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In my role as a DM, I usually avoided heavy use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons games. I preferred was for narrative flow and session development to be shaped by player choice as opposed to pure luck. However, I chose to try something different, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Spark: Seeing a Custom Mechanic

A well-known podcast features a DM who often requests "chance rolls" from the players. He does this by selecting a type of die and defining possible results based on the result. While it's at its core no unlike using a pre-generated chart, these are devised on the spot when a player's action lacks a obvious resolution.

I chose to experiment with this method at my own session, mostly because it appeared engaging and offered a break from my usual habits. The results were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the ongoing balance between preparation and randomization in a D&D campaign.

An Emotional Session Moment

In a recent session, my party had concluded a large-scale battle. When the dust settled, a player asked about two beloved NPCs—a pair—had made it. In place of choosing an outcome, I handed it over to chance. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: a low roll, both died; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they survived.

The die came up a 4. This triggered a profoundly poignant scene where the party came upon the corpses of their allies, forever united in death. The party held funeral rites, which was especially powerful due to previous roleplaying. In a concluding touch, I chose that the remains were miraculously transformed, revealing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the bead's magical effect was precisely what the group lacked to solve another critical story problem. You simply orchestrate such magical moments.

Sharpening DM Agility

This incident caused me to question if improvisation and thinking on your feet are in fact the beating heart of this game. While you are a meticulously planning DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Players often find joy in derailing the most detailed plans. Therefore, a good DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and invent details in real-time.

Using similar mechanics is a great way to develop these talents without going completely outside your preparation. The key is to apply them for small-scale decisions that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would not employ it to establish if the main villain is a traitor. But, I would consider using it to decide if the party reach a location moments before a key action takes place.

Enhancing Player Agency

Luck rolls also helps make players feel invested and cultivate the impression that the story is responsive, shaping according to their choices in real-time. It prevents the feeling that they are merely characters in a rigidly planned narrative, thereby bolstering the collaborative foundation of the game.

This approach has long been part of the original design. Original D&D were reliant on charts, which fit a game focused on treasure hunting. Although contemporary D&D frequently prioritizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, this isn't always the required method.

Finding the Sweet Spot

It is perfectly no problem with doing your prep. However, it's also fine no issue with stepping back and permitting the dice to guide minor details instead of you. Direction is a major part of a DM's role. We use it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to release it, even when doing so could be beneficial.

A piece of recommendation is this: Don't be afraid of letting go of your plan. Try a little chance for minor details. It may find that the surprising result is significantly more memorable than anything you could have pre-written in advance.