How do you spice up your "random" encounters?

[Oryan77]

I have a question for those who uses a lot of random encounters. Do you give XP and loot for the encounter? I keep worrying that my PCs would just wander around and keep level grinding or something. Yes, yes, time sensitive missions can negate this but I can't put my PCs on such adventures all the time without it being obvious.

I only use "random" encounters (I do like others and plan them out ahead of time) when the PCs are traveling and I want to give them an idea what the environment consists of. So they are already on a mission that will earn them XP, so there isn't really any reason for them to just hunt for random encounters to earn XP. The adventure should be more fun than their mindless wandering around.

But if your players do hunt for XP, then you can just keep throwing low level encounters at them that will suck up game time and reward them with little XP for it.

You can also give out bonus adventure completion XP which might keep them motivated. I give out bonus XP for PCs completing an adventure in our game. Not really to keep them motivated; it's more a reward for a job well done.

Oryan77, not much for me to add here for you, but I like the replies so far! I like typing sometimes too

As long as it is entertaining or helpful to read, I don't mind

 

[Rechan]

If your players really DO want to just wander around grinding - let them. If that's what they want, why say no? They clearly just want to get into fights with no other motivation.

Granted, I'd have their actions give repercussions.

I typically don't hand out Xp. I just say "OK level up" when it feels like they've achieved something, or it is a natural progression.

 

[Hereticus]

What I said is correct, I never generate random encounters. Neither the quantity of encounters, the type of creatures, nor the quantity of creature.

As The Shaman said, I generate the encounters before the game starts. But I may alter them a bit due to the conditions of the characters. Each encounter has some meaning or purpose that will progress the storyline somehow, not just to add another combat scene.

Hereticus, since you don't use random encounters, what exactly do you anticipate to add to this? He's not asking "Hey help me not use random encounters"; clearly the OP wants to use non-plot related encounters.

In my own post I said I don't use random encounters either, but I still proposed things that give the OP what He wants, rather than just saying "No, not me, sorry I can't help you".

Rechan, what I am saying is that almost every encounter is there to further the plot. I try to develop sub-plots around each character, and each encounter ties into the backgrounds of one or more player's character. Sometimes with the first encounter it is not obvious what the focus is, but they all tie together soon enough. They serve many purposes; to foreshadow and give hints, to make the adventure personal and more interesting to the players, to lead into next adventures, and to make it more a thinking game and less a hack fest.

I also did that with two of the delve night modules I ran in 4.0... they didn't run by the book.

 

[Wik]

I prefer using a whole lot of random (or semi-random) encounters, the vast majority of which are non-combat/non-threatening, and even non-creature ones. For example, a long list of such might include things like a fallen tree across the path, an irate mother squirrel defending a nest, recently fed and disinterested dire wolves, peasants and trvellers, washed-out bridge, a tree of drowsing (or staring) crows, poo-flinging monkeys, dormant treants, drunk soldiers, etc.

I really like it when the occasional random encounter turns into something memorable.

"You must spread some XP around before you..."

 

[The Shaman]

"You must spread some XP around before you..."

Covered.

 

[Hereticus]

If your players really DO want to just wander around grinding - let them. If that's what they want, why say no? They clearly just want to get into fights with no other motivation.

Boys will be boys.

I typically don't hand out Xp. I just say "OK level up" when it feels like they've achieved something, or it is a natural progression.

Same here, which was covered in another thread.

It is a great feeling when you can add a new power, a new feat, increase skills, and get more Horse Power. That progression should be up to the DM with input from the players. Too often, and it becomes routine. Too infrequent, and the game can get stale. Increases should not happen at somewhat random occurrences, they should be planned. Just like encounters.

 

[LostSoul]

I'm building tables of encounters for each monster, sorted by level. That way I can populate any random encounter table I feel like with a quick look.

For example, here are Centipedes:

Centipedes
	Level 1	 - 500-624
	4 centipede swarms
	3 centipede scuttlers
	3 centipede swarms, 1 bloodthorn vine
	Level 2  - 625-749
	2 centipede scuttlers, 1 ankheg
	5 centipede swarms
	4 centipede scuttlers
	Level 3  - 750-874
	4 centipede swarms, 2 bloodthorn vines
	4 centipede swarms, 1 greenvise vine
	2 centipede swarms, 3 centipede scuttlers
	Level 4  - 875-999
	5 centipede scuttlers
	3 centipede scuttlers, 1 troglodyte thrasher
	5 centipede swarms, 2 bloodthorn vines
	Level 5  - 1000-1249
	4 centipede swarms, 2 greenvise vines
	6 centipede scuttlers
	4 centipede scuttlers, 1 ankheg
	Level 6  - 1250-1499
	4 centipede scuttlers, 2 troglodyte thrashers
	5 centipede scuttlers, 1 troglodyte temple champion
	4 centipede scuttlers, 2 ankhegs
	Level 7  - 1500-1749
	4 centipede scuttlers, 2 troglodyte thrashers, 1 troglodyte deepscourge
	9 centipede scuttlers
	5 centipede scuttlers, 1 troglodyte thrasher, 
		1 troglodyte temple champion