🔗 Share this article

In my role as a DM, I historically avoided heavy use of randomization during my tabletop roleplaying sessions. I tended was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be guided by character actions rather than random chance. That said, I decided to alter my method, and I'm very happy with the result.

The Spark: Watching 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known streamed game utilizes a DM who often asks for "fate rolls" from the players. He does this by selecting a type of die and assigning potential outcomes based on the roll. It's essentially no different from consulting a pre-generated chart, these are devised on the spot when a player's action lacks a obvious resolution.

I decided to try this approach at my own table, mostly because it seemed novel and offered a change from my standard routine. The outcome were eye-opening, prompting me to reflect on the ongoing dynamic between planning and spontaneity in a roleplaying game.

A Memorable In-Game Example

In a recent session, my group had concluded a city-wide conflict. When the dust settled, a cleric character asked about two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had lived. Instead of picking a fate, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both died; a middling roll, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a incredibly emotional scene where the characters discovered the corpses of their allies, forever clasped together in their final moments. The party conducted last rites, which was especially powerful due to previous character interactions. In a concluding gesture, I improvised that the remains were strangely transformed, containing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the item's contained spell was exactly what the party required to resolve another major story problem. It's impossible to plan these kinds of serendipitous moments.

Sharpening Your Improvisation

This experience made me wonder if randomization and making it up are in fact the essence of D&D. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your improvisation muscles can rust. Groups reliably find joy in derailing the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to adapt swiftly and fabricate content in real-time.

Utilizing luck rolls is a fantastic way to develop these skills without venturing too far outside your preparation. The strategy is to use them for low-stakes decisions that have a limited impact on the session's primary direction. As an example, I would avoid using it to decide if the main villain is a traitor. But, I could use it to figure out if the PCs arrive moments before a key action unfolds.

Enhancing Collaborative Storytelling

This technique also serves to maintain tension and foster the feeling that the game world is alive, progressing based on their actions in real-time. It combats the feeling that they are merely pawns in a DM's sole story, thereby strengthening the cooperative aspect of roleplaying.

This philosophy has long been integral to the core of D&D. Original D&D were reliant on encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on exploration. Although current D&D often prioritizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the required method.

Finding the Healthy Equilibrium

It is perfectly nothing wrong with thorough preparation. But, equally valid no issue with letting go and permitting the dice to guide minor details in place of you. Control is a major factor in a DM's job. We use it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to release it, at times when doing so can lead to great moments.

The core recommendation is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of control. Try a little randomness for minor story elements. The result could create that the organic story beat is far more rewarding than anything you could have scripted in advance.