Does Your Game Have Random Encounters?

[haakon1]

Once for an expedition to the Underdark, I created 12 encounters - scripted in the sense of fully stat’d (3.5e, so not so easy to wing it with monsters with character classes) and a story about what was going on.

Then I rolled for Random Encounters periodically, something like a 1 on a d6 every 2 hours when moving, every 4 hours when not moving (I don’t remember exactly what I setup as the intervals).

When I got a 1, I rolled a d12 to see what they ran into/what ran into them. Some very memorable encounters occurred, like when a PC was refilling canteens during an overnight rest and Shadows wandered up from the underground lake. Tough fight with a PC death because the party was caught unready.

 

[zarionofarabel]

I mean, I get that. I'm just trying to imagine what that looks like at the table.

I decide, on purpose, what the opposition would be based on the momentum of the narrative, but it is not decided until a moment before the combat begins. I'm one of the terrible "make it up on the fly in real time at the table" type GMs. So nothing is scripted per se. However, I rarely use random tables to decide where the narrative goes, simply deciding based on either the previous scene(s) or simply my own whim. So combat in my games is neither prescripted, nor entirely random. If that makes any sense.

 

[payn]

That was a hard vote... I went with not really maybe once or twice an adventure. Typically, Id only use random generation for overland travel, hexcrawling, dungeon/subterranean spelunking, etc.. Occasionally, something like Kingmaker from Paizo would use them a lot. Though, most of my campaigns are more linear in nature and I didnt find the random generator to be all that interesting anymore. Unless you spend time making tables that make sense, it often doesnt. YMMV.

 

[overgeeked]

That wasn't my intent. I believe that random encounter lists can (and maybe should) be carefully curated and balanced by the DM to match the party and the setting. As much as balance can be, anyway.

Ah. I take the opposite approach. The random lists should only be limited by what’s reasonably in the world in that area and the list should be “balanced” by probability, i.e. dragons are very rare in the world so should be a very rare result on the table.

For example, if there’s an orc warband on the march in that area, then the PCs can encounter them. What the PCs decide to do is entirely up to them.

That is to say the world isn’t balanced around the PCs. The world is. And the PCs are in it.

 

[bloodtide]

I use random encounters a lot. I love randomness.

I make a lot of my own tables, and I throw in lots of crazy, wacky stuff.

 

[Reynard]

Huh. I am not sure how to answer this question for when I run Shadowdark. usually, I use the old "roll up the dungeon" method where I throw a handful of dice on a blank sheet and that not only stocks the dungeon but draws it too. Does that mean it is all random? Maybe? But it isn't like I don't make decisions around those results.

Generally speaking, I am pro random generation. That doesn't always mean "random encounters" in the sense the OP is talking about though.

 

[CleverNickName]

Awesome, @Reynard. I was hoping to hear from some non-D&D gamers on this poll.

 

[Cadence]

@Cadence @BigJackBrass I'm bummed that I messed that option up, because it was the one I was most interested in hearing feedback from. We hear a lot of banter about "scripted vs. random," but not much else.

If neither Scripted nor Random, what do you use instead?

Sometimes I have things mapped out pretty well and in those cases it is mostly scripted. Recently I've been running some GG remastered modules and they have some inhabitants who might be stationary (but don't seem like they should) and some random encounter tables. I don't usually randomly roll, it's probably closer to...

I decide, on purpose, what the opposition would be based on the momentum of the narrative, but it is not decided until a moment before the combat begins. I'm one of the terrible "make it up on the fly in real time at the table" type GMs. So nothing is scripted per se. However, I rarely use random tables to decide where the narrative goes, simply deciding based on either the previous scene(s) or simply my own whim. So combat in my games is neither prescripted, nor entirely random. If that makes any sense.

I might have them roll a d12 for luck and use the roll (I tell them in advance if high or low is better) to guide me based on what the party has been doing.

A lot of times I might only have a sketch of what is off the beaten path, or maybe just a general inkling. In those cases I <insert @zarionofarabel 's note above, maybe a luck die, and taking the parties actions into account>.

 

[Tonguez]

I started using Dungeon Worlds fronts to establish the dangers and grim portents that the PCs might encounter in an area. I really like Fronts as they allow flexibility while keeping things focussed on adventure themes and clear portents that PCs can respond to and/or progress the clock. Sometimes I'll add 1d4 or 1d6 example encounters for each Grim Portent.

So for instance in Keep on the Borderland, the Caves of Chaos is the main front (Rising Horde) with the Doom: Destruction - Overrun the Keep.
Grim Portents 1: Rival clans raiding travellers and each other.
Grim Portents 2: A powerful warlord begins uniting the tribes.
Grim Portents 3: Coordinated raids on caravans and farmsteads.
Grim Portents 4: Doom: Unified horde marches on the Keep.

Grim Portent 1 -1d4 Encounters
1. The PCs come across a group of hobgoblins setting fire to a gnoll encampment
2. A merchant caravan has blundered into a pit trap, the survivors cry for help as a trio of bugbears move to claim the prize.
3. A group of orcs returns from a raid, dragging livestock and chained captives. They’re captives include two chained goblins.
4. The PCs encounter a goblin raiding party carrying severed human heads.

​

 

[schneeland]

Depends on the game. Our CoC game has no random encounters. But in the Beyond the Wall game I run, most encounters are random encounters.