Has anyone ever run across tables for generating random encounters that help with determining what kind of encounter it is? Not what kind of creature it is, rather what is the creature up to: it's already a corpse, an ambush, it's travelling, it's hunting, it's fleeing. Basically I am looking for random tables to help me with flavoring the encounter--to spark the imagination, or at least lay a foundation I can build on.
Why don't you just make one, based on the likelihood(s) that you'll find a particular creature in said particular situation?
Yup, planning on it. Just checking to see if this has already been done, you know, to make it easier.
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K, this is from the hip.
This consists of 4 tables in which you roll on each of them (the 4th only if the 3rd indicates it). I used it on excel, initially, to generate random numbers, so there are not nice neat percentages assigned to the values yet (this is a rough draft anyway).
I threw this list together. It could definitely use some fleshing out:
1 Ambushing
2 Dead
3 Dying
4 Eating
5 Fighting
6 Fleeing
7 Foraging
8 Hunting
9 Idling
10 Lazing
11 Loitering
12 Pooping
13 Pursuing
14 Relaxing
15 Resting
16 Rummaging
17 Running
18 Searching
19 Sleeping
20 Stalking
21 Struggling
22 Travelling
23 Waiting
24 Walking
I grabbed this off of the internet. It may need to be pared back a little:
1 Accepted
2 Accomplished
3 Aggravated
4 Amused
5 Angry
6 Annoyed
7 Anxious
8 Apathetic
9 Ashamed
10 Bewildered
11 Blank
12 Blissful
13 Bored
14 Bouncy
15 Calm
16 Cautious
17 Cheerful
18 Chipper
19 Cold
20 Complacent
21 Confused
22 Content
23 Cranky
24 Crazy
25 Crushed
26 Curious
27 Cynical
28 Depressed
29 Determined
30 Devious
31 Dirty
32 Disappointed
33 Discontent
34 Ditzy
35 Dorky
36 Drained
37 Drunk
38 Ecstatic
39 Energetic
40 Enraged
41 Enthralled
42 Envious
43 Excited
44 Exhausted
45 Flirty
46 Frustrated
47 Full
48 Giddy
49 Giggly
50 Gloomy
51 Good
52 Grateful
53 Groggy
54 Grumpy
55 Guilty
56 Happy
57 High
58 Hopeful
59 Hot
60 Hungry
61 Hyper
62 Impressed
63 Indifferent
64 Infuriated
65 Irate
66 Irritated
67 Jealous
68 Jubilant
69 Lazy
70 Lethargic
71 Listless
72 Lonely
73 Loved
74 Mad
75 Melancholy
76 Mellow
77 Mischievous
78 Moody
79 Naughty
80 Nerdy
81 Nervous
82 Numb
83 Optimistic
84 Peaceful
85 Pessimistic
86 Pleased
87 Predatory
88 Recumbent
89 Refreshed
90 Rejected
91 Rejuvenated
92 Relaxed
93 Relieved
94 Restless
95 Rushed
96 Sad
97 Satisfied
98 Scared
99 Shocked
100 Sick
101 Silly
102 Sleepy
103 Smart
104 Stressed
105 Surprised
106 Sympathetic
107 Thankful
108 Tired
109 Touched
110 Uncomfortable
111 Weird
You could assign hp percentage to each of these. If you get the first result, then you should roll on the last table.
1 Roll for Condition
2 Weak
3 Unhealthy
4 Normal
5 Healthy
6 Strong
These are just the PF conditions. You only roll here if the previous results indicate it.
1 Antagonized[3PP]
2 Bleed
3 Blinded
4 Broken
5 Confused
6 Cowering
7 Dazed
8 Dazzled
9 Dead
10 Deafened
11 Disabled
12 Dying
13 Energy Drained
14 Entangled
15 Exhausted
16 Fascinated
17 Fatigued
18 Flat-Footed
19 Frightened
20 Grappled
21 Helpless
22 Incorporeal
23 Invisible
24 Nauseated
25 Panicked
26 Paralyzed
27 Petrified
28 Pinned
29 Prone
30 Shaken
31 Sickened
32 Sinking
33 Stable
34 Staggered
35 Stunned
36 Unconscious
It yields some interesting results. And definitely sparks some imagination for the encounter.
I can't help but think that someone surely has already done something like this before and it's in a much more refined state.
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1 Ambushing
...
24 Walking
Perhaps there should be different tables for intelligent and unintelligent creatures? For a humanoid, we could add things like:
TradingRobbing
Negotiating
Guarding
Boozing
Meditating
Crafting
Praying
Burying
Building
Partying
I want to say I've seen something of the sort before, but my Google-fu is weak right now, apparently. Definitely dotting this one - it looks like it's off to a great start. I'll come back if I can manage to find what's on the edge of my brain.
Excellent suggestions for the Action list. And good point about intelligent and unintelligent--I actually wondered about that. I concluded that leaving them in the same list, and the DM can just reroll if the Action isn't appropriate for the creature, would be best. Two Action lists could work too.
I also realized that Table 1 and Table 2 should be switched...not:
Pooping Pessimistic Healthy
...but rather:
Pessimistic Pooping, Healthy
...the Mood should describe the Action.
I also thought of:
Healthy Pessimistic Pooping
...but that makes it sound like the Healthy is describing the Pooping, and it is not intended to modify the Action, rather it is descriptive of the creature.
The healthy but pessimistic Otyugh contemplates the mysteries of the flavor of dead dwarf with fungus as it poops.
Edit: I love your table. When I have some time later I'd like to contribute. BUMP.
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I've never shared a Google Doc before, so let's try it. Here's a link to version 1. Use F9 to get a new set of results.
Hmm, F9 doesn't seem to work on the Google Docs interface...not sure what to do about that. But you can download it (hopefully) and then use it.
Do you mind if I add this into a random encounter generator that I'm constructing in excel for Pathfinder? I plan to alter your percentages. Also you can remove the "condition" section and place it right into the Health part if you place your function for rolling for the condition right into the table in place of "Roll for Condition".