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Message: <blockquote data-quote="andy3k" data-source="post: 5528183" data-attributes="member: 6674918">Ban the random encounterIn my opinion, encounters should never be random. All encounters should be planned. This provides the DM with the opportunity to prepare interesting monsters, terrain, skill checks, etc. ahead of time. Throwing together a last minute group of goblins, in them midst of uninteresting terrain (a few trees), with little thought to monster strategy or whether it will be a challenge for the party, creates an encounter that is pointless to the story and possibly too easy and boring for the party.Better option:1. Create an encounter that is likely to occur on the road. It doesn't have to be epic, just logical.If the characters are heading towards a goblin cave, they might encounter a goblin hunting party. If they are heading towards a dragon lair, maybe a fanatical group of Bahamut worshipers attempts to stop the party.2. Design a challenging encounter.This includes adding a variety of challenges such as terrain features (trees for cover, mist for concealment, a water-filled ditch for difficult terrain). Also consider a specific strategy of how the bad guys will attack so as not to make the encounter overly easy e.g. make sure the leader isn't in the front, have a hidden attacker in the back to threaten the controller, etc.3. Set up a skill challenge and/or trigger set to determine if the encounter goes off.If the characters travel on the road instead of sneaking through the woods parallel to the road, or if the characters set up camp and do not hide their fire light then they are attacked.Alternatively, the characters must undergo a difficult skill challenge related to perception, nature, and other skills required to spot and circumvent danger on the road. Failure means the encounter occurs.Of course, if the party specifically wants to find trouble ("let's see if there are any wandering goblins we can slay on the way") then give them the encounter without pause.4. Have repercussions for failure.If any of the bad guys gets away then make another future encounter a little more challenging. Conversely, if the character's show mercy upon their attackers, maybe another encounter will become a little easier. Either way, make sure that it is obvious in the future encounter that the difficulty or ease is due to prior actions. For example, during a fight in the goblin den, if the party granted mercy to some of the attacking goblins then a Level+3 encounter might become Level+2 because 1-2 goblins in the encounter recognize the party and leave the fight because they don't want to kill the people who spared their lives the day before.5. No prep required.Yes, there are some people that can roll up a random encounter, make that encounter challenging and interesting, AND weave the encounter into their story and/or into future encounters. If you are that brilliant, go ahead. Personally, I'd rather have everything prepared in advance to save time, save mistakes, and save me the stress of having to do it all on the fly.</blockquote>

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