most carefully laid plots. Therefore, a skilled DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and fabricate scenarios on the fly.

Using on-the-spot randomization is a fantastic way to develop these skills without straying too much outside your preparation. The trick is to deploy them for minor situations that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. For instance, I would avoid using it to determine if the king's advisor is a traitor. However, I would consider using it to figure out if the PCs reach a location right after a major incident unfolds.

Strengthening Collaborative Storytelling

Spontaneous randomization also serves to make players feel invested and create the feeling that the adventure is dynamic, shaping according to their choices in real-time. It combats the perception that they are merely actors in a pre-written narrative, thereby enhancing the shared nature of roleplaying.

Randomization has always been part of the game's DNA. The game's roots were filled with encounter generators, which suited a game focused on treasure hunting. Although modern D&D often emphasizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the only path.

Striking the Right Balance

Absolutely no problem with doing your prep. But, equally valid no problem with letting go and letting the rolls to decide some things in place of you. Authority is a significant aspect of a DM's responsibilities. We require it to facilitate play, yet we can be reluctant to release it, in situations where doing so can lead to great moments.

My final suggestion is this: Have no fear of letting go of the reins. Embrace a little randomness for inconsequential details. You might just create that the organic story beat is infinitely more memorable than anything you might have scripted on your own.