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In my role as a DM, I traditionally steered clear of significant use of randomization during my Dungeons & Dragons sessions. My preference was for narrative flow and what happened in a game to be shaped by player choice rather than random chance. However, I decided to try something different, and I'm truly pleased with the outcome.

The Inspiration: Observing a Custom Mechanic

A well-known actual-play show features a DM who often asks for "fate rolls" from the participants. This involves selecting a polyhedral and outlining possible results contingent on the number. While it's essentially no unlike rolling on a random table, these are created spontaneously when a player's action lacks a predetermined resolution.

I chose to experiment with this method at my own table, mainly because it looked engaging and offered a departure from my normal practice. The experience were fantastic, prompting me to reflect on the often-debated dynamic between pre-determination and spontaneity in a roleplaying game.

An Emotional In-Game Example

In a recent session, my party had just emerged from a large-scale battle. Afterwards, a cleric character inquired after two key NPCs—a brother and sister—had survived. Instead of picking a fate, I handed it over to chance. I asked the player to roll a d20. I defined the outcomes as: a low roll, both were killed; on a 5-9, only one would die; on a 10+, they both lived.

Fate decreed a 4. This resulted in a deeply moving scene where the party found the remains of their friends, still holding hands in their final moments. The cleric conducted funeral rites, which was particularly significant due to prior story developments. As a final touch, I decided that the remains were suddenly restored, containing a spell-storing object. I rolled for, the item's contained spell was perfectly what the party needed to solve another critical story problem. You simply script these kinds of magical moments.

Sharpening DM Agility

This event led me to ponder if chance and making it up are actually the core of tabletop RPGs. While you are a prep-heavy DM, your improvisation muscles may atrophy. Adventurers often find joy in upending the most detailed plots. Therefore, a good DM must be able to adapt swiftly and create details in real-time.

Utilizing similar mechanics is a great way to train these talents without going completely outside your preparation. The trick is to use them for small-scale circumstances that have a limited impact on the session's primary direction. As an example, I would not employ it to determine if the main villain is a traitor. However, I might use it to figure out whether the party reach a location just in time to see a critical event occurs.

Strengthening Player Agency

This technique also helps make players feel invested and foster the feeling that the game world is dynamic, progressing according to their choices immediately. It prevents the sense that they are merely pawns in a DM's sole narrative, thereby enhancing the shared foundation of storytelling.

This philosophy has always been embedded in the core of D&D. Early editions were enamored with encounter generators, which fit a game focused on exploration. Even though contemporary D&D frequently prioritizes story and character, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, that may not be the required method.

Achieving the Sweet Spot

There is absolutely no problem with thorough preparation. But, equally valid nothing wrong with letting go and allowing the whim of chance to guide minor details instead of you. Authority is a significant part of a DM's job. We need it to manage the world, yet we can be reluctant to cede it, even when doing so might improve the game.

The core recommendation is this: Have no fear of temporarily losing control. Embrace a little randomness for minor details. It may create that the unexpected outcome is far more memorable than anything you might have scripted in advance.