🔗 Share this article

When I am a DM, I usually shied away from heavy use of chance during my Dungeons & Dragons games. I preferred was for story direction and session development to be determined by character actions rather than random chance. That said, I decided to try something different, and I'm very glad I did.

The Spark: Seeing an Improvised Tool

A well-known podcast features a DM who regularly asks for "chance rolls" from the adventurers. This involves picking a type of die and outlining potential outcomes tied to the result. It's essentially no unlike consulting a random table, these get invented on the spot when a course of events has no predetermined outcome.

I chose to experiment with this method at my own game, mostly because it looked novel and provided a departure from my usual habits. The results were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the perennial balance between pre-determination and randomization in a tabletop session.

An Emotional Story Beat

At a session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale fight. When the dust settled, a player wondered if two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. Rather than deciding myself, I let the dice decide. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both were killed; on a 5-9, only one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a profoundly poignant scene where the party found the bodies of their allies, forever holding hands in death. The cleric conducted last rites, which was uniquely meaningful due to previous roleplaying. As a final gesture, I improvised that the NPCs' bodies were strangely transformed, containing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the item's magical effect was precisely what the group lacked to resolve another critical situation. One just plan this type of magical moments.

Sharpening DM Agility

This event led me to ponder if chance and making it up are truly the essence of D&D. While you are a prep-heavy DM, your skill to pivot may atrophy. Groups frequently take delight in derailing the most detailed plots. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to think quickly and invent content in the moment.

Employing similar mechanics is a excellent way to develop these skills without venturing too far outside your preparation. The key is to apply them for minor situations that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. For instance, I would avoid using it to establish if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. Instead, I might use it to determine whether the characters arrive just in time to see a critical event occurs.

Enhancing Player Agency

Spontaneous randomization also helps keep players engaged and foster the impression that the adventure is dynamic, progressing based on their decisions immediately. It reduces the perception that they are merely actors in a DM's sole story, thereby strengthening the collaborative foundation of roleplaying.

This philosophy has historically been part of the original design. Early editions were filled with encounter generators, which fit a game focused on exploration. Although contemporary D&D frequently prioritizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the only path.

Striking the Sweet Spot

Absolutely no problem with doing your prep. Yet, equally valid no issue with letting go and allowing the rolls to guide minor details in place of you. Control is a big factor in a DM's responsibilities. We use it to run the game, yet we often struggle to cede it, in situations where doing so can lead to great moments.

A piece of advice is this: Have no fear of temporarily losing the reins. Experiment with a little randomness for inconsequential story elements. It may create that the surprising result is far more powerful than anything you might have pre-written on your own.