So much of a board game boils down to a roll of the dice, the picking of a card or a generous interpretation of a rule. Other than start a game of chess against oneself, there’s little anyone can do to mitigate randomness in board games. At the same time, there’s nothing anyone should do about it. Randomness and variance are precisely what make games so intriguing and replayable; they encourage distinct playstyles and lasting memories of situations that may not occur ever again. Plus, what will you and your friends argue about if not whether a particular win is deserved? If you’d only rolled a 5 or greater…here’s more on why randomness rules.

It pushes board gaming to the limits

No board game makes it to the shelf without a good amount of playtesting, during which the designers find every conceivable scenario and plan them all out. A lot of work goes into this process, and the difference between a good board game and a great board game (and a total failure) boils down to just how diligent the playtesters seem to be. But the best parts of board games are what occur in those corner cases, just outside what playtesters can anticipate. Rules are meant to be bent and strategies are meant to exist outside the lines; the only way to get to those scenarios, however, is to sit back and let the dice do the talking.

It allows for some extreme role playing

Board game worlds have been fleshed out by designers and artists for years, and they often include numerous different characters so players of all stripes can see themselves reflected in-game. Most of these character descriptions are limited by the imaginations of the designers and as reflections of tropes that have existed for some time. But what lives beyond what has already been established? With a few shuffles, a deck of cards can present a ton of randomness from which you can create an entirely novel character, even one with an iPhone just like you!

It encourages friendly conversation

There’s skill, then there’s luck. Both come from different places but players are always eager to attribute luck to something they did right, or claim a bad move in a board game was just a bad bout of luck. It’s human nature! Recognizing some insecurity in the aforementioned players, you can nod with encouragement and roll your eyes to yourself knowing that variance is providing much braggadociousness, and you can contribute your own praise.

It can’t be beat

In Dungeons and Dragons, a natural 20 roll is a critical hit and gets around even the most evasive defense and surmounts even the loftiest of circumstances. A 20 isn’t something players can skillfully roll; it’s always luck winning out. So, forego luck altogether and pray for a 20. 🙏🙏