Wandering Monsters - yea or nay?

[WanderingMonster]

Geez.

I can hear you guys, you know?

 

[S'mon]

Here's some wandering monster tables I've done for a planned 4e Wilderlands campaign. They're designed to be easy to 'plug and play' and can be used for overland travel, wilderness exploration, monster lairs/delves, threat-of-the-night, or to hit the PCs with if they camp out in the dungeon. They're designed to take me 1st-3rd level, by which time I'll likely have used most of them. I've given minions hp=CON (1/2 CON if Small), ignore as desired.

WILDERLANDS WANDERING MONSTER ENCOUNTERS, EL 1-3

EL 1: 6 encounters
EL 2: 8 encounters
EL 3: 6 encounters

EL 1 - 1d6

1) City/Town Warrior Patrol, 8 -. 500 XP
1d4+4 or 6 lv 5 Human Warriors (above) (XP 50x4=200) HP: 14 14 14 14 14 14
2 lv 3 Human Guards (MM 162, XP 150x2=300) HP: 47 47
NB: Outside of town the patrol may be mounted on riding horses.
Treasure: 10gp & 20sp

2) Lesser Goblins, 11 - 500 XP
2d4+3 or 8 Goblin Cutters (MM136, XP 25x8=200) HP 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6
2 Goblin Warriors (MM137, XP 100x2=200) HP 29 29
1 Goblin Blackblade (MM136, XP 100) HP 25
Treasure: 20gp & 80sp between them.

3) Great Goblins, 4 – 525 XP
3 lv 2 Goblin Sharpshooters (MM137, XP 125x3=375) HP 31 31 31
1 lv 3 Goblin Skullcrusher (MM137, XP 150) HP 53
Treasure: Skullcrusher has potion of healing & 10gp

4) Goblinoids, 4 – 500 XP
1 lv 3 Hobgoblin Soldier (MM 139, XP 150) HP 47
2 lv 2 Goblin Sharpshooters (MM137, XP 125x2=250) HP 31 31
1 lv 1 Goblin Blackblade (MM136, XP 100) HP 36
Treasure: Soldier has pouch of 10 10gp gemstones, & 200sp between them

5) Hobgoblins, 8 – 525 XP
1d4+4 or 6 lv 3 Hobgoblin Grunts (MM 138, XP 38x6=225) HP 15 15 15 15 15 15
1 lv 3 Hobgoblin Archer (MM139, XP 150) HP 39
1 lv 3 Hobgoblin Soldier (MM 139, XP 150) HP 47
Treasure: Soldier has a lv 4 Orb of Fickle Fate, AV 93 in his pouch, 24sp

6) Human Berserkers, 3 – 525 XP
3 lv 4 Berserkers (MM 163, XP 175x3=525) HP: 66 66 66
Treasure: 1 Berserker has solid gold torc worth 120gp, another has a lv 3 Reckless +1 greatsword, AV 76

EL 2 - 1d8

1) Barbarian or Viking Hunting Party, 8 - 675 XP
1d4+4 or 6 lv 5 Human Barbarians (above) (XP50x6=300) HP: 13 13 13 13 13 13
1 lv 4 Berserker (MM 163, XP 175) HP: 66
1 lv 5 Barbarian Reaver (XP 200) HP: 62
Viking War Party: As Barbarian Hunting Party, but use Human Warrior instead of Human Barbarian
Treasure: 24gp in coin

2) Orcs, 4 – 625 XP
3 lv 3 Orc Raiders (MM 203, XP 150x3=450) HP 46 46 46
1 lv 4 Orc Berserker (MM 203, XP 175) HP 66
Treasure: Berserker has 2 50gp pearls, 70gp in coin

3) Orcs & Goblins, 5 – 600 XP
2 lv 3 Orc Raiders (MM 203, XP 150x2=300) HP 46 46
3 lv 1 Goblin Warriors (MM 137, XP 100x3=300) HP 29 29 29
Treasure: 36gp in coin

4) Bandit Mage, 5 – 700 XP
1 lv 4 Human Mage (MM 163, XP 175) HP 42 – shoots 'ice bolts'
1 lv 3 Human Guard (MM 162, XP 150) HP 47
3 lv 2 Human Bandits (MM 162, XP 125x3=375) HP 37 37 37
Treasure: Mage has a lv 3 Wand of Cold +1 (AV 111)

5) Bugbears, 3 – 650 XP
2 lv 5 Bugbear Warrior (MM 135, XP 200x2=400) HP 76 76
1 lv 6 Bugbear Wardancer (MM2 130, XP 250) HP 70
Treasure: 90gp in coin

6) Ogres, 2 – 700 XP
2 lv 8 Ogre Savage (MM 199, XP 350x2=700) HP 111 111
Treasure: 250gp gold filigree tiara, 10gp in coin

7) Hill Giant, 1 – 600 XP
1 lv 11 Hill Giant Smasher (MM3 100, 600 XP) HP 137
Treasure: 2 100gp diamonds, 90gp

8) Troll & Goblins – 3 – 600 XP
1 lv 9 Troll (MM 254, XP 400) HP 100
2 lv 1 Goblin Blackblades (MM136, XP 100x2=200) HP 36 36
Treasure: Troll wears jet & gold lv 6 Bracers of Mental Might (AV 115)

EL 3 - 1d6

1) Bandits, 11 - 750 XP
2d4+3 or 8 lv 2 Bandit Minions (MM162, XP 31x8=250) HP 13 13 13 13 13 13 13 13
2 lv 2 Bandits (MM 162, XP 125x2=250) HP 37 37
1 lv 6 Half Elf Bandit Captain (MM2 138, XP 250) HP 69
Treasure: The Captain has a lv 6 +2 longsword. 225 gp in assorted coin.

2) Gnolls, 3 – 750 XP
2 lv 6 Gnoll Claw Fighter (MM132, XP 250x2=500) HP 70 70
1 lv 6 Gnoll Marauder (MM132, XP 250) HP 84
Treasure: 35gp in coin.

3) Hobgoblins, 8 - 750 XP
1d4+2 or 4 lv 3 Hobgoblin Grunts (MM 138, XP 38x4=150) HP 15 15 15 15
1 lv 3 Hobgoblin Archer (MM139, XP 150) HP 39
2 lv 3 Hobgoblin Soldier (MM 139, XP 150x2=300) HP 47 47
1 lv 3 Hobgoblin Warcaster (MM 140, XP 150) HP 46
Treasure: Warcaster has lv 4 Rod of the Shadow walker +1, AV 101, 60gp in coin

4) Orcs, 13 – 825 XP
2d4+5 or 10 lv 4 Orc Drudge minions (MM 203, XP 44x8=350) HP 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
2 lv 3 Orc Raiders (MM 203, XP 150x2=300) HP 46 46
1 lv 4 Orc Berserker (MM 203, XP 175) HP 66
Treasure: 40gp in coin.

5) Bugbears & Goblin, 4 - 825 XP
1 lv 5 Bugbear Warrior (MM 135, XP 200) HP 76
2 lv 6 Bugbear Wardancer (MM2 130, XP 250x2=500) HP 70 70
1 lv 2 Goblin Sharpshooter (MM 137, XP 125)
Treasure: 20gp in coin

6) Necromancer & undead, 6 – 800 XP
1 lv 5 Human Necromancer (qv, XP 200) HP 50
2 lv 3 Skeletons (MM 234, XP 150x2=300) HP 45 45
3 lv 2 Zombie (MM 274, XP 125x3=375) HP 40 40 40
Treasure: Necromancer has a lv 5 Skull Mask, AV 144 (gives him resist 5 necrotic), & 30gp in coin

MONSTER STATS

NPC Template

Level Role
Medium natural humanoid, XP
HP ; Bloodied
AC , Fortitude , Reflex , Will
Speed Initiative + Perception +
Traits
Weapon
Attack Hit: damage
Skills:
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Alignment: Languages: Common,
Equipment:

MINIONS

HUMAN BARBARIAN
Level 5 minion Skirmisher (Experienced), eg Altanian, Tharbrian
Medium natural humanoid, XP 50
HP 13; Bloodied 6
AC 19, Fortitude 17, Reflex 18, Will 17
Speed 6 Initiative +6 Perception +2
Traits
The Skirmisher has Combat Advantage against any foes who have not yet acted.
The Skirmisher does +2 damage when attacking with Combat Advantage.
Weapon
Spear/Sword/Axe: Attack +10 vs AC Hit: 6 damage (CA: ATT +12 Hit: 8 damage)
Javelin: Attack + 9 vs AC Hit: 5 damage Range: 10/20 (CA: ATT +11 Hit: 7 damage)
Skills: Athletics +10, Endurance +8
STR 16 (+5) DEX 14 (+4) CON 13 (+3) INT 8 (+1) WIS 10 (+2) CHA 12 (+3)
Alignment: Any Languages: Common, Altanian or Tharbrian
Equipment: Hide armour, light shield, spear/sword/axe, 3 javelins

HUMAN WARRIOR
Level 5 minion Soldier (Experienced), eg Alryan, Skandik Warrior
Medium natural humanoid, XP 50
HP 14; Bloodied 7
AC 21 (23), Fortitude 18 (20) Reflex 17 (19), Will 17 (19)
Speed 5 Initiative +5 Perception +2
Traits
Shield Wall: The soldier gains +2 to all Defenses while at least 2 allies with Shield Wall ability are adjacent.
Weapon
Long Sword or Battle Axe: Attack +10 Hit: 6 damage
Skills: Athletics +10, Endurance +9
STR 16 (+5) DEX 13 (+3) CON 14 (+4) INT 8 (+1) WIS 12 (+3) CHA 10 (+2)
Alignment: Any Languages: Common, Alryan or Skandik
Equipment: Scale armour, heavy shield, longsword or battleaxe

 
STANDARD MONSTERS


HUMAN BARBARIAN REAVER
Level 5 Skirmisher (Experienced), eg Altanian, Tharbrian
Medium natural humanoid, XP 200
HP 62; Bloodied 31
AC 19, Fortitude 18, Reflex 18, Will 17
Speed 6 Initiative +6 Perception +2
Traits
The Skirmisher has Combat Advantage against any foes who have not yet acted.
The Skirmisher does +2d6 damage when attacking with Combat Advantage.
Ambush Trick: (at will) Move Action – Moves Speed, gets CA vs any foe in 5 squares with no allies adjacent.
Weapon
Sword/Axe: Attack +10 vs AC Hit: 1d10+5 damage (CA: ATT +12 Hit: 1d10+2d6+5 damage)
Javelin: Attack + 9 vs AC Hit: 1d6+5 damage Range: 10/20 (CA: ATT +11 Hit: 3d6+5 damage)
Skills: Athletics +10, Endurance +9
STR 16 (+5) DEX 14 (+4) CON 14 (+4) INT 10 (+1) WIS 11 (+2) CHA 12 (+3)
Alignment: Any Languages: Common, Altanian or Tharbrian
Equipment: Hide armour, light shield, sword/axe, 3 javelins


HUMAN ASSASSIN
Level 5 Role: Lurker
Medium natural humanoid, XP 200
HP 48; Bloodied 24
AC 19, Fortitude 16, Reflex 17, Will 14
Speed 6 Initiative +11 Perception +7
Traits
Veil of Shadows (standard, recharge 6, sustain standard): The Assassin turns Invisible.
First Strike: The Assassin has Combat Advantage vs anyone who has not yet acted.
Sneak Attack: The Assassin does +2d6 damage with Combat Advantage.
Weapon
Necrotic Dagger Attack + 10 Hit: 1d4+7 (crit 1d6+11) damage, & 5 Necrotic damage
& with CA: Attack +12 Hit: 1d4+2d6+7 (crit 1d6+23) damage, & 5 Necrotic damage
Backstab (Encounter, requires CA) Attack +15 Hit: 1d4+3d6+7 (crit 1d6+29) damage, & 5 Necrotic damage
Skills: Bluff +9 (Disguise +11), Thievery +12 (+14 with kit), Stealth +12
STR 16 (+5) DEX 20 (+7) CON 12 (+3) INT 10 (+2) WIS 10 (+2) CHA 14 (+4)
Alignment: Evil Languages: Common,
Equipment: +1 Necrotic Dagger (user must be Evil or Chaotic Evil to channel the Necrotic energy), +1 leather armour under cloak, +1 amulet, disguise kit, thieves' tools

 
HUMAN NECROMANCER
Level 5 Role: Controller
Medium natural humanoid, XP 200
HP 60; Bloodied 30
AC 19 , Fortitude 16, Reflex 16, Will 19
Speed 6 Initiative +4 Perception +6
Traits
Resist Energy (Necrotic) 5
Weapon
Death Staff Attack +9 vs Ref Hit:1d8+9 Necrotic damage
Grave Bolt Ranged 20, Attack +9 vs Ref, Hit: 2d6+9 Necrotic damage (crit 2d6+21)
Deathwave (standard, encounter) Close Blast 3, targets enemies, ATT +9 vs Fort, Hit: 1d8+10 Necrotic damage (crit 2d6+18), and the target is pushed 3 squares and knocked prone.
Skills: Arcana +8, Religion +8
STR 10 (+2) DEX 14 (+4) CON 12 (+3) INT 12 (+3) WIS 18 (+6) CHA 13 (+3)
Alignment: Evil Languages: Common, Altanian, Abyssal
Equipment: Necromancer gear.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Not just "Yea," but YAY!

 

[bouncyhead]

I voted yes but I rarely use 'random' wandering monsters. Instead I pretty much always have a group of dynamic participants in play during adventures and I try and track their activity around the adventurers. Currently, for example, my adventurers are tracking a group of cultists (dynamic element 1) through a sprawling dungeon environment.


The cult have stolen a religious artefact (The Luster of St. Susanna) and are trying to reunite it with it's anti-version in order to cause trouble. The PC's were engaged in the chase by the victims of this theft, another set of cultists called the Hermaphrahood (it's a long story). They don't trust the PCs to despatch their duties efficiently so are also tracking around underground, occasionally getting in the way (dynamic element 2).

The sprawling Halls of the Hidden (our mega-complex) are currently over-run by nasties from the depths called Those Who Wait - they launch raiding parties into the upper levels which the PCs occasionally encounter (dynamic element 3).

Defending the Halls from Those That Wait are a brotherhood of warriors, the Brotherhood of the Broken Staff. who patrol the labyrinth. The PCs are adventuring in the Halls of the Hidden without an official Commission from the Brotherhood so must avoid them (dynamic element 4).

In the meantime there is another adventuring party who have entered the Halls through a dimensional gate. They are not hostile but they are a lot higher level (dynamic element 5).

And to cap it all off a powerful NPC, Utrendish Fung, whom the PCs crossed earlier in the campaign, has hired a hit squad to hunt down the PCs (dynamic element 6).

The actual Halls of the Hidden themselves are cobbled together from published modules and homebrew elements, all joined up with each other to provide a sprawling arena, pre-populated with static (and dynamic) elements, for the party of and all these other interests to interact within.

So in fact my whole campaign is really just a set of (managed) 'wandering encounters' and the 'static' elements really only provide background and colour. I deliberately mis-match the strength of some of these elements to the party so that the PCs know there are people out there they just shoudn't mess with (I make sure that at first meeting, the PCs get an opportunity to learn this lesson and flee, or face the consequences). So the PCs have an incentive to improve and turn the tables on these people, or avoid them.

My players are loving it, but the amount of thinking I have to do during sessions is doing my head in.

 

[Umbran]

improv n.
1. an act of improvising.
2. something improvised.

I know what it means, thank you very much.

Interestingly, in commedia dell'arte, perhaps the original improv theatre, while there is no detailed script, the entire scenario is not improvised on the spot. There is a set list of characters (all troupes use the same set - the characters are traditional). The troupe works from an outline, so where the scenario is going in general is well-known to the actors. And, the scenario is rehearsed, so actors have some ideas of what the others intend. So, maybe the term doesn't mean exactly what you think it does.

You ever watch, "Whose Line is it Anyway"? It is a funny show. But nobody ever claimed what they produced by full improv made much sense.

Much of the creative exercise isn't in the speed and time pressure, but in working with elements you didn't specifically choose. You can get much (admittedly not all, but much) of the same effect by generating the encounters randomly well before runtime. You get the added benefit that they are well-polished, instead of slapdash.

 

[Mark CMG]

Interestingly, in commedia dell'arte, perhaps the original improv theatre, while there is no detailed script, the entire scenario is not improvised on the spot. There is a set list of characters (all troupes use the same set - the characters are traditional). The troupe works from an outline, so where the scenario is going in general is well-known to the actors. And, the scenario is rehearsed, so actors have some ideas of what the others intend. So, maybe the term doesn't mean exactly what you think it does.

You ever watch, "Whose Line is it Anyway"? It is a funny show. But nobody ever claimed what they produced by full improv made much sense.

Much of the creative exercise isn't in the speed and time pressure, but in working with elements you didn't specifically choose. You can get much (admittedly not all, but much) of the same effect by generating the encounters randomly well before runtime. You get the added benefit that they are well-polished, instead of slapdash.

You are actually describing two differeing approaches to improv. Curb Your Enthusiasm is a better example of the former style (the first quoted paragraph), Whose Line is it Anyway is delineated more accurately in the latter (third quoted paragraph). The latter often uses tried and true improv standard narrative themes and incorporates the new elements in (How can I make this overseized felt hat into a sexual reference?) while the former takes a script outline (including a projected end point) and performerers play their characters as truly as they can, guided through by a director to their end point. Comparisons from other mediums to gaming are often loose or awkward but at that risk I will note that the latter is more comparable to sandbox play while the former is more like published adventure gaming.

 

[Stoat]

[MENTION=463]S'mon[/MENTION]

Cool stuff! How often do you plan to check for encounters, and what are the chances of an encounter taking place when you check?

 

[The Shaman]

Interestingly, in commedia dell'arte, perhaps the original improv theatre, while there is no detailed script, the entire scenario is not improvised on the spot. There is a set list of characters (all troupes use the same set - the characters are traditional). The troupe works from an outline, so where the scenario is going in general is well-known to the actors. And, the scenario is rehearsed, so actors have some ideas of what the others intend.

Yup - I have a short list of these in my campaign wiki so I can quickly describe a commedia performance during the game.

Much of the creative exercise isn't in the speed and time pressure, but in working with elements you didn't specifically choose. You can get much (admittedly not all, but much) of the same effect by generating the encounters randomly well before runtime. You get the added benefit that they are well-polished, instead of slapdash.

That's my approach. In my game the encounter is still random - randomly generated and randomly occurring - but the development is done away from the gaming table.

 

[billd91]

That's my approach. In my game the encounter is still random - randomly generated and randomly occurring - but the development is done away from the gaming table.

I do much the same. It makes for a more seemless presentation. I may have to make adjustment on the fly to fit with what the PCs are doing at the moment, but that's actually pretty easy to do.

 

[Barastrondo]

Yup - I have a short list of these in my campaign wiki so I can quickly describe a commedia performance during the game.

Thanks for that link! (must spread around XP grumble grumble)

I make more work for myself by coming up with entirely fabricated titles ahead of time: "Sarda Sardonicus, or, The Thirteenth Wish"; "Siege of the Stocking"; "Prince Radivaldi"; "The Alchemist's Daughter" (not a popular one in Verann, as House Bascho took... offense). But yes, I also have to devise descriptions of the plot and performances, because my wife's characters have a tendency to want to watch the shows and find out how they end.

(Particularly in the case of The Yellow Emperor's Shroud, the play that became a weird adventure thanks to oneiromancy, a cursed book and an enspelled Tragedian troupe, but that was a special circumstance.)