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In my role as a game master, I historically shied away from significant use of chance during my D&D sessions. I tended was for story direction and what happened in a game to be guided by player choice rather than pure luck. However, I decided to alter my method, and I'm incredibly glad I did.

The Spark: Observing an Improvised Tool

A popular podcast showcases a DM who often calls for "chance rolls" from the participants. The process entails selecting a type of die and outlining possible results tied to the roll. This is at its core no different from rolling on a pre-generated chart, these get invented spontaneously when a character's decision has no predetermined outcome.

I decided to try this approach at my own table, primarily because it appeared interesting and provided a change from my normal practice. The results were eye-opening, prompting me to reconsider the often-debated balance between preparation and randomization in a tabletop session.

An Emotional In-Game Example

At a session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale battle. When the dust settled, a cleric character asked about two friendly NPCs—a pair—had lived. Rather than picking a fate, I handed it over to chance. I told the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: on a 1-4, both would perish; a middling roll, only one succumbed; on a 10+, they survived.

The player rolled a 4. This resulted in a deeply emotional moment where the party found the bodies of their friends, forever holding hands in death. The party held a ceremony, which was especially significant due to earlier character interactions. In a concluding touch, I chose that the remains were suddenly restored, revealing a magical Prayer Bead. By chance, the item's magical effect was exactly what the group lacked to solve another major quest obstacle. You simply script this type of magical coincidences.

Sharpening DM Agility

This incident led me to ponder if chance and spontaneity are actually the essence of this game. Although you are a prep-heavy DM, your skill to pivot need exercise. Adventurers often excel at ignoring the best constructed plans. Therefore, a good DM needs to be able to think quickly and fabricate details in the moment.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a great way to train these skills without venturing too far outside your usual style. The key is to use them for small-scale circumstances that don't fundamentally change the overarching story. As an example, I would avoid using it to decide if the central plot figure is a traitor. But, I might use it to figure out if the characters enter a room moments before a critical event unfolds.

Strengthening Player Agency

This technique also serves to maintain tension and create the sensation that the game world is responsive, shaping based on their decisions immediately. It combats the sense that they are merely pawns in a pre-written narrative, thereby strengthening the cooperative nature of roleplaying.

This philosophy has long been integral to the core of D&D. Original D&D were filled with charts, which fit a game focused on treasure hunting. Even though current D&D frequently emphasizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they require detailed plans, it's not necessarily the required method.

Striking the Healthy Equilibrium

It is perfectly no problem with doing your prep. Yet, there is also no issue with letting go and letting the dice to determine certain outcomes instead of you. Control is a big part of a DM's job. We require it to run the game, yet we frequently find it hard to give some up, in situations where doing so could be beneficial.

My final recommendation is this: Don't be afraid of letting go of the reins. Try a little randomness for smaller story elements. It may find that the unexpected outcome is far more powerful than anything you could have scripted in advance.