A different type of table today, Quick Location Random Encounter Tables!
These thing are designed for one-shot game or when you want to quickly whip up a (most likely) random combat in your adventure. You can easily use 1-3 different tables in a session or even more!
It’s one page of small tables that you can easily keep in a sleeve or the inside of a book that can be quickly used using only a couple rolls of a d6!
Party falls into pit of bones and rusty armor. A giant skeleton rises, cackling, and won’t stop. He dies in one hit. Three more show up. Still cackling. Keeps going, larger numbers appear. You can barely hear each other over the sound of the skeletons.
Here’s a complete list of my Wilderness Encounters (#1-5)! After this I’ll be posting Random Town Encounters. If you guys want other environments let me know! (Ocean, Island, Mountain, Underworld, ???)
[1] A friendly stray dog appears, when asked to speak the dog has a lot to share [2] Materializing out of thin air, a magician appears claiming one of the party members is their long lost cousin. Surely this must be a mistake? [3] The sky above turns into a strange hue, birds begin flying in strange patterns in response [4] Copper sign on a large oak tree warns of a dangerous beast that hunts in the area [5] Strange traveling merchant appears selling exotic fish and unique magical spices. They’re desperate for loyal customers, surely this won’t be the last the party sees of them [6] There is a shift in the aura, the party have crossed into a large-scale summoning circle [7] A faint tune is heard, a pleasant and somewhat familiar whistling. But only half of the party can hear it [8] The trees appear to be sickly, covered in an acidic substance. The source of the infection lies deeper within the woods. It is hungry [9] Ruins of an abandoned town lie before you, only a few decades old. What awaits within the shadows? [10] A strange marketplace is stationed near a spring, all the merchants seem to be friendly but you can’t help but feel like something suspicious is going down… [11] The temperature drops to an insanely low degree almost immediately. Destroyed trees and earth lie ahead covered in ice crystals and blood [12] A carriage rides toward you in the distance, the driver smiles and waves. As they pass by, a tied up body wriggles and falls out of the carriage [13] Pointed plant spurs shower the party attaching to their clothes, they are difficult to remove and grow in size very rapidly [14] The aroma of baked goods floods your nose, it’s rich and enticing. A colossal sized monster is baking goods in a makeshift oven near a river [15] Goblins camping on a hill loudly argue about a dishonest game of cards. Looks like their betting pool is full of interesting treasure [16] Forest spirits glow and awaken as the party enters their domain. The spirits offer a safe way through the forest as long as they promise not to steal any of the enchanted flowers within [17] A wounded Minotaur rests against a tree slipping in and out of consciousness [18] Blessed by a beautiful night, the party gaze upon a shooting star. It glows brightly, increasing with size as it makes contact with the earth itself not too far away [19] Travel is pleasant until the party notices their packs seem to be lessening in weight [20] Twin travelers, no more than 6 years of age, approach the party lost and scared. They refuse to let anyone open up their knapsacks [21] A band of muggers attack the party, they are completely drunk and can barely hold a dagger [22] It seems you’ve stumbled onto the hidden base of an Alchemist, strange abominations infused with Chromatic Orbs guard the premise [23] “Huh. That’s weird, did that plant just move or was it just me?” [24] While scavenging for food, you stumble upon an adorable but frightened rabbit. Every time it sneezes it changes forms, starting with Owlbear [25] An abandoned grain mill provides some convenient shelter for the night. Inside the mill the party discover a complex mechanical endoskeleton, the rusted metal gears creak uneasily [26] Nearby, a crowd has gathered around a clay golem without a master. The crowd watches, enchanted as the golem paints masterpieces. The paint has a strange property… [27] Two Monsters are locked in combat, bloodied and breathing heavily. It seems their glorious duel is one of honor, maybe bet on a winner? [28] A Dragon flies overhead holding onto a hoard of gold and treasures. A sudden change in direction causes a piece of their treasure to fall [29] Dozens of fish with human legs crawl out of a lake. This school of peculiar fish seem to be on a mission [30] Rock music is heard in the distance followed by bouts of cheering, strange aromas fill the air. It seems you are approaching a Music Festival [31] You’ve wandered onto the premises of a camp for young Wizards. A Wizarding tournament is taking place and things get very dangerous, very fast [32] A cobblestone bridge stretches across a deep ravine. An Orc guarding the bridge demands you pay the toll, fortunately it is very small. After crossing the bridge you simply cannot remember where you are or where you’re going- Oh, a hey! A bridge! (And repeat) [33] A Mage stands in front of an unfinished tower. Upon seeing the party, they ask for assistance [34] A few hundred feet ahead, a strange house on wheels attached to two horses is parked on the side of the road. The house is somewhat destroyed but a sign on the roof is visible, “The Legendary Vagabond’s Sensational Creature Exhibit” [35] The ground below rumbles as a Monster emerges catching one of the party members in their teeth [36] In the center of the forest clearing, an abandoned field of flowers sway. These strange flowers are growing out the decayed body of a Dryad [37] A wild chicken jumps out of the bushes, it’s beak covered in blood. Surely this chicken is no threat, right? [38] Seated beside the river shore, an ethereal creature weeps. They reveal themselves as a Demigod with daddy issues [39] Hungrily, a non-traditional Chimera stalks the party. The beast is stitched together poorly [40] Inside the log of a fallen tree lies a poorly concealed treasure chest full of stolen loot. I’m sure nobody will mind if we take it? [41] Mysterious beasts occupy a dark hollow inside a hill, they want to play a bizarre game with promise of a grand reward [42] A sleeping Cyclops presents an awkward obstacle for the party, sleeping on the path. Nothing seems to be waking them and going around them is dangerous due to the environment [43] A nearby earthquake collapses the ground, revealing some glowing ore [44] Rotted flora is everywhere, upon further inspection this rot spreads out for miles [45] Wonderful! A village! Oh and everyone here is so nice… New mayors? Oh no, you must be mistaken! Oh, you’re certain? Well then [46] Lightning strikes the ground creating a dimensional rift. Certain conditions must have been met for this to have happened. Why not investigate? [47] Faint, indescribable sounds are heard from every direction. As you leave the dense foliage you discover beasts and Monsters of all types in cages. Welcome to the zoo [48] Little miss spider sips on some cider, eating her curds and whey. Along came the party, all powerful and hearty who scared miss spider away… You guys should probably apologize [49] A few tattered shacks sit beside the open road, nothing of interest is found within. The only thing to note is that they seem to be breathing… [50] Something straight out of Monster Factory is now stalking the party. Are they friend or foe? [51] A poet down on their luck bumps into the party. Did I mention they’re a Beholder? Let’s hope somebody can inspire this beast, or else [52] Just outside the village a group of angsty Bards are practicing their instruments. Their music is loud and dangerous, they don’t seem to understand a thing about Bardic magic [53] The coolest wizard you’ve ever seen dogsleds past your crew, spraying them with glittering ice. Did I mention it’s summer? [54] Just ahead, you see a ruined castle covered in moss and vines overlooking a quiet lake [55] Looks like a small creature has found its way into someone’s pack. This menace has eaten all of your rations and drank all of their booze! [56] YUCK! A swarm of bugs have gotten the best of your party. Fortunately, only one of you was bitten. Unfortunately, it looks like now they’ve developed a new, very unfortunate allergy [57] Blistering heat has rendered your whole party sweaty and exhausted, movement is quite difficult. I sure hope some baddies don’t show up right now [58] The unluckiest member of your party has their luck turned around, they found a precious jewel lodged in the dirt. They feel inspired [59] The unluckiest member of your party continues their trend of haplessness, they find a precious jewel lodged in the dirt. It whispers to them at night, haunting their dreams [60] After a hearty sleep the party awaken to find that they’ve been sleeping on top of a buried tomb [61] A large scale battle is taking place, bodies everywhere. Wait, this doesn’t seem to be a battlefield but a serious LARP session [62] Rusted weapons have been lazily discarded into a sunken pit. As the party approaches they discover this heap of weapons is actually somebody, or something’s collection [63] A drunken Necromancer attempts to impress the party by casting hazardous spells [64] Arrows fire at the party from behind. Someone’s been hired to take them out [65] For the past few hours you’ve felt as if someone has been watching you from afar. A Druid has been tracking your party. Outsiders are rare in this forest [66] A group Merchants are completely lost. Neither of them can remember anything from their past [67] Religious statues are placed haphazardly around the area, nothing is out of the ordinary until the sun goes down [68] Dozens of animated skeletons are exercising and doing some really intense yoga [69] Beside a babbling brook, a young cow drinks alone. They’re irresistibly adorable [70] An uneventful day of travel, the weather is calm the trees are- THUD! WHAT THE- The party leader has bumped into something invisible [71] All metal objects are intensely pulled toward an unknown source. Steel weapons and armor don’t stand a chance [72] It appears resting on that rock was quite the mistake. The stone rumbles and animates, grumpy and combative [73] Meditating on floating chunks of earth is a powerful looking Monk. They claim to have been awaiting the party’s arrival. The Monk issues a challenge, a test of strength [74] You’ve somehow stumbled onto a delightful Toad farm. Do you think a Witch lives around here or is there just a Toad enthusiast in these parts? [75] The morning sun stirs you awake to an unexpected scene. You and your friends have been tied up and kidnapped, seated in the back of a caravan. It smells oddly of pickled vegetables [76] A fishing contest is being held at the lake. The grand prize is a shockingly large sum of currency [77] It is a moonless night, travel is nearly impossible. As the party decide to sleep for the night, glowing is seen in the distance. When investigated the glowing creature is seemingly friendly and it attempts to guide the party through the night [78] Forest fairies are holding a festival for their gods, they invite the party to join [79] ACHOO! The pollen in the air is really strong… Wait… Are those trees growing or are we shrinking? Of course we’re shrinking! Why wouldn’t we be shrinking!? [80] In order to pass through this forest unharmed you must answer the goddess’s riddle. Unfortunately for the party she speaks a dead language, they hear only strange whispers [81] A group of Goblins attack! After giving them a good licking you run into them again. And again… And again. Maybe we should just make peace with these dorks [82] Introduce the most ridiculous NPC and have them stuck in some quicksand. Really let their character shine through, whether they are stupidly entertaining or horribly unbearable [83] A strange light glows in the distance on top of a mountain. Is this a sign of good fortune or something much more sinister? [84] A lone child plays the flute in the forest, they appear almost ethereal. It is a haunting melody [85] Shattered Gargoyles sit in an overgrown garden, a treasure chest lies among the rubble [86] Pick your favorite Cryptid and make them canonical to your world. Have the beast stalk the party for mysterious cryptic reasons. And yes, the Loch Ness Monster is an excellent choice [87] The forest clearing leads to a crystal clear freshwater lake. In the depths of the water something terrifying is waiting to be discovered [88] Two hyper intelligent, talking rabbits stop the party in their tracks. All they request are some books to read [89] A tree, twice as tall as the others appears to be growing… Weapons? (All of those are cursed, of course) [90] Next to the road, a group of Archaeologists are taking dirt samples. They’re convinced they will find some buried artifacts in the area. They are willing to pay a ridiculous sum of money if you give them some assistance, just as long as you keep this whole thing to yourselves [91] Resting through the night was very pleasant for the party leader. When they attempt to greet their comrades, they have found themselves in a bed a long ways away from their resting point [92] Dried up lake beds and decaying trees among a field of animal bones. You have reached the outside of a Necromancer’s circle [93] Orcs with a sense of humor attempt to prank the party. Their prank is perfectly harmless, it involves just a little bit of bottled unicorn piss [94] Travel is impossible on this moonless night. Unfortunately, sleeping until morning does not solve the situation, nighttime persists indefinitely [95] A colorful formation on the side of the mountain piques your interest. Inside lies the abandoned home of a giant and it is full of unique treasure. Let’s just hope something else hasn’t taken residence within the forgotten halls [96] Tons of bubblegum covers the roads, it is awful to travel through. The source of this mishap is a young Wizard with a sweet tooth [97] Crashed into the side of a plateau, a metallic construct with strange markings and glowing lights. Surely this isn’t an actual extraterrestrial? [98] While foraging for food, the party find a path of mushrooms leading into a dense Fungal Forest. Rare and undiscovered fungi grow within [99] The most obnoxious bard in the world joins the party at their campfire. They claim to be weak and in need of good company, offering booze to win them over. Did I mention this bard is an infamous necromancer on the run? Yeah, that might be important to know [100] Have you ever heard of the Adventure Zone? Well, Taako, Magnus and Merle have suddenly found themselves into your campaign. They are completely lost
Yet another 100 magic items! I’m procrastinating on classwork.
Note: These range from common to uncommon. In general, their cost can be higher than what it says on the sheet (about as much as 500 gp, for more powerful objects or settings where magic is rarer). They are intentionally vague at times, so that the DM can fill in whatever details are appropriate.
100 simple magical items, ranging from common to uncommon. In general, their cost can be higher than what it says on the sheet (about as much as 500 gp, for more powerful objects). They are intentionally vague at times, so that the DM can fill in whatever details are appropriate.
Do you know if this is official content, and if so, what book it’s from?
This isn’t official content. All of the D&D content I post is homebrew that I’ve created (that is, additional content for the games).
100 more common magical items, since the first one turned out well. This time, I included a numbers column, so that it’s more usable. Have fun!
(Note: These range from common to uncommon. In general, their cost can be higher than what it says on the sheet (about as much as 500 gp, for more powerful objects or settings where magic is rarer). They are intentionally vague at times, so that the DM can fill in whatever details are appropriate.)
Sounds like a neat idea! Here are some things I might try:
Earrings that give you better hearing.
Earrings that change the appearance of your ears so that a human can disguise themselves as an elf or a gnome could look like a halfing.
Earrings that help you discern lies from the truth.
Earrings that let you store all your money in an invisible extradimensional space behind your ears so you can pull coins from there like a magician!
Nose rings that give you the scent ability so you can track like a bloodhound.
Nose rings that let you detect poison.
Lip/tongue rings that allow you to breathe underwater or speak another language or become particularly alluring or persuasive.
Eyebrow piercings that give you lowlight vision or allow you to read really quickly.
Piercings/Jewelry made with gems of powers you can remove and toss as one use magical weapons. Toss a ruby and it becomes a fireball, that kind of thing.
Illusion Tattoos: A tattoo of an animal or person that lets you assume their likeness once per day.
Weapon Tattoos: Get a weapon tattooed on you so you’re always armed. As a quick action, you summon the weapon instantly to your hand. When you’re done it returns to your skin.
Wing tattoos that give them the ability to fly once per day.
Skill tattoos that give them a small bonus to the skill of their choice.
Friendhsip tattoos: Identical tattoos that let two people transpose their positions or make short range teleports to each other.
Level 0 Spells as Tattoos: Imagine getting a cute little lightning bolt tattoo that lets you cast Spark at will, or a thread and needle tattoo that let’s you cast Mending. You could theoretically make a tattoo for any spell, though I’d make it expensive to do so for the higher level ones. I don’t know what system you’re running, but if they have rules for the Permanency spell, you can reference that to give you a good idea for costs.
Those are my ideas! To keep it balanced you should limit how many enchantments a character can have active at any given time. I hope your players enjoy their magical body mods!
The easiest way to make the world feel alive is to use a calendar.
You don’t even have to fill it out to begin with. Maybe make some notes like “Hey, these are the days of the weeks, here’s what their cultural significance is” and have like I don’t know twelve months each with thirty days or something and go nuts.
But then as the campaign progresses you might think “Hey you know what’d be great a religious festival” and then boom write that down in your calendar and the next time the players enter a settlement go like “Yeah everyone’s getting ready for the Feast of St. Cuthbert” or some shit, I mean it wasn’t an established fact about the world before but now it is, and now your players will also know that they can expect a Feast of St. Cuthbert around the same time next year.
Also holy shit seasons. You check your calendar and realize that Winter is almost here and then suddenly the first snow falls and travel through the wilderness becomes much more perilous because not only do the characters have to contend with wandering monsters but also with the hazards brought on by snowfall. We’ve all probably thought how cool it would be to run a hexcrawl in a snowy setting where surviving the cold harsh wastes is the focus of the campaign, but holy shit, the passage of seasons means that Winter is basically like a time-sensitive snow hexcrawl.
And if you actually have time and aren’t lazy like me do go ahead and fill all these out beforehand in prep. Heck, if you’re feeling really brave you can even come up with a system of fantasy astrology and oh man how cool would a system of star signs each granting minor character bonuses like in ADOM be
Some ways to fantasy up your calendar:
You could change the length of the week. Faerun uses a metric ten-day week, for instance.
You can change the length of a month. Again, Faerun uses a 30-day month, like above, with the year balanced out with holidays that aren’t part of any month (intercalendary days have historical precedent in e.g. Rome), but there are other options. The Neverwinter Nights games, though nominally officially Forgotten Realms material, use a 28-day month, as does the one Heroes of Might and Magic game I’ve actually played (HoMM 3). You could use exact lunar months so that the day of the month corresponds to the phase of the moon.
You could change the number of months in a year. There are real-world calendars that do this, most having 12 months + an optional leap month (lunar calendars tend to do this, notably the Jewish calendar and also the Chinese lunar calendar)
You could change the number of days in a year
You could change the relationship of solstices and equinoxes (turning of the seasons) to the start of the year/month. Unless you’re doing something weird with your astronomy, your solstices and equinoxes will be evenly spaced throughout the year, but you could, for instance, put the new year exactly on a solstice and have your months start on the solstice/equinox rather than putting the solstices and equinoxes late in the months.
You could do something weird with the astronomy and have two, or more, moons.
You don’t need to start off tracking the phase of the moon or anything like that, but once you set one, you can project forward and backward and make determining it a simple calculation. Once you are, then the phase of the moon could impact your mage’s spells.
You could go to a “lunar week” where rather than weeks having a consistent number of days they begin and end at the full, dark, and half moons.
If this is up your alley you can also check out a few articles I wrote on this very subject!
Hipsterpotomu5 dnd 