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When I am a DM, I historically steered clear of heavy use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. I preferred was for story direction and what happened in a game to be determined by character actions as opposed to random chance. However, I decided to try something different, and I'm incredibly glad I did.

The Inspiration: Observing an Improvised Tool

A well-known actual-play show showcases a DM who often requests "fate rolls" from the players. This involves picking a specific dice and assigning consequences based on the number. While it's essentially no different from consulting a random table, these get invented on the spot when a character's decision lacks a obvious resolution.

I chose to experiment with this approach at my own table, mostly because it appeared novel and presented a change from my usual habits. The experience were eye-opening, prompting me to think deeply about the ongoing tension between pre-determination and improvisation in a tabletop session.

An Emotional Story Beat

In a recent session, my group had just emerged from a large-scale fight. Later, a cleric character asked about two friendly NPCs—a sibling duo—had made it. Rather than picking a fate, I asked for a roll. I asked the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The possible results were: a low roll, both would perish; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they both lived.

Fate decreed a 4. This triggered a deeply moving moment where the characters discovered the remains of their companions, forever clasped together in their final moments. The group conducted last rites, which was particularly significant due to previous character interactions. As a final touch, I chose that the NPCs' bodies were miraculously transformed, containing a spell-storing object. By chance, the item's magical effect was precisely what the party lacked to solve another major situation. It's impossible to plan these kinds of serendipitous moments.

Sharpening DM Agility

This experience caused me to question if randomization and making it up are actually the core of tabletop RPGs. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Players reliably take delight in upending the most carefully laid plots. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to adapt swiftly and invent content on the fly.

Utilizing on-the-spot randomization is a fantastic way to develop these talents without venturing too far outside your preparation. The key is to apply them for minor decisions that don't fundamentally change the overarching story. As an example, I wouldn't use it to decide if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. Instead, I might use it to decide whether the characters reach a location right after a major incident takes place.

Empowering Shared Narrative

Spontaneous randomization also helps maintain tension and cultivate the sensation that the game world is dynamic, progressing according to their choices immediately. It combats the feeling that they are merely actors in a DM's sole narrative, thereby strengthening the cooperative nature of roleplaying.

Randomization has historically been part of the core of D&D. The game's roots were filled with random tables, which fit a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. Although current D&D often emphasizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, this isn't always the required method.

Striking the Sweet Spot

It is perfectly no problem with doing your prep. But, equally valid nothing wrong with relinquishing control and permitting the dice to guide minor details rather than you. Control is a big factor in a DM's responsibilities. We need it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to release it, in situations where doing so might improve the game.

The core suggestion is this: Do not fear of relinquishing a bit of the reins. Try a little improvisation for minor outcomes. You might just create that the unexpected outcome is significantly more rewarding than anything you would have pre-written on your own.