🔗 Share this article

In my role as a game master, I historically steered clear of extensive use of luck during my tabletop roleplaying adventures. I tended was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be guided by character actions rather than the roll of a die. That said, I opted to change my approach, and I'm incredibly glad I did.

The Catalyst: Watching a Custom Mechanic

An influential podcast utilizes a DM who often requests "fate rolls" from the participants. This involves selecting a polyhedral and defining possible results contingent on the result. This is at its core no unlike rolling on a pre-generated chart, these are created on the spot when a course of events lacks a obvious conclusion.

I chose to experiment with this technique at my own game, mostly because it appeared novel and provided a departure from my normal practice. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the perennial dynamic between preparation and improvisation in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful In-Game Example

At a session, my players had just emerged from a massive conflict. When the dust settled, a player wondered if two key NPCs—a sibling duo—had survived. Rather than choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to roll a d20. The possible results were: on a 1-4, both were killed; on a 5-9, only one succumbed; a high roll, they survived.

Fate decreed a 4. This triggered a deeply moving moment where the adventurers came upon the corpses of their companions, still holding hands in death. The cleric conducted last rites, which was uniquely significant due to earlier roleplaying. In a concluding gesture, I decided that the forms were miraculously restored, containing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the group required to address another major situation. You simply plan this type of serendipitous coincidences.

Honing DM Agility

This experience led me to ponder if chance and spontaneity are in fact the beating heart of this game. While you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Groups reliably find joy in derailing the most detailed narratives. Therefore, a effective DM must be able to adapt swiftly and create details in the moment.

Employing luck rolls is a great way to train these talents without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The key is to apply them for minor circumstances that have a limited impact on the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I wouldn't use it to establish if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. However, I would consider using it to determine if the PCs enter a room moments before a key action unfolds.

Empowering Collaborative Storytelling

This technique also works to maintain tension and foster the sensation that the game world is dynamic, shaping according to their actions in real-time. It prevents the perception that they are merely actors in a rigidly planned script, thereby strengthening the collaborative nature of the game.

This philosophy has long been embedded in the original design. Early editions were reliant on random tables, which fit a game focused on treasure hunting. While modern D&D often focuses on narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, it's not necessarily the only path.

Achieving the Healthy Equilibrium

It is perfectly no issue with thorough preparation. Yet, there is also no issue with letting go and allowing the whim of chance to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Direction is a significant part of a DM's role. We need it to run the game, yet we often struggle to give some up, even when doing so might improve the game.

A piece of advice is this: Have no fear of relinquishing a bit of the reins. Try a little chance for smaller outcomes. It may discover that the surprising result is infinitely more rewarding than anything you might have pre-written in advance.