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When I am a DM, I historically avoided extensive use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying sessions. My preference was for story direction and session development to be determined by deliberate decisions as opposed to the roll of a die. However, I opted to change my approach, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Spark: Watching an Improvised Tool

A popular streamed game showcases a DM who often asks for "fate rolls" from the players. This involves selecting a polyhedral and assigning potential outcomes tied to the result. This is at its core no unlike using a pre-generated chart, these are created in the moment when a character's decision doesn't have a predetermined resolution.

I decided to try this method at my own session, primarily because it looked interesting and offered a change from my normal practice. The results were fantastic, prompting me to think deeply about the ongoing tension between pre-determination and randomization in a tabletop session.

A Memorable Session Moment

At a session, my group had just emerged from a massive battle. When the dust settled, a player wondered if two friendly NPCs—a brother and sister—had lived. Instead of choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to roll a d20. The possible results were: on a 1-4, both were killed; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they made it.

Fate decreed a 4. This led to a profoundly poignant moment where the adventurers found the remains of their companions, forever united in their final moments. The group performed a ceremony, which was especially powerful due to prior story developments. As a final reward, I chose that the NPCs' bodies were strangely transformed, revealing a enchanted item. By chance, the bead's magical effect was exactly what the group needed to solve another pressing situation. It's impossible to orchestrate these kinds of magical moments.

Improving DM Agility

This incident caused me to question if chance and spontaneity are actually the essence of D&D. Even if you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Groups often take delight in ignoring the best constructed plans. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to pivot effectively and fabricate scenarios in real-time.

Employing similar mechanics is a excellent way to train these talents without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to apply them for low-stakes circumstances that have a limited impact on the overarching story. To illustrate, I would not employ it to decide if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. However, I could use it to determine if the characters arrive just in time to see a major incident occurs.

Empowering Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also works to make players feel invested and create the impression that the game world is responsive, evolving based on their choices immediately. It prevents the perception that they are merely pawns in a rigidly planned narrative, thereby enhancing the cooperative aspect of storytelling.

Randomization has historically been integral to the core of D&D. Original D&D were reliant on random tables, which suited a game focused on treasure hunting. While modern D&D often focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, that may not be the only path.

Finding the Healthy Equilibrium

Absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. Yet, it's also fine no issue with letting go and allowing the dice to decide some things in place of you. Direction is a significant factor in a DM's responsibilities. We use it to facilitate play, yet we often struggle to give some up, at times when doing so can lead to great moments.

A piece of recommendation is this: Have no fear of letting go of the reins. Embrace a little randomness for minor outcomes. The result could create that the organic story beat is significantly more memorable than anything you would have planned on your own.