You see, the joke is that sometimes random encounters don't make sense in a certain environment. Do you get the joke? If you don't, you can read the caption on the picture, or you can read the caption I added to the captioned image. |
Two Generified Random Encounter Lists
This guy has the ur-table from which I attempt to derive a repeatable framework for a "decent" random encounter table. |
Following the format of the original encounter table we have (With odds rounded generously):
Result | Odds |
Mundane common monsters, Somewhat Weak | 18% |
Mundane common monsters, somewhat strong | 6% |
Big Horde, Weakish | 18% |
Big Horde, Strongish | 12% |
Mundane, Special | 30% |
Strong Group | 12% |
Result | Odds |
Interesting Filler to make it add up to 100% | 4% |
Big Horde, Strongish | 12% |
Big Horde, Weakish | 18% |
Mundane, Special | 30% |
Mundane common monsters, Somewhat Weak | 18% |
Strong Group | 12% |
Mundane common monsters, somewhat strong | 6% |
So we have a chart with the poll in the middle and it is very roughly even. Converting these to 3d6 dice rolls, we might get a template that looks like this:
Roll | Results |
3-5 | Something Nice-ish |
6-7 | Large group, strong |
8-9 | Larger group, weak |
10-11 | Special Enemies that exemplify the theme. |
12-13 | Weak "Boring" monsters |
14-15 | Small group of very strong monsters |
16-18 | Strong "Boring" monsters |
This gives you a pretty simple template to work with, if you want to extrapolate the bands even further, you could make these seven broad boxes into a full 16 like so.
Roll | Results |
3 | Treasure basically begging to be taken. |
4 | An obvious treasure but it requires unusual skills; maybe hobby skills, unusual trap skills, or knowledge skills. |
5 | A big scary guy is crowing about his amazing treasure. |
6 | Large group, strongest |
7 | Large group, strong |
8 | Larger group, Moderate |
9 | Larger group, weak |
10 | Special Enemies that exemplify the surface level theme. |
11 | Special Enemies that foreshadow the hidden theme or plot twist. |
12 | Rank and file mundane guys |
13 | Rank and file mundane guys, with a few leader class guys |
14 | Small group of strong monsters |
15 | Very small group of terrifyingly strong monsters |
16 | More Leaders than rank and file |
17 | Leaders with some Elites or special guys |
18 | A squad of elites |
Now that we have these broad strokes painted, let's try seeing if we can come up with an interesting application.
Application: My Last Five Room Dungeon
Let's try to apply this to the five room dungeon article I did recently for purifying a shrine. Assuming a 4 member party with a CER of 160, and the theme being mostly demonic enemies, let's try to come up with some guestimates on appropriate encounters for the abbreviated table.
0,0,2,1,-1 = 2
0,3,9,-1,1=12
0,0,2,1,-1 = 2
0,3,9,-1,1=12
Roll | Results | CER | Party CER to Monster CER |
3-5 | 4 Petty Demons(Dungeon Fantasy 9, p.31)* guard a treasure, choose something from 40 artifacts or the treasure tables. | 48 | 4:1 |
6-7 | 6 Doom Children (Dungeon Fantasy 2) | 300 | 1:2 |
8-9 | 5 Giant Rats (use swarm rules if desired) | 90 | 2:1 |
10-11 | 2 as-Sharak, Akaska, (Dungeon Fantasy 2) | 176 | 1:1 |
12-13 | 4 Horde Zombies (Dungeon Fantasy 2) | 92 | 2:1 |
14-15 | 3 Demons of Old (Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 1) | 258 | 2:3 |
16-18 | 2 Flame Servant Demons (Mirror of the Fire Demon) | 156 | 1:1 |
*Petty Demons have an OR of 2, PR of 12, and CER of 14
I included the approximate ratio of party CER to Monster CER for my own edification. There is a nice mix of weak encounters and strong encounters. For my first try, I like it, but the groups are a bit homogeneous; I need to try being a bit more creative in mixing groups so that certain force multipliers come into play.
Other Thoughts and Closing
I think this can bear some further refinement, of course it can! but I feel pretty good about it so far. I'd kinda like some more objective numbers, but this is kind of more of an art than a manufactured thing that probably requires play testing to iron out some kinks, but having some kind of framework and some kinda reasonable guidelines might be helpful I think. Take it or leave it, of course, and even when using random encounter tables, if you roll a dopey result you don't like, that means you have an idea in your head for what is really appropriate. Do whatever is right. The GM police can't arrest you if you decide you want to make a certain fight easier or harder because it matches the flow you are aiming for.
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