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As a Dungeon Master, I usually steered clear of significant use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons games. I tended was for the plot and session development to be determined by character actions instead of random chance. However, I opted to alter my method, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Inspiration: Seeing 'Luck Rolls'

An influential podcast features a DM who often asks for "fate rolls" from the participants. He does this by picking a type of die and defining consequences tied to the roll. While it's at its core no different from rolling on a pre-generated chart, these get invented on the spot when a course of events lacks a clear outcome.

I opted to test this technique at my own session, primarily because it looked novel and provided a break from my normal practice. The experience were eye-opening, prompting me to think deeply about the perennial tension between preparation and improvisation in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful Session Moment

In a recent session, my players had concluded a city-wide fight. When the dust settled, a cleric character wondered if two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had lived. In place of picking a fate, I asked for a roll. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: a low roll, both died; on a 5-9, only one succumbed; on a 10+, they survived.

Fate decreed a 4. This triggered a deeply poignant sequence where the party found the bodies of their allies, still holding hands in their final moments. The group conducted funeral rites, which was especially meaningful due to prior character interactions. As a parting touch, I chose that the forms were miraculously restored, showing a enchanted item. I randomized, the bead's contained spell was precisely what the party required to resolve another pressing quest obstacle. It's impossible to orchestrate this type of perfect coincidences.

Improving On-the-Spot Skills

This incident caused me to question if improvisation and thinking on your feet are in fact the essence of D&D. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles can rust. Players often excel at ignoring the most detailed plans. Therefore, a good DM needs to be able to adapt swiftly and fabricate details on the fly.

Utilizing luck rolls is a excellent way to train these abilities without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The trick is to deploy them for small-scale circumstances that don't fundamentally change the campaign's main plot. As an example, I would avoid using it to determine if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. However, I might use it to determine whether the party enter a room just in time to see a critical event occurs.

Enhancing Collaborative Storytelling

This technique also helps keep players engaged and cultivate the feeling that the adventure is dynamic, progressing in reaction to their choices as they play. It reduces the perception that they are merely pawns in a rigidly planned script, thereby bolstering the collaborative foundation of roleplaying.

This approach has historically been part of the core of D&D. Early editions were enamored with random tables, which made sense for a playstyle focused on exploration. While modern D&D often emphasizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, that may not be the only path.

Achieving the Healthy Equilibrium

Absolutely no issue with thorough preparation. But, there is also nothing wrong with relinquishing control and permitting the dice to decide some things rather than you. Control is a major factor in a DM's role. We need it to facilitate play, yet we often struggle to cede it, in situations where doing so could be beneficial.

My final recommendation is this: Do not fear of temporarily losing your plan. Embrace a little randomness for smaller story elements. The result could find that the unexpected outcome is far more rewarding than anything you would have planned on your own.