🔗 Share this article

When I am a DM, I usually steered clear of extensive use of chance during my tabletop roleplaying adventures. I preferred was for the plot and what happened in a game to be determined by character actions instead of pure luck. However, I opted to change my approach, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Catalyst: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A well-known streamed game showcases a DM who frequently asks for "chance rolls" from the players. This involves choosing a specific dice and defining consequences based on the result. This is fundamentally no unlike consulting a pre-generated chart, these get invented on the spot when a character's decision doesn't have a obvious outcome.

I opted to test this method at my own game, mainly because it looked novel and provided a break from my usual habits. The outcome were eye-opening, prompting me to reflect on the often-debated balance between planning and improvisation in a D&D campaign.

An Emotional Story Beat

At a session, my players had just emerged from a city-wide fight. When the dust settled, a player wondered if two key NPCs—a pair—had lived. Instead of picking a fate, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: on a 1-4, both would perish; a middling roll, a single one would die; a high roll, they made it.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a incredibly moving scene where the characters came upon the bodies of their companions, still clasped together in death. The party conducted funeral rites, which was especially significant due to earlier story developments. As a final gesture, I improvised that the remains were suddenly transformed, showing a enchanted item. I randomized, the bead's contained spell was exactly what the party needed to address another major quest obstacle. It's impossible to script such magical coincidences.

Honing On-the-Spot Skills

This event caused me to question if randomization and thinking on your feet are truly the essence of this game. While you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Players often take delight in upending the most carefully laid narratives. Therefore, a skilled DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and invent details on the fly.

Employing similar mechanics is a great way to develop these abilities without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to deploy them for minor circumstances that won't drastically alter the session's primary direction. For instance, I would avoid using it to establish if the central plot figure is a traitor. However, I might use it to determine if the party enter a room just in time to see a critical event occurs.

Strengthening Collaborative Storytelling

Luck rolls also works to keep players engaged and foster the sensation that the story is alive, progressing based on their actions as they play. It reduces the sense that they are merely actors in a DM's sole story, thereby enhancing the cooperative aspect of storytelling.

Randomization has historically been integral to the core of D&D. The game's roots were reliant on charts, which fit a playstyle focused on treasure hunting. Although current D&D frequently emphasizes narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the required method.

Striking the Sweet Spot

It is perfectly no problem with doing your prep. But, there is also nothing wrong with letting go and letting the whim of chance to guide minor details rather than you. Authority is a big aspect of a DM's role. We require it to manage the world, yet we frequently find it hard to give some up, in situations where doing so can lead to great moments.

A piece of suggestion is this: Do not fear of relinquishing a bit of the reins. Try a little improvisation for inconsequential story elements. You might just create that the organic story beat is significantly more powerful than anything you might have scripted in advance.