🔗 Share this article

As a DM, I usually shied away from heavy use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. I preferred was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by deliberate decisions instead of the roll of a die. Recently, I decided to try something different, and I'm very happy with the result.

The Inspiration: Observing 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known streamed game utilizes a DM who regularly asks for "chance rolls" from the adventurers. This involves picking a polyhedral and defining potential outcomes contingent on the number. It's fundamentally no different from using a pre-generated chart, these are created in the moment when a course of events has no predetermined resolution.

I opted to test this technique at my own table, mostly because it seemed novel and offered a change from my standard routine. The outcome were remarkable, prompting me to think deeply about the ongoing balance between preparation and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful In-Game Example

In a recent session, my party had concluded a large-scale fight. When the dust settled, a cleric character asked about two friendly NPCs—a pair—had made it. In place of deciding myself, I let the dice decide. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both were killed; on a 5-9, only one succumbed; a high roll, they survived.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a incredibly moving scene where the party found the remains of their companions, forever clasped together in their final moments. The party conducted last rites, which was uniquely powerful due to earlier roleplaying. As a final gesture, I decided that the NPCs' bodies were strangely restored, containing a magical Prayer Bead. By chance, the bead's contained spell was perfectly what the group required to resolve another pressing story problem. It's impossible to orchestrate this type of magical story beats.

Sharpening Your Improvisation

This incident led me to ponder if improvisation and spontaneity are truly the essence of this game. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt need exercise. Groups reliably take delight in upending the most carefully laid narratives. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to think quickly and fabricate details in real-time.

Employing similar mechanics is a excellent way to practice these skills without going completely outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to apply them for small-scale situations that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I wouldn't use it to determine if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. But, I would consider using it to decide whether the characters reach a location moments before a major incident takes place.

Enhancing Player Agency

Luck rolls also works to maintain tension and cultivate the feeling that the story is responsive, shaping in reaction to their decisions immediately. It reduces the sense that they are merely actors in a rigidly planned story, thereby strengthening the cooperative foundation of the game.

Randomization has historically been part of the original design. The game's roots were reliant on random tables, which suited a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. Even though contemporary D&D frequently prioritizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the best approach.

Striking the Sweet Spot

It is perfectly nothing wrong with being prepared. Yet, equally valid no problem with stepping back and permitting the dice to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Authority is a big part of a DM's responsibilities. We use it to facilitate play, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, at times when doing so might improve the game.

The core suggestion is this: Do not fear of relinquishing a bit of control. Experiment with a little improvisation for minor outcomes. You might just discover that the unexpected outcome is far more memorable than anything you could have planned on your own.