Just a quick update to the last post.
Another method of achieving a similar result, if you prefer using a table to adding dice, etc.
Roll 1d20, add the number of hexes away from civilization (maximum 10), and check the table below to see how many monsters appear.
E.g., if you roll a total of 12 and the "number appearing" is usually 1d6, then 3 monsters appear.
Special cases:
Rolling 25 or more: There is a chance that you've found a monster lair (25% or whatever the GM deems appropriate).
Lairs: if you find a lair, roll number appearing as usual (for example, a lair of orcs containing 5d6x10 orcs - just roll 5d6x50 regardless of the initial result, or keep the initial result as a minimum - see the examples below).
0 monsters appearing: either the encounter doesn't happen, or the monster is of a smaller/weaker variant (whatever the GM deems appropriate).
Natural 20: if you roll a natural 20, roll again and add 10.
Natural 1: roll again and subtract 10.
Examples:
- You find some ogres (number appearing: 2d6), 8 hexes away from civilization. You roll 1d20+8, and get a 21. This means 5 ogres were found for each d6, for a total of 10.
- You find some orcs (NA: 1d6x10), 5 hexes away from civilization. You roll 1d20+5, but you get a natural 20. Then you roll again with a +10 bonus, getting a total of 31. This means you found at least 70 orcs, but there is a chance you have found their lair. The DM decides this is a viable place for an orc fortress and roll 5d6x10, getting 150 orcs.
- You encounter dragons (NA: 1d4), 2 hexes away from civilization, but you roll low and the table indicates 0 dragons. The GM decides wether this encounters doesn't happen (e.g., you see a dragon flying far away in the distance, you find dragon tracks, etc.) or if you find a smaller dragon, drake, etc.
Variations:
You could use 2d10 to make the outcomes more predictable.
You can use the table below if you want fractions; this is useful in multiple situations (e.g., when you find 2d6 ogres or 1d6x10 orcs, using fractions gives you more nuance).
Yes, my version of excel uses commas instead of decimal points.
Round to the nearest integer.
The formula:
The formula I used is: D*R/25.
D = Dice size (4 for a d4, 6 for a d6, etc.).
R = Result of d20+hexes.
I really like the "Roll 1d20, add the number of hexes away from civilization". It let's you design a singular encounter table for varying zones of mild vs deep wilds, and have the higher entries be increasingly "deep wilding".
ReplyDeleteThanks! Yes, I think having an specific encounter table in this format would be incredibly useful.
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