Random Encoutners

[Go Dorito]

Hello all.

New forum-ite here, I'm starting a campaign on a Deep Space (Unknown Regions) Freighter. Thus, there will be events happening in the Inner core as well as the outer reaches.

I was wondering how you handled random(ish) encounters in the Inner Core.

The farther out you go the easier it gets (Pirates, Miner's Horrors, Grendel, etc.), but the players aren't rebels and I can only throw so many street gangs at them .

[vong]

you can throw rich children rebelling and being "pirates". big ship no skill. you can have then drop in the middle of an encounter already taking place (interdictors and everything), malfunctions, distress calls, so on and so fourth
_________________
The Vong have Arrived

PM me if you want user created content uploaded to my site: http://databank.yvong.com/index.php

[Ankhanu]

What era?

If in the Imperial era, random spot checks are a real possibility... and depending on who's in charge, they may or may not make up reasons to detain the players, elevating conflict.

Other than that, pay close attention to things like local weapons laws and the like; I find that's something that a lot of GMs (myself included most of the time) overlook; carrying a blaster on a lot of planets will bring the law down on you. MOst players don't think to leave a pistol behind when walking around... that could lead to trouble with the law.

There are other solutions; just gotta be a little creative. Misunderstandings and mistaken identities can lead to interesting conflicts and side plots.

[vong]

ohh ohhh. Scam artists. Gms usually try to throw brawn like random encounters, why not just someone who wants to rob them, sell them bad gear or something
_________________
The Vong have Arrived

PM me if you want user created content uploaded to my site: http://databank.yvong.com/index.php

[Go Dorito]

HA. Era might help huh. Sorry about that.

I am starting the campaign 2 BBY (is that common nomenclature?). So, the Empire is alive and kicking, the Corellian Treaty is signed (that year), and the Allience is on its feet.

the reason I ask this is becase of the OTHER game the group plays. I am running the SW game to let our GM have some character time. In his game a lot of the "funny, quirky" moments come from us rolling in the single digits on our encoutner rolls. I swear to you, in 10 rolls of D100 we rolled a 05, 02, 08, 58, 01. Mad experience, barely left the adventure breathing... in fact I died. Came back, and almost died again.

the weapons laws area great idea. I made one player buy a permit for his weapon at charcter creation. He asked why and I pointed at the large black X next to the item in the sourcebook.

Question 2: Do you even worry about random encounters in a "traveling from A to B" sort of way? Example: Party hops in Landspeeder and heads across Corellia from the starport to an out lying town (Roll to see if you run into something).

*Granted on Corellia there is a 10% chance anythign will occur. I mean it is Corellia for Pete's sake.

[Go Dorito]

Scam artists... Super nice.

[vong]

Usually my random encounters are far from random. I plan them out. but usualy i just let them travel to their destination without problems. throw a biker gang at them here and there when they are getting restless, but usually they have enough problem with the actual encounters
_________________
The Vong have Arrived

PM me if you want user created content uploaded to my site: http://databank.yvong.com/index.php

[Gry Sarth]

I never use random encounters rolled on a chart. I find that it doesn't make any sense to include that in an adventure. The players will only face an encounter I had not planned when creating the adventure if:

- They run completely off-course, stirring unpredicted things that leads to unforeseen encounters.

- The adventure is sagging a little and I feel that a little bit of action is in order.

- The adventure is moving much faster than anticipated and not challenging the players enough.

In these cases I will think of something at the spot. I'll look at the environment they are in, and what kind of things they have stirred, and thus decide what could show up to get in their way. No random rolls, encounters should flow from the adventure itself.

Of course, that's MY way of handling things.
_________________
"He's Gry Sarth, of course he has the stats for them."

[Ankhanu]

Unless there are technical difficulties, a bad astrogation roll or on a very off chance, an artificial gravity well, Hyperspace should be pretty safe A-B. Anything else you could certainly have believable interruptions.

And yeah, like Vong and Gry, I never use completely random encounters; they have to make sense and have a purpose other than shooty shooty. Random encounter tables and the like usually don't work out narratively.

[Go Dorito]

I was trying to avoid the Shooty Shooty, non-narrative bit.

You hit it square on the head. However, I did want the random chance that you stumble into something... unexpected. I do believe this just means I have to spend a few more minutes plotting out a few randoms for each "zone" the folks will be in whilst in port.

thanks for all the feedback folks, this is invaluable.

[vong]

no problem. I usually have a few encounters planned out for various places, ready to throw in easy in any location. that way if they run off track, or get a dreaded 1, they can be ambushed somewhere
_________________
The Vong have Arrived

PM me if you want user created content uploaded to my site: http://databank.yvong.com/index.php

[Go Dorito]

That was my thinking on it. I just wanted to hear someone else say it too

[Ankhanu]

You're welcome
I've never used the legality of weapons etc. but as I think about it more, even with the best outcome, the weapon is confiscated and the player fined, that leads to some very interesting situations... and at worst (other than being killed), the player becomes a wanted criminal and a fugitive... lots of nice plot hooks there.

Thanks for helping me think of fun things

[masque]

Looks like another Lobot fan.

I myself only ever use random encounters if I lose the plot, and need something for the players to do. Even then, it's not really random, it's more of "any excuse for a combat."
_________________
Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid.

[ifurin]

i've done random encounters before but there's a pre-planed randomness to them. my players are currently on a planet hunting a bounty (they're bounty hunters if you couldn't guess) and they were warned that the forests were dangerous, wild animals and all that. i came up with hunting patterns, nesting patterns, and territorial responses for all of the animals and then translated it to a D6 chart and rolled from there. that's usually the extent of my randomness.