08/07/2024

Today we will look at the devil (d666) tables I have created for random encounters for my Shadowdark campaign. I got the idea to make these tables from Baron De Ropp over at Dungeon Masterpiece. The link to the video is here.

I broke the different types of encounters into three distinct categories: Demons, Humanoids, and Animals. As the campaign progresses, the tables can grow or morph as the characters gain levels. New tables can be added as well for the new group that the heroes can encounter, like an aquatic table if they are on the water or a Mountain table if the heroes head north into the Dwarven Mountains!

Demons (1-2)

Die Roll	Creature	Activity	Complication
1	Hexlings (2d4)	Whispering	Ensnared
2	Ichor Ooze	Slithering	Corroded
3	Tar Bats (2d4)	Swooping	Sticky
4	Skrells (2d4)	Hunting	Disoriented
5	Bogthorns (2d4)	Rustling	Entangled
6	Marrow Fiend	Prowling	Fractured

Humanoids (3-4)

Die Roll	Creature	Activity	Complication
1	Bandits (2d6)	Raiding	Betrayal
2	Orcs (2d4)	Marching	Internal Strife
3	Soldiers (2d4)	Training	Political Intrigue
4	Goblins (2d6)	Plundering	Arguing
5	Cultists (2d4)	Ritualizing	Unforeseen Magic
6	Villagers (2d6)	Gathering	Hungry

Animals (5-6)

Die Roll	Creature	Activity	Complication
1	Wolves (2d6)	Hunting	Alpha Challenge
2	Brown Bear	Roaming	Territorial Dispute
3	Troll	Patrolling	Regenerating Wounds
4	Giant Rats (2d6)	Nesting	Sickness
5	Giant Spider (2d4)	Lurking	Entangled
6	Owlbear	Feasting	Disoriented

For Example: The characters are traveling through the woods between towns and a random encounter is rolled. To see what table to roll, a d6 is tossed and comes up a 6 so it is an animal encounter. A quick roll of three d6s gives us the results of 5, 2, 6. Looking at the table that gives us giant spiders (2d4 which is a rolled 4), roaming, and disoriented.

So the party comes across 4 giant spiders moving through the forest and they are apparently disoriented. Did they eat something that made them sick? Did they encounter someone/something that did it to them? A quick idea is that the giant spiders came across a spellcaster that used the Confusion spell on them. Now we have a random encounter with more than just how many creatures appear. We have a story element as to why they are here and what they are doing when the party finds them.

What are some methods you use to generate random encounters? Feel free to leave a comment!

Keep on gaming!