🔗 Share this article

In my role as a Dungeon Master, I historically avoided significant use of randomization during my D&D adventures. I tended was for narrative flow and session development to be determined by character actions instead of the roll of a die. However, I decided to try something different, and I'm incredibly pleased with the outcome.

The Inspiration: Watching an Improvised Tool

A popular streamed game utilizes a DM who regularly asks for "fate rolls" from the adventurers. The process entails picking a polyhedral and assigning possible results based on the number. This is fundamentally no distinct from rolling on a random table, these are devised on the spot when a character's decision doesn't have a clear conclusion.

I opted to test this technique at my own session, mainly because it looked interesting and presented a break from my usual habits. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to think deeply about the often-debated dynamic between pre-determination and randomization in a tabletop session.

A Memorable In-Game Example

In a recent session, my players had concluded a large-scale battle. Afterwards, a cleric character wondered if two beloved NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. Instead of deciding myself, I handed it over to chance. I instructed the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both would perish; a middling roll, a single one would die; on a 10+, they made it.

Fate decreed a 4. This led to a profoundly emotional sequence where the party discovered the remains of their friends, forever holding hands in death. The cleric performed a ceremony, which was particularly significant due to prior roleplaying. In a concluding gesture, I decided that the NPCs' bodies were suddenly transformed, revealing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the bead's magical effect was exactly what the party lacked to address another major quest obstacle. One just orchestrate such serendipitous story beats.

Sharpening On-the-Spot Skills

This incident caused me to question if improvisation and making it up are in fact the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. Although you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Adventurers frequently take delight in ignoring the most carefully laid narratives. Therefore, a skilled DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and create content on the fly.

Employing luck rolls is a great way to develop these abilities without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The trick is to deploy them for minor decisions that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would not employ it to determine if the main villain is a traitor. But, I could use it to decide whether the party arrive just in time to see a key action takes place.

Strengthening Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also serves to maintain tension and cultivate the sensation that the story is responsive, progressing in reaction to their choices as they play. It prevents the perception that they are merely characters in a rigidly planned story, thereby enhancing the cooperative nature of the game.

This philosophy has historically been part of the core of D&D. The game's roots were enamored with encounter generators, which fit a game focused on exploration. Although modern D&D frequently prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, that may not be the required method.

Finding the Sweet Spot

It is perfectly no issue with being prepared. But, it's also fine nothing wrong with relinquishing control and allowing the whim of chance to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Control is a big factor in a DM's role. We require it to run the game, yet we frequently find it hard to cede it, even when doing so could be beneficial.

A piece of advice is this: Don't be afraid of temporarily losing the reins. Experiment with a little randomness for minor details. It may find that the organic story beat is infinitely more rewarding than anything you would have scripted in advance.