🔗 Share this article

When I am a DM, I historically steered clear of heavy use of randomization during my D&D sessions. I preferred was for the plot and session development to be determined by character actions instead of random chance. That said, I opted to try something different, and I'm incredibly pleased with the outcome.

The Spark: Watching a Custom Mechanic

An influential actual-play show utilizes a DM who regularly requests "luck rolls" from the players. This involves choosing a polyhedral and outlining potential outcomes based on the result. While it's essentially no unlike consulting a random table, these are created in the moment when a player's action doesn't have a obvious conclusion.

I decided to try this approach at my own session, primarily because it seemed interesting and provided a departure from my normal practice. The outcome were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the perennial dynamic between pre-determination and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

An Emotional Session Moment

At a session, my party had concluded a large-scale conflict. When the dust settled, a cleric character inquired after two friendly NPCs—a sibling duo—had lived. In place of choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to make a twenty-sided die roll. The stakes were: a low roll, both would perish; a middling roll, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they survived.

The die came up a 4. This led to a deeply moving moment where the characters came upon the bodies of their allies, still united in their final moments. The cleric conducted last rites, which was uniquely meaningful due to prior character interactions. As a final gesture, I decided that the NPCs' bodies were strangely restored, containing a enchanted item. By chance, the bead's contained spell was precisely what the party lacked to address another critical situation. One just script these kinds of magical story beats.

Improving On-the-Spot Skills

This event led me to ponder if improvisation and spontaneity are in fact the beating heart of tabletop RPGs. While you are a detail-oriented DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Players often take delight in derailing the best constructed narratives. Therefore, a effective DM needs to be able to think quickly and invent content in the moment.

Employing on-the-spot randomization is a excellent way to practice these talents without straying too much outside your usual style. The strategy is to apply them for small-scale decisions that don't fundamentally change the session's primary direction. To illustrate, I wouldn't use it to determine if the king's advisor is a secret enemy. But, I might use it to decide if the characters arrive right after a major incident takes place.

Enhancing Collaborative Storytelling

Spontaneous randomization also works to keep players engaged and cultivate the sensation that the adventure is dynamic, progressing based on their actions immediately. It combats the sense that they are merely pawns in a rigidly planned script, thereby strengthening the shared nature of roleplaying.

This approach has historically been part of the game's DNA. Original D&D were filled with encounter generators, which fit a game focused on treasure hunting. While modern D&D frequently prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they must prep extensively, it's not necessarily the only path.

Striking the Right Balance

Absolutely no problem with thorough preparation. However, 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 job. We need it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to give some up, at times when doing so could be beneficial.

The core suggestion is this: Don't be afraid of relinquishing a bit of your plan. Try a little randomness for smaller outcomes. It may find that the surprising result is significantly more memorable than anything you would have scripted by yourself.