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Random Magic Tables
If you activate a Rod of Wonder, misread a scroll, mix potions, plant a magic bean, or cast too many wild magic spells, you need a truly random effect. Roll on the main table, then roll on the secondary tables indicated.
Main Table
01: Local weather effect.
02: Energy attack. Hits rod target, spell target, or scroll reader.
03: Energy Burst. 30 ft. radius centering on rod target, spell target, or scroll reader.
04: Summoning: Creature will have same dice as summoner. Not controlled.
05: Small objects, Big Object, or materials appear.
06: Polymorph: Rod target, spell target, or scroll reader saves vs 20 or becomes creature.
07: Enchantments: Target or reader Dex. checks vs 20 or is affected by the spell for X hours.
08: Environment change:
09: Other spell like effect.
10: Rift: Rip in space to Alternate Plane.
11: Divination: Reader or Rod Wielder can detect subject.
12: Illusion: Roll again and effect is Will check 20 to disbelieve.
Table One. Local Weather Effect. Unless noted otherwise, for X minutes
01: Pennies from heaven: Each person in the area takes 1D6 subdual damage an action round for X minutes. You can save vs DC20 or resist a 20 attack. The copper storm is a maximum area of a 50 foot radius, it will fill a 10 by 10 foot room up to 5 feet, and wearing plate armor or a helmet will resist the subdual but still distract because of the clanging.
02: Snowstorm: X minutes. Will fill a 10 by 10 room in 2 minutes. 1D6 damage a round to fire creatures. Half land movement.
03: Popcorn Precipitation: It's got extra butter and causes slipping like some kind of grease spell. Attracts or distracts vermin such as rats, beetles, and other scavengers.
04: Hailstorm: 1D6 impact plus 1D6 cold damage a round. After first round floor becomes slippery as a grease spell or power.
05: Fog: For X minutes visibility becomes 5foot, 10 foot with powerful light source. Strong wind ends effect.
06: Rain: X minutes. Will fill a 10 by 10 room in 2 minutes. 1D6 damage a round to fire creatures.
07: Firestorm: 1D6 fire damage per round. All unattended flammable objects catch fire. Flammable creatures can save vs DC20 or resist a 20 attack.
08: Lightning Storm: Cloud forms and lightning strikes. XD6 strike every other round. Target is anyone with a polearm. Second most likely is anyone over 8 feet tall. Next is the person with the most metal armor.
09: Sunstroke: Full noon sun pours forth for X minutes. Effect on undead and underdark creatures happens.
10: Roll on small animals: Swarm falls for X minutes.
11: Roll on Small objects or materials. Everyone in 50 foot radius is attacked.
12: Full weather effect. Roll again. For a full day weird weather happens for entire city, town, or other type of area.
Note for 1-11-7-2 (Silver Storm: Like Pennies from Heaven but with silver pieces. Lycanthropes take real damage.)
Table two. Energy Attack.
01: Plume of Fire: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half. Scroll or other flammables catch fire.
02: Blast of Frost: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half.
03: Burst of Sound: XD6 and deafness for 1D20 minutes: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half. and no deafness.
04: Acid Spouting: XD6 and half as much damage next round unless washed or rubbed off. Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half.
05: Jolt: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half. Double if wearing metal armor.
06: Positive Energy Surge: XD6 Healing: Extra hit points last only 10 rounds. Evil Undead save or dodge DC20 reflex for half damage.
07: Negative Energy Surge: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half. Undead are healed. Extra hit points last only 10 rounds.
08: Energy Bolt: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half.. Blocked by Wall or shield of force
Table three. Energy Burst.
01: Fire Ball: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half. Scroll or other flammables catch fire.
02: Frost Ball: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half.. Unattended liquids freeze solid.
03: Sound Ball: XD6 and deafness for 1D12 minutes: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half and no deafness.
04: Acid Ball: XD6 and half as much damage next round unless washed or rubbed off. Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half.
05: Electric Ball: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half. Double if wearing metal armor.
06: Positive Energy Ball: XD6 Healing: Extra hit points last only 10 rounds. Evil Undead save or dodge DC20 reflex for half damage.
07: Negitive Energy Ball: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half. Undead are healed. Extra hit points last only 10 rounds.
08: Energy Ball: XD6: Save or dodge DC20 reflex for half. Blocked by Wall or shield of force.
Table four. Summoning. Will persist till killed, banished, or the end of the adventuring day.
01: Elemental. E1-Earth, E2-water, E3-Air, E4-Fire, E5-Ice, E6-Ooze, E7-Magma, E8-Smoke.
02: Goblinoid. .1D6 in number.
03: Animals. 1-Small animals, 2-Regular animals, 3-Beasts, and 4-Magical Beasts. Will obey Elf, Ranger, or Druid.
04: Slimes, oozes, and jellies
05: Human or Demi human. H1-Human, H2-Elf, H3-Dwarf, H4-Halfling, H5-Gnome or Dragonborn, H6-Other.
06: Aligned Magic and Outsiders. 1-Evil(Fiends), 2-Good(Celestials & Angels), 3-Lawful(Modrons & Inevitables), and 4-Caotic(Slaads). Will attack most opposed alignment.
07: Dragons, Nagas, and other lizardy monsters.
08: Aberrations. Will usually attack random target.
09: Fey. Will usually side with Elf, Ranger, or Druid.
10: Undead. Will obey necromancers or Clerics of Death deities.
11: Plants & funguses. Will usually side with Elf, Ranger, or Druid.
12: Constructs. Will obey short instructions.
Table 4-11 Small animals. 1D4 hit points. 1/2 dice.
01: Rodents: Check Rodent Table
02: Bats: See rulebooks for familiars. Can see by echolocation, fly, and cause bleeding wounds.
03: Bunny Rabbits: Can gnaw, run 60, and jump +20.
04: Bugs: Check Bug table.
05: House Cats: Can see in dark and land on feet.
06: Small Dogs: Can be trained. -1 damage of riding dog.
07: Amphibians: 01-Frogs (Harmless but eats bugs), 02-Toads, 03-Salamanders, or 4-Walking Catfish
08: Weasel Family: 1-Weasel, 2-Ferret, 3-Badger, or 4-Skunk
Rodent Table.
01-Rats: Have Filth Fever. Can gnaw through wood, ropes, and such.
02-Squirrels: Can gnaw, climb +20, and are constantly hasted.
03-Mice: Like rats but no filth fever. Can hide and move silently +20.
04-Moles: Can dig but tunnels they make are tiny.
Bug table.
01-Spiders: 1 hit point each. Venom only does 1D4 hours paralyze to tiny creatures. Climb +20.
02-Centipedes: See spiders.
03-Scorpions: Poison will affect M sized creatures. Fort. check 20 or loses 1D6 Con.
04-Beetles: Bite. Have toughness. Can fly.
05-Bees: Sting does 1-6. Can fly.
06-Wasps: Stinging does not kill wasp.
Random mundanes Table.
01-Beggers: 1D4Hits, staffs
02-Peasent Farmers: 1D8hits, Pitchforks
03-Orphans:
04-Town Guard-Warriors:
05-Sailors: 2D8Hits, Belaying pins(1D6 subdual), cutlasses
06-Craftsmen: 1D6Hits, Daggers. Blacksmiths will have armor, shields, and broadswords.
07-Servants: Maids and Butlers will have brooms that serve as staffs.
08-Servers: Bartenders, waiters, and serving wenches will have metal platters and shot glasses.
Table five. Small objects, Big Object, or materials appear.
01: Caltrops. Cover 20 foot radius of floor with caltrops.
02: Marbles. 20 foot radius is covered with marbles. Surface is slippery. Save or dodge 20 attack or fall down.
03: Mud. Scroll reader or rod target get covered with mud.
04: 1D6 large gems. 1D6 damage to target. G1-Ruby Quartz, G2-Amethist, G3-Ruby, G4-Emerald, G5-Star Sapphire, G6-Diamond.
05: Ceramic Lawn Gnomes: 1D6 in number. Each attacks +20. Does 2D6 piercing and blunt trauma.
06: Candies: 1-Hard candies, 2-Marshmallows, 3-Gumdrops, 4-Chocolates, 5-Gummy Dragons, or 6-Candy Canes. Xpounds.
07: Coins: 1-Copper pieces(4D6), 2-Silver Pieces(3D6), 3-Gold Pieces(2D6), or 4-Platinum Pieces(1D6)
08: Stream of liquid: Table 5-8 Liquids
09: Pole sections. X one foot sections of a pole. Sections screw into each other end to end.
10: Veggies. 1-Broccoli Sprigs, 2-Peas, 3-Kernels of corn, 4-Beans, 5-Mushrooms, 6-Brussel Sprouts. Xpounds.
11: Dice. 1-D4s, 2-D6s, 3-D8s, 4-D10s, 5-D12s, 6-D20s. Xpounds.
12: Figures. Roll on summoning table. Made of 1-Tin, 2-Clay, 3-Stone, 4-Steel. 10 times X.
Large objects: 1-3 Falls on reader or target. 4-6 Appears in nearest unoccupied space.
If it falls on person does 1D6 per 100lbs. 20 Dex. check to dodge
13: Boulder. About 600 lbs.
14: Statue of reader or caster. about 400lbs.
15: Big piece of cake. Can smother if person cannot make escape check while holding breath. Distracts swarms.
16: Wooden barrel of oil: Only 200lbs but has a lit clay lamp on top. 4D6 fire damage a round for 10 minutes.
17: Wooden Crate. Roll on table five. Small objects or materials.
18: Steel Safe. 200lbs.
19: Piano.
20: Cabinet with glass front full of cheep china nick nacks.
Table 5-8 Liquids
01-Acid: Treat as X doses.
02-Holy Water: Treat as X doses.
03-Pure Water: Puts out fire. Affects fire creatures like acid.
04-Greek Fire: Treat as X doses.
05-Vodka: Wounds hurt twice as much but diseases and parasites die.
06-Perfume: Ruins predators appetite but adds four to charisma for 3D6 hours.
Table six. Polymorph. Dispel magic will cure. Daily Will check to see if they start acting like new form.
01: Roll on small animals.
02: Roll on wandering monsters chart for persons level.
03: Horse for human size. Pony for small creature.
04: Roll on summoning table.
Table seven. Enchantments.
01: Light: Like a torch. Invisibility not possible.
02: Charm: Next person or thing with intelligence 2 or more is viewed with trust.
03: Growth: Subject doubles in size to next size category.
04: Reduction: Subject is reduced in size to next size category.
05: Darkness: 20 ft radius. Normal effects of magical darkness.
06: Silence: 20 ft radius.
07: Noise: 20 ft radius. -10 listen and concentration. Noise and Silence counter each other.
08: Teleport in a random direction. 1-100 feet. If something is in the way, add a mile.
09: Insanity: If they won't role play it, borrow their character.
10: Amnesia: Has all powers, skills, and abilities but cannot remember anything.
11: Stat change: Roll ability stat randomly. 1-Strength, 2-Dexterity, 3-Constitution, 4-Intelligence, 5-Wisdom, 6-Charisma.
(Roll 2D6-6 then add to stat. Adding a negative number is like subtracting.)
12: Regeneration: 1 hit point a round.
13: Protection: Protected for one hour against... 1-Roll on summoning table, 2-Projectiles, 3-Metal, 4-Wood, 5-Stone, 6-Magic
(Thing protected against can't come within 20 feet of subject. That includes reach. Subject will be pushed back if they try to approach the thing)
14: Healing Touch: XD6 healing per action to being touched.
15: All magic on subject is suspended. Duration resumes after hour.
16: Subject is immune to one type of damage and touch does that damage(XD6)
(1-Fire, 2-Frost, 3-Acid, 4-Sound, 5-Electricity, or 6-Energy)
17: Partial Polymorph: Also known as temporary mutations. Partial Polymorph Table
18: Hasted
19: Slowed
20: Immaterial: Half miss chance both ways. Magic functions normally.
Table 7-2 Random noise.
01: Small animals making their sounds.
02: Talking in a random language spouting nonsense. (Turn on a radio)
03: Singing: Pick a song.
04: Clanging like a man in full armor dancing.
05: Marching
06: Humming
07: Sound of a ceiling collapsing
08: Glass shattering
Table 7-3 Random direction
01: Left.
02: Right
03: Forward
04: Backward
05: Straight up or up one level. Upstairs.
06: Down one level. Till the next open space.
07: To an adjacent plane of existence.
08: Roll twice using D6s. Combine direction. Slanted.
Table 7-4 Insanity (Designed for player characters)
01: Psychotic: Believes they must kill or they will die. If no targets are visable they faint.
02: Acts like the emperor because they believe they are.
03: Angry: Has a constant ready attack. Moves at half speed and attacks anything that suddenly appears.
04: Apathy: Doesn't want to do anything. Will defend themselves if attacked but will otherwise just follow along.
05: Depression: -2 at everything because they are crying.
06: Delusional: Roll up random encounter that only they react to.
07: Babbling: Treat like noise.
08: Unholy Visions: Will begin preaching about made up God and give false prophecies.
09: Satyriousus: Will profess their love for people, animals, monsters, and or objects. How far they go with this depends on the campaign.
10: Personification: Will talk to animals and inanimate objects. Will think they talk back.
11: Power complex: Will think they have a magic power and will try to use it. For example, invisibility or hurling fireballs.
12: Identity crisis: Will act as though monster of opposite sex trapped inside someone elses body.
13: Terrified. Will run away from anything that startles them.
14: Paranoid. Thinks everything is out to get them. Will take every trap or monster personally. Won't want anyone behind them.
15: Unstable. Roll every round. 1-Attack nearest thing that moves, 2-Does nothing-see apathy, 3-Terrified, or 4-Babbling.
16: Multiple personalities. Add second personality of opposite alignment(Break into Lawful Good and Chaotic Evil if unaligned or neutral). 50% chance a round flip to other personality.
17: Manic: Will be constantly happy and will do things with too much enthusiasm. May flog a dead monster or check for traps constantly.
18-20: Complex: Roll twice and combine results. If this comes up again roll for 3 parts.
Table eight. Environment change. Entire room, cavern, or 100 foot radius.
01: Fill area with substance: 1-Water, 2-noxious gas(-2 to all things from retching), 3-Fresh air, 4-hollow iron balls
02: Add trap door. 10 feet deep or to next lower level.
03: Door. Random direction to next open area. If under open sky then door falls on target or reader. If no open area then door opens to brick wall.
04: Smooth surface: Cover over all pits, canyons, rivers, or other breaks in current surface.
05: Cover floor or ground with... 1-marballs, 2-caltrops, 3-glue, 4-slippery (flammable)oil
06: Change or add room. 1-Normal squared off room, 2-Stone cavern, 3-Circular or oval room, 4-Spherical room, 5-XD6 foot high ceiling, 6-Lower floor 10 feet, 7-Arrow slits in all walls, 8-Fill area with maze .
07: Add feature:
08: Surface: (1-Floor, 2-Ceiling, 3-All walls, or 4-All 3) are made of (1-Stone, 2-Wood, 3-Glass, 4-Mirrors, 5-Ice, 6-Fire)
09: Mountain: If underground it still appears on surface.
10: Trees: If underground it still appears on surface.
Table 8-2: Feature Table.
01-Chandelier. If no ceiling it falls.
02-Table & 4 chairs.
03-Wall safe behind painting. Requires wall.
04-Piano.
05-Cabinate full of plates, steel flatware, platters, gravy boat, ect.
06-Cabinate with glass front full of cheep china nick nacks.
07-Alter to deity worshiped by reader or caster.
08-Holy water font that refills with 10 doses every week(Lawful Good).
09-Fireplace with chimney leading to surface or 20 feet.
10-Statue of reader or caster. Falls on reader or target. 20 reflex to dodge it.
11-Chasm with rope bridge across.
12-Pool of random liquid 10 feet deep. Table 5-8 Liquids
13-Pillars. X pillars up to ceiling, or 20 feet tall if no ceiling.
14-Add trap DC10+X to find and disarm.
15-Vending Machine. Check vending machine table.
16-Fountain with random potion effect. Cannot be bottled.
17-Dinner table and 10 chairs. Full silver and plate setting with turkey dinner.
18-Painting showing scene from item's users dreams.
19-Wall mural showing all of character's nightmares.
20-Mosaic on floor. Every 10th tile clicks when stepped on.
Traps
01- Step on certain tiles, room closes, and 2 opposite walls slowly close in.
02- Room becomes sealed and fills with water.
03-Tripwire launches arrows. X arrows +X to hit. 1-Poisoned arrows, 2-Flaming arrows, 3-Acid filled glass arrows, 4-Rock Salt tipped arrows. Do an extra 2D6 subduing damage from the pain.
04- 20ft deep pit trap with a flip lid that resets.
05- Thief whacker. Ruby set in wall. When pulled on section of ceiling swings down and whacks them in back of head.
06- 20 foot wide stone ball rolls through room and down hall if golden statuette not disarmed. 20 Dex. check to dodge or XD6 damage.
07- Door with loaded Ballista behind it.
08- Valuable wall hanging with mirror of opposition behind it.
09- Step on tile and something falls on character. Table Traps-9
10: Statue. If you don't know the password, it attacks. Stone or iron golem.
Traps-9 something falls on character.
1- 10 gallons of oil, then a lit match
2-Diseased dire rat
3-Table 5-8 Liquids
4-Table Nine: Large objects
Vending machine table. Things bought will persist.
01: Drinks. Takes silver piece. Gives bottle of Tea, chilled coffee, Pure water, or sparkling lemon lime drink.
02: Food. Takes silver piece. Gives 1 iron ration, chocolate bar, honey & trail mix bar, corn dodger, carrot sticks, or beef jerky.
03: Necessities. Takes one gold piece. Gives flask of oil, 10 tinder twigs, 4 candles, bar of soap, or one dose antitoxin.
04: Various spell components. Takes 1 gold piece. Gives mercury, gum Arabic, 3 colors of sand, rose petals, 1 cocoon, ect.
05: Herbs: Takes 1 silver. Gives sprig of belladonna, Mustard poultice, Garlic bulb, Powdered wolves bane, ect.
06: Oddities: Takes one platinum piece. Gives stone elder sign, 5 dose bottle of milk of amnesia, 1 dose sleep poison, ect.
Table Nine:
01: Reanimation: Nearest remains animate. X hit dice of Skeletons or Zombies.
02: Nearest animal present gains ability to talk and walk upright. Add 1D6 intelligence, wisdom, and charisma.
03: Reader or target is turned into an animated stuffed toy. Fort save or defense 20 to resist.
04: Reader, Wild Magic user, or item user has their mind catapulted into the past to observe important event.
05: X glowing green rocks appear. If thrown each explode like grenades doing XD6 force damage to target.
06: Vines grow in 10ft radius entangling all there. (Treat as entangle spell or power.)
Table Ten: Rift. Permanent till magically closed. Once set where it leads to it stays.
01: Astral Plane or Astral Sea.
02: Shadow or Shadowfell.
03: Ethereal or Elemental Chaos
04: Outland or Feywild
05: Far Realm
06: Alternate Prime Material or other game setting
Elemental Sub table: 3.5 Plane or 4.0 Location within.
01: Ethereal or Abyss
02: Earth or Giant Mountains
03: Water or Endless Sea
04: Air or Endless Sky
05: Fire or City of Brass
06: Ice or Great Glacier
07: Magma or Surtur's Volcano
08: Ooze or Great Swampy Garbage Dump
09: Smoke or Border of Ravenloft
10: Elemental Demi plane or Stormy Between Points
Elemental demiplanes
01-Mineral
02-Light
03-Fog
04-Sonic
05-Salt
06-Dust
07-Vaccume
08-Freezing
09-Positive Energy
10-Negitive Energy
Table Eleven: Divination. Lasts X hours.
01: Detect Alignment: 4.0=1-Good, 2-Evil, 3-Lawful Good, or 4-Caotic Evil /3.5=1-Good, 2-Evil, 3-Law, or 4-Caos
02: Detect Minerals: Precious metals and gems.
03: Detect Monsters: Roll on Summoning Table for specific type.
04: Detect Life
05: Detect Magic
06: Detect Poison: Drugs less strongly.
07: Detect madness: Insanity and aberrations.
08: Detect Death: Remains and undead. Leather and fur to a lesser amount.
09: Detect Dragons: All dragons, half dragons, and draconian creatures.
10: Detect Traps: All mechanical, magical, and puzzle traps.
11: Detect Doors: All hidden, concealed, and trap doors.
12: Detect Direction: Know true north, how far to ground level, and which way home.
13: Detect Falsehood: Can detect lies, shapechanged things, and illusions.
14: See Invisible
15: X-ray vision
16: Clairolfactory: Can smell things at a distance.
17: Clairaudience: Can hear things at a chosen location.
18: Clairvision: Remote viewing.
19: Dousing: Can find water even deep in the Earth
20: Visions: Will see possible future. Usually the worst possible.
X=Caster level, Item creator level, or 2D6 if totally random. For 4th edition 1D10 heroic, 2D10 Paragon, and 3D10 Epic.
Expanded elemental subtable.
Elemental.
E1-Earth,
E2-water,
E3-Air,
E4-Fire,
E5-Ice,
E6-Ooze,
E7-Magma,
E8-Smoke.
E9-Roll on periodic table of the elements D100
E10-Cheese elemental
E11-Roll on random liquid chart
E12-Roll twice, once for each side of the creatures body.
With a transformation, they cannot be banished or summoned till they lose their personality.
The half and half idea came from this table.
http://www.traykon.com/pdf/The_Net_Libram_of_Random_Magical_Effects.pdf
When using his table, keep in mind that it was designed during early D&D when "rocks fall, everyone dies", was an acceptable outcome. If one side sodium, one side ice comes up, you could just say it's their arms. Then the real fun only happens if they are dumb enough to clap.