So, surprisingly, PF has a few throw backs to old school RPG style play by including random encounter tables.
Now, way back in 2nd edition you have random encounter tables AND the chances for encounters to happen.
Example:
You're on an un-patrolled road between two cities, neither of which is lawfully aligned. Such a road would have a decently high encounter chance, with a high chance of those encounters being hostile.
So, what do you guys think would be a good system for determining if an encounter even happens?
My random thought would be
Base Percentage: This is a factor of the terrain. Forest would be higher than say desert.
City/Wilderness: Reduce or increase encounter chance based on proximity to civilization. Increases chance of neutral or friendly encounters when close to town.
Law and Order: Adjust chance based on if the area is patrolled, the alignment/attitude of near by settlements, ect.
What other factors would you guys add?
What base percentages would you use?
Does such a table already exist in PF and I'm just blind?
No one has an opinion on this?
I have actually seen a lot of systems like this. And have used some they work well. My personal favorite is Trollsmyth's on blogspot.
I take a less simulationist approach and just decide with what frequency *I* want to deal with random encounters. If it's say, one in 3 sessions, I'll roll a d6 for every day and every night spent in the potential encounter area. I adjust this up or down based on how I think it will affect gameplay — we all know that point in the JRPG where you want to tear out your hair because you can't step 5 feet without fighting some random mook monster.
Not that I don't appreciate the simulation aspect, it's just got a greater chance to backfire (for my style of play).
I do love me some random encounter tables — especially ones that don't necessarily lead to combat. My players have seen many a dragon fly overhead at a great distance, just as a reminder that I don't slavishly abide by the suggested challenge ratings. They know better than to pick a fight with it... nowadays.
I mostly run sandbox hexcrawl games. Each area has an encounter table and I roll for each hex every day the PCs travel through it. Nothing beats them stumbling upon a fight between a Worg and a full sized group of Dire Wolves... *shudder*
Plus my players and me both like that in JRPGs that is until it becomes the same fights every 3 seconds on the main map... yeah I'm lookinhabitants at you FFX and FFXII
I got out of the sandbox style for a long time and only recently returned, so I'm trying to gather as many styles and tips as possible to help my game.
Look at blogs like Trollsmythe on blogspot and Papers & Pencils. They have been a god-send with helping me figure out how to make world maps that actually effect the game.
One thing I suggest: Start with a single island for them to explore that way your group can get back into the swing of things.
I hate the word random in my game. I plan out my encounter and treasure.
I hate the word random in my game. I plan out my encounter and treasure.
That is all fine and well... until you are hexcrawling...
Make a deck.
Include some Zonks like Squirrel! and abandoned campsite.
I did this for cleaning the beach in Rise of the Runelords and there were some great roleplaying opportunity. Mandrake is valuable and can be a part of several potions.
Who's leading the party? Roll their search vs 15. If the one on lookout wins the spot check, they can avoid.
I've seen some bowmen spot a squirrel, fillet it, and add it to the stew.
Method I tend to use is to draw up a list of the encounters I want the PCs to potentially have, some of which include obvious combat, subtle combat, caravans, other travelers, and so forth and place them in a series of tables (easy, average, hard). All of the encounters used are planned in advance (including stat blocks, reasons why they're at a location, and so on).
On one occasion, my players, due to my "random" encounter table, actually ran into the main villain of the adventure fairly early on as he was traveling to the same location. They travelled together, arrived, and parted ways. It wasn't until the end of the adventure when they met the guy for the final confrontation that they were like, "Oh crap... we actually helped the guy get here!"
One possible miscellaneous encounter(besides a startled squirrel) would be a natural crack in the earth. It's too deep and narrow to see the bottom. There are ruins of a bridge. There are the remains of a halfling, who has a damaged scroll of teleport in his backpack. If they ever try to use the scroll' they are transported into The Cleaves.
Base Percentage: This is a factor of the terrain. Forest would be higher than say desert.
I would not worry about this one: make it flat base rate for all and save yourself 1 step.
True, forest has more denizen than desert, but the player in the desert are likely to be more visible than in forest. Also, 'encounter' doesn't have to be a monster. A desert encounter might include more sandstorms, particularity unbearable heat, chilling night, rolling dunes etc than monsters.
City/Wilderness: Reduce or increase encounter chance based on proximity to civilization. Increases chance of neutral or friendly encounters when close to town.
Again, wilderness is less populated but can also be more hostile. I think the main difference should be in the nature of the encounter. Less hungry bears next to town, more brigands and cutthroats. But chances of encounter could remain the same. Again save yourself trouble.
Law and Order: Adjust chance based on if the area is patrolled, the alignment/attitude of near by settlements, etc.
I would consider this as your main modifier. Don't forget that some parts of the world might be patrolled by others than the neighboring baron's soldiers. A forest might be patrolled by treants and their centaur brigade, a lone dragon can make the law on its territory. Off course when one is not in league with the soldiers, the treants or the dragon, this can increase your % of encounter instead of diminishing it!
What other factors would you guys add?
The missing part of the equation (which was equally absent from 2e AD&D's charts) is the player's actions and their characters' skills. Allow stealth or survival checks to reduce % of encounter. Increase % if players are particularly careless etc. A 1st level wizard roaming carelessly by himself should die/be enslaved/taken as prisoner, a high level ranger taking extra care to avoid trouble should waltz through his favorite terrain without efforts.
Make sure your charts make sense, or mix a 'deck' of encounters a la Magic the Gathering at each occasion. Random encounters can be nice, but desert-roaming yetis can break immersion.
'findel
I suggested cards. A squad of orcs is pretty standard. Yeti would be marked winter or artic. Great white shark would be aquatic(Scale up or down as appropriate). Dragon color varies by terrain.
Cards can be small and only include a number(01), Deck(Random encounter) and a descriptive name(Phantom Hitchhiker). Each deck has a corresponding booklet that gives the stats and details. (01 a Phantom Hitchhiker is a spirit that doesn't realize it is dead. It manifests as a solid illusion 75% real. Sally forge was a human who was shot dead with an arrow and now has 2 hits and all remaining stats at 8.)
A deck prevents you from having 2 identical encounters in the same session.
I suggested cards. A squad of orcs is pretty standard. Yeti would be marked winter or artic. Great white shark would be aquatic(Scale up or down as appropriate). Dragon color varies by terrain.
Cards can be small and only include a number(01), Deck(Random encounter) and a descriptive name(Phantom Hitchhiker). Each deck has a corresponding booklet that gives the stats and details. (01 a Phantom Hitchhiker is a spirit that doesn't realize it is dead. It manifests as a solid illusion 75% real. Sally forge was a human who was shot dead with an arrow and now has 2 hits and all remaining stats at 8.)
A deck prevents you from having 2 identical encounters in the same session.
This could make a nice 3pp product...
This could make a nice 3pp product...I suggested cards. A squad of orcs is pretty standard. Yeti would be marked winter or artic. Great white shark would be aquatic(Scale up or down as appropriate). Dragon color varies by terrain.
Cards can be small and only include a number(01), Deck(Random encounter) and a descriptive name(Phantom Hitchhiker). Each deck has a corresponding booklet that gives the stats and details. (01 a Phantom Hitchhiker is a spirit that doesn't realize it is dead. It manifests as a solid illusion 75% real. Sally forge was a human who was shot dead with an arrow and now has 2 hits and all remaining stats at 8.)
A deck prevents you from having 2 identical encounters in the same session.
I second this...
You want a reliable system, so that players have a sense that the world has agency, and you're not just dropping encounters on them to be "mean". By "agency", I mean that they develop a sense that there are forces in the world (in this case, wilderness-dangers) and they have some means of dealing with it.
When traveling, I have them roll for every morning of travel, every afternoon of travel, every evening, and every night. 25% chance of an encounter. If it's a civilized area, there is an 80% chance it's benign (a patrol, a merchant, etc.).
If the area is uncivilized, every encounter is POTENTIALLY malevolent. Party rolls perception to spot THEM before THEY spot the party. Go to surprise round if needed. Predators often drag their prey off to secluded areas to dine, so plan accordingly.
If it's a civilized area, and it's malevolent, there's a chance that merchant wagon might be hiding thugs waiting to jump the party as they pass, or something. Use your imagination, but don't bog down your game time if you've got other encounters planned and waiting, or if you're trying to build tension in the room, maybe the party just "feels eyes on them" and is unable to rest that night.
Owly is correct.