True Random Encounters vs Planned Responses


Pathfinder First Edition General Discussion


What is your stance or execution on truly random encounters vs encounters where there is a somewhat planned response - especially non-combat encounters?

As a roll playing game, the PC's actions or the effectiveness of their interactions can be dictated by dice rolls - as can monster or NPC responses - diplomacy rolls, intimidate etc....

As a somewhat new GM (2 years experience now playing twice a month) I find that I tend to just have my NPCs respond as I think they would. But is this appropriate? Should we let the dice decide what happens in the story?

When do you let dice decide and when do you decide logically?

Thanks for your thoughts...


Dice come into play when things are opposed (bluff vs. sense motive or perception vs. stealth). I don't use dice to tell my story. The dice impact the mechanics of the game, not the story itself.

I used to roll for random encounters and such, but it really bogged down gameplay. Now I look at the RE list (if there is one) and pick appropriate "random" encounters to throw at my players and just put them in the mix of my planned encounters. Helps me prepare and plan for a night's adventuring. Good luck!


As an example of things I used to roll for randomly...

Random dungeon encounters (the granddaddy of all random lists)

Random town encounters:
chamber pots being emptied into the street below, on PCs' heads, etc.
witnessing acts of violence
strange or interesting NPCs
vendors
and so on

Random weather (roll 1/day and 1/night, yes really)

Now I just plan all that out in advance.

Shadow Lodge

The dice decide in situations in which there should be doubt as to the outcome.

The dice do not decide whether a PC can successfully order a drink at a tavern. However, the dice would decide whether the goblin can order a drink in a dwarf bar or whether he gets told "we don't serve your kind here." Unless the dwarf bar is in a kingdom with a large bounty on goblin ears, in which case you probably don't need to roll to decide that someone is going to try and collect on the bounty.

In many situations you may not bother rolling dice, and that's fine. But rolling dice in social situations contributes the same two things that rolling dice in combat does:

1) It creates uncertainty. Taking action is more exciting if you don't know what the outcome will be.

2) It keeps things solidly, fairly based on the characters' abilities. You may think it's natural that Angry Albert tells anyone who expresses concern over his injury to "piss off," but maybe the bard actually is tactful and compassionate enough to get him to admit that his wound doesn't seem to be healing right. Recognizing that a skilled/talented character has a chance (see point 1) at succeeding at something makes players feel that their skills are being appreciated.

Personally, I think I call for a roll about every third or fourth major social interaction, usually when the PCs are trying to achieve something specific and plot-relevant like "get information from the suspect" or "convince the captain I've been framed."


One of the most effective use of dice in your game is the "Yes or roll" philosophy. Either it happens automatically or you let a player (or GM)roll dice. In that way, you don't hinder the players creativity vs your lack of anticipation. And if they roll high or low, you can make the story flow positively or negatively.

In the case of random encounter, I use them only when I feel a need to push the tension and dramatics of the game such as urgency or danger. For example, PC's that try to take a rest when they are really in a dangerous situation. The Encounter chart, however should reflect the area and the threats surrounding them.

Otherwise, they just slow down play.


As the GM you should know the NPC's motivations in any scene and play their responses appropriately. I only ever roll dice in a "social" interaction if the player brings game mechanics into the equation (bluff, intimidate etc). I do try to bare in mind the characters charisma, race, sex and previous demeanor and current approach. To randomly roll a reaction negates a player's choices.


Thanks for the responses. It seems the general consensus is that GMs don't let the dice control the plot of the story.

I think it would be interesting to have significant interaction outcomes dictated by dice rolls. Will the PCs convince the king of a neighboring town not to attack their own town? Let the dice decide.

You would need to be very flexible to play this way though....but it would be exciting.


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A rather Paranoia-inducing game had the following tip on it's game-master section*: if you don't particularly care either way about the result, let the players roll.

Granted, it's a very different game, but I've found it useful advice for practically every system.

* Not that I've ever read it, of course. It's above my security clearance.


They're useful when the players blindside you and you've not got anything prepared.

For example:
Druid: "We're not attacking the giant ant nest."
GM "The town council doesn't want them in the middle of the town." (The nest was in the garden of an abandoned property)

I wound up inventing a specialist druid that could communicate with insects, having the ants dig down to the storm drains under the town where the druid and allies could escort them out while I rolled a few random encounters on a sewers encounter table.

Shadow Lodge

noblejohn wrote:

Thanks for the responses. It seems the general consensus is that GMs don't let the dice control the plot of the story.

I think it would be interesting to have significant interaction outcomes dictated by dice rolls. Will the PCs convince the king of a neighboring town not to attack their own town? Let the dice decide.

You would need to be very flexible to play this way though....but it would be exciting.

Oh, I've done that. One of the players tried to convince a succubus that he was falling for her charms and wanted to be a part of her evil schemes. He made an impressive bluff check and led her into a trap. Made for a very memorable end of an adventure, much better than anything I would have come up with.


I use a bit of both. Typically I have set encounters and NPC reactions that the players will have to manage but here and there I let situations remaing open and use the various rule mechanics or my own version of the 'Mythic' randomizer to determine how things come out.

For example - I may plan for a caravan to cross the player's path while they are traveling. Its a chance for some bartering, picking up information and the like and I set the encounter as friendly. Later however I also plan for a group of old veteran soldiers, returning from a campaign that didnt go very well, to pass the party. Their attitude, reaction such I may leave up to the whim of the dice.

This keeps things on tract where my plot is concerned but also inserts a little uncertainty, which as a GM is kind of fun sometimes and keeps things fresh.

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