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When I am a DM, I usually avoided extensive use of luck during my tabletop roleplaying sessions. I preferred was for story direction and what happened in a game to be guided by character actions as opposed to pure luck. However, I opted to alter my method, and I'm incredibly glad I did.

The Catalyst: Watching an Improvised Tool

A popular actual-play show features a DM who often requests "luck rolls" from the players. The process entails choosing a polyhedral and assigning consequences tied to the result. This is at its core no distinct from rolling on a random table, these are created spontaneously when a course of events has no clear resolution.

I opted to test this technique at my own table, mainly because it appeared novel and offered a departure from my usual habits. The results were remarkable, prompting me to reconsider the perennial dynamic between planning and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful Story Beat

During one session, my party had just emerged from a city-wide battle. Later, a cleric character asked about two beloved NPCs—a sibling duo—had lived. In place of deciding myself, I asked for a roll. I told the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both were killed; a middling roll, only one succumbed; on a 10+, they both lived.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a profoundly emotional sequence where the characters came upon the bodies of their companions, still clasped together in death. The group conducted last rites, which was especially powerful due to earlier character interactions. As a final touch, I decided that the remains were strangely transformed, showing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the item's magical effect was exactly what the party needed to resolve another pressing story problem. It's impossible to orchestrate this type of magical story beats.

Sharpening On-the-Spot Skills

This event led me to ponder if improvisation and making it up are truly the core of tabletop RPGs. Even if you are a meticulously planning DM, your skill to pivot may atrophy. Players often take delight in derailing the most detailed plans. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to adapt swiftly and fabricate content in real-time.

Using on-the-spot randomization is a fantastic way to develop these talents without venturing too far outside your usual style. The trick is to deploy them for low-stakes situations that don't fundamentally change the overarching story. As an example, I would avoid using it to decide if the main villain is a traitor. But, I might use it to decide if the PCs enter a room just in time to see a key action unfolds.

Enhancing Collaborative Storytelling

Spontaneous randomization also serves to keep players engaged and foster the impression that the game world is dynamic, progressing based on their choices as they play. It prevents the feeling that they are merely actors in a pre-written script, thereby strengthening the shared aspect of roleplaying.

Randomization has historically been part of the game's DNA. The game's roots were enamored with encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. While modern D&D frequently prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, this isn't always the required method.

Striking the Healthy Equilibrium

There is absolutely no problem with being prepared. However, it's also fine nothing wrong with stepping back and permitting the dice to guide minor details in place of you. Direction is a major aspect of a DM's role. We use it to facilitate play, yet we frequently find it hard to give some up, at times when doing so might improve the game.

The core suggestion is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of the reins. Embrace a little improvisation for inconsequential outcomes. It may create that the surprising result is infinitely more powerful than anything you might have planned by yourself.