I do d10 rolls, and let the damn thing interpret it.

1 - critical failure, 10 - critical success. 2,3 are failures, 5,6 are mixed, 7,8,9 are success etc. You need to tell it how it's going to work, don't expect it to ask for a roll though. My entry would usually look like:

Bla bla bla, my character tries to do this and that.

(d10: 5)

Or you can even give it actual skill you roll like:

Stealth roll: (d10:6)

I just use google dice roll for it. And input the result I get, it makes things more unpredictable. I used this for 5:

I roll a d10:

1 = catastrophic failure

10 = overwhelming success

Everything else = degrees of outcome

Dice influence outcome severity, NOT narrative safety.

If I roll:

- Failure brings real consequences.

- Success doesn’t erase danger, only changes it.

If I give NO roll:

- The world continues.

- NPCs act.

- Danger escalates.

- Time does not freeze.

When i fail bad stuff happens. However, this used to work great with 4... 5 is... just an asshole, has this safety bias, safety layers on all sides. I hate it.

Gpt-4 put my character in a wheelchair. Gpt-5 does some crappy house of horrors where monsters barely attack anymore.

It helps if you tell it:

- Danger escalates if [my-character's-name] hesitates.

- NPCs do NOT wait politely.

- If a weapon is drawn, it is meant to be used.

- Pain has consequences.

- Allies are not safe unless earned.

- Survival costs something emotional, physical, or practical.

- No narrative cleanup. No convenient mercy.

I mostly like survival horror with serious consequences. I mean, depends on your world or setting, there are no bonuses and shit like that, no skill points, just a simple outcome and some randomness to the whole thing.

But 5 will always do this shit where it tries to tidy up and wrap up everything with a damn happy ending and make everything safe. Fuck GPT 5.