Does Your Game Have Random Encounters?

[Desdichado]

I use the Angry GM strategy, also published by Bardzilla as Improved Travel. It replaces the random encounters mechanic and works for any system.

 

[Vael]

Most of the time I run published adventures, so I'll use a random encounter mechanic if one is included. When I'm not doing that ... I generally plan encounters, even in the spur of the moment

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

It depends on the adventure and system.

 

[Gorgon Zee]

Slight Aside: "Not really, maybe once or twice in an adventure" is an oxymoron for me as I generally have one or two combats ONLY in an adventure.

In general I tend to plan out likely paths for an adventure, and script encounters for them, but my players commonly will then do something different, and I will often use a random encounter for that. Or semi-random.

I've been running Pendragon for the last few years, and I've been using the following system for unscripted encounters:

• I choose a set of potential adversaries based on the play situation -- about a half-dozen to a dozen.
• A player makes a skill roll to see how well they can read the situation (hunting or battle are common)., That determines how many random cards they get and choose one from.
• I often have a set of special encounters for critical rolls.

It works nicely for Pendragon as the fiction supports the action ("I succeed at hunting" -- "you pick up the spoor of a panther and a wyvern, which do you follow ...") and blends player knowledge, GM scene-setting, and character abilities nicely.

You could easily adapt it to a random encounter table -- basic success the players get the choice of 2 encounters, 5+_ over they get three, and critical they get a special.