🔗 Share this article

As a DM, I usually avoided extensive use of randomization during my D&D adventures. I preferred was for the plot and session development to be guided by deliberate decisions rather than the roll of a die. However, I chose to change my approach, and I'm very happy with the result.

The Inspiration: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A popular actual-play show utilizes a DM who regularly calls for "luck rolls" from the players. This involves choosing a type of die and outlining consequences based on the result. This is at its core no different from rolling on a random table, these are devised on the spot when a character's decision has no predetermined conclusion.

I opted to test this technique at my own game, mainly because it appeared engaging and offered a departure from my standard routine. The experience were eye-opening, prompting me to think deeply about the often-debated tension between planning and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful Session Moment

During one session, my players had concluded a massive battle. Afterwards, a cleric character wondered if two friendly NPCs—a pair—had lived. In place of deciding myself, I handed it over to chance. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both were killed; on a 5-9, only one would die; on a 10+, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This led to a profoundly emotional moment where the adventurers came upon the corpses of their friends, forever united in their final moments. The cleric conducted last rites, which was especially powerful due to earlier character interactions. As a final touch, I chose that the remains were miraculously restored, containing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the bead's magical effect was perfectly what the group needed to resolve another pressing quest obstacle. One just script this type of serendipitous coincidences.

Improving DM Agility

This incident caused me to question if improvisation and thinking on your feet are truly the beating heart of this game. While you are a prep-heavy DM, your improvisation muscles can rust. Players frequently excel at upending the best constructed plans. Therefore, a skilled DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and fabricate content on the fly.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a fantastic way to practice these abilities without venturing too far outside your preparation. The trick is to apply them for low-stakes situations that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would not employ it to determine if the main villain is a traitor. Instead, I could use it to figure out if the characters reach a location just in time to see a key action unfolds.

Strengthening Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also helps make players feel invested and foster the sensation that the game world is alive, progressing based on their choices as they play. It prevents the sense that they are merely characters in a rigidly planned narrative, thereby bolstering the cooperative foundation of the game.

This approach has historically been part of the game's DNA. Early editions were enamored with encounter generators, which suited a game focused on treasure hunting. While contemporary D&D tends to prioritizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, this isn't always the best approach.

Striking the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely no problem with being prepared. However, there is also no problem with relinquishing control and allowing the whim of chance to decide some things instead of you. Direction is a major factor in a DM's responsibilities. We require it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to release it, even when doing so can lead to great moments.

My final advice is this: Don't be afraid of relinquishing a bit of control. Experiment with a little randomness for smaller story elements. You might just create that the surprising result is significantly more powerful than anything you could have pre-written by yourself.