D&D 5e Encounter Ideas
Random D&D encounters can be the life’s blood of the game. That’s why I love random tables.
Not only do random encounter tables cut down GM prep, but they also provide a variety of situations that game masters may not have thought of at all.
Below are some 1D20 tables that provide game masters with options when their players take unexpected paths. They can also serve as creative sparks for game masters to think of their own D&D encounters.
If you need even more options, here are the D100 random tables I create.
D&D Random Combat Encounters
Whether your characters are traveling in the wilderness or through a city, random combat encounters provide fun complications.
D20 Random Wilderness Combat Encounters
- Nothing
- Wolf
- Nothing
- Brown Bear
- Nothing
- Giant Boar
- Nothing
- Kobolds (1D4)
- Nothing
- Goblin
- Nothing
- Orc
- Nothing
- Bandit
- Nothing
- Goblins (1D8)
- Nothing
- Bandits (1D6)
- Nothing
- Owlbear
D20 Random Dungeon Combat Encounters
- Nothing
- Kobolds (1D4)
- Nothing
- Goblins (1D4)
- Nothing
- Kobolds (1D8)
- Nothing
- Goblins (1D8)
- Nothing
- Orcs (1D4)
- Nothing
- Gnoll Pack Lord
- Nothing
- Goblins (1D12)
- Nothing
- Orcs (1D8)
- Nothing
- Bugbear
- Nothing
- Displacer Beast
D20 Random Hunting Encounters
- Nothing
- Squirrel
- Nothing
- Rabbit
- Nothing
- Pheasant
- Nothing
- Boar
- Nothing
- Deer Hind
- Nothing
- Deer Stag
- Nothing
- Elk Hind
- Nothing
- Elk Stag
- Nothing
- White Hind
- Nothing
- White Stag
D&D Random Non-Combat Encounters
Sometimes combat is not what you want. A dungeon master wants their players to think or use other abilities. In those cases, non-combat encounter tables come in handy.
D20 Random Non-Combat Strange Encounters
- Nothing
- Antler Armor
- Nothing
- Ghost Light
- Nothing
- Tar Pit
- Nothing
- Wardian Case
- Nothing
- Trapping Pit
- Nothing
- Sunshower
- Nothing
- Ancient Flint Mines
- Nothing
- White Stag
- Nothing
- Wishing Well
- Nothing
- Two Green Children
D20 Random Non-Combat Wilderness Encounters
- Nothing
- Orphaned child
- Nothing
- Pregnant Woman
- Nothing
- Con man
- Nothing
- Dead body (High Elf)
- Nothing
- Burned Wagon
- Nothing
- Injured Dwarf
- Nothing
- Blind Wanderer
- Nothing
- Traveling Merchant
- Nothing
- Adventuring Party (1D8)
- Nothing
- Merchant Caravan (1D12 wagons)
D20 Random Non-Combat Dungeon Encounters
- Nothing
- Ghost
- Nothing
- Dead Body (Lightfoot Halfling)
- Nothing
- Prisoner
- Nothing
- Lost Adventurer
- Nothing
- Dead Orcs (1D4)
- Nothing
- Dead Goblins (1D6)
- Nothing
- Lost Child
- Nothing
- Holy Man
- Nothing
- Adventuring Party (1D8)
- Nothing
- Talking Tree
D&D Encounters
Use random encounters for extra action or to create improvised situations that can lead to full campaigns. Never stress over GM prep. Relax and let your players take the story places. Then use random tables to fill in the details and add to the adventure.
Need More? Some Options from the DMs Guild
- Random Encounters: Dungeon Levels 1-3
- Encounters in the Mists – Additional random encounters for Dungeon Masters
- Awesome Encounters – Dungeon Levels
- Killer Encounters. 10 Minute Guide
- Non-combat encounters
- City Encounters
D&D Random Terrain-Based Encounters
Dungeon masters and game masters can also use the terrain to create interesting and engaging encounters. I’ve created several free resources for terrain types. Yes, they are free.
- Forests – A gamemaster’s guide with ideas to use forests in RPG campaigns.
- Swamps – A gamemaster’s guide covering wetlands, swamps, bogs, marshes, and fens. Plenty of useful tips and encounter ideas.
- Mountains – A terrain guide for gamemasters.
- Mountain Encounters – A 1D100 list of random mountain encounters.
The three terrain guides have been folded into a full-color PDF and paperback: Terrain Guide: How to Use Wetlands, Forests, and Mountains in Fantasy Role-Playing Games
Bonus – D&D 5e Character Sheets
Check out my collection of 5e character sheets, if you need one. There are fillable sheets, PDFs, and even a couple of character generators.