I'm curious how/when other people employ random events and encounters. I'm not making a poll because I don't really care about poll results, I'm more interested in the explanations people provide for their positions, and the conversations we can have.
Do you use random encounters? Do you make tables and check events off of them? Do your random encounters typically just consist of a single group of hostile or nonhostile NPCs cross paths with the party?
For those that care, here's what I do (feel free to skip it, it's a little long):
I mostly run open-world sandbox style games, so some time ago I realized I wanted a dynamic and reusable way to generate random encounters. So, for a given location, I will generate a table. I keep the entries in the table fairly generic (see below for some examples) and flexible.
Then, I pick a black die and a white die and roll twice on the table. The two results get combined to generate a random encounter. If appropriate, I assume the results of the black die are antagonizing the white die.
Here's an excerpt of some of the nastier entries in a larger table for the slums of a major, utterly lawless metropolis in one of my homebrew settings, just to give you a feel for the level of generic that I'm going for:
I've currently got 20 entries for the slums, and a few different (albeit similar) tables for the other parts of the city.
With a table like this, I still need to employ a large amount of improvisation, which suits my style very well. But the table can be reused many, many times, and each time it will help me to quickly generate a unique encounter.
Because I roll twice and create an event based on the interplay between the two rolls, the random encounter typically feels more like a living event that the party has chanced upon. It also provides some insulation if a low level party rolls an unlikely encounter with a rampaging wyvern or something, since what they'll see is a wyvern in the process of ripping apart a bunch of urchins or whatever. They can simply flee and count their blessings, if they choose.
Sometimes the event doesn't cry out for player involvement at all. I once ended up rolling an event that boiled down to a crowd viciously heckling a fanatic proselytizing in the streets. The party listened in for a bit, I think one person tried to defuse the situation, then they shrugged and moved on.
Personally, I love stuff like that. The goal is to help the world feel real and living, not specifically to create exciting combat encounters or high-stakes negotiations or whatever.
It's probably worth acknowledging that I do also sometimes create more specific random encounter lists, for specific locations or situations. For example, in my Expedition to the Halls of Madness adventure (same homebrew world as above, one-shot high-lethality module), I have a very specific encounter table. (Note: If you're in this game, please stop reading now.)
So this one has much more specific entries, like cultists and goblins that are plaguing the area, and the "Lone NPC, roll again and consult below" entry that includes highly specific named NPCs like this:
These tables can be fun, but ultimately I usually find them to be too much prep for not enough payoff. They kind of incentivize reusing them or otherwise forcing the party to run into them, since they require a fair bit of specific prep and consideration. I usually only do these for modules I plan on running multiple times for different groups, or in specific situations where I think it's warranted.
Mostly, I prefer the more fluid method detailed above.
So, as always, if you read this far, thanks! How do you handle random encounters?
Do you use random encounters? Do you make tables and check events off of them? Do your random encounters typically just consist of a single group of hostile or nonhostile NPCs cross paths with the party?
For those that care, here's what I do (feel free to skip it, it's a little long):
I mostly run open-world sandbox style games, so some time ago I realized I wanted a dynamic and reusable way to generate random encounters. So, for a given location, I will generate a table. I keep the entries in the table fairly generic (see below for some examples) and flexible.
Then, I pick a black die and a white die and roll twice on the table. The two results get combined to generate a random encounter. If appropriate, I assume the results of the black die are antagonizing the white die.
Here's an excerpt of some of the nastier entries in a larger table for the slums of a major, utterly lawless metropolis in one of my homebrew settings, just to give you a feel for the level of generic that I'm going for:
- Urchins, begging, picking pockets, scrapping among themselves, etc.
- Brawl, perhaps among low-ranking members of gangs, or one that has spilled out of a nearby tavern into the streets.
- Street vendor selling cheap food, drink, or other sundries. Or possibly trying to draw business to a nearby stationary shop/tavern/etc.
- Cultists, such as worshipers of the Thin Mage, mad silent devotees of the Nameless Gods, members of the Long Night, devout farmers preaching about the Mother’s Midsummer, etc.
- Monstrous Humanoids such as orcs, kobolds, etc. Perhaps living shunned lives in squalor of the slums, or sneaking into the city to raid. If anywhere near south-eastern Underside, likely to be kobold raiders until Reptilian Rats event is completed.
- Wild animals, perhaps a pack of feral dogs or cats, or rats, or something less common.
- Monster, if near the Midden could be a Carrior Crawler or Otyugh. If near Shadow Cliffs could be underdark monster or similar. If in Bridge District, especially on Gravewheat side, could be wyvern. If in doubt roll 1d6 exploding for CR.
I've currently got 20 entries for the slums, and a few different (albeit similar) tables for the other parts of the city.
With a table like this, I still need to employ a large amount of improvisation, which suits my style very well. But the table can be reused many, many times, and each time it will help me to quickly generate a unique encounter.
Because I roll twice and create an event based on the interplay between the two rolls, the random encounter typically feels more like a living event that the party has chanced upon. It also provides some insulation if a low level party rolls an unlikely encounter with a rampaging wyvern or something, since what they'll see is a wyvern in the process of ripping apart a bunch of urchins or whatever. They can simply flee and count their blessings, if they choose.
Sometimes the event doesn't cry out for player involvement at all. I once ended up rolling an event that boiled down to a crowd viciously heckling a fanatic proselytizing in the streets. The party listened in for a bit, I think one person tried to defuse the situation, then they shrugged and moved on.
Personally, I love stuff like that. The goal is to help the world feel real and living, not specifically to create exciting combat encounters or high-stakes negotiations or whatever.
It's probably worth acknowledging that I do also sometimes create more specific random encounter lists, for specific locations or situations. For example, in my Expedition to the Halls of Madness adventure (same homebrew world as above, one-shot high-lethality module), I have a very specific encounter table. (Note: If you're in this game, please stop reading now.)
So this one has much more specific entries, like cultists and goblins that are plaguing the area, and the "Lone NPC, roll again and consult below" entry that includes highly specific named NPCs like this:
- A Deep Scion, posing as an adventurer named Gareth that is trying to find the Expedition. Will join up free of charge, in exchange for a share of the loot. Will try to get info on the team and the Expedition, will betray party at worst moment in Temple or Halls. Goal is to bring one or more people alive down to the Halls of Madness to be enslaved.
- A mad cultist (Kraken Priest) of the Nameless Gods, his body twisted into something alien. Tentacles hang from his face like a beard, his flesh is mottled blue and white and slimy to the touch, and eyeballs blink from scattered places across his body. He rants about the “Unnamed Divine that dwells beneath the Temple” and the “holy Halls of Knowledge.” Can be fairly easily avoided, but if the party gets too close and seems to dismiss his proselytizing, he will turn aggressive very quickly.
- A wandering half-elven Druid of the Long Night Cult (caster level 5, replace animal messenger w/ heat metal, add sleet storm and conjure animals and 2 level 3 slots). If any party member is in the Long Night, they can identify this Druid as a fellow cultist named Loreth, and he will be willing to join the party in exchange for a share of any unique loot and an oath of service from the Long Night member. Otherwise, he may follow the party and attempt to hamper them during a fight, kill unattended animals, or otherwise cause mayhem.
- An injured Veteran (-4d6 HP) named Branson and an unconscious allied Scout named Vera, returning from a short excursion to scout the Keep. Rest of their party was wiped out by goblins and traps. He is dragging the Scout on a litter back to the Expedition camp. In the litter he also has a sack of jingly loot (and then a description his loot, likelihood of his making it back to the Expedition alive on his own, likelihood of being tracked by goblins if PCs help him go back, etc.)
These tables can be fun, but ultimately I usually find them to be too much prep for not enough payoff. They kind of incentivize reusing them or otherwise forcing the party to run into them, since they require a fair bit of specific prep and consideration. I usually only do these for modules I plan on running multiple times for different groups, or in specific situations where I think it's warranted.
Mostly, I prefer the more fluid method detailed above.
So, as always, if you read this far, thanks! How do you handle random encounters?
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