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When I am a DM, I usually steered clear of significant use of chance during my D&D games. My preference was for the plot and what happened in a game to be shaped by character actions as opposed to the roll of a die. However, I chose to try something different, and I'm very happy with the result.

The Spark: Seeing an Improvised Tool

A well-known podcast features a DM who regularly requests "fate rolls" from the participants. The process entails choosing a polyhedral and assigning potential outcomes based on the result. It's essentially no unlike using a pre-generated chart, these are created on the spot when a course of events doesn't have a predetermined resolution.

I decided to try this technique at my own session, primarily because it looked novel and presented a change from my standard routine. The results were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the perennial balance between preparation and improvisation in a D&D campaign.

An Emotional Session Moment

In a recent session, my group had concluded a massive battle. When the dust settled, a player asked about two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. Rather than picking a fate, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both would perish; a middling roll, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they made it.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a incredibly moving moment where the characters discovered the bodies of their companions, still clasped together in their final moments. The cleric performed funeral rites, which was especially powerful due to prior character interactions. In a concluding gesture, I chose that the remains were suddenly restored, showing a magical Prayer Bead. I rolled for, the item's magical effect was exactly what the group required to address another critical quest obstacle. One just orchestrate these kinds of serendipitous coincidences.

Honing Your Improvisation

This experience made me wonder if chance and making it up are actually the essence of this game. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your skill to pivot may atrophy. Groups often find joy in ignoring the best constructed plans. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to think quickly and create details in real-time.

Utilizing luck rolls is a fantastic way to practice these talents without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to apply them for minor circumstances that won't drastically alter the campaign's main plot. As an example, I would avoid using it to decide if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. Instead, I would consider using it to decide whether the characters reach a location just in time to see a major incident occurs.

Empowering Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also works to keep players engaged and create the sensation that the adventure is alive, shaping according to their choices as they play. It combats the feeling that they are merely characters in a rigidly planned story, thereby enhancing the cooperative foundation of the game.

This approach has historically been part of the game's DNA. The game's roots were filled with charts, which made sense for a game focused on treasure hunting. While current D&D tends to focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, this isn't always the best approach.

Finding the Right Balance

It is perfectly nothing wrong with being prepared. But, it's also fine nothing wrong with relinquishing control and allowing the dice to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Direction is a big part of a DM's role. We need it to facilitate play, yet we often struggle to release it, at times when doing so could be beneficial.

The core recommendation is this: Have no fear of letting go of your plan. Embrace a little chance for smaller story elements. The result could create that the surprising result is infinitely more memorable than anything you could have pre-written in advance.