Random NPC Party Encounter [1d4+4]

[Darce]

I was wondering if anyone has built an encounter using the DMG 5e Chapter 4 tables in FG to create a random NPC party for PC's to battle? It requires a few random tables to pick classes and human or demi-human races along with the Chapter 4 tables. The NPC party would be comprised of [1d4+4]. I am somewhat new to creating VTT campaigns. So, any help to solve this task would be appreciated.

[LordEntrails]

You mean one of the FG tables in the DMG that's already there?
Screen Shot 06-13-19 at 09.34 PM.PNG

Or do you mean something like one of Rob Twohy's products on the DMsGuild?
- Random Encounter Creator
- Random PC Generator

[Darce]

Thanks LordEntrails, they're great products. I think what I'm looking for is a combination of both, to generate an encounter of NPC's (equivalent to my PC party) of 5 to 8 in the NPC Party with equipment and all. Rob's Random Encounter does 3 to 7 or [1d5+2], and he does a great job creating a PC.

I was hoping to roll Abilities on a [4d6 drop lowest] roll to get a better CR for the party. Or having some control on the rolls.

Also, and the table that you listed and I initally mentioned in the first post. But I notice that Rob created a few custom added tables that I hav also been working on . Like the gender table.

[Zacchaeus]

I think you are getting over complicated. You would have to write an extension to roll ability scores using 4d6 drop lowest and then insert those rolls into an NPC. You would need to do the same if you wanted them to have equipment different from the standard NPC. And doing all of this randomly anyway is likely to product an extremely unsatisfactory result as with most random encounters. A random encounter is a throw away encounter that you don't want to be spending too much time on - it's filler and in most cases a lazy way to fill out a dungeon or add something to an adventure. If you want to get into the detail of an NPCs ability scores and equipment then that's what you save for a special encounter that might only happen once in an adventure; so the last thing you want to do would be to leave that to random chance. That's the encounter you want to spend the time crafting and editing the NPCs until you are happy that what you have created is a challenge and has interest for your players.

If this encounter is for a non combatant then use Story Templates for descriptions and the like. There's some great ideas in the DMG and enough tables (and quite a few templates) there to be getting on with.

[Darce]

Yes Zacchaeus, it does seem over complicated. After sleeping on it I think I'll just make 3 static NPC parties to roll on my random encounter table. They will grow with the campaign. Now to figure out how to group the NPC into a party when called into an encounter.