Random encounters when travelling. Is there a better way? Do you use 'em?

[Ibram]

Random? maybe to the players some encounters seem random... but I've never been one to throw a random encounter with a creature powerful enought to challenge the party. I do occasionaly use "random ninja" type encounters to liven up a RP heavy session.

 

[Storminator]

Surprised yall didn't know this one...


http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=145

PS

 

[sfedi]

I don't run random encounter when they travel.
Because they usually travel along routes, which wouldn't make sense to be INFESTED with creatures.

And I'm REALLY bothered that the PCs happen to encounter creatures that CASUALLY are a match for them... (i.e. the creature's EL is the same as the party's)

 

[BigFreekinGoblinoid]

Last time I used a random encounter while the party was travelling, I had to cheat to avoid a TPK. It was a tough encounter of only one EL or so above standard for party composition, but they refused to abandon a horse the troll variants wanted to eat for supper.

So - yeah - no more truly random encounters. I'll sometimes have a planned encounter I disguise as random though - frankly this usually comes up when there has been a session with a whole lot of roleplaying, and I want them to get some hacking in.

 

[kenobi65]

No such thing in my games. "Random" encounters, such as those they meet on the road, are all pre-planned by me (though they may feel random to the players).

 

[Turanil]

I don't mind the idea of rolling random encounters to stimulate ideas and to show that the world is dangerous and that the PCs are meeting stuff on their journey, but is there a more user-friendly way to do it?
<...>
Also, it might be nice to have encounter tables with other *non-monster* stuff in it like: a merchant wagon; travelling musicians; pilgrims; etc.
<...>
Has anyone come up with a better way to do random travelling encounters than presented in the core rules?

I don't do random encounters. I prepare some specific encounters that I will let players believe, are random encounters. These encounters are here either to further the plot, or to let the players figure out what this region is about.

 

[S'mon]

I used to use them routinely in 1e/2e. I haven't used them in 3e because 3e combat is _so slow_ to resolve (around an hour per battle, with minis) that it seemed a waste of time & effort. Plus I was afraid of killing PCs, I had rather an incompetent group of high-level players. For my new low-level campaign I may use them again, but not too frequently.

 

[shilsen]

No such thing in my games. "Random" encounters, such as those they meet on the road, are all pre-planned by me (though they may feel random to the players).

Ditto.

 

[Darkness]

Surprised yall didn't know this one...


http://www.giantitp.com/cgi-bin/GiantITP/ootscript?SK=145

Scooped by Len.

 

[dougmander]

I never use random encounters. If the PCs are traveling overland on their way to the next plot point, I like to get the journey out of the way quickly.