In my role as a Dungeon Master, I usually steered clear of extensive use of randomization during my Dungeons & Dragons games. I tended was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be shaped by player choice rather than pure luck. Recently, I opted to alter my method, and I'm truly pleased with the outcome.
A well-known actual-play show showcases a DM who frequently requests "fate rolls" from the adventurers. This involves picking a polyhedral and defining potential outcomes based on the result. It's fundamentally no distinct from consulting a random table, these are devised in the moment when a character's decision has no obvious outcome.
I chose to experiment with this approach at my own session, mostly because it seemed novel and provided a departure from my standard routine. The experience were remarkable, prompting me to think deeply about the often-debated tension between preparation and spontaneity in a roleplaying game.
At a session, my players had survived a large-scale fight. Afterwards, a player inquired after two beloved NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. Rather than deciding myself, I let the dice decide. I asked the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: a low roll, both were killed; on a 5-9, only one succumbed; a high roll, they survived.
The player rolled a 4. This led to a deeply moving moment where the adventurers came upon the remains of their friends, forever clasped together in their final moments. The group performed a ceremony, which was especially powerful due to earlier roleplaying. As a parting reward, I chose that the forms were strangely transformed, containing a magical Prayer Bead. I rolled for, the bead's contained spell was precisely what the party required to address another major situation. It's impossible to script this type of magical coincidences.
This event caused me to question if improvisation and making it up are truly the essence of this game. Even if you are a meticulously planning DM, your skill to pivot need exercise. Players often excel at upending the most carefully laid plans. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to think quickly and create content in the moment.
Employing similar mechanics is a fantastic way to develop these skills without straying too much outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to deploy them for small-scale circumstances that won't drastically alter the campaign's main plot. As an example, I would not employ it to determine if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. However, I might use it to determine if the PCs reach a location moments before a key action unfolds.
This technique also works to keep players engaged and create the sensation that the adventure is alive, evolving according to their actions as they play. It reduces the sense that they are merely characters in a pre-written narrative, thereby strengthening the shared nature of the game.
This approach has historically been part of the core of D&D. Original D&D were enamored with random tables, which suited a game focused on exploration. Although modern D&D often focuses on plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the required method.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. But, it's also fine no problem with letting go and permitting the dice to guide minor details instead of you. Control is a major factor in a DM's responsibilities. We use it to facilitate play, yet we often struggle to cede it, even when doing so might improve the game.
A piece of recommendation is this: Don't be afraid of relinquishing a bit of control. Embrace a little randomness for smaller details. The result could find that the unexpected outcome is far more rewarding than anything you would have planned on your own.
