I am looking to codify my non-combat encounters. What I am looking for is suggestions of categories of (probably) non-combat encounters rather than specific encounters. Some potential categories I am considering are:
Rumor - Travelers have rumors/news about what is going on in the world.
Peddler - Has some small items for sale.
Bounty Hunters - All sorts of possibilities
...
For context this is for a Kingmaker campaign.
Thanks in advance.
I like the idea of a table of random encounters that isn't necessarily combat encounters. I almost never use the random encounter table, even when I should, since all it does is add unnecessary combat.
I can't recall if there are any actual tables like it (though I seem to recall Legend of the Five Rings had one for social encounters at court in one of its books), but it wouldn't be hard to make I think.
Just pick out ideas you think sound interesting and fitting for an area, and assign numbers to them on a 1d100-table.
So something like:
01-15: Wild animals (low danger, like deer)
16-25: Wild animals (danger, like boars)
26-35: Loggers (can give local gossip or offer directions to lost PCs)
36-42: Trappers (same as above, might also be criminals depending on local laws)
43-49: Bandits
50-60: Travelers
61-70: Traveling merchant or peddlers
71-75: Bounty hunters
76-79: Adventurers
80-87: Lost items (from peddlers or adventurers, something minor but useful)
88-94: A healing spring (provides safe resting spot and doubled natural healing rate if they stay there for a night's rest)
95-99: A clue or plot-hook! (a lost letter describing some detail to point lost players in the right direction or the like)
100: DRAGON! (or whatever else you want that is a big challenge they might want to run from)
Note that even with the random encounter tables provided in Kingmaker, not every encounter requires combat... And even encounters with "presumed combat" foes may possibly be resolved in other ways or avoided, if the GM lets the party attempt to do so.
Note that even with the random encounter tables provided in Kingmaker, not every encounter requires combat... And even encounters with "presumed combat" foes may possibly be resolved in other ways or avoided, if the GM lets the party attempt to do so.
But the random encounters are primarily combat encounters. I am trying to come up with some that are not supposed to be combat. But could devolve into combat just like the normal encounters can possibly be solved without violence.
How about runaway DOMESTICATED animals, like beasts of burden? With something useful in their packs?01-15: Wild animals (low danger, like deer)
16-25: Wild animals (danger, like boars)
80-87: Lost items (from peddlers or adventurers, something minor but useful)
Or even something major. I'm thinking of Bilbo Baggins, finding the One Ring, just... lying there.
How about runaway DOMESTICATED animals, like beasts of burden? With something useful in their packs?01-15: Wild animals (low danger, like deer)
16-25: Wild animals (danger, like boars)80-87: Lost items (from peddlers or adventurers, something minor but useful)Or even something major. I'm thinking of Bilbo Baggins, finding the One Ring, just... lying there.
All great suggestions! I am all for things that can create memorable events or further/introduce plot in interesting ways.
Random Encounters say you save a cat stuck in a tree! xD
How about runaway DOMESTICATED animals, like beasts of burden? With something useful in their packs?01-15: Wild animals (low danger, like deer)
16-25: Wild animals (danger, like boars)80-87: Lost items (from peddlers or adventurers, something minor but useful)Or even something major. I'm thinking of Bilbo Baggins, finding the One Ring, just... lying there.All great suggestions! I am all for things that can create memorable events or further/introduce plot in interesting ways.
Random Encounters say you save a cat stuck in a tree! xD
Did something like that. Blink dog puppy was trapped somewhere parents could not get to and the parents came to get the PCs for help.
Some "slice of life" encounters help with world building, especially with sandbox style adventures.
Did something like that. Blink dog puppy was trapped somewhere parents could not get to and the parents came to get the PCs for help.
Ooh! I love it! I've seen many "Animals That Asked People for Help" videos on YouTube, yet it never occurred to me to make a role-playing encounter of it. Some players might find that surprisingly satisfying for a random encounter.
I haven't played any role-playing games in the last year. I grew bored of them. But if I ever get back into Game Mastering, I have GOT to use that encounter!
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I did that with a cat. It looked like it was in danger from a random encounter. PCs saved it and it started following them. Was the evil wizard's familiar spying on them and they had no way of knowing. You'd be surprised what players say about their plans and how in-depth they get when they're planning how to take on a boss.
I must do this sometime in a game. Absolutely cute and evil.
If it's for Kingmaker, you definitely want some faeries on that list. Maybe multiple times even. Looking to cause trouble. Looking for people to prank. Maybe some friendly ones that could share information and/or drop some hints about the overall plot.
Definitely. And applying some fey templates to critters on the normal encounter tables. And a bunch of gnomes wandering around.