Random Encounters
I am not sure where to put this for now. Typically you will cut and paste the encounter chart below and place under the Realms Nature page (where it appears on the Realms Template page, but you may wish to have random encounter tables in several places for large realms. Or the encounter chart might make more sense on a different Realms page, such the the Realms Society Crime page for a dungeon or sewer encounter.
Simply fill in the random encounter chart. Use common fauna or common NPC types to fill in a lot of the Common entries. You can add hazards, events and interesting locales if you like.
You might want to note the realm's Danger Modifer here as well as in the At a Glance section. This modifier indicates the heightened (or lessened) chance of encounters occurring (about +/- 5% for each number of the modifier). But the danger level should also indicate the relative power of the danger too. A place with a very high danger rating should have creatures or hazards that are more dangerous than similar realms with a lower rating.
Random Encounter Charts
Use whatever type of chart you are comfortable with. 5E D&D has reverted back to simple percentage charts. I prefer the chart below that clearly ranks the likelihood of encountering each of the entries. I have included it here as an example so you see how it works.
For this chart you roll 2d10 or 1d8 + 1d12 and add the results.
Random Encounters
| roll | Encounter |
|---|---|
| 2 | Very Rare |
| 3 | Very Rare |
| 4 | Very Rare or Rare |
| 5 | Rare |
| 6 | Rare |
| 7 | Uncommon |
| 8 | Uncommon |
| 9 | Common |
| 10 | Common |
| 11 | Common |
| 12 | Common |
| 13 | Common |
| 14 | Uncommon |
| 15 | Uncommon |
| 16 | Rare |
| 17 | Rare |
| 18 | Very Rare or Rare |
| 19 | Very Rare |
| 20 | Very Rare |
Idea Charts & Resources
| Names & Descriptions | Resource |
|---|---|
| Ambushes | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p388 |
| Arctic encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p183 |
| Arctic monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p302 |
| Business related encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p186 |
| Campsites | AEG's Ultimate Toolbox p388 |
| Coastal monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p302 |
| Desert encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p184-9 |
| Desert monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p302 |
| Fresh water encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p179, 190 |
| Forest encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p184-9 |
| Forest monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p302 |
| Grasslands monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p303 |
| Graveyard encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p68 |
| Haunted building encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p68 |
| Hill encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p184-9 |
| Hill monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p304 |
| Humanoid tribelands encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p68 |
| Marsh/Swamp encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p184-9 |
| Marsh/Swamp monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p304 |
| Mountain encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p184-9 |
| Mountain monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p303 |
| Plains encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p184-9 |
| Planar Rift encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p66 |
| Pleistocene encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p188 |
| Prehistoric/Dinosaur encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p188, 190 (water) |
| Ruins encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p69 |
| Scrub encounters | 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p184-9 |
| Sea Encounters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p118; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p190 |
| Sewer encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p69 |
| Slum encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p70 |
| Sylvan encounters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p87; 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p70; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p187 |
| Underdark monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p305 |
| Underdark /Cavern encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p70 |
| Undersea encounters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p116; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p179, 190 |
| Underwater monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p305 |
| Urban encounters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p114; 1E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p191 |
| Urban monsters | 5E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide p305 |
| Wizard guild encounters | 3E D&D Dungeon Master's Guide 2 p71 |
