When I am a game master, I traditionally shied away from heavy use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying sessions. I tended was for narrative flow and session development to be shaped by player choice as opposed to random chance. However, I opted to alter my method, and I'm incredibly pleased with the outcome.
The Catalyst: Seeing 'Luck Rolls'
A well-known streamed game showcases a DM who regularly requests "chance rolls" from the players. He does this by picking a specific dice and defining consequences contingent on the number. It's essentially no unlike rolling on a random table, these get invented spontaneously when a course of events lacks a clear outcome.
I opted to test this technique at my own table, mostly because it seemed engaging and offered a change from my standard routine. The outcome were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the perennial balance between planning and spontaneity in a tabletop session.
A Memorable In-Game Example
At a session, my group had survived a massive conflict. Afterwards, a player inquired after two friendly NPCs—a brother and sister—had lived. Instead of choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The possible results were: a low roll, both died; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they both lived.
The player rolled a 4. This triggered a deeply moving moment where the adventurers came upon the bodies of their allies, still clasped together in their final moments. The party conducted a ceremony, which was particularly powerful due to previous roleplaying. As a final reward, I improvised that the remains were miraculously transformed, containing a enchanted item. I randomized, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the party required to resolve another major situation. One just plan such perfect coincidences.
Honing On-the-Spot Skills
This incident led me to ponder if improvisation and making it up are actually the core of this game. Although you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Groups frequently take delight in derailing the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a good DM must be able to adapt swiftly and create scenarios in the moment.
Utilizing on-the-spot randomization is a fantastic way to practice these skills without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to apply them for small-scale circumstances that have a limited impact on the campaign's main plot. For instance, I would not employ it to establish if the main villain is a secret enemy. However, I could use it to decide whether the PCs reach a location right after a critical event takes place.
Strengthening Collaborative Storytelling
Spontaneous randomization also works to keep players engaged and cultivate the feeling that the story is responsive, shaping according to their decisions as they play. It prevents the feeling that they are merely actors in a DM's sole narrative, thereby bolstering the cooperative nature of storytelling.
This approach has always been part of the original design. The game's roots were enamored with random tables, which suited a game focused on treasure hunting. Although current D&D often emphasizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, this isn't always the best approach.
Finding the Right Balance
Absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. However, there is also nothing wrong with letting go and letting the dice to determine certain outcomes rather than you. Authority is a significant part of a DM's responsibilities. We need it to manage the world, yet we often struggle to give some up, at times when doing so could be beneficial.
My final advice is this: Have no fear of temporarily losing the reins. Try a little chance for smaller outcomes. It may create that the unexpected outcome is significantly more rewarding than anything you might have planned in advance.
