Chance Rolls in D&D Can Help You Become a More Effective Dungeon Master

When I am a DM, I traditionally shied away from significant use of randomization during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. My preference was for story direction and session development to be guided by character actions as opposed to the roll of a die. However, I opted to alter my method, and I'm truly happy with the result.

The Catalyst: Observing an Improvised Tool

A well-known actual-play show utilizes a DM who regularly requests "chance rolls" from the adventurers. The process entails picking a polyhedral and assigning consequences based on the number. While it's fundamentally no unlike rolling on a random table, these are created spontaneously when a course of events has no obvious conclusion.

I decided to try this method at my own session, mainly because it looked novel and provided a break from my normal practice. The outcome were remarkable, prompting me to reflect on the ongoing tension between preparation and spontaneity in a tabletop session.

A Memorable Story Beat

At a session, my group had concluded a massive battle. Afterwards, a cleric character inquired after two friendly NPCs—a brother and sister—had survived. Instead of deciding myself, I let the dice decide. I told the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: a low roll, both died; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; on a 10+, they made it.

The player rolled a 4. This triggered a incredibly emotional scene where the party found the bodies of their companions, forever holding hands in death. The party performed funeral rites, which was especially powerful due to previous roleplaying. As a final reward, I chose that the remains were suddenly restored, containing a spell-storing object. I randomized, the bead's contained spell was perfectly what the group lacked to solve another pressing quest obstacle. You simply plan these kinds of perfect coincidences.

Improving Your Improvisation

This incident led me to ponder if improvisation and spontaneity are truly the beating heart of D&D. Although you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Adventurers frequently find joy in derailing the best constructed plots. Therefore, a skilled DM must be able to think quickly and create details in real-time.

Employing similar mechanics is a great way to train these talents without venturing too far outside your comfort zone. The trick is to deploy them for minor situations that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I would not employ it to establish if the main villain is a traitor. However, I might use it to figure out if the party enter a room moments before a key action occurs.

Empowering Collaborative Storytelling

Luck rolls also works to maintain tension and cultivate the sensation that the story is dynamic, progressing in reaction to their decisions immediately. It reduces the sense that they are merely pawns in a pre-written story, thereby enhancing the shared nature of roleplaying.

This philosophy has always been integral to the original design. Early editions were enamored with random tables, which fit a game focused on exploration. Although modern D&D tends to focuses on story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, that may not be the only path.

Striking the Healthy Equilibrium

Absolutely nothing wrong with being prepared. Yet, there is also nothing wrong with stepping back and permitting the dice to determine certain outcomes in place of you. Direction is a major factor in a DM's role. We need it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, at times when doing so can lead to great moments.

My final advice is this: Don't be afraid of temporarily losing control. Try a little chance for smaller outcomes. It may find that the unexpected outcome is infinitely more rewarding than anything you would have pre-written by yourself.