In my Friday Twitch stream where I share my work in progress for building a campaign world that is an ocean world with archipelagos instead of continental landmasses. I’ve created a list of different kinds of RPG related tables in my research notes.
I decided to chare the lists of types of tables here.
I know I have other posts on tables and will try to gather them in links from this post.
Types of Tables
The AnyDice web site is used to see distribution and odds of different numbers and combinations of dice. Depends on type of table desired and type of results one is after and if certain weights/commonality of occurrence is needed. AnyDice is great for seeing what different types, number, and combinations of dice generate. The different curves and weights help you determine what things on the table should be more frequent and those more rare. For example, a random encounter for a dragon should be one of the rare possibilities unless the world is filled with dragons flying about.
One cool thing about AnyDice is that you can create links to the rolls you give it so you don’t have to type them next time.
Example showing 3d4, 3d6, and 3d8.
Example showing 3d6 vs. 3d8.
The great thing about building your own tables is not only setting the degree of how often a certain result may occur, but actually populating the table with the items and categories that make the most sense for your vision of the world, nation, or dungeon your are building or populating. They can be used for creation, exploration, and interaction with the world or setting you make.
Telecanter has a post on different types of tables.
Applied Phantasticality has a table of random tables and a random table generator using all the dice.
xDn Tables
Where x is number of dice, D or d indicates die, and n is the number of sides on a die. So 2d6 is 2 six-sided dice, which generates a range of 2-12.
In OD&D, Basic D&D and many retro clones, 2d6 is used for reaction roles.
These types of tables use one or more of the standard dice:
d4, d6, d8, d10, d12, d20, d100/d%
Or any of the various other die types out there, like the odd numbered dice from DCC, d30, d1000, etc.
A common role in many RPGs is 3d6 for abilities.
Mixed Die Tables
These tables use different type of dice in a way similar to xDn tables. Such as 1d6 & 1d8 for 2-14. or 1d4, 1d6, & 1d8 together generates 3-18 just like 3d6.
All the Dice Tables
A set of tables where 1 of each type of die is rolled, such as 1d4, 1d6, 1d8, 1d10, 1d12, 1d20. One roll of all these dice could be used on a set of tables on one page for generating an NPC, or random creature, or a dragon, etc.
I have a category: All The Dice Tables/Generators
And an article All The Dice Tables/Generators.
Nested Tables
Tables that “drill down” into sub tables to get their result.
Welsh Piper has some good examples of Nested Encounter Tables.
Dynamic Tables
Welsh Piper has some good examples of Dynamic Encounter Tables.
Dice Drop Tables
Table on a printed sheet designed for dropping dice on it to generate results. Examples?
Category: Dice Drop Generators
Article Dice Drop Generators.
They have been used most commonly for generating maps of worlds, cities, or dungeons (Dellorfano Protocols).
Dyson Logo’s blog has examples of Die Drop Tables for generating loot and wandering monsters.
Hexflowers
For navigation or generation of maps, islands, archipelagos, dragons, ships, cargo, wagon trains, camel(beast) trains, caravans, encounters, etc.
The idea of hexflowers is simple, yet powerful in their versatility. Goblinshenchman has done a lot to make them more popular and even collected some interesting hexflowers he found across the web.
What Did I Miss?
There are probably many different types of tables or ways to build tables for RPGs that I either forgot to include or I am not aware of. Please respond with a link to examples on blogs, etc. So I and other readers can add them to our toolbox.
Categories: Generator & Generators Tables
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