🔗 Share this article

When I am a DM, I historically avoided extensive use of chance during my D&D sessions. My preference was for story direction and session development to be guided by player choice instead of the roll of a die. Recently, I decided to change my approach, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Inspiration: Observing an Improvised Tool

A popular streamed game features a DM who often asks for "luck rolls" from the participants. He does this by choosing a type of die and defining possible results tied to the roll. This is essentially no different from rolling on a pre-generated chart, these get invented spontaneously when a course of events doesn't have a obvious conclusion.

I opted to test this technique at my own game, mainly because it looked interesting and provided a break from my standard routine. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the often-debated tension between preparation and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful Session Moment

At a session, my group had concluded a large-scale battle. Later, a cleric character wondered if two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had lived. In place of choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The possible results were: a low roll, both would perish; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This led to a incredibly emotional moment where the party came upon the remains of their allies, still united in their final moments. The group conducted last rites, which was particularly meaningful due to previous story developments. As a final gesture, I improvised that the NPCs' bodies were suddenly transformed, revealing a magical Prayer Bead. By chance, the bead's contained spell was exactly what the party required to solve another critical situation. One just orchestrate such serendipitous coincidences.

Honing DM Agility

This incident caused me to question if chance and spontaneity are in fact the essence of tabletop RPGs. Even if you are a meticulously planning DM, your improvisation muscles need exercise. Adventurers reliably take delight in ignoring the most detailed plans. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and fabricate scenarios on the fly.

Utilizing on-the-spot randomization is a excellent way to develop these abilities without going completely outside your usual style. The key is to deploy them for small-scale circumstances that won't drastically alter the overarching story. To illustrate, I wouldn't use it to establish if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. But, I could use it to figure out if the characters reach a location just in time to see a major incident unfolds.

Enhancing Collaborative Storytelling

Luck rolls also works to keep players engaged and create the impression that the adventure is alive, progressing based on their choices in real-time. It combats the sense that they are merely characters in a pre-written narrative, thereby bolstering the shared aspect of the game.

This approach has long been embedded in the original design. Original D&D were enamored with charts, which fit a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though contemporary D&D often focuses on narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, this isn't always the required method.

Achieving the Right Balance

There is absolutely no issue with thorough preparation. Yet, equally valid no issue with relinquishing control and letting the rolls to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Direction is a significant factor in a DM's responsibilities. We require it to manage the world, yet we frequently find it hard to cede it, at times when doing so might improve the game.

The core recommendation is this: Don't be afraid of temporarily losing control. Try a little chance for minor details. The result could discover that the unexpected outcome is far more rewarding than anything you might have planned on your own.