Running a random encounter only adventure...

[Wik]

I've run these before, but never for 3e. In fact, back in my 2e days, I used to love putting together random encounter tables, knowing full well I'd be using them quite heavily.

The great thing I've noticed is, after a few such encounters, you can usually start connecting them together to form a plot.

Group encounters a goblin raiding party. Makes short work of it. Then, there's a bear. They take that out. Then, some bugbears. PCs start asking questions. Are the bugbears and goblins allied? Why was that bear so willing to fight?

in that particular adventure, I had the factions involved in a war, and threw in a fiendish druid to make things even more fun.

 

[an_idol_mind]

I've run entire campaigns based around random encounters. One accessory that I found useful for such a game was the Deck of Encounters for AD&D 2nd edition. You could sort through the deck based on terrain and level, and then create a wide mix of interesting encounters from the cards there.

Unfortunately, both volume 1 and volume 2 of the deck are only being offered at insanely high prices on eBay. Still, Paizo or RPGnow might have PDF versions. Some of the encounters were as lame as lame can be, but there were a lot of winners in there, too.

 

[Wardo]

I was wanting to roll the encounters in front of them. They know I tend to make sure that I don't kill their characters, so the visible random rolls may add to the suspense/fear of the adventure. No DM safety net.

We did this once, and the DM went around in a circle; each player get a turn rolling for the next encounter (with replacement for duplicates). The roller would report the number, the DM would consult the table, and then describe the next encounter - so there was still oportunity for surprise. That kind of made it a little more fun.

 

[RFisher]

(diaglo should be along any minute to explain how we all used to use a game board from Outdoor Survival (as per the rules!) as a outdoor map with OD&D. )

Diaglo doesn't even have to post anymore. Other people do his work for him now.

 

[Storyteller01]

We did this once, and the DM went around in a circle; each player get a turn rolling for the next encounter (with replacement for duplicates). The roller would report the number, the DM would consult the table, and then describe the next encounter - so there was still oportunity for surprise. That kind of made it a little more fun.

I do like this idea. Consider it yoinked for this adventure.