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As a game master, I usually avoided heavy use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying games. I preferred was for story direction and what happened in a game to be shaped by character actions rather than the roll of a die. However, I chose to change my approach, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Inspiration: Seeing an Improvised Tool

An influential actual-play show showcases a DM who frequently asks for "fate rolls" from the participants. He does this by picking a type of die and assigning potential outcomes contingent on the number. This is essentially no unlike rolling on a pre-generated chart, these are devised in the moment when a course of events lacks a obvious resolution.

I decided to try this technique at my own game, mainly because it looked interesting and provided a change from my normal practice. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to reconsider the ongoing dynamic between pre-determination and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful In-Game Example

At a session, my group had just emerged from a city-wide fight. When the dust settled, a player wondered if two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had survived. Instead of choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both died; a middling roll, only one would die; on a 10+, they made it.

The player rolled a 4. This resulted in a profoundly poignant moment where the adventurers found the corpses of their allies, still united in death. The group conducted funeral rites, which was particularly powerful due to earlier story developments. As a final touch, I chose that the remains were miraculously restored, containing a spell-storing object. By chance, the item's contained spell was precisely what the party lacked to resolve another pressing story problem. One just script such serendipitous moments.

Honing DM Agility

This experience caused me to question if chance and spontaneity are in fact the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. While you are a prep-heavy DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Groups frequently excel at ignoring the most detailed plots. Therefore, a good DM must be able to think quickly and create scenarios in the moment.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a great way to train these abilities without venturing too far outside your preparation. The strategy is to use them for low-stakes situations that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would avoid using it to establish if the main villain is a secret enemy. Instead, I might use it to figure out whether the PCs enter a room moments before a major incident unfolds.

Enhancing Player Agency

Luck rolls also works to make players feel invested and create the sensation that the game world is dynamic, evolving in reaction to their decisions as they play. It combats the feeling that they are merely pawns in a DM's sole narrative, thereby strengthening the cooperative nature of roleplaying.

Randomization has historically been part of the game's DNA. The game's roots were filled with charts, which suited a game focused on treasure hunting. Even though contemporary D&D often focuses on narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, it's not necessarily the only path.

Achieving the Sweet Spot

Absolutely no issue with being prepared. However, equally valid nothing wrong with letting go and letting the rolls to guide minor details instead of you. Control is a major part of a DM's responsibilities. We need it to manage the world, yet we frequently find it hard to release it, at times when doing so can lead to great moments.

The core advice is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of your plan. Try a little improvisation for minor outcomes. You might just find that the unexpected outcome is significantly more memorable than anything you could have planned by yourself.