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<blockquote data-quote="Hussar" data-source="post: 3391805" data-attributes="member: 22779">Now, the problem with this that I have is the idea that an NPC can have no purpose.&nbsp; How should the players know who has purpose and who does not?&nbsp; Perhaps the only purpose of that NPC was to pop up and whack a PC.&nbsp; Random, arbirtrary death can be a major part of a campaign.If nothing else, it does serve to add tension to the game.&nbsp; Is this a &quot;story&quot; NPC or not?&nbsp; If some are and some aren't, the players have to basically treat all of them as if they are.&nbsp; Meaning they should interact with all of them in some way.&nbsp; I understand your point, that wonky tables can be very jarring.&nbsp; Some care has to be taken to make the table make sense in the context of the adventure as well as during the adventure.&nbsp; But, adding in random encounters can result in some very interesting twists that can surprise both the DM and the players.&nbsp; I love that.&nbsp; One of the best rp encounters I've had recently was with a random critter captured by the PC's.&nbsp; The downside of that is, you need to be on your toes and be able to come up with the goods on the fly.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Hussar, post: 3391805, member: 22779"] Now, the problem with this that I have is the idea that an NPC can have no purpose. How should the players know who has purpose and who does not? Perhaps the only purpose of that NPC was to pop up and whack a PC. Random, arbirtrary death can be a major part of a campaign. If nothing else, it does serve to add tension to the game. Is this a "story" NPC or not? If some are and some aren't, the players have to basically treat all of them as if they are. Meaning they should interact with all of them in some way. I understand your point, that wonky tables can be very jarring. Some care has to be taken to make the table make sense in the context of the adventure as well as during the adventure. But, adding in random encounters can result in some very interesting twists that can surprise both the DM and the players. I love that. One of the best rp encounters I've had recently was with a random critter captured by the PC's. The downside of that is, you need to be on your toes and be able to come up with the goods on the fly. [/QUOTE]

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