I like it.  It adds some unexpected happenings, even to the GM, and when the roll charts are well-thought out, can set up an instant scenario.

I make a "time schedule"  based on whether its over-land travel or in-dungeon exploration, and I roll ahead of time for each "turn" whether there's a random encounter or not, then I kind of adapt what that random encounter might be to fit whatever is going on at the time.
So for example, in a dungeon I'd have the "time schedule" broken up into the 10 minute turns, so I'd have as many sheets printed off ahead of time, and I'd mark like "after 2 turns random encounter"  "after 8 turns random encounter" etc.

I'm currently doing Descent into the Depths of the Earth, and for the tunnels:

Main Tunnel 1 in 10 (10%)
Secondary tunnel 1 in 12 (8%)
Tertiary tunnel 1 in 12 (8%)

I roll once per day of travel.  If the players want to map and go into the side tunnels, then its half hex (3 miles) a day and they can map and do a roll.  If they are travelling on known tunnels on the map its 1 hex a day (6 miles) and one roll.  IF the players hit a random encounter, it will most likely be an entire session, I'm not down with the players alpha striking and moving on.  They rolled a beholder who was shaking them down for magic items and they decided to attack and kill, ok they then went down into his tunnel that was protected by a living cloud kill and at the bottom was 10 gazers, which they killed slowly (they decided to go melee and not use casters cause gee that's a great idea for mass encounters).  After they all hopped through the living cloud kill it then attacked the party, and after almost losing a player they survived.  Finally they saw a large pile of treasure which they went after and were promptly attacked by a hoard golem.

I do not like random encounters in the woods that are one off, they should be at least a 2 hour encounter or some kind of social interaction with merchants, pilgrims, patrol or maybe refugees that gives information on the area.

I roll may random encounters before the game, and then I stat them out, determine what treausre is available, and then try to choos a cool battle map, or make one up.

"But that's not random!" You say?  Well all the die rolling is done in advance.  I can prepare several encounters that the players might randomly happen across.  But the advantage is that I don't take time away from the game to figure all of this stuff out when I could be rolling dice and having fun with my friends.

Quote from: Svenhelgrim on February 22, 2024, 02:45:20 AM
I roll may random encounters before the game, and then I stat them out, determine what treausre is available, and then try to choos a cool battle map, or make one up.

"But that's not random!" You say?  Well all the die rolling is done in advance.  I can prepare several encounters that the players might randomly happen across.  But the advantage is that I don't take time away from the game to figure all of this stuff out when I could be rolling dice and having fun with my friends.

Oh that's fine, too. I've done that myself knowing I would be pressed for time.

Also, to expand this topic, the DMG talked about how Random Tables  are just one way to create encounters. If you as GM have fixed encounter ideas due to time, location, and or narrative (like a mission or quest) reasons go ahead and plant that encounter there. Sandboxes push back a bit more for PC agency and like to push more of that content into a randomizer to remove any sub-conscious bias (either for or against the PCs). But in such cases you can use routines: this places encounters with a near guaranteed probability time and location. We already do this without awareness, such as gear shops, inns, and taverns, so adding ones for guards at parapets or hideaway lookouts is no big matter.

Quote from: Opaopajr on February 22, 2024, 09:32:43 PM

Quote from: Svenhelgrim on February 22, 2024, 02:45:20 AM
I roll may random encounters before the game, and then I stat them out, determine what treausre is available, and then try to choos a cool battle map, or make one up.

"But that's not random!" You say?  Well all the die rolling is done in advance.  I can prepare several encounters that the players might randomly happen across.  But the advantage is that I don't take time away from the game to figure all of this stuff out when I could be rolling dice and having fun with my friends.

Oh that's fine, too. I've done that myself knowing I would be pressed for time.

Also, to expand this topic, the DMG talked about how Random Tables  are just one way to create encounters. If you as GM have fixed encounter ideas due to time, location, and or narrative (like a mission or quest) reasons go ahead and plant that encounter there. Sandboxes push back a bit more for PC agency and like to push more of that content into a randomizer to remove any sub-conscious bias (either for or against the PCs). But in such cases you can use routines: this places encounters with a near guaranteed probability time and location. We already do this without awareness, such as gear shops, inns, and taverns, so adding ones for guards at parapets or hideaway lookouts is no big matter.

Sometimes it takes a lot of ingenuity to rationalize some of the weird shyt that you can roll on a table.  A true test for any GM. But the rolling in advance gives you time to think.  And sometimes you just have to scrap the results.

...Love random tables...can't get enough of 'em.

Though, i'm probably close to having enough.  In my current campaign i've cribbed a bunch of old wilderness encounters from the old Greyhawk boxed
set for use on the campaign map, to use in conjunction with standard encounter tables and a special encounter table (with odd happenings, if i roll high
enough on one table i will roll on this one).  In the same notebook i have the details of the encounter, stats, any treasure, distance and so on, so i don't
have to roll for distance too often, just when applicable.  Might start doing it more after some of what I've read here, would add an extra dimension to
the encounter listed, as usually i already have it noted if it's to be, say, an ambush.

Encounters generally happen on a 1 in 12 or 1 in 20 depending on the die used, and are checked from 3 to 6 tiimes a day.  So there's usually an
encounter every day or two on average.  I tend to enjoy the randomness, and to be surprised as much as the players at times.  So far it's worked pretty
well, since all the notes are in the same parts of the main campaign notebook... and since some of the encounters are well beyond the party's abilities,
can lead to some clever thinking or good role playing opportunities.

In dungeons i tend to use tables i made up with creatures that fit with wherever the party happens to be, in a fairly standard fashion.  I do usually have
stats and such ready for when i need them.  Rolling up HPs in the middle of a session tends to kill the tension quickly.