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In my role as a DM, I historically steered clear of extensive use of luck during my tabletop roleplaying games. I tended was for the plot and what happened in a game to be shaped by deliberate decisions instead of the roll of a die. However, I chose to change my approach, and I'm very glad I did.

The Inspiration: Seeing an Improvised Tool

A popular podcast showcases a DM who regularly requests "luck rolls" from the players. This involves picking a type of die and assigning possible results contingent on the result. While it's fundamentally no distinct from consulting a pre-generated chart, these are devised in the moment when a character's decision doesn't have a obvious resolution.

I decided to try this method at my own session, primarily because it looked interesting and offered a break from my normal practice. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to reconsider the perennial tension between planning and spontaneity in a roleplaying game.

A Memorable Story Beat

During one session, my players had just emerged from a large-scale battle. Later, a player wondered if two beloved NPCs—a pair—had survived. In place of choosing an outcome, I let the dice decide. I instructed the player to roll a d20. The possible results were: on a 1-4, both would perish; on a 5-9, a single one succumbed; a high roll, they both lived.

The player rolled a 4. This led to a incredibly poignant scene where the characters came upon the corpses of their companions, forever holding hands in their final moments. The party conducted funeral rites, which was particularly meaningful due to previous character interactions. As a final touch, I chose that the remains were strangely transformed, containing a spell-storing object. By chance, the item's contained spell was precisely what the group lacked to address another pressing story problem. One just plan this type of magical story beats.

Improving On-the-Spot Skills

This incident made me wonder if randomization and spontaneity are truly the essence of D&D. While you are a prep-heavy DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Adventurers frequently take delight in upending the most detailed plans. Therefore, a good DM needs to be able to pivot effectively and invent content on the fly.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a great way to develop these abilities without venturing too far outside your usual style. The key is to apply them for small-scale situations that won't drastically alter the campaign's main plot. As an example, I wouldn't use it to decide if the main villain is a secret enemy. Instead, I would consider using it to determine if the party reach a location right after a critical event takes place.

Strengthening Shared Narrative

Luck rolls also serves to maintain tension and create the impression that the story is responsive, progressing based on their actions immediately. It combats the sense that they are merely pawns in a rigidly planned script, thereby bolstering the cooperative foundation of the game.

This approach has long been integral to the core of D&D. Early editions were enamored with encounter generators, which suited a game focused on dungeon crawling. Although modern D&D frequently focuses on narrative and role-play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, this isn't always the required method.

Finding the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely nothing wrong with doing your prep. Yet, there is also nothing wrong with letting go and permitting the whim of chance to guide minor details instead of you. Direction is a major aspect of a DM's role. We need it to run the game, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, in situations where doing so might improve the game.

My final recommendation is this: Do not fear of temporarily losing your plan. Try a little chance for inconsequential details. It may create that the surprising result is far more memorable than anything you might have scripted in advance.