Chance Rolls in Dungeons & Dragons Can Help You Become a Superior Dungeon Master

When I am a Dungeon Master, I traditionally avoided significant use of luck during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. I tended was for the plot and session development to be guided by player choice as opposed to the roll of a die. That said, I decided to change my approach, and I'm truly pleased with the outcome.

The Spark: Seeing an Improvised Tool

An influential actual-play show showcases a DM who often asks for "fate rolls" from the players. He does this by picking a polyhedral and defining consequences contingent on the roll. It's essentially no distinct from rolling on a random table, these are devised on the spot when a course of events has no clear outcome.

I chose to experiment with this approach at my own session, primarily because it appeared novel and provided a break from my standard routine. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to reconsider the often-debated balance between pre-determination and randomization in a D&D campaign.

A Memorable Story Beat

In a recent session, my party had just emerged from a massive battle. Later, a cleric character wondered if two friendly NPCs—a pair—had survived. In place of deciding myself, I asked for a roll. I instructed the player to roll a d20. The possible results were: on a 1-4, both died; a middling roll, only one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

The die came up a 4. This led to a deeply poignant sequence where the adventurers discovered the bodies of their friends, forever united in their final moments. The group performed last rites, which was particularly significant due to prior character interactions. As a final reward, I improvised that the forms were strangely transformed, showing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the item's magical effect was precisely what the party lacked to resolve another critical quest obstacle. It's impossible to orchestrate these kinds of perfect story beats.

Improving Your Improvisation

This event caused me to question if randomization and thinking on your feet are actually the core of tabletop RPGs. While you are a meticulously planning DM, your skill to pivot need exercise. Adventurers frequently excel at upending the most detailed narratives. Therefore, a good DM must be able to pivot effectively and create content in real-time.

Utilizing luck rolls is a excellent way to train these talents without going completely outside your usual style. The trick is to apply them for small-scale situations that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I wouldn't use it to decide if the king's advisor is a traitor. Instead, I could use it to determine whether the characters arrive moments before a major incident takes place.

Empowering Shared Narrative

This technique also works to make players feel invested and create the feeling that the game world is dynamic, evolving according to their choices in real-time. It combats the sense that they are merely actors in a DM's sole script, thereby enhancing the shared foundation of roleplaying.

This approach has long been embedded in the original design. Early editions were enamored with encounter generators, which suited a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. Even though current D&D often prioritizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the required method.

Striking the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely no issue with being prepared. Yet, equally valid no problem with stepping back and allowing the dice to guide minor details in place of you. Authority is a big part of a DM's responsibilities. We require it to run the game, yet we often struggle to release it, even when doing so might improve the game.

My final advice is this: Don't be afraid of relinquishing a bit of control. Embrace a little randomness for inconsequential story elements. The result could create that the organic story beat is far more rewarding than anything you might have scripted by yourself.