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When I am a game master, I usually steered clear of extensive use of luck during my D&D games. My preference was for story direction and session development to be shaped by player choice instead of random chance. Recently, I opted to change my approach, and I'm incredibly glad I did.

The Catalyst: Watching a Custom Mechanic

A popular actual-play show showcases a DM who frequently asks for "fate rolls" from the players. The process entails selecting a specific dice and assigning consequences based on the roll. While it's at its core no distinct from rolling on a pre-generated chart, these get invented in the moment when a character's decision doesn't have a clear resolution.

I chose to experiment with this method at my own table, primarily because it looked engaging and presented a break from my normal practice. The experience were remarkable, prompting me to think deeply about the often-debated tension between pre-determination and spontaneity in a tabletop session.

A Powerful Session Moment

In a recent session, my party had concluded a large-scale conflict. Later, a cleric character wondered if two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. Instead of picking a fate, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both were killed; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they made it.

Fate decreed a 4. This triggered a profoundly moving moment where the characters discovered the bodies of their allies, forever united in their final moments. The group conducted last rites, which was especially significant due to previous character interactions. As a final touch, I improvised that the forms were miraculously transformed, containing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the item's magical effect was perfectly what the party needed to address another major quest obstacle. One just orchestrate this type of perfect coincidences.

Honing On-the-Spot Skills

This experience led me to ponder if improvisation and making it up are in fact the core of this game. Although you are a detail-oriented DM, your skill to pivot may atrophy. Groups often find joy in derailing the best constructed plots. Therefore, a skilled DM must be able to adapt swiftly and create scenarios in real-time.

Employing luck rolls is a fantastic way to train these skills without going completely outside your usual style. The trick is to use them for low-stakes situations that won't drastically alter the overarching story. As an example, I wouldn't use it to establish if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. Instead, I might use it to figure out whether the party reach a location just in time to see a key action occurs.

Enhancing Shared Narrative

This technique also works to keep players engaged and cultivate the feeling that the game world is dynamic, shaping based on their choices in real-time. It prevents the sense that they are merely actors in a DM's sole script, thereby strengthening the cooperative foundation of the game.

This approach has long been part of the core of D&D. The game's roots were filled with random tables, which made sense for a game focused on dungeon crawling. Although current D&D often focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, that may not be the required method.

Finding the Healthy Equilibrium

Absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. But, equally valid no issue with relinquishing control and letting the dice to determine certain outcomes rather than you. Control is a big part of a DM's responsibilities. We need it to manage the world, yet we often struggle to release it, in situations where doing so might improve the game.

My final advice is this: Don't be afraid of relinquishing a bit of control. Experiment with a little chance for smaller outcomes. You might just create that the organic story beat is significantly more rewarding than anything you could have scripted on your own.