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In my role as a DM, I historically steered clear of extensive use of chance during my D&D games. My preference was for story direction and session development to be determined by character actions instead of pure luck. However, I decided to change my approach, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Spark: Seeing an Improvised Tool

A popular podcast utilizes a DM who often asks for "chance rolls" from the adventurers. The process entails picking a type of die and outlining possible results contingent on the roll. It's at its core no unlike consulting a pre-generated chart, these are devised spontaneously when a character's decision lacks a clear resolution.

I decided to try this approach at my own table, primarily because it appeared interesting and offered a departure from my usual habits. The experience were remarkable, prompting me to think deeply about the perennial balance between preparation and improvisation in a D&D campaign.

A Memorable Story Beat

In a recent session, my party had survived a large-scale conflict. Afterwards, a cleric character wondered if two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had made it. In place of choosing an outcome, I asked for a roll. I instructed the player to roll a d20. The stakes were: a low roll, both were killed; on a 5-9, a single one would die; on a 10+, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This triggered a profoundly emotional scene where the adventurers found the bodies of their friends, forever united in death. The party held funeral rites, which was especially significant due to previous story developments. In a concluding gesture, I improvised that the NPCs' bodies were suddenly transformed, showing a spell-storing object. By chance, the bead's magical effect was exactly what the group required to solve another critical quest obstacle. You simply orchestrate this type of magical story beats.

Honing Your Improvisation

This incident made me wonder if chance and making it up are truly the core of D&D. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt can rust. Players reliably find joy in upending the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a good DM needs to be able to adapt swiftly and invent details in the moment.

Utilizing on-the-spot randomization is a excellent way to train these abilities without going completely outside your comfort zone. The trick is to apply them for low-stakes situations that have a limited impact on the campaign's main plot. For instance, I would not employ it to determine if the central plot figure is a secret enemy. However, I might use it to decide whether the PCs reach a location right after a critical event occurs.

Enhancing Player Agency

This technique also works to maintain tension and foster the impression that the story is alive, progressing based on their decisions as they play. It combats the perception that they are merely actors in a rigidly planned script, thereby bolstering the cooperative aspect of the game.

Randomization has always been part of the original design. The game's roots were filled with charts, which suited a game focused on dungeon crawling. Even though current D&D often emphasizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, it's not necessarily the best approach.

Striking the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. However, it's also fine no issue with stepping back and allowing the whim of chance to determine certain outcomes rather than you. Authority is a significant part of a DM's role. We use it to facilitate play, yet we can be reluctant to release it, at times when doing so can lead to great moments.

A piece of recommendation is this: Don't be afraid of letting go of control. Try a little chance for inconsequential outcomes. You might just find that the organic story beat is infinitely more memorable than anything you might have pre-written in advance.