22,000+ Fun D&D Encounter Ideas in 36 Locations

Looking for D&D encounter ideas? I’ve got just the thing for you! Over at Random Encounters AI, you can view thousands of random encounters for over thirty different locations, including forest, city, dungeon, arctic, and much more.

Here’s just a few examples in some of the 33 encounter locations!

Arctic Encounters

1. A group of 1d4+1 bandits are on a hunting trip. They are surprised by a polar bear, which attacks them. The bear is a mid-level monster with 2d8 hit points.
2. You see a huge creature that looks like a cross between a man and a wolf standing on the ice. It then attacks.
3. The party comes across a small patch of ice that is covered in blood. If the party looks closely they will see the blood is fresh. A group of 2d6+3 snow goblins are hiding within 10 feet of the party. They will attack if they feel threatened.
4. The party hears a loud crashing noise and sees a huge white dragon flying towards them. It is low in the sky, and its belly is open, revealing dozens of teeth and millions of ants that it intends to drop on the party and then eat them alive.
5. Players come across a group of villagers. The villagers are in the middle of a celebration. They will ask the players to join in the celebration. The celebration is about their victory over the giant sleeping under the blue flag. The villagers are celebrating because the giant is no longer sleeping under the flag and they are no longer in danger of being crushed by it.
6. The party sees a giant who is dancing and singing in the snow. He is lost, he is cold, and he is hungry. He will attack the party if they get too close to him!
7. A group of humanoids, three mid-level fighters and two mages, are on a hunting trip. They are surprised by a polar bear, which attacks them. The bear is a mid-level monster with 2d8 hit points.
8. Players find a well-hidden entrance covered in ancient runes. The runes reveal a tale of great treasures that were once found within the depths of this dungeon.
9. An elderly couple is walking down the road. They are lost, and looking for directions. They will offer to trade a magic item for directions to their destination, or they will trade information for food and shelter.
10. A storm starts in the middle of the night. The party wakes up to see hundreds of tiny blue birds flying overhead. Their beaks are made of ice, and they are carrying frost crystals on their wings. The birds are on their way to attack a village nearby. The birds are very small and can easily be shot down by arrows. They only cause minor damage, but they are very fast and very numerous and can swarm an enemy easily if not taken care of quickly.

Get hundreds of other random arctic encounters for your fantasy tabletop RPG campaign.

Castle Encounters

1. A man hiding in the shadows near the dungeons tells the players that he knows the location of a secret treasure and will lead them to it if they rescue him from the dungeon. He is actually a thief who wants to get the players to do his work for him.
2. A man is standing in the hallway with a large box. He is holding it with both hands. If the party stops, he will ask them if they want to buy a box of magic items.
3. A group of 4d4 men are standing around doing nothing in the main hall.
4. Three old women are sitting on a bench talking about their families and how they miss their children and grandchildren. They’re discussing what they should do with their lives now that they’re too old to do anything but sit around and wait for death to take them away one day.
5. An old man dressed in rags passes by the players. He asks for help. He lost something and needs help finding it. His name is John and he was once a servant of the castle. He was dismissed for theft and sent away in disgrace. The players can find out more about him if they speak to the lord of the castle, who will tell them about John’s dishonesty.
6. A group of people are gathered around a woman named Margareta, who is telling them a story about a group of people who were stranded on an island, and then had to fight off a group of monsters who were attacking them. She is making up most of it as she goes along.
7. The players come across a room with nothing in it but one large mirror, except that is not true. One person will see two reflections in the mirror, but the other players will only see one reflection. Whoever sees two reflections will act strange and try to attack the other players (DM’s discretion as to which player to pick).
8. You see a man sitting on rock and staring at the castle. His name is Samuel. He will sell you his poems about: war, death and darkness for 2 silver pieces each, or his poems about: love, light and hope for 1 gold piece each.
9. A man is seen running down the hallway, screaming for help. He is being chased by a mummy. Players can either help him by fighting the mummy, or they can run away and leave him to die.
10. The party will find a group of men gathered around a table, gambling. They are guards who were put on sentry duty, and they need to stay awake somehow – so they are betting on games of chance to keep themselves awake.

City Encounters

1. Two men are arguing about whether or not there should be more laws in the city to prevent crime. One man believes there should be more laws, and the other man believes that there are already too many laws in the city and that it’s time for people to start taking personal responsibility for their actions again.
2. A group of men are playing dice in an alleyway. If the players approach, they will stop what they’re doing, hide their dice, and act like they were just walking by.
3. A man is selling gloves that he says will make the wearer’s hands invisible for one hour when worn. He says they were made by a wizard in the city and he found them in an abandoned dungeon nearby. He wants 100 CP for each glove and he has 6 pairs.
4. The players see a group of men in red robes standing on the corner talking about wizards and magic. If the players approach them, they will warn the players about a wizard named Blorkum and his evil magic. They’re actually talking about the city’s Gatekeeper wizard.
5. A merchant is selling eggs. They’re freshly laid and still warm.
6. Players see a group of people gathered around a store front. The store is closed. They are standing on the steps of the store.
7. A thief is trying to sell a stolen painting of another man’s wife.
8. A man is selling maps to adventurers or traders. The maps show that there’s an abandoned dwarf mine near where players are traveling, but this information is false. The man is actually an assassin who is trying to lure his targets into an easy kill zone.
9. A man is selling maps to a famous dungeon far outside the city. The maps are very good.
10. A group of children are playing in the street. They have made a small fort out of empty boxes.

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Dungeon Encounters

1. Players come across a small cave with a small stream flowing out of it. The stream is filled with garbage and waste. If players drink the water, they will suffer 1D10 HP of poison per round of exposure to it.
2. A group of 2d6 goblins have set up camp here. They are playing a game of chance with stones, bones and gems on a large blanket.
3. Players hear a woman screaming from inside one of the cells. The screaming stops after a while.
4. A group of 1d4+4 hobgoblins are arguing about whether or not they should attack the party. They’re not sure if the party is an enemy or not.
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5. The players come across a group of 1d4+4 orcs. One of them is riding a giant wolf. The orcs are dressed in leather armor and are carrying spears and shields.
6. A group of 1d8 hobgoblins are trying to capture and enslave a group of humans in a room.
7. The players come across a room with a dead end. In the middle of the room is a large, wooden barrel with a lid on it. There is writing on the barrel. It says ‘Do not open’ in Common.
8. The party sees a group of 2d6+4 lizardfolk dancing around a fire. If the party approaches, they will attack. The lizardfolk wear leather armor and wield wooden spears. They are led by a lizardfolk warrior who wears leather armor and wields a shortsword and a wooden shield. They are looking for food and are willing to fight to get it.
9. A group of humanoids are being attacked by two giant spiders. The humanoids are being slaughtered.
10. Two elderly farmers are walking down the hall. They are carrying sacks of grain and are looking tired but happy. They will offer the players any food or drink they have if they ask.

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Grassland Encounters

1. A group of 3d4 human rangers approach. They are looking for orcs, because they have been raiding the area and stealing from the humans and elves. If asked, they will tell the party all they know about the orcs and their weaknesses and strengths.
2. A group of men dressed in dusty traveling clothes walk along the road ahead of the party. Two of the men are arguing about something, and the other two men look tired and hungry. If players approach them, they will ask for food and water, which they’ll accept gratefully after the argument stops. These men are on their way to a nearby town to seek out work.
3. A dragon attacks the party. It’s not just any dragon. It’s a blue dragon. The dragon is injured. A powerful wizard is attacking it with a powerful spell. The dragon will try to finish off the wizard first. The party can help.
4. A group of 3d12 warriors from a nearby village are looking for a group of 3d6 barbarians that have been terrorizing the area.
5. A priest of a local god is walking down the road with his arms full of grain and wheat. He is on his way to feed the poor that live in the local temple’s shelter as he believes all people should be fed even if they have nothing to give back in return as it is what their god expects of them.

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6. A large black snake slithers across the road. It is actually a large black worm. If disturbed, it will attack with a lightning bolt.
7. A group of servants can be seen walking along the road with huge crates full of wine and ale. They are on their way to sell their goods at a market.
8. A group of bandits is seen fighting a group of centaurs. If the centaurs are defeated, the bandits will run away.
Fantasy RPG Random Tables Books
Make life as a Gamemaster easier.... If you play Dungeon & Dragons, Pathfinder, or other fantasy tabletop role-playing games, this RPG random tables book is full of encounters, NPCs, and more. Available as an eBook or in a classic print format. Either way, you'll have a wealth of adventure ideas at your fingertips.



9. A group of musicians is playing music and singing songs near a well. The musicians are hoping to earn some money and maybe get some free drinks.
10. A man is walking along the road with a large sack over his shoulder. He is carrying grain on his way to a nearby village to sell it.

More D&D Encounter Ideas

Get over 22,000 D&D encounter ideas in 36 different locations for free at Random Encounters AI.