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As a Dungeon Master, I usually shied away from heavy use of luck during my Dungeons & Dragons adventures. I tended was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by character actions as opposed to the roll of a die. That said, I decided to change my approach, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Inspiration: Observing an Improvised Tool

A popular podcast utilizes a DM who frequently requests "fate rolls" from the participants. This involves selecting a type of die and defining possible results contingent on the result. While it's fundamentally no unlike using a random table, these are devised in the moment when a character's decision has no clear resolution.

I chose to experiment with this technique at my own game, mostly because it looked interesting and provided a departure from my normal practice. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the perennial dynamic between pre-determination and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

A Powerful Story Beat

During one session, my players had concluded a massive conflict. When the dust settled, a cleric character wondered if two beloved NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. Rather than picking a fate, I let the dice decide. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both died; on a 5-9, a single one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

Fate decreed a 4. This led to a deeply moving moment where the characters discovered the remains of their companions, still united in their final moments. The group conducted funeral rites, which was particularly meaningful due to previous character interactions. As a parting reward, I improvised that the forms were suddenly transformed, showing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the party needed to address another critical situation. One just plan such magical story beats.

Improving Your Improvisation

This event caused me to question if randomization and making it up are actually the core of tabletop RPGs. Although you are a detail-oriented DM, your skill to pivot may atrophy. Players reliably take delight in ignoring the most carefully laid plots. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to adapt swiftly and invent content in the moment.

Employing luck rolls is a great way to practice these skills without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The key is to use them for minor circumstances that don't fundamentally change the campaign's main plot. For instance, I would avoid using it to establish if the main villain is a traitor. But, I might use it to determine if the characters arrive moments before a critical event occurs.

Strengthening Shared Narrative

Luck rolls also serves to maintain tension and create the sensation that the adventure is responsive, shaping in reaction to their choices as they play. It prevents the sense that they are merely pawns in a pre-written narrative, thereby bolstering the collaborative nature of roleplaying.

This approach has historically been integral to the game's DNA. Early editions were filled with random tables, which suited a playstyle focused on treasure hunting. Even though current D&D frequently focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the required method.

Achieving the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared. However, there is also no issue with relinquishing control and permitting the whim of chance to determine certain outcomes rather than you. Authority is a big part of a DM's job. We require it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to give some up, even when doing so can lead to great moments.

The core suggestion is this: Do not fear of temporarily losing control. Try a little randomness for minor story elements. You might just find that the organic story beat is significantly more memorable than anything you might have pre-written by yourself.