Random Encounters

daggerhart · April 04, 2006, 01:52:05 PM

Hi guys,

I thought it would be neat to play by post just some random encounters.

How I imagine it works:

First: Whoever wants to DM a random encounter starts a new thread: 'Random Encounter: Name of Encounter'
with in the DM's first post, she should describe the following criteria for the encounter.
[note=Optionals]You can put other stipulations on the encounter;
Alignment, Feats, etc...[/note]
# of players:
Lvl of players:

Second: Players will join the random encounter by responding 'in character'.
Character Name / HP:
Class / Race:
Attack / AC Bonus:
Primary / Secondary Weapons:
Armor / Bonus Items:
Spells:
( list your memorized, or known spells depending upon class ).

Then, you describe the opening scenario.

These are the very basics you need for an encounter.
I dont think alignment is necessary, as it is ultimately limiting within the time-frame of 1 encounter.
Really, you could have any requirements you want.

---------------------------- Example of Play -------------------------------

Quote from: Player 1Character Name / HP: Rudy / 12
Class / Race: Fighter / Human
Attack / AC Bonus: +3 / +4
Primary / Secondary Weapons: Longsword / Dagger
Armor / Bonus Items: Chainmail / small Shield

[ic= Rudy] I run up to the body & examine it[/ic]
[ooc]Dibs on being the scout![/ooc]

Its clearly the priest Jonah, form the local chapel a few miles away.
He looks like he has bled to death while running from the general direction of the chapel.
The wounds are consistant with a piercing weapon.[/quote]I want to play! count me in![/i]' then it should be ignored, for the sake of fairness.

Please, respect each other's games, and abide by other Play by Post rules.

Túrin · April 04, 2006, 03:12:52 PM

So when you say "random encounter" what you really mean is "min-adventure" right? Otherwise it would most of the time just be a single battle and that doesn't seem to be what you want. I think.
;0 Túrin

daggerhart · April 04, 2006, 03:38:18 PM

pretty much whatever the DMs want to run.

but not long enough to be considered a campaign or adventure. Those can be defined otherwise.

But basically, yes.

single-encounter / battle, mini-adventures, whatever. Doesn't really matter to me.

I personally just like to add some background story as setup.

What do you think ?

Túrin · April 04, 2006, 03:44:45 PM

What do I think? If there are both players and DMs interested to try these things I suppose it could be fun. Let's see how it goes.

Numinous · April 04, 2006, 05:02:41 PM

I think these could be fun. Something to do together, but a little less effort involved than working on the community setting.

Xathan · April 04, 2006, 05:11:46 PM

Questions. Some of these are obvious, but I think should be said anyway:

1) do you stat out a full character, but only post the information given?
2) shouldn't we have somewhere to state class/racial abilities?
3) How should we handle psionics? Incarnum? Shadowcasting? Trunaming? etc?
4) How is equipment deterimined?
5) "You can put other stipulations on the encounter;
For spell casters, I recommend setting the total number of spells the person can have w/i their level.
ex. Spells All 0-level, plus 5 others." I don't get how this works or what this means. Does that mean you have acess to five spells, regardless if you are a sorcerer or a wizard or a bard or a druid or a cleric or a favored soul? Or does that mean you have five more spells you can cast per day? Either way, it makes some classes more attractive than others.
6) For the game you are running, do you care if we use splatbook classes/etc?
7) Should we state what feats we have? Skill ranks?

that's all for now. Great idea, I just think it needs somet things cleared up.

brainface · April 04, 2006, 05:50:31 PM

i think the honor systems can spered things up a lot, is where dagg was going. these are throwaway chars on a throwway advfernturee, afterall. i dont know what he meant weith spells. stating CORE/SPLAT might be a good idea, though.

daggerhart · April 04, 2006, 05:58:47 PM

The I made was like the 'bare minimum' requirements for running an encounter, imo.

I think as long as everyone understands thats it all for fun, you can fudge some numbers & rolls and such.
But really, thats up to the individual DMs to decide.

Quote from: Xathanshouldn't we have somewhere to state class/racial abilities?

How is equipment deterimined?
I don't get how this works or what this means. Does that mean you have acess to five spells, regardless if you are a sorcerer or a wizard or a bard or a druid or a cleric or a favored soul?
Or does that mean you have five more spells you can cast per day?
Either way, it makes some classes more attractive than others.[/quote]Starting Wealth:[/b] X amount of gold.

Spells: What I meant by Spells: All-0, 5 other.
--- was inspired by simplicity, but that may not be best.
I was trying to say, that if you are a wizard, you only have X - numbers of spells memorized, and if you were a Sorceror, you would have X - spells left to cast.

but you're right, this isn't fair, or easy...

I'm going to re-edit that suggestion from my first post, and re-work it this way.

Spells: list your memorized, or known spells (depending upon class)

This may still be too complex to work with everyone, but I imagine that very few 'Random Encounters' Give time to rest and re-memorize spells.
In fact, the players are going into most scenarios knowing almost exactly what they are to face, so it's not totaly necessary to work out an entire spellbook.

Quote from: Xathan) For the game you are running, do you care if we use splatbook classes/etc?

I personally don't mind.
I just ask that you post a link to it's description if possible.
If not, then a small 'spoiler' post containing some of the finer points would be fine.
------------

If i missed a question, or you have a nother feel free. ;)

Xathan · April 04, 2006, 06:28:53 PM

One other question, for your game specifically: do we determine ability scores by point buy or roll 4d6 - lowest die?

daggerhart · April 04, 2006, 06:30:25 PM

4d6 minus lowest.

Xathan · April 06, 2006, 05:56:33 PM

I'm assumign this will fuction as the RE out of character thread - perhaps lableing it so is a good idea.

For people in TbC:

The pointbuy is instead roll 4d6
the HP is as normal, just full for first dice and 1dx for every other level after
Any WotC (except UA) stuff is fine, just let me know what you're using and what page it is on - I have the book, so I'll look it up.

This post will be edited with my reply once Senk edits his first post to have his IC stuff in that post. I should be making my first DM post around 9:00 tonight. (four hours from now my time)

If someone else wants to join, feel free - this can support four people, though I'll max it out at four.

daggerhart · April 17, 2006, 10:04:12 AM

We should add 'restricted items' to the DM's option when creating a Random Encounter.

I believe it's becoming painfully[/b] obvious that poitions, and especially wands are rediculously valuable in the frame of a single encounter.

You don't have to ban items, but I suggest the DMs at least put limitations on their character's non-combat equipment. If you don't impose restrictions as a DM, then the games are going to become either terribly lop-sided, or terribly long (as, the monsters become powerful enough to heal themselves... ;))

Overall, I believe the egregious use of '3rd-party healing magic' will hurt the encounters.

Xathan · April 17, 2006, 10:22:34 AM

Agreed, much as that CLW saved my sorry ass back there. (BTW, I have a question for you in that thread) It draws things out and makes things easier on the PCs. I plan on using random encounters to check the power level of homemade things, and CLW in that context would really throw things off.

brainface · April 17, 2006, 10:50:19 AM

the dmg has rules for pricing one use items in a one shot. something like 4x or so. I don't know if a wand needs to be priced higher, though. You're not going to get 10 charges off of them, much less 50. (whereas scroll/potions would be entirely consumed.) You might want to limit it to say '3-5 charges from a wand' or something. I dunno.

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