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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Doug McCrae" data-source="post: 7934726" data-attributes="member: 21169">I don't agree that there's no encounter structure guide in AD&D. All monsters, whether encountered in a dungeon or wilderness, have a "number appearing" entry. The more powerful monsters, such as dragons, are only found in the deeper dungeon levels or the less inhabited regions. Admittedly even the wilderness encounters in "inhabited and/or patrolled areas" are absolutely murderous - 30-300 orcs, 2-20 ogres - but that doesn't mean there's no encounter structure guide, just that your guide is off his face on pipeweed.The idea I think, going by OD&D, is that more powerful encounters that 'broke the rules' of dungeon level, such as a dozen very old red dragons on level 1, were placed in fixed locations. They weren't random encounters, so the PCs could always avoid the encounter by avoiding the location. OD&D Book 3 The Underground & Wilderness Adventures:The determination of just where monsters should be placed, and whether or not they will be guarding treasure, and how much of the latter if they are guarding something, can become burdensome when faced with several levels to do at one time. It is a good idea to thoughtfully place several of the most important treasures, with or without monstrous guardians, and then switch to a random determination for the balance of the level.</blockquote>