On the Value of Uncertainty

[Doug McCrae]

It's possible to have both foreshadowing and randomly determined plot elements if the randomisation is done at the prep stage. For example if the DM rolls up the 200 ogre dungeon, not during the game session but before the campaign even begins, he'll be able to 'signpost' it.

I've used this kind of randomisation in an attempt to break out of creative ruts, stop everything looking too same-y. For superhero games I've got a bag filled with little bits of paper each of which has the name of a significant comics character or event. I pull out two or more and combine them to create a (semi) new concept, or at least a new connection such as Darkseid tries to obtain the Anti-Life equation from the mind of the Red Skull.

You haven't mentioned the main source of uncertainty for the DM though. It's not dice rolls, but the actions of the players.

 

[Reynard]

It's possible to have both foreshadowing and randomly determined plot elements if the randomisation is done at the prep stage. For example if the DM rolls up the 200 ogre dungeon, not during the game session but before the campaign even begins, he'll be able to 'signpost' it.

True. I am certainly all for using randomness in prep as well as play, and I'm also not saying nothing should be planned. rather, i think that randomness has the potential to create "unexpected fun" in either situation. Of course, things like totally incongruent wandering monster results can be ignored -- the 1E DMG says so! -- I tend to try and rioll with such results rather than throw them out on first blush.

You haven't mentioned the main source of uncertainty for the DM though. It's not dice rolls, but the actions of the players.

Which is the thing that makes DMing worth it. there's nothing more awesome than being surprised and entertained by your players.

 

[RFisher]

What I find strange is that here the DM is most likely to fudge -- if the roll have savere consequences that could disrupt or change the definition of the campaign, he' more likely to ignore the dice and go with the prefferred result anyway. In that case, he shouldn't be calling for a roll at all.

When trying to make a decision as DM, I’ll often pick up a die and pick a random chance of one alternative or the other and then roll. It’s only then—when faced with the die’s “choice”—that I really realize which makes the most sense to me. Seems silly even to me, but there it is.

But this is usually just for decisions I’m making on my own, not when I’ve called for a player to roll.