Mike Mearls: Random Tables

I've always been a fan of random tables (it's why I had the OGRE generator built for EN World, allowing folks to create their own automated random generators and tables). Mike Mearls of WotC talks about random tables in his column this week. This was material he originally presented at a convention panel in 2006. In this article, he presents tables ofr combat colour, and for denizens and employees of a gaming parlor.

The article is here. And here are a few of my own favourite random tables:

• Mundane treasure generator -- Mundane (non-magical) treasure: trade goods, objects d'art, etc. Whether your treasure hoard contains a new-looking copper figurine depicting the ship The Lady of Berpool, a big steel bracelet with a cuddly dragon motif, a flawless ebony needle, or a shabby copy of Archbishop Copperbane the Trifold's Planar Encyclopedia of Numinous Alchemy, you'll be sure to find a wide variety of non-magical trinkets and items!
• Tavern Creator -- Generate a detailed tavern - including its name, quality, size, and owner, plus varied drinks and food menus, patrons, current events, lodgings, and local rumours. A complete tavern in under 2 seconds!
• Sci-fi corporation generator -- Create a quick sci-fi corporation, along with a few details about their business. Useful for any sci-fi RPG.

 

[pukunui]

Love me some random tables! I can see myself using some of these.

 

[Halivar]

Some people think random generators are uncreative. I disagree; the best random generators produce paradoxes that require creative storytelling to reconcile. Best example: random NPC personality table from 1E DMG. I rolled up a lady paladin who was "very young, chaste, pious, unforgiving, reckless, and interested in wine and spirits". The party met her at a tavern, whereupon they saw a grubby old man pinch a drunk teenager's bottom, and she cut is arm off. Of all my NPC's, she was the party's favorite. It's the kind of personality I might never have come up with myself, but a random table handed it to me.

 

[Zaran]

Seems to me he spent more time on this article than whoever did making the magic item random table. It's a mess for a GM who wants a random sword or a wonderous item.

 

[famousringo]

Some people think random generators are uncreative.

The solution for those people is obvious.

We need a random random generator generator. It's bound to surprise people with the things randomly generated by the things it randomly generates.

 

[Staffan]

I thought this article was fairly good.

 

[Shiroiken]

I actually agreed with most of this article. The only thing I would disagree with was the use of "boring" NPCs. Sometimes you just want a random NPC to direct the PCs in the right direction. They don't need much beyond that, so "boring" works well for them (you don't want the PCs hanging around with the NPC, rather than continuing the adventure). Also, I generally favor more disparity in my racial representations, so I'd have to consider higher dice or varied dice (2d4, 1d6+1d4, etc.). I might suggest the first roll be percentile, while the rest are flat numbers, which would allow for the occasional oddball (a drow in Waterdeep, for example).

 

[Serrrg]

Are there actually any news about the O.G.R.E. app?? It has been "coming" a very long "soon"

 

[Morrus]

Are there actually any news about the O.G.R.E. app?? It has been "coming" a very long "soon"

It's been in place for nearly two years!

 

[Psikerlord#]

I find random tables good fun.

Hmm I like the idea of a random hit and miss generator, keying off the d20 hit roll and cross referenced to the first damage dice roll. So I dont have to roll and extra time on the table, it's all built into the attack/damage mechanic already.