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As a DM, I historically shied away from extensive use of luck during my D&D games. I tended was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by player choice instead of the roll of a die. However, I chose to change my approach, and I'm truly pleased with the outcome.

The Inspiration: Seeing a Custom Mechanic

A popular podcast showcases a DM who frequently calls for "fate rolls" from the participants. This involves choosing a type of die and outlining potential outcomes tied to the result. It's fundamentally no unlike rolling on a pre-generated chart, these are devised on the spot when a course of events has no obvious conclusion.

I decided to try this technique at my own session, mostly because it appeared novel and presented a departure from my normal practice. The outcome were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the ongoing tension between planning and improvisation in a D&D campaign.

An Emotional Story Beat

During one session, my group had concluded a large-scale battle. Afterwards, a player inquired after two friendly NPCs—a sibling duo—had lived. Rather than choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The possible results were: on a 1-4, both were killed; a middling roll, a single one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This led to a profoundly emotional scene where the party came upon the bodies of their companions, still clasped together in death. The party performed a ceremony, which was particularly significant due to prior character interactions. As a parting touch, I improvised that the remains were suddenly transformed, containing a spell-storing object. By chance, the item's magical effect was exactly what the group needed to resolve another pressing story problem. It's impossible to plan such magical story beats.

Improving Your Improvisation

This event caused me to question if randomization and making it up are actually the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. Even if you are a prep-heavy DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Groups frequently find joy in ignoring the most carefully laid plots. Therefore, a effective DM must be able to pivot effectively and fabricate scenarios on the fly.

Utilizing luck rolls is a excellent way to practice these abilities without venturing too far outside your usual style. The strategy is to use them for small-scale decisions that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. For instance, I would not employ it to establish if the central plot figure is a traitor. But, I could use it to decide if the party arrive moments before a key action takes place.

Strengthening Player Agency

Luck rolls also helps keep players engaged and foster the feeling that the story is alive, evolving according to their decisions as they play. It combats the feeling that they are merely characters in a rigidly planned script, thereby strengthening the cooperative nature of roleplaying.

This approach has long been embedded in the original design. Original D&D were enamored with encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on exploration. Although current D&D frequently emphasizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, that may not be the required method.

Achieving the Sweet Spot

Absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. Yet, there is also nothing wrong with stepping back and allowing the whim of chance to decide some things instead of you. Control is a significant factor in a DM's job. We require it to facilitate play, yet we frequently find it hard to release it, even when doing so might improve the game.

A piece of suggestion is this: Do not fear of relinquishing a bit of control. Experiment with a little randomness for smaller story elements. It may create that the organic story beat is infinitely more powerful than anything you might have pre-written in advance.