Notes
All encounters generated by this application are taken from the random tables in the Bestiary (pp. 11-14). The 'Random' option generates a completely random encounter from the Bestiary with an equal chance to encounter a rat as a dragon. Use with care!
This application will also generate random treasure in line with the table in the main rulebook (p. 131). The random treasure generator is completely random and does not take into account the applicability of the treasure to the encounter. Remember also that large amounts of treasure are unlikely to be carried, but instead hidden in a lair. Plus, if a creature is carrying, for example, a magical weapon, it is likely to be using it to attack the PCs!
This random encounter generator should only be used as a tool to inspire GMs, not as a substitute for a properly written adventure - there should be more to adventures than combat and they should ideally be tailored to suit the characters. That said, a random encounter can spice up an adventure and keep both the players and the GM on their toes.
Also, random encounters challenge a GM to provide context and flavour and not all encounters need to end in combat. Consider the following suggestions:
- An encounter of 400 dwarves is not going to occur in an open field - they are more likely to be a community or fortress of some sort - itself a hotbed of adventure.
- If a party of low-rank adventurers encounter something with which they could not survive a combat, use the encounter to flaunt the majesty and dangers of the world - a party of first-rank characters that 'randomly' encounter a manticore might just spot it flying high overhead as part of its natural migratory cycle or a dragon might ignore the PCs and just swoop down mere feet from their location to feast on a wild stag (or equivalent). You could use the opportunity to go to town on the flavour text - describing the roaring wind that accompanies the dragon's dive, the speed and ferocity of its flight, and the ease with which it devours its lunch, for example.
- Encounters are not just flavour, though, consider the context - why is the manticore migrating (and is it too early/late in the season)? Why is this dwarven fortress here? If the PCs encounter a party of skeletons, who animated them and why? They might be centuries old, guarding the entrance to a now-hidden tomb (maybe they are carrying clues as to the tomb's location). Not everything matters, but GMs could sieze on even random elements to introduce more depth and plot hooks to his world.
- Repeat encounters can also be used to hook players - maybe the party have had two random encounters with a dragon and they realise it is the same dragon - is it a random coincidence or is the dragon using the ruse of hunting to keep an eye on this party of adventurers - maybe seeing how they handle themselves and whether they are worthy to recruit?