Things like treasure tables, NPC tables, encounter tables, etc?

When you use them, do you use them only in direct application for what they were made for, and sticking to the strict result you roll; or do you use them as a guideline and often modify them?

RPGPundit

If I'm just stocking a random dungeon, I go with what I roll, unless the item is ridiculously powerful. When it comes to the main boss monsters, I give them specific items.

Quote from: RPGPundit;506976Things like treasure tables, NPC tables, encounter tables, etc?

When you use them, do you use them only in direct application for what they were made for, and sticking to the strict result you roll; or do you use them as a guideline and often modify them?

RPGPundit

Both depending onthe sort of table and the context. If I'm using them in prep, anything goes. During game time I tend to stick with the rolled results. With something like Raggi's monster generator I tend to start off random and finish up by making choices or just making up my own shit once I get a clue as to where I'm going.

Half - half. I usually consult the tables when:

1) I am already GMing, and I need a boost of an idea to keep the game running, so I turn to the tables to decide what item/encounter/mutation to give - I keep it as it rolls usually then, unless it'd be too OP, or kill the player outright (the latter applies to a situation which is not that deadly, but the table gives some rather deadly options).

2) When I GM Warhammer, I use mutations tables to make mutants, and just go with what's rolled - makes for interesting mutants. Sometimes I add one or two mutations, to make them even more interesting.

I don't tend to use random tables for encounters or events in play very often, but when it's because I've put it there to fulfill a very specific role in the campaign structure. As such I will do my best to stick to its results religiously because I want the players to know that the result form that table has absolute authority and that I won't override it even if the timing of it is cruel, annoying or inconvenient.

For instance when I was running my ICONS street level campaign I decided to put together a simple set of "crime tables". I'd roll on the table once in the morning and once every night (game time) to see if any crime of note were in progress. The encounters generated on the table were not a substitute for the main story arcs - they were meant as a distraction, an extra strain or just something to Compel Aspects against.

Sometimes they were a way to stage a simple set piece like hostage crisis that wasn't necessarily tied to a ongoing plot line.  Other times I actually did use the random events as a method to introduce new plot lines without making it obvious and waving in front of the "hey guys, new plot line here".

Overall all the mix of scenes initiated by the players, things scenes by the GM and scenes initiated by the system (the tables) made for in interesting mix, but that kind of hinged on the system having that kind of authority.

In fairness, by towards the end of the campaign I did eventually drop the crime table rolls. The campaign was getting very complicated with far too many open threads for the players to follow. By then I think it had served its purpose.

I have 2 types.  

• Stocking area tables.  Dungeon dressing and treasures and outside objects; stuff to use when there was an a need (in the big dungeons especially, I have few).



• Daily event charts.  I play a very social heavy game, and these charts are very loose and open ended, but they help me go off in funny directions or strange places.  Results like, 'new guild involvement, negative base feel' or 'romantic possibiity increased in this interaction' or 'bring food into the interaction'.  

2 of my players fro the alternative school of magic ended up having like a grad-scholl frat party in the old dorm they took over the top level of; then the female head of the guild (who kind of hates them already) got pissed off at them as she was trying to hold a small soiree and they were too loud and drunken.  This came from 4 rolls off this chart at differnt times and some good and bad social CC rolls...

I treat random tables as a suggestion, not a set-in-stone result.  The text equivalent of one of my many wise viziers leaning forward and whispering in my ear.  Sometimes I listen to him, sometimes I riff on it; other times I say "that's goddamn stupid" and do something completely different.

And I say this as someone who loves random tables - especially ones that have a little bit of a hook in 'em.  "3d6 goblins" does nothing for me.  I want that table to at the very least tell me what those goblins are up to, and maybe what motivates them.  The random table is there to help push me forward.

Quote from: VectorSigma;507114I treat random tables as a suggestion, not a set-in-stone result.  The text equivalent of one of my many wise viziers leaning forward and whispering in my ear.  Sometimes I listen to him, sometimes I riff on it; other times I say "that's goddamn stupid" and do something completely different.

And I say this as someone who loves random tables - especially ones that have a little bit of a hook in 'em.  "3d6 goblins" does nothing for me.  I want that table to at the very least tell me what those goblins are up to, and maybe what motivates them.  The random table is there to help push me forward.

I sometimes use the tables themselves as inspiration - for example, your Hag table just made me think "Hm, I certainly underuse hags in my games, and I love a good hag."

I don't use random tables, I've just never liked them.

Running Yggsburgh right now, I use EGG's random tables a lot during play to create the sense of a living world and find out what happens next.  The table result will often need interpretation to make sense in context; that's fine.  As a lawyer I already do that IRL.

A lot of the benefit for me in using the tables is that I don't know what will happen next, so in a way I am playing the game - or simulation - rather than just running the PCs through a pre-packaged script.  I didn't know there were priests staying at the Hawfair Green Inn, or agents of Baron Redfort at the Green Dragon, until the tables told me so.

When I'm doing setting creation tasks prior to the beginning of play in an area, I use the tables with a hefty helping of modification based on my sense of what is proper and what might be interesting.

Once play in an area begins, I tend to keep it to 'what the table says, goes'. But I make sure the tables make sense first.

I differentiate between using the tables in 'creation' mode, and using the tables in 'process' mode. As DM, I feel fine creating a weird clock according to my tastes. Once I set the works in motion, I don't want to be constantly fiddling with it. It should work on its own.

Quote from: S'mon;507226A lot of the benefit for me in using the tables is that I don't know what will happen next, so in a way I am playing the game - or simulation - rather than just running the PCs through a pre-packaged script.  I didn't know there were priests staying at the Hawfair Green Inn, or agents of Baron Redfort at the Green Dragon, until the tables told me so.

This.

Quote from: Serious Paul;507124I don't use random tables, I've just never liked them.

I'm in kind of the same boat. I enjoy them for generating random character ideas, but I rarely stick straight to them.

My big problem with random tables is that its a lot of work to write one and I don't usually want to hang onto them for very long.

Worse is that most printed ones don't seem very random. The PF ones lead you to believe goblins show up just as often as silver dragons. Civilized lands ones cause the video game problem of "gee, there went the 12th woman with a basket of fruit on her head complaining about bandits."

Edit - Actually, the most fun I have with random tables is in Legend of the Five Rings. I still have all my pre wotc cards, and use a deck of event cards when I run the RPG. Every month or so of in game time I draw one.

Never.
We prefer low magic and low 'political' games. I carefully monitor all treasure and magic because of this.
We're a lot more pulp and sword and sorcery than normal D&D in our games.

Ah, but random tables are not limited to magic items, treasure, or wandering monsters, after all.  It's just a randomizing technique - so you don't know exactly what's going to happen next.

Those of you who don't care for or don't really use random tables...rather than further inquire as to 'why', I'll ask this: what sort of random table would you use, if it existed?