Does Your Game Have Random Encounters?

[Laurefindel]

Unsure what to answer. I went with the last option given the erratum in the OP.

At any case, I don’t use random encounters in the classical D&D nomenclature (where encounter = necessarily hostile or adverse, with a randomly generated nature from tables, and randomly triggered regardless of narrative).

Unplanned or unscripted fights will happen spontaneously based on the actions of PCs, but that is not « random » in my definition.

Sometimes, fights or environmental threats may or may not happen based on a probability model, but that doesn’t make them unplanned or unscripted (or « random »).

 

[Kichwas]

Outside of doing a few randomly generated dungeons back during AD&D 1E in the early 80s just as a gag because those crazy tables were there, I've never liked random encounters and almost always if not actually always avoided using them.

If something doesn't have a purpose in the story or narrative, I don't want it in there.

That doesn't mean something can't happen that the players think is random. I grew up around drivebys and other conflicts after all.

But I'm not doing an RPG as a life simulation game. I'm doing it for a shared story. And in a story you put in conflict as a part of plot or character. Not because Tolkien rolled a 23 on a d100.

Note that save for the time I was running Pathfinder 2E adventures, my games have never been scripted. They're an improv affair as I work through the story with my group. So... not sure which answer in the survey works for me. Is that a "different method for that" given that for me there is no "that"...

 

[TheHand]

I voted “yes, but rarely…” and it largely depends on the style of game I’m running and the group I’m running it for. I have one group who are very RP and story-focused, so for them the answer is “almost never,” but another group I run for are more old school dungeoneers, and for them I use plenty of random encounters.

When I do use random encounters, I also like charts that aren’t just battles. Sometimes random encounters can result in neutral or friendly folk, and sometimes they are just terrain obstacles, an odd omen or marker, or something mysterious to explore.

 

[Professor Murder]

So it depends.
Most often, no. I preplan out some situations where there can be combat, do up stats for the encounter, and what happens happens. In nearly all games I run I don't just have "An interval has happened, lets see if you encounter an obstacle randomly."

The exception are games based completely around random occurrence, like say Pirate Borg, with a whole mess of tables.

 

[Charlaquin]

This is hard to answer because the options are in terms of proportion of encounters and that’s not really how I do it… I voted for “usually” kind of by process of elimination, because I don’t mostly use random encounters (let alone always), but I do use them, often, and not “just as filler” or when things get slow. Random encounters play a very important role in my games, because they’re the most common form of time pressure while adventuring, and time pressure is essential to give a lot of common exploration tasks meaningful consequences for failure. Encounters with intentionally-placed enemies are the star of the show, but random encounters… they’re like the bass line.You might not actively notice what they’re adding to the game, but you’d definitely notice it didn’t feel right without them.

 

[dragoner]

My adventures are filled with random encounter tables, and often there isn't a big boss fight, just a score, or something.

 

[Zardnaar]

Yes voted fr rarely. Blow off steam or fake checks for pressure.

 

[pemerton]

It depends on the system. Classic Traveller uses random encounters. Torchbearer has random Camp and Town Events; but encounters during the Adventure Phase are either triggered by going to a place on the map, or introduced by the GM as twists for failed tests. Prince Valiant doesn't use random encounters at all; nor does Burning Wheel.

Also, the notion of "scripted encounters" suggests a prior decision - during prep - that a certain event will occur as part of the game. That is one alternative to random encounters, but not the only one. Instead of prep, it is possible to make decisions about events in the moment.

 

[cranberry]

I use random encounters, but only if the players stay in one place for an extended period of time. (overnight typically, but shorter rest periods occasionally if the players take too many)

 

[aco175]

I use them to fill places in the game or when the PCs do something such as try to sleep in the dungeon. I tend to fill the dungeon with more standard encounters and leave places that group encounters together depending on how the PCs go about things. A cluster of rooms may/should hear combat and come to reinforce the others, making a larger fight but also leaving the other rooms now empty afterwards.

Things change based on the PCs actions. There may be a planned encounter at the entrance of a cave with several goblins. The PCs can charge in and fight as normal or if they choose to wait until shift change or some go to lunch or something, then the encounter changes and might be easier. Shifting statblock numbers is always an option. This also means that if the PCs are waiting outside the entrance there may be a couple goblins with a work that go on a patrol around the area. This may be something that I never thought of until that time but could be a wandering encounter.