D&D 5E It's Official! Most of my encounters are "Deadly" (now updated with info through the end of 2022!)

[el-remmen]

The scope of what random encounters can do for your adventure goes well beyond just interrupting short rests.

Sure. . .my game has random encounters. I just got rid of the rolling for them part.

 

[Nefermandias]

Sure. . .my game has random encounters. I just got rid of the rolling for them part.

You mean rolling for when they should happen or rolling what exactly the random encounter should be?

 

[el-remmen]

You mean rolling for when they should happen or rolling what exactly the random encounter should be?

Both.

I like randomness in my games to some degree but for encounters I just determine based on various factors, not on a die roll.

• Has this area been determined as dangerous?
• Is it in a trafficked area?
• Have the PCs made an effort to hide or camouflaged their camp - how and what were the appropriate skill rolls?
• Are the local monsters on alert and know the PCs are around?
• Is this the territory of a specific monster like an owlbear or an aurumvorax?
• If there are monsters in the area, what are their chances of noticing (smelling/seeing/hearing) the PCs?

etc

 

[Nefermandias]

Both.

Then you cannot call those Random Encounters.

 

[el-remmen]

Then you cannot call those Random Encounters.

That's why I put "random encounters" in scare quotes the first time I mentioned them. From the player facing side they are random enough - and that's all that matters to me.

 

[Flamestrike]

Then you cannot call those Random Encounters.

Mate, do you even like 5E?

 

[Nefermandias]

Mate, do you even like 5E?

What are you going on about, mate?

 

[el-remmen]

Please don't make this into an argument about how to play or not play 5E. If different people want to describe different approaches in response to the data from my campaign that's more than fine but this thread is not asking for advice or opinions on "the proper way." Thanks.

 

[dave2008]

Then you cannot call those Random Encounters.

Sure they are. They were randomly picked by the DM. Dice aren't the only thing that can be random.

 

[Benjamin Olson]

I also make about half the encounters "deadly" I would guess, and I think, depending on what your adventuring day looks like, this is about right. "Deadly" encounters are what the combat side of the game is all about, the points where PCs' combat abilities and the players' strategies are actually tested. I have other, easier encounters for the sake of limiting resources for the real fight, to give PCs a chance to steamroll something with new abilities, or just because the group hasn't gotten to throw down in a while. And of course where worldbuilding, plot, or character decisions demand encounters of all shapes, sizes, and CR ratings might happen. But basically a day of serious adventuring should lead into a big encounter, and the fewer other encounters you have the bigger it should be. Half my encounters being "deadly" mostly just indicates that I have lots of 1-3 encounter days, rather than the bunch of extra trivial encounter days that the designers thought people were going to do back before anyone had much experience with this version of the game.