Reaction Table

I like the simplicity of the original 3LBB reaction table. That being said, when you roll the middle result, you are always hesitant. The AD&D DM guide itself suggest reroll until you get a different result, making it a little bit useless. Therefore, I prefer to have a more comprehensive table because creatures are not always hostile, yet they are not all pacifist.

Yet the Reaction Table, I think, is of utmost importance to first embrace the randomness and second, alleviate the pressure on the DM since there can be so many (random) encounter. It helps break the mold. A 2d6 table is good and I agree with Gygax/Arneson on this.



The Reaction Table I like to use is a mix between the original one using 2d6 and another I found somewhere on the web. It goes like this.

I have a table with three separate category. To roll on the table, I need a reason between those four: common language, common religion, common alignement, common objective. If monsters have none of those, then I don't roll and they are hostile, unless the players present something interesting. Of course if the monster is a slime for example, in theory it will never be able to have a particular reason to change his reaction towards the PCs, so I use automatically the first category and roll the need to see if whatever need the monster is more important than whatever the PCs are doing can be interpreted as a threat.

The first category on the table is for when PCs are already in combat and trying to negotiate, or there is a break of fighting, or there is a morale break. The second is when PCs see monsters in an hostile environment. The last is when they see them in a less hostile or non-hostile environment.


What are those needs ? That's what I stole from somewhere on the net. As per the monster type I roll a different dice:

  • Ooze and plants: 1d2
  • Beast/animals: 1d4
  • Semi-bestial intelligence (Umber Hulk, trolls, yeti, etc.): 1d6
  • Savage humanoids (orcs, primitives, etc.): 2d10, take lowest
  • Civilized humanoids (including bandits): 1d10
  • Sophisticated creatures (celestial, religious hermit, isolated wizard, etc.): 2d10, take highest
And then roll on this table:

(Sorry for the french "sûreté", it's a direct translation of my own french table. It means safety or security.)





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