🔗 Share this article

When I am a Dungeon Master, I usually steered clear of extensive use of chance during my D&D games. My preference was for story direction and session development to be guided by character actions as opposed to pure luck. However, I opted to alter my method, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Catalyst: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A well-known streamed game showcases a DM who often asks for "luck rolls" from the adventurers. He does this by selecting a polyhedral and outlining possible results contingent on the roll. While it's fundamentally no different from rolling on a random table, these get invented on the spot when a character's decision has no predetermined outcome.

I decided to try this approach at my own session, mostly because it appeared novel and provided a change from my normal practice. The outcome were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the ongoing tension between preparation and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

A Powerful Session Moment

During one session, my party had concluded a city-wide battle. Later, a cleric character inquired after two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. In place of deciding myself, I asked for a roll. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: a low roll, both would perish; on a 5-9, only one would die; on a 10+, they made it.

Fate decreed a 4. This resulted in a profoundly moving moment where the characters discovered the corpses of their companions, forever united in death. The cleric performed last rites, which was particularly meaningful due to prior character interactions. As a final gesture, I chose that the forms were suddenly restored, showing a enchanted item. By chance, the item's contained spell was precisely what the party lacked to address another critical story problem. One just orchestrate these kinds of serendipitous coincidences.

Improving DM Agility

This experience led me to ponder if improvisation and thinking on your feet are actually the core of D&D. While you are a meticulously planning DM, your skill to pivot need exercise. Players often take delight in derailing the most detailed plots. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to think quickly and invent content in real-time.

Using similar mechanics is a great way to practice these talents without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The trick is to deploy them for low-stakes circumstances that don't fundamentally change the campaign's main plot. As an example, I would avoid using it to establish if the main villain is a secret enemy. But, I would consider using it to figure out if the party arrive right after a critical event takes place.

Empowering Shared Narrative

Luck rolls also works to maintain tension and cultivate the impression that the game world is dynamic, shaping in reaction to their decisions as they play. It prevents the feeling that they are merely characters in a pre-written narrative, thereby strengthening the collaborative foundation of storytelling.

Randomization has historically been embedded in the core of D&D. Early editions were enamored with encounter generators, which made sense for a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though contemporary D&D often emphasizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the only path.

Achieving the Sweet Spot

It is perfectly no problem with being prepared. However, there is also nothing wrong with stepping back and permitting the rolls to guide minor details rather than you. Direction is a significant factor in a DM's job. We need it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to release it, at times when doing so might improve the game.

My final advice is this: Do not fear of relinquishing a bit of your plan. Try a little improvisation for minor outcomes. It may find that the organic story beat is infinitely more powerful than anything you might have planned in advance.