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As a DM, I traditionally avoided heavy 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 pure luck. However, I decided to alter my method, and I'm very pleased with the outcome.

The Inspiration: Observing 'Luck Rolls'

A well-known actual-play show showcases a DM who regularly calls for "luck rolls" from the participants. He does this by picking a type of die and defining possible results tied to the roll. This is fundamentally no unlike consulting a random table, these get invented in the moment when a character's decision has no predetermined conclusion.

I chose to experiment with this method at my own session, primarily because it looked engaging and presented a change from my usual habits. The results were fantastic, prompting me to think deeply about the often-debated dynamic between pre-determination and spontaneity in a D&D campaign.

A Powerful In-Game Example

At a session, my party had survived a city-wide conflict. Afterwards, a player inquired after two beloved NPCs—a pair—had survived. In place of choosing an outcome, I handed it over to chance. I told the player to roll a d20. The possible results were: a low roll, both died; a middling roll, a single one would die; on a 10+, they made it.

The die came up a 4. This resulted in a deeply emotional moment where the party came upon the bodies of their companions, forever united in death. The party held a ceremony, which was uniquely meaningful due to prior roleplaying. In a concluding gesture, I chose that the forms were miraculously transformed, showing a enchanted item. I rolled for, the bead's magical effect was exactly what the party lacked to address another pressing situation. It's impossible to script these kinds of serendipitous coincidences.

Honing On-the-Spot Skills

This incident led me to ponder if randomization and making it up are truly the core of this game. While you are a meticulously planning DM, your ability to adapt may atrophy. Players reliably excel at ignoring the most carefully laid plots. Therefore, a good DM must be able to pivot effectively and invent content in the moment.

Employing luck rolls is a fantastic way to train these skills without going completely outside your comfort zone. The strategy is to use them for low-stakes circumstances that won't drastically alter the campaign's main plot. To illustrate, I would not employ it to determine if the king's advisor is a traitor. However, I might use it to determine if the characters enter a room just in time to see a key action occurs.

Empowering Collaborative Storytelling

Spontaneous randomization also works to keep players engaged and foster the impression that the story is dynamic, shaping based on their actions immediately. It reduces the perception that they are merely actors in a rigidly planned story, thereby enhancing the shared nature of roleplaying.

Randomization has always been part of the game's DNA. The game's roots were filled with encounter generators, which fit a playstyle focused on dungeon crawling. Although current D&D frequently emphasizes plot-driven play, leading many DMs to feel they need exhaustive notes, that may not be the only path.

Striking the Sweet Spot

Absolutely no issue with doing your prep. But, there is also nothing wrong with relinquishing control and permitting the whim of chance to decide some things in place of you. Direction is a significant aspect of a DM's job. We require 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: Don't be afraid of letting go of your plan. Try a little improvisation for inconsequential story elements. It may find that the organic story beat is significantly more memorable than anything you could have planned on your own.