Random tables...

[Treebore]

I find such tables to be most useful when my brain is failing to be creative, or when I need help getting out of a creative rut. While there are many such tables available on the internet, I am going to focus on published materials, but feel free to add in your favorites, regardless of source....

My most favorite, "go to" resource is Ultimate Toolbox by AEG, which is a greatly expanded version of their 3E version, simply called Toolbox...


http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/631 ... te+Toolbox

I am also an official member of "The Order of the D30"...

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/124 ... rs_id=4528

and another D30 product...

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/102 ... rs_id=4528

and of course I still love using the various tables in the good old 1E DMG... As well as my old Armory D30 booklet.

[Treebore]

This is another one I like, not to actually use for the treasures, necessarily, but a lot of the write ups are so awesome I've created entire adventures around my players getting them. These are NON magical treasures too!

http://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/122 ... ables?it=1

[serleran]

I find I like to make them myself.

I do like to look at others, but I get the options I want when I make my own.

[Treebore]

I find I like to make them myself.

I do like to look at others, but I get the options I want when I make my own.

Yep. I just use them when my own creative juices are low, or I am in a rut and need to get myself out of it.

[alcyone]

Tree's recommendations are excellent. Also see Abulafia. Especially fun is just to click "random generator" in the left pane. "The Dungeon Dozen" is available on Lulu and has some sillier tables, some useful, and I think they are all from the dungeon dozen blog: http://roll1d12.blogspot.com/ and are an entertaining use of the d12 in any case.

Making your own of course is the pinnacle of goodness if you have your own campaign setting. Anywhere you would write down one thing, write down 4-20 things instead and put them in a table. Then all of this randomness strengthens your setting instead of breaks it. There are some interesting OSR settings that are nothing but tables (Towers of Krshal... it's not exactly a setting but it's not exactly NOT a setting either.) The original Wilderlands is largely a baffling bunch of weird tables. The fun part is you end up with YOUR Wilderlands.

[ArgoForg]

Hear, Hear on Toolbox and Ultimate Toolbox. I own both and consistently bring one whenever I might want to brainstorm... not necessarily to roll, but just to stimulate some thought.

I've always been a fan of the Dungeon Master's Design Kit, which had quite a few tables (but wasn't just restrained to just those). It always helped me quite a lot just to read through them.

Two other old school pieces I loved were Central Casting's Dungeons and Heroes of Legend. Sadly, if these have PDF's floating out there, I'm not aware of them.

[Buttmonkey]

Frog God Games's Tome of Adventure Design is another awesome option.

[Treebore]

Frog God Games's Tome of Adventure Design is another awesome option.

It is, I have that too. I also have all 4 Central Casting books. Next time I make it to NTRPGCon I need to remember to take them to get them signed.

I have otehr books I could add to the list, but the ones I am thinking of now don't have tables, or at least are not table focused.

[Buttmonkey]

Insidiae is another table-based book, although not in quite the same type of detail as the others that have been mentioned in this thread.

There is also The Dungeon Alphabet.

[Treebore]

Insidiae is another table-based book, although not in quite the same type of detail as the others that have been mentioned in this thread.

There is also The Dungeon Alphabet.

Yeah, I have all the "Gary books". I also have Dungeon Alphabet, but I'm not much of a fan of it. I bought it for the artwork, and didn't support getting the new one made on Kickstarter.

[serleran]

I really like the Engineering line. Oh, wait.

[Treebore]

I really like the Engineering line. Oh, wait.

I own those too!

[rom90125]

I am also an official member of "The Order of the D30"...
and of course I still love using the various tables in the good old 1E DMG...

Both D30 products Treebore referenced are fantastic go-to resources for me in my campaigns. And much like Tree, I too keep my copy of the 1E DMG handy...