Quick and Thematic Random Encounters

ttrpg
Written By Matthew Davis

I wanted to write some d6 tables that will help with generating random encounters. I like d6s because they add enough randomness that it is interesting but not too large larger numbers so that you can't see them at a glance. These are for use with my play test game Rift Walker.

Of course they can be used with any tabletop role-playing game. When I think random encounters I think what is the omen of it's coming or something that hints to the players that it is nearby. I also want to know how far away it is from the players when they encounter it. I want to know what type of encounter it is on a side bar. I think about other games. How random encounters are often just a combat in the sorts of games I run that is not the case. I would prefer random encounters be anything from a social encounter to a discovery or hazard. I want to know what it's doing and of course knowing that this isn't just a combat encounter knowing what it's doing can be a little bit more broad for the type of area that they are in and then after what I want to know what kind of reward or consequence comes from it. This is probably the most Rift Walker eccentric part of what I'm writing but of course this could be adapted to any system.

I have written about random encounters before here and I want to take a moment to shout out that on my resources page you can access some great random tables to help you in your game design theory at the table. I hope these are useful for you in coming up with your own random encounters based on what the players are doing and the adventure that they are in on a sidenote about adventure structures, these would be really useful and stay awhile adventures we're travelling is the core function of them, but of course they can be filled in anywhere throughout any type of adventure.

PRELUDE TO THE ENCOUNTER

HOW FAR AWAY ROM IT?

  1. Adjacent

  2. Close

  3. Close

  4. Near

  5. Near

  6. Far

OMEN OF IT’S COMING

  1. Damage to environment or tracks is noticeable

  2. Weather or temperature is felt - magical/legendary

  3. Smell is lingering/Taste the of it is in the air

  4. Hear it in the distance

  5. The terrain is modified like sand on it

  6. Prey or NPCs killed

DURING THE ENCOUNTER

WHAT IS IT?

  1. Combat/Foe - someone want to hurt you

  2. NPC/Social - someone to talk to

  3. Hazard - trap, puzzle or barrier

  4. Feature - something interesting and descriptive

  5. Discovery - a one-off boon

  6. Special Encounter - something unique

WHAT IS IT DOING?

  1. Laying in wait

  2. What it normally does

  3. Interaction with someone/thing

  4. Tempting you

  5. Causing danger

  6. Doing something odd

AFTER THE ENCOUNTER

REWARD

  1. Contact

  2. Gear

  3. Skills

  4. Resources

  5. Lore/Information/Story

  6. New legend

CONSEQUENCE

  1. Damage

  2. Condition

  3. Peril Points

  4. Loss of Pool Slot Item

  5. Progress to the enemy

  6. Time is Lost

Matthew Davis
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