🔗 Share this article

When I am a Dungeon Master, I historically steered clear of significant use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. My preference was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be guided by character actions rather than random chance. However, I opted to try something different, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Catalyst: Observing a Custom Mechanic

An influential streamed game utilizes a DM who frequently requests "luck rolls" from the adventurers. This involves picking a specific dice and defining potential outcomes tied to the result. It's fundamentally no unlike rolling on a random table, these are created spontaneously when a player's action doesn't have a clear outcome.

I opted to test this technique at my own game, primarily because it seemed novel and provided a break from my standard routine. The outcome were eye-opening, prompting me to think deeply about the perennial tension between preparation and randomization in a roleplaying game.

An Emotional Story Beat

At a session, my players had survived a large-scale battle. When the dust settled, a player wondered if two beloved NPCs—a pair—had lived. In place of picking a fate, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both were killed; a middling roll, only one would die; a high roll, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a deeply moving moment where the adventurers came upon the remains of their allies, still holding hands in death. The party performed a ceremony, which was particularly significant due to previous roleplaying. In a concluding reward, I chose that the remains were strangely restored, revealing a enchanted item. I rolled for, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the party lacked to address another critical quest obstacle. One just script such serendipitous coincidences.

Honing On-the-Spot Skills

This experience made me wonder if improvisation and making it up are truly the core of this game. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Groups often take delight in derailing the most detailed plans. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to think quickly and invent content on the fly.

Employing luck rolls is a great way to practice these skills without going completely outside your usual style. The key is to use them for small-scale situations that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would not employ it to establish if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. But, I might use it to figure out whether the PCs reach a location right after a major incident occurs.

Empowering Shared Narrative

This technique also serves to maintain tension and foster the sensation that the adventure is dynamic, evolving according to their decisions as they play. It combats the perception that they are merely characters in a pre-written narrative, thereby bolstering the cooperative foundation of storytelling.

This philosophy has long been integral to the original design. Original D&D were filled with random tables, which fit a game focused on treasure hunting. Although current D&D tends to emphasizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, it's not necessarily the only path.

Finding the Sweet Spot

It is perfectly no problem with doing your prep. Yet, it's also fine no problem with stepping back and allowing the dice to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Direction is a major aspect of a DM's responsibilities. We need it to run the game, yet we frequently find it hard to cede it, in situations where doing so can lead to great moments.

My final recommendation is this: Don't be afraid of letting go of your plan. Embrace a little chance for smaller details. You might just find that the unexpected outcome is infinitely more memorable than anything you might have scripted by yourself.