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As a Dungeon Master, I usually avoided extensive use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying games. I tended was for the plot and session development to be shaped by player choice rather than pure luck. However, I opted to change my approach, and I'm truly glad I did.

The Catalyst: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A well-known podcast utilizes a DM who often requests "luck rolls" from the participants. He does this by picking a polyhedral and defining potential outcomes contingent on the roll. While it's essentially no different from using a pre-generated chart, these are devised spontaneously when a character's decision lacks a clear resolution.

I chose to experiment with this method at my own session, primarily because it appeared interesting and presented a change from my normal practice. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the perennial balance between planning and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

An Emotional Story Beat

During one session, my group had concluded a city-wide battle. When the dust settled, a cleric character wondered if two beloved NPCs—a sibling duo—had made it. Instead of choosing an outcome, I handed it over to chance. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: a low roll, both would perish; a middling roll, a single one would die; on a 10+, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a deeply emotional scene where the adventurers found the corpses of their companions, forever united in their final moments. The cleric conducted last rites, which was particularly significant due to previous character interactions. As a final touch, I improvised that the remains were strangely transformed, revealing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the bead's contained spell was perfectly what the group lacked to resolve another major story problem. It's impossible to orchestrate these kinds of serendipitous story beats.

Honing Your Improvisation

This incident led me to ponder if chance and spontaneity are in fact the essence of this game. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Adventurers reliably take delight in ignoring the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to think quickly and fabricate content on the fly.

Employing luck rolls is a excellent way to develop these talents without straying too much outside your usual style. The trick is to deploy them for minor circumstances that have a limited impact on the overarching story. To illustrate, I would avoid using it to determine if the central plot figure is a traitor. But, I could use it to decide whether the PCs arrive moments before a key action takes place.

Enhancing Shared Narrative

This technique also serves to keep players engaged and cultivate the feeling that the game world is alive, shaping in reaction to their actions as they play. It prevents the feeling that they are merely characters in a DM's sole story, thereby strengthening the cooperative aspect of the game.

This approach has historically been integral to the game's DNA. The game's roots were filled with encounter generators, which made sense for a game focused on treasure hunting. While current D&D frequently prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the required method.

Finding the Sweet Spot

Absolutely no issue with thorough preparation. However, equally valid no problem with relinquishing control and permitting the whim of chance to decide some things rather than you. Control is a significant aspect of a DM's responsibilities. We need it to run the game, yet we frequently find it hard to give some up, at times when doing so can lead to great moments.

My final advice is this: Don't be afraid of temporarily losing your plan. Embrace a little chance for smaller outcomes. You might just discover that the unexpected outcome is infinitely more powerful than anything you could have pre-written on your own.