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As a DM, I historically avoided extensive use of luck during my Dungeons & Dragons adventures. I preferred was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be guided by character actions rather than pure luck. However, I opted to alter my method, and I'm incredibly happy with the result.

The Inspiration: Watching an Improvised Tool

A well-known streamed game features a DM who frequently calls for "fate rolls" from the players. This involves choosing a specific dice and outlining potential outcomes based on the result. This is fundamentally no different from using a random table, these get invented spontaneously when a character's decision lacks a clear conclusion.

I opted to test this approach at my own table, mostly because it looked novel and provided a break from my normal practice. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reflect on the often-debated balance between pre-determination and improvisation in a roleplaying game.

An Emotional Session Moment

During one session, my group had concluded a massive conflict. When the dust settled, a cleric character inquired after two beloved NPCs—a pair—had made it. Instead of picking a fate, I handed it over to chance. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: a low roll, both died; a middling roll, a single one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a profoundly poignant sequence where the characters found the remains of their friends, still clasped together in their final moments. The group performed last rites, which was especially meaningful due to previous story developments. As a final touch, I chose that the NPCs' bodies were suddenly restored, containing a magical Prayer Bead. I randomized, the bead's contained spell was exactly what the group required to resolve another critical story problem. You simply plan such serendipitous story beats.

Improving On-the-Spot Skills

This experience caused me to question if randomization and thinking on your feet are actually the beating heart of D&D. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Groups often take delight in ignoring the most detailed narratives. Therefore, a good DM has to be able to adapt swiftly and fabricate content in the moment.

Using luck rolls is a fantastic way to train these talents without venturing too far outside your preparation. The trick is to apply them for minor circumstances that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. As an example, I wouldn't use it to establish if the central plot figure is a traitor. Instead, I might use it to determine if the PCs arrive moments before a major incident unfolds.

Enhancing Player Agency

This technique also serves to keep players engaged and cultivate the feeling that the game world is alive, evolving in reaction to their choices as they play. It combats the perception that they are merely actors in a pre-written narrative, thereby bolstering the collaborative foundation of the game.

Randomization has long been integral to the game's DNA. Original D&D were filled with random tables, which made sense for a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though contemporary D&D often focuses on narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, it's not necessarily the required method.

Finding the Right Balance

It is perfectly no problem with being prepared. However, equally valid nothing wrong with relinquishing control and permitting the dice to decide some things rather than you. Authority is a big factor in a DM's role. We need it to facilitate play, yet we frequently find it hard to cede it, at times when doing so can lead to great moments.

A piece of advice is this: Have no fear of letting go of control. Experiment with a little randomness for smaller story elements. It may discover that the surprising result is infinitely more memorable than anything you would have pre-written in advance.