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In my role as a DM, I usually steered clear of significant use of randomization during my D&D adventures. My preference was for story direction and what happened in a game to be determined by player choice as opposed to random chance. That said, I chose to alter my method, and I'm truly glad I did.

The Inspiration: Observing an Improvised Tool

A popular actual-play show utilizes a DM who often requests "luck rolls" from the participants. The process entails choosing a specific dice and defining potential outcomes contingent on the result. While it's fundamentally no distinct from consulting a pre-generated chart, these get invented spontaneously when a player's action doesn't have a predetermined outcome.

I opted to test this technique at my own session, mainly because it looked novel and presented a change from my normal practice. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the ongoing dynamic between preparation and spontaneity in a tabletop session.

An Emotional Story Beat

In a recent session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale battle. Afterwards, a player asked about two key NPCs—a pair—had lived. In place of deciding myself, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both were killed; on a 5-9, a single one would die; a high roll, they made it.

The player rolled a 4. This led to a incredibly poignant moment where the characters discovered the bodies of their allies, still clasped together in their final moments. The cleric conducted last rites, which was uniquely significant due to earlier story developments. In a concluding gesture, I improvised that the NPCs' bodies were strangely transformed, showing a enchanted item. By chance, the item's magical effect was precisely what the party required to resolve another pressing situation. One just orchestrate these kinds of perfect coincidences.

Improving DM Agility

This incident made me wonder if improvisation and making it up are truly the core of this game. Even if you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles can rust. Players reliably excel at upending the best constructed plots. Therefore, a skilled DM must be able to adapt swiftly and invent scenarios in the moment.

Employing similar mechanics is a fantastic way to develop these talents without going completely outside your usual style. The key is to apply them for minor decisions that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. As an example, I would not employ it to decide if the main villain is a secret enemy. Instead, I could use it to determine if the PCs arrive just in time to see a critical event takes place.

Empowering Collaborative Storytelling

Spontaneous randomization also works to maintain tension and create the feeling that the story is responsive, progressing according to their decisions immediately. It reduces the sense that they are merely pawns in a rigidly planned story, thereby bolstering the cooperative aspect of the game.

This philosophy has historically been part of the core of D&D. The game's roots were filled with random tables, which suited a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though current D&D often focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, it's not necessarily the required method.

Achieving the Right Balance

There is absolutely no problem with thorough preparation. However, equally valid no issue with relinquishing control and allowing the dice to decide some things in place of you. Authority is a significant factor in a DM's job. We require it to facilitate play, yet we can be reluctant to give some up, even when doing so might improve the game.

A piece of recommendation is this: Have no fear of letting go of the reins. Embrace a little improvisation for smaller outcomes. You might just find that the organic story beat is significantly more memorable than anything you would have scripted in advance.