Tags
B/X, Die Drop Table, Dungeons & Dragons, Dyson Mega Delve, Encounters, Fantasy, Labyrinth Lord, Megadungeon, Random Tables, Wandering Monsters
I had this crazy idea that it would be way more fun to have die drop tables instead of traditional wandering monster tables for the Mega Delve. So I slapped together one to test the concept out.
I’m not ashamed to say that it turned out a bajillion times better than I expected it would. No, seriously, this excites me at a totally inappropriate level. Something about the design has me fucking GIDDY WITH JOY.
I mean, check it out (click the image to get the PDF version):
Drop Table – Mushroom Cavern (click for PDF)
This drop table uses a d8 and d6 – the location of the d8 provides the encounter, the number on the d8 determines the number encountered, the number on the d6 determines the circumstances, and sometimes the location of the d6 provides information also.
Here’s some samples of it in action:
In this test, the d8 is a 6 on the goblins result, and the d6 is a 5 on the crab spiders.
This gives us 7 Goblins equipped with Javelins & Handaxes out on Guard Patrol. A fairly typical wandering monster encounter for a level 1 zone.
I rolled another five sample encounters which were:
1 Ogre with 300gp out Collecting Mushrooms (no matter how much they would like to, it’s hard to keep the pots stocked with humans and goblins for dinner)
3 Goblins armed with Short Bows & Short Swords, Hiding from the Dark Green Slime.
3 Subhumans returning home (they live in the secret area beneath this map)
And the photo on the right has the d8 (facing 8 up) on the humans and the d6 (6 up) on the fire beetles.
This gives us 10 Humans (6 with pole arms) carrying 14sp, fighting 5 Fire Beetles with weird green glowing fire glands (that cause strange hallucinations if you use them for long).
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. The Mushroom King entry over on the left side of the drop table? That’s this awesome guy – an illustration by Jim Magnusson that I received as a postcard in the mail the other day who ended up inspiring me to draw and write up this whole monster encounter table.
Court of the Mushroom King by Jim Magnusson
You can see his awesome stuff at his blog. And you can support him on Patreon too!
Dyson's Dodecahedron 
This drop table rocks. So simple yet capable of great flexibility to keep the game fresh and new.
That is a really neat idea. I have not played with drop tables before, but it looks like a very good idea, especially for on the fly games.
This looks soo awesome! I am glad you are pleased with it, I know you will love using it in your games. One question: Can you supply us with the source files so we can modify it for our own use?
It might happen, but it would have to be personal use only.
That would be all I would be looking for anyway, sounds good.
Thanks, Dyson!
Great table. I love it.
It’s an interesting idea – once you’ve dropped the dice do you then draw the dungeon (or whatever) around their locations on the page?
No, this particular drop table is designed as the wandering monster table to go with the Mushroom Cavern which has already been mapped over here: https://rpgcharacters.wordpress.com/2014/11/11/tuesday-map-the-mushroom-cavern/
It’s not for dungeon and encounter design, it’s specifically for handling wandering monsters.
I have to admit I’ve never heard of a drop table, so I’m loving it. Useful and fun, as the best RPG items inevitably are. Such a nice variation on a (usually) text only table.
Brilliant! Two questions:
1) What inspired you to do the drop die table in the first place?
2) Would you place (I was going to say drop) this in a box/tray to keep dice from rolling off it?
Thanks for sharing!
1. I’m not sure. I was thinking about it a week or two ago, and it was half-gelled as an idea when I got the Mushroom King postcard which made me finally put it together.
2. Yes, I put it in my D&D5e starter box to test it.
This is superb Dyson – absolutely love it!!! I look forward to you doing more of these – one for each of the maps you have done so far, say?? LOL!!!
I would love it if you wrote up your whole megadelve with similar tables. The potential combinations could allow stories to develop on the fly, revealing themselves to the GM only slightly before they do to the players.
That’s the goal now – each map will have it’s own drop table for wandering monsters. The dwarven crypts will also have one for determining what’s in each crypt as they are explored.
I’ve seen drop tables before but not like this. This is a work of art. Please continue to make them.
I’m working on it!
Hi Dyson and his fans. Long time lurker here. Your drop table is truly inspired and has tipped me finally over the edge of lurking and forced me to post to thank you for your gorgeous maps. I presume the Mega-Delve will eventually be turned into a publication of some sorts? If so, I shall look forward to it, although I’m not holding my breath. Methinks you have a little way to go as yet…
Thanks again
Just to say that this is a truly defining moment of coolness, you’ve just done turned this megadelve into something even more special.
The format is really open-ended for some further tinkering to complete the “living-breathing dungeon complex” feel.
One could create drop-tables for:
– Restocking the dungeon during downtime.
– Determining the faction interactions during the downtime.
– Randomizing some blending of wandering encounters between adjacent areas of the delve.
– Mess with the exits in a number of interesting ways (starting with guarded/unguarded status).
– Create a dungeon-wide drop-table to determine the location of some “moving encounters” such as opposing exploration parties, some rare critter or even a dungeon super-predator of sorts.
Keep it up, your work is nothing short of awesome.