Random Encounters

[Oryan77]

I'm in the group that doesn't actually roll random encounters; I still plan out my "random" encounters. I still roll the percentage chance to have a random encounter before the game and then create an encounter for that hour of the day. Do random encounters (for you) necessarily mean that it has to be a potential monster or NPC fight or does it just mean something out of the ordinary happens during the PC's treck across the forest or dungeon? Like say, they see a clan of Centaurs off in the distance, or they come across a river that they need to cross, or a heavy rain storm hits and they need to take shelter until it clears.

If it's a random encounter that isn't a type of battle, do you give XP for still overcoming the encounter?

Also, isn't there a spot in the DMG that had a list of interesting encounters that weren't fights like I listed above? Or does anyone have a link to something with a list of encounters like that?

And while I'm on the topic, when the DMG says "10% chance per hour of "travel" for the PC's to hit a random encounter", does that mean the time spent moving through the forest (say 10 hrs a day) or does it mean the entire trip (12 hrs a day & 12 hrs a night)?

 

[Oryan77]

I knew I thought of something that no one could answer!

 

[luke_twigger]

Within our group we have 2 camps - one loves random encounters (and random treasure), the other hates them. So whether they're used in one of our campaigns depends which camp any given DM is from.

I personally hate them. To me it detracts from the "story" and instead focusses the players attention on the dice roll. It's like a whole sub-game going on, rolling the d10,000 and announcing what the encounter is. "Farmers" always get boos, while Fire Giants often end in PC deaths.

But I can see how it might add verismilitude if you have different tables for different places. So the "dangerous" swamp really is more deadly than the "safe" farmland by virtue of what CR monsters are listed on each encounter table.

Luke

 

[Primitive Screwhead]

There is a card set somewheres of random encounters that includes things like 'Two wagons on the road, one with broken wheel. 4 merchants stand looking at the tire'..

Nice set.. if only I can find them again

Personally I hate 'random' encounters mechanically, but love 'random' encounters as story points. The artifice of having everything connected to the current plot seems silly and detracts from my enjoyment of the game.. but on the other hand rolling up an encounter and trying to fit it into the story line also detracts.

So, when I run a group that will be travelling I preroll the encounters and come up with story lines for each one.

As to chance of occuring, the RAW answer would be while actually moving. The not so RAW answer would be that when not moving.. the other guys *are* moving and its thier random encounter
Seriously, I alter the encoutners, timing and percentage based on the local and conditions. Higher chance in deep wilderness with lots of critters, less in 'tamed' countryside.

I have also dabbled with the rules in Wildscape where its not a straight % chance, but a survival skill check by the lead character. This gives the PC an opportunity to use a skill and to potentially avoid the encounters. It worked fairly well in my last adventure, altho my wilderness focused party will soon get to the point where they wont ever be surprised by an encounter with that system.

{edit}
About XP.. the PC only gains XP for overcoming challenges.. so if a random encounter of a heavy rain that delays thier trip.. but does not challenge them, no XP. If the heavy rain occurs while navigating a steep, slippery mountain and the PC's risk sliding to thier doom .. that is a challenge that deserves some XP award for 'defeating'.
Check out Wildscape for terrain features as CR items...

 

[Oryan77]

I haven't heard of Wildscape, I'll have to check that out. Too bad you don't know what those cards are called, I'd also like to see those.

 

[BWP]

I often use Random Encounters to flesh out the story. Frequently a purely random encounter is seized upon by my players as further evidence of whatever it is that they're investigating (or fleeing from, or whatever); I can then fold that into the storyline if it makes sense to me and the whole thing can turn out to be an extremely diverting game session ... all from just a few random dice rolls on my part.

At other times, of course, the random encounter is just a bit of spice to break up a journey.

 

[wedgeski]

I don't use random encounters, but I do use random encounter *charts*. I'll simply drop an encounter in, with an interesting sounding beast or situation, depending entirely on how the session's going and what the pace is like. If there's been a lot of combat, I'll drop that 'landslide' encounter in; if not, I'll drop the Fire Giants in (to quote a previous poster). Honestly I no longer see the point of rolling the dice to see what crops up, despite the fact that I used to love those huge encounter charts that came with the 2ed Monstrous Compendium.

 

[MonsterMash]

Let the dice decide! I still used rolled encounters, but I will often tend to preroll the encounters themselves so that I've got stats and information available for things I need, but encounters can include non-combat things like weather conditions, merchant caravans and other travellers. I like the Mother of All Encounter Tables for this sort of stuff.

 

[IronWolf]

Let the dice decide! I still used rolled encounters, but I will often tend to preroll the encounters themselves so that I've got stats and information available for things I need, but encounters can include non-combat things like weather conditions, merchant caravans and other travellers.

This is more along the lines of what I do. I still use some of the random encounter tables, but generally will have them pre-determined before the session so I have what I need at the ready. If I know the party will be crossing through a hazardous mountain valley then I will look at appropriate charts and see if the party will run into something while they travel through. If they do, I note it, determine when in the day they might run into the encounter and then I will be ready with info I need when we actually play the session.

 

[just__al]

Let the dice decide! I still used rolled encounters, but I will often tend to preroll the encounters themselves so that I've got stats and information available for things I need, but encounters can include non-combat things like weather conditions, merchant caravans and other travellers. I like the Mother of All Encounter Tables for this sort of stuff.

Mother of All Encounter Tables you say...

Where would I find such a thing?