Part 2 of Improving Random Encoutners
2. Add Reason To Your Madness -- Provide Random Encounters
With An Ulterior Motive
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The "Divide Game Content Into Two Layers" tip is a set-up
for this one. Traditional random encounters involve tables
of monsters, NPCs, and foes, and possibly their stats.

What type of game content is this? Flesh.

Because random encounter tables are usually static, there is
no Skeleton element. Therefore, the tip is, you can
dramatically improve any random encounter by adding a
Skeleton layer to it. Add some purpose, context, and
campaign value to transform random encounters into useful GM
tools.

You can often make the biggest impact on a random encounter
by answering the question "why?"

For example, you roll a 19, consult Wilderness Encounters
Chart 1C - Temperate, and announce to the group that three
wild boars erupt out of the bush. The beasts charge the PCs
and an hour long battle (in real time) begins.

Some players will eat this up and cry for more. Many will
sigh and pray the combat goes quickly. Some will get
frustrated or angry and check their watches because the
story has stalled and the encounter seems boring (pun
intended). A rare few will stand up on their chairs and
loudly declare their discontent for existential reasons.

If you decide to check the Skeleton layer and ask why, a few
ideas might pop into your head and player dissatisfaction
might dissolve, your campaign integrity will remain intact:),
and your story can continue moving forward.

"Hmmmm, why would three boars charge the PCs out of the
blue? Why are boars there at that time and place?"

Possible answers that spring to mind:
* It's a cool trap. The players might see a foe on horse in
the shadows who salutes the PCs before riding away.
* It's an accident. Just before the boars attack, the PCs
find empty cages lying beside an overturned wagon. An
unconscious NPC is sprawled nearby with a fourth boar
standing over him!
* It's a lead-in to a more interesting event. Just ahead of
the boars runs a desperate person screaming for help.
* Because you're stuck for ideas and stalling for time. So,
you say "It's weird how three boars suddenly appear like
this. It's almost as if they knew you were coming." Then
you sit patiently behind your screen and note any good
ideas the players come up with in the ensuing
conversation.

Here are some more questions to help add a Skeleton layer
quickly while on the fly:

* Why should the characters care about this encounter?
* Why should the players care about this encounter?
* How can you tie this encounter into the plot?
* What kind of twist could you add to make it more
interesting?
* How can you use this encounter to affect the mood,
atmosphere, or pace of the game session?

Hey guys, I thought I would put this article up here, but it is kind of long. So I thought I would break it up. So here's the into and part one of eight. Enjoy

8 TIPS FOR IMPROVING RANDOM ENCOUNTERS

By Johnn Four

I'm biased. No doubt about it. I love random and wandering
monster encounters and have been using them since I started
GMing in 19. I run very few sessions without them.
Below are a few tips for game masters who want to improve
their random encounters.


1. Divide Game Content Into Two Layers
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I tend to classify my planning, gaming notes, and gaming
content into two groups:

1) Flesh (In-Character)
2) Skeleton (Meta Game)

The Flesh content includes tangible things, such as:

* NPC statistics and personalities
* Maps
* Treasure
* Location descriptions and rules effects

It's the stuff the PCs interact with and the things the
players can visually imagine. If the content could be
perceived in-character by a PC using any of his senses then
I'd lump it in the Flesh category.


The Skeleton content is the invisible stuff that forms the
structure of a game session or encounter. It's the glue that
puts it all together, the puppet strings, or the trail of
bread crumbs, depending on your GMing style. Some examples
are:

* Plot lines
* Player typing (deciding what types of players you have and
tweaking your games to suit)
* Character typing
* Pacing
* Description techniques
* Techniques for steering, guiding, influencing, or
manipulating the PCs

It's the secret reasons and purposes you have for choosing
and involving Flesh content and how that content manifests
itself in-game. It's the stuff you do as a GM either through
planning or in-game decision making. The players might be
able to perceive this content if they're experienced or if
you have a poor poker face, but the characters can't until
it morphs into some form of Flesh content.

For example, let's say your plot involves saving the
campaign region from a powerful demon who's been mistakenly
released by the PCs. You plan an encounter where the PCs
save a visiting gnomish ambassador from an attack in a rough
neighbourhood. After the encounter, regardless of whether
the ambassador survives, the PCs should find her satchel of
notes that focus on demonic information. You want to provide
the players with this info to further drive the plot, plant
a few clues, and educate the PCs about battling demons.

Here's how I'd break down the content of above encounter:

Flesh:
* Gnomish ambassador, guards, related NPCs (names, stats,
personality, etc.)
* Foes who attack (names, stats, personality, etc.)
* Notes about demons (as read-aloud text, or perhaps as
player handouts or props)
* Rough neighbourhood location, encounter location,
description, and game effects
* A set-up description, lead-in, or hook

Skeleton:
* Why do we want to provide the PCs with notes?
* Why do we have a gnomish ambassador who needs saving? Is
there a different NPC who would be a better choice?
* Why have we placed the encounter in a rough neighbourhood?
Is there a spot that's more useful or meaningful?
* When does this encounter take place in terms of plot line?
Should the PCs already know they've unleashed a demon or
should we set things up by giving them this info ahead of
time?
* What should we use as a lead-in or hook and why?

The gnomish ambassador is a tangible thing the PCs can
interact with and the players can visualize, so it's Flesh.
The reason why we've chosen a gnomish ambassador should not
be apparent to the players or their characters, so it's
Skeleton.

Thinking of all your game content in this way can take
practice but it's worthwhile. It's a useful GM technique and
the Skeleton stuff should usually be dissected and tweaked
first.

For example, if you choose a gnomish ambassador for the
encounter, spend an hour on her game stats and bio, and
*then* ask yourself why you've chosen that NPC and if
there's not a better non-player character for the job, you
risk losing valuable planning time and planning momentum.

Also, when you're in the middle of planning or in mid-game,
asking the Skeleton question itself might never occur to you
and you lose an opportunity to tweak your encounter for the
better. For example, perhaps a minor villain or rival of the
PCs ends up being the best choice as that NPC hasn't made an
appearance recently and will hook the PCs in immediately.

Roleplaying Tips
I thought I would share some tips I have seen lately. Enjoy!

Create Equipment Packages
This classic tip is another great time-saver. Prepare
equipment packages so PCs can buy many items in a single
transaction. During the game, players can refer to the
package list instead of having to record each item on their
character sheets.

Sample mundane equipment package ideas:

* Personal effects. Needle and thread, dishes and cutlery,
money pouch, comb, and any other personal items a person
would carry with them.

* Camping gear. Sets of clothes, tent, sleeping blankets,
and other equipment required for comfort, safety, and
survival in the wilds.

* Dungeon gear. 10' pole--just kidding!

* Class/professional gear.

* Social "gear". Clothing sets broken down into detailed
inventories and accessories.

Generous GMs can allow bartering on package prices if that's
important to the PCs.

In the past, I've found creating packages to be a bit of
work--time I'd rather have spent on NPC or encounter
creation. So, a good idea is to ask your players to whip up
various packages for you. They make good bonus EXP
assignments, favour requests, and boredom killers.

Keep in mind that packages aren't necessarily presented as
such by a single merchant. They represent a period of
shopping at a number of locations. Therefore, you might also
assign a time cost for each package and let PCs whittle that
down through skill use as well.

Packages are ideal for fast NPC creation too!

Tip On Tracking Hit Points Faster (I'm going to try this one) :)
This is just a very quick tip for tracking the hit points of
large groups of monsters in a big battle:

Add, don't subtract.

When you have a half-dozen ogres or so, each with 20 hit
points, what you do is keep a tally of the damage dealt, not
the total hit points remaining. Once the tally crosses the
total they're dead. I do this because addition is much
faster than subtraction.

This one change can easily cut half the time off taking care
of monster hit points, which helps your battle flow more
smoothly.

Make A Campaign Journal (The Easy Way) we're oh, so close to this one.

Get a subscription to an online journal or diary of some
kind, like www.livejournal.com. (Livejournal is invite or
pay only, so you may have to dig somewhere to find it.) From
then on, you've got an excellent place to put out campaign
rumors, hints and tips, or just post adventure summaries.
The great thing is that you can comment on the different
entries, which gives the players opportunity for feedback.
All without you having to lift a finger in the webdesign
department...