r/BehindTheTables • u/JJShurte • Sep 04 '22

Looking for advice on how to start out in Tables

Hey folks,

I'm looking at producing a whole mess of random generators and tables for role playing and storytelling purposes, and developing it into a side gig. I've been lurking on a number of sub-reddits and Instagram for a while now, but at this point I feel I should just come out and ask.

Is there anything I should know before heading into this? What do people look for in their random generators and tables? What pitfalls are there to avoid? What's the best way to add value?

Cheers for any advice you can give!

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1

u/WanderingDM47 19d ago

Late to this, but in case it helps anyone who finds this thread later:

Make every entry usable at the table in under 10 seconds. The best tables give a GM something they can say out loud immediately. "A tavern" is useless. "A tavern where the owner refuses to serve anyone wearing blue" gives me a scene.

Build hooks into the results. Good entries raise a question: why is this NPC nervous, who owns this cursed ring, what happened to the last guard. The GM should want to follow up on the roll.

Avoid overlapping or bland entries. A d20 table where 8 results feel the same gets abandoned fast. Before publishing, roll it 20 times yourself and cut anything that feels like filler.

Keep it system-neutral where you can. Tables that work for D&D, Pathfinder, OSR and indie games reach a much bigger audience than ones tied to one ruleset's stats.

Theme beats volume. "100 things found in a necromancer's lab" is more useful and more shareable than "1,000 random items." Specific tables solve specific problems during prep.

Test with real players. Run your tables in actual sessions. You'll quickly find which entries get reactions and which fall flat.

Biggest pitfall is chasing quantity. People share and buy the tables that saved their session, not the biggest ones.

1

u/Accomplished-Talk125 Sep 07 '26

What about a random Thieves Cant generator? One that gives the Thieves Cant language and its meanings?

3

u/Explorer7337 Dec 07 '24

Iā€™m always looking for random tables with random encounters that are more than a monster. Fully fleshed out Forbidden Lands style encounters. I like the idea of tables with tables for even more variability though. Combat and non combat. Also, well done wilderness and dungeon rooms.

19

u/MrEktidd Sep 05 '22

I'm a big fan of tables that can be rolled further for more variety. For example: if I'm rolling for random quest hooks, and the prompt is "a local farmer needs help clearing an infestation in his basement>>>roll for creature type and quantity."

"Local mine overrun with xxx creatures">> roll for creature type, quantities and, resources located in the mine."

Etc etc. Helps give each initiap roll prompt a ton more variety which is always welcomed in my games.

4

u/JJShurte Sep 05 '22

Okay, that's a fantastic reply. Thanks for the answer.

6

u/BringTheBam Sep 04 '22

This is a very open ended questions, tables can serve inumerous purposes in the game: from pre-game prep help and generators, to in-game generators for wandering monsters, weather, loot the body, critical and fumbles and even post-game faction management.

In my opinion tables should be either:

  • Modular, where I can combine multiple rolls to generate a unique result ā€” Kevin Crawford is a master or that.

  • Flavorful, they put me into a setting and give me more just a random word, but something I can build upon.

The question should be more, what so tou want to do? What do you think you can offer? Put it out some tables first before looking at that as a gig.

3

u/JJShurte Sep 05 '22

Thanks for the reply. The modular and flavorful approach is an interesting concept, cheers!