I want to make my rounds a little bit more dynamic by using an encounter table for my party.
Right now i'm a bit stuck because i can't come up with events besides combat encounters, random NPCs oder items. If anyone has further expierience, ideas or help to offer it would be much appreciated.
What are you hoping to achieve with a random encounter table? Random encounters have been a part of D&D for as long as there have been games, They're well-suited to published modules, where the author can spend a bunch of time populating the table with things that will probably never happen, and it gives the whole table the sense that they're not just "playing by numbers." But for a DM homebrewing a game, they're time consuming and often don't add anything to the game (in fact, they usually detract from the story and slow things down) - the time you put into planning out tables you could be designing a specific encounter which will be more detailed and story relevant. I started my most recent campaign running them, but never had any success with them.
You could just go with the tables that you find in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. There are different tables for most environments there.
If you want to make random encounter tables then remember that even if there are monsters encountered there, they don't have to be hostile. That can lead to social encounters - but that's a lot of DM work to do when you're having to invent names, motivations, and personalities on the fly.
To go a different route, plan your tables so that they always relate to discovering some small terrain feature - a shrine, a waterfall, a crack in the ground. You can add monsters in if you want to, but that kind of table gives a free-form exploration route rather than just combats, and gives monsters who are found there something to be doing, e.g. "A quiet stream crosses the path. There are 1d6 random Beasts drinking from the stream, which has a rainbow colouration."
You could just go with the tables that you find in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. There are different tables for most environments there.
And if you don't feel like rolling dice, you can use this random generator that replicates those tables. It even includes options for treasure and difficulty. You can find plenty of random generators on that website, including one for entire dungeons. Everything follows the rules found in the official sourcebooks.
On the other hand, some random tables sort of run the game themselves. If you have access to Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, check out the Baldur's Gate gazeteer. It has tables for every section of the city, some traditional encounters but also many adventure hooks. It may give you an idea as to how to organize a randomized game.
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Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.
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I want to make my rounds a little bit more dynamic by using an encounter table for my party.
Right now i'm a bit stuck because i can't come up with events besides combat encounters, random NPCs oder items. If anyone has further expierience, ideas or help to offer it would be much appreciated.
Homebrew: Magic items - Spells - Monsters
What are you hoping to achieve with a random encounter table? Random encounters have been a part of D&D for as long as there have been games, They're well-suited to published modules, where the author can spend a bunch of time populating the table with things that will probably never happen, and it gives the whole table the sense that they're not just "playing by numbers." But for a DM homebrewing a game, they're time consuming and often don't add anything to the game (in fact, they usually detract from the story and slow things down) - the time you put into planning out tables you could be designing a specific encounter which will be more detailed and story relevant. I started my most recent campaign running them, but never had any success with them.
You could just go with the tables that you find in Xanathar's Guide to Everything. There are different tables for most environments there.
If you want to make random encounter tables then remember that even if there are monsters encountered there, they don't have to be hostile. That can lead to social encounters - but that's a lot of DM work to do when you're having to invent names, motivations, and personalities on the fly.
To go a different route, plan your tables so that they always relate to discovering some small terrain feature - a shrine, a waterfall, a crack in the ground. You can add monsters in if you want to, but that kind of table gives a free-form exploration route rather than just combats, and gives monsters who are found there something to be doing, e.g. "A quiet stream crosses the path. There are 1d6 random Beasts drinking from the stream, which has a rainbow colouration."
Thank you for the advice, i'll try to keept it simple and not to distracting.
Homebrew: Magic items - Spells - Monsters
And if you don't feel like rolling dice, you can use this random generator that replicates those tables. It even includes options for treasure and difficulty. You can find plenty of random generators on that website, including one for entire dungeons. Everything follows the rules found in the official sourcebooks.
Age: 33 | Sex: Male | Languages: French and English | Roles: DM and Player
On the other hand, some random tables sort of run the game themselves. If you have access to Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus, check out the Baldur's Gate gazeteer. It has tables for every section of the city, some traditional encounters but also many adventure hooks. It may give you an idea as to how to organize a randomized game.
Jander Sunstar is the thinking person's Drizzt, fight me.