In my role as a game master, I usually avoided significant use of randomization during my tabletop roleplaying adventures. My preference was for the plot and what happened in a game to be shaped by deliberate decisions rather than the roll of a die. That said, I opted to try something different, and I'm incredibly pleased with the outcome.
The Spark: Seeing 'Luck Rolls'
A popular actual-play show utilizes a DM who often requests "chance rolls" from the players. The process entails picking a type of die and assigning consequences contingent on the number. This is essentially no distinct from using a random table, these are created on the spot when a player's action lacks a obvious conclusion.
I chose to experiment with this technique at my own table, mostly because it looked novel and provided a break from my usual habits. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the perennial tension between preparation and improvisation in a tabletop session.
A Powerful Story Beat
At a session, my party had survived a city-wide conflict. Later, a player inquired after two key NPCs—a pair—had lived. Instead of deciding myself, I handed it over to chance. I told 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 would die; a high roll, they both lived.
The die came up a 4. This resulted in a profoundly poignant scene where the characters discovered the corpses of their companions, still united in their final moments. The party held a ceremony, which was particularly meaningful due to prior story developments. In a concluding reward, I decided that the forms were miraculously transformed, containing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the item's contained spell was exactly what the group lacked to address another pressing quest obstacle. It's impossible to orchestrate this type of magical story beats.
Honing DM Agility
This experience caused me to question if improvisation and spontaneity are in fact the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. Even if you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Players frequently find joy in upending the best constructed plots. Therefore, a skilled DM has to be able to think quickly and create details on the fly.
Using similar mechanics is a fantastic way to practice these skills without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to apply them for small-scale circumstances that have a limited impact on the overarching story. For instance, I wouldn't use it to establish if the main villain is a secret enemy. But, I might use it to decide whether the party enter a room right after a major incident occurs.
Strengthening Shared Narrative
This technique also serves to maintain tension and foster the feeling that the story is responsive, evolving based on their choices in real-time. It prevents the sense that they are merely actors in a pre-written narrative, thereby strengthening the cooperative aspect of storytelling.
This philosophy has historically been embedded in the game's DNA. The game's roots were reliant on encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. While contemporary D&D tends to prioritizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, this isn't always the best approach.
Striking the Healthy Equilibrium
Absolutely no issue with thorough preparation. Yet, equally valid no problem with relinquishing control and permitting the whim of chance to determine certain outcomes rather than you. Authority is a significant part of a DM's job. We use it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to release it, even when doing so can lead to great moments.
A piece of suggestion is this: Have no fear of temporarily losing the reins. Embrace a little randomness for minor details. It may find that the surprising result is significantly more powerful than anything you could have pre-written in advance.
