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In my role as a Dungeon Master, I traditionally shied away from extensive use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying games. I tended was for narrative flow and session development to be shaped by character actions as opposed to pure luck. Recently, I decided to try something different, and I'm very glad I did.

The Catalyst: Watching 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known streamed game utilizes a DM who frequently asks for "luck rolls" from the participants. This involves selecting a specific dice and defining potential outcomes contingent on the roll. This is at its core no distinct from rolling on a pre-generated chart, these are created in the moment when a player's action doesn't have a predetermined resolution.

I chose to experiment with this approach at my own game, mainly because it seemed engaging and offered a departure from my usual habits. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the perennial balance between planning and randomization in a roleplaying game.

An Emotional In-Game Example

At a session, my group had concluded a city-wide conflict. Afterwards, a cleric character wondered if two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had made it. Rather than deciding myself, I handed it over to chance. I instructed the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The possible results were: on a 1-4, both would perish; on a 5-9, only one succumbed; a high roll, they both lived.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a profoundly emotional scene where the party discovered the bodies of their allies, still holding hands in death. The cleric performed last rites, which was particularly meaningful due to earlier story developments. In a concluding touch, I improvised that the remains were strangely transformed, showing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the bead's magical effect was precisely what the group needed to address another pressing quest obstacle. You simply orchestrate this type of perfect story beats.

Improving On-the-Spot Skills

This incident caused me to question if randomization and thinking on your feet are actually the core of this game. Although you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Adventurers frequently find joy in derailing the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a good DM must be able to think quickly and fabricate content on the fly.

Employing similar mechanics is a great way to develop these abilities without venturing too far outside your usual style. The trick is to deploy them for minor circumstances that won't drastically alter the overarching story. For instance, I wouldn't use it to decide if the main villain is a traitor. Instead, I could use it to decide if the characters enter a room right after a major incident unfolds.

Empowering Player Agency

Luck rolls also helps make players feel invested and cultivate the impression that the adventure is alive, shaping based on their choices as they play. It combats the sense that they are merely actors in a pre-written narrative, thereby enhancing the collaborative foundation of storytelling.

This approach has long been integral to the core of D&D. The game's roots were enamored with encounter generators, which made sense for a playstyle focused on treasure hunting. While modern D&D tends to prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Achieving the Right Balance

There is absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared. Yet, there is also no problem with letting go and allowing the dice to decide some things rather than you. Control is a major aspect of a DM's role. We require it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to release it, at times when doing so could be beneficial.

A piece of recommendation is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of the reins. Experiment with a little chance for minor story elements. It may discover that the unexpected outcome is significantly more rewarding than anything you would have scripted on your own.