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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rechan" data-source="post: 5132509" data-attributes="member: 54846">I too "plan" out my "random" encounters.But in general I try to avoid doing random encounters that have nothing to do with anything. There will be a foreshadowing of a plot ahead of time, it will be a plot hook in and of itself, or is related to something going on in the area - it might be scavenger monsters feasting on a mound of corpses, the dump site for a nearby cult (and thus the bodies show signs of ritualistic murder). I've had PCs come across enemies setting up an ambush for a third party - and the ambushers unable to talk their way out of it.I guess that doesn't make them all that random, eh? Anyways, here's some tips:1) Everything Gilladian said. 2) The random encounter lets the PCs intervene or bypass. The above example of the "you come across an ambush being set up" but use an ambushy monster (Trap door spider digging a hole for instance). The PCs come across a monster chasing someone/someone has ran up a tree while the monster prowls beneath. Scavengers waiting for someone/thing to die before eating it. A wounded monster (ala Lion with the thorn in its paw). A beast that is not threatening is blocking the path, but by disturbing it it might become threatening. 3) A lot, a <a href="http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=130133" target="_blank">lot</a> of good ideas in this Horror themed thread.4) One of my favorite tricks is setting up a random encounter that just spells out DANGER, but makes sense and is purely a choice. Like a wayside inn that's coated entirely in spiderwebs with no light coming forth. 5) Just wanting to toss this out there (not saying people subscribe to the opposite) but random encounters need not be ones involving combat, or even threats. RP encounters where NPCs are encountered, coming across interesting things to interact with/explore but are more curious or interesting than dangerous, etc.</blockquote>

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