January 2020 RPG Blog Carnival: Random Encounter Tables

Greetings and well met once again!

I venture forth from under my rock to bring you more blithering, blathering, and chicken chasing, usually on topic even. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT CHICKEN! Sorry, he was big and shiney.

Random Encounter Tables.

Yep, this is a subject every GM has, or will eventually, use or need and/or scream incoherently at a Random Encounter table. Let's see if this scenario sounds familiar: Gm rolls, consults table, then goes outside and throws dice across the yard in frustration because the RET has just determined that your brand new shiney 1st level adventuring party is now facing a Shadow Dragon!

Oh yes, that actually happened to me. Yep, killed that game with one die roll.

All my personal failings as a GM aside, you might run into a similar problem and I'll try and give you a few ideas on how to avoid the aneurysms this causes. Apologies for not delving into the maths of dice probability, it makes my head hurt.

If you have wandered around my blog before, then you have probably discovered my custom RETs.

Forest
Plains
Hills/Mountains
Swamp/Marsh

I have long since packed up my PF books, I don't have notes available on how they worked out. I usually scribble notes on the tables, so I can make tweaks later.
I designed these with a spread of CRs because I am of the GM school of...

PCs need to learn when to run away. No, I have never had a party decide discretion is the better part of valor. It always takes at least one PC death for them to get the message.

I designed these tables with an eye towards longevity. I was able to use the tables thru when the PCs made 6th level.

Looking at the Forest table. Entries 1, 51-53, and 100 are not just monsters. These are plot hooks. The ancient graveyard was going to reveal a small statuette of a god they could not recognize. The ruined tower was the hook for a secret library and a journal that would have led a brave party up against a Tarrasque. The pyramid ruins are there, because I don't get to use my Heart room trap enough.

If you're like me, when you start a sandbox game you have a selection of of plot hooks for the PCs to choose from. To prevent analysis paralysis, take all your plot hooks and work them into a RET. Let the dice gods decide what the PCs are going after. You don't even have to start them at the trite animal tavern. The first session can have a more organic flow and save you the headaches of trying to get the PCs to pick a direction.

In closing, RETs come in all types and sizes. If you really don't feel like putting together a custom table, there is a mega multitude of tables out there. If you don't mind a little work, try designing your own tables. You don't have to start from scratch. Just cross out any entries that don't make sense and add something that does. You're the GM, do whatever you want.

Now, having bored you enough for the time being. Go check out the other entries in this month's carnival.

Happy Gaming!