"1 bugbear and 1 gargoyle looking for easy victims from the rooftops"
City random encounters using the monster manual
Monster Manual Encounters - City | Dungeon | Wilds
City Encounters using Monster Manual
Random encounters in the City with a mix of non-combat, low-level, mid level, beasts and locations. The tables have a sub-theme of a snake cult
For Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition using the Monster Manual.
Inspired by my D&D Encounter Generator and available on DM's Guild along with similar tables
City Encounters Low Level (1-4)
| 1d20 | City Encounters Low Level (1-4) |
|---|---|
| 1 | A patrol of guards and a mastiff. They are asking lots of questions |
| 2 | An attractive spy with a handcart selling cheap potions and remedies |
| 3 | A few commoner street urchins looking for their cat that went missing |
| 4 | A noble artist recognizes a character and asks to draw their portrait |
| 5 | 1d2+1 thugs looking for strangers to knock out for a local cult |
| 6 | 2d4 stirges feeding on a diseased mule corpse or roll on City Beasts |
| 7 | 1d2 ghouls dressed in rags, attempt to follow party and ambush them |
| 8 | 1d4+1 aarakocra from a nearby abandoned tower, living as scavengers |
| 9 | 1d3 half-ogres putting up posters advertising a local pit fight on soon |
| 10 | 1 priest and 1d3 cultists recruiting for a recently arrived beast cult |
| 11 | 1 escaped and hungry giant constictor snake or roll on City Beasts |
| 12 | 1d4 kenku selling 1 hippogriff. It returns to the kenku as soon as it can |
| 13 | 1d4+1 yuan-ti purebloods keeping their distance but lost and asking for directions to a nearby shrine |
| 14 | 1 drunken veteran looking for a fight. Angry about a bad break-up |
| 15 | 2d4 bandits and 1 bandit captain chasing an elf who ask group for help |
| 16 | 1 bugbear and 1 gargoyle looking for easy victims from the rooftops |
| 17 | 1 wight with 1d6+1 zombies all in hooded robes carrying spades and headed to a nearby graveyard |
| 18 | 1d4+2 satyrs who are dancing in a celebration that heads out of the city |
| 19 | 1 bone naga who is interested in recruiting the group into a local cult |
| 20 | A centaur and a berserker in bright costumes wrestling in the street. They gang up on anyone who interferes |
City Encounters Mid Level (5-10)
| 1d20 | City Encounters Mid Level |
|---|---|
| 1 | A deva who watches over a tomb entrance *or roll on low-level city* |
| 2 | An otyugh who is a local celebrity, sometimes trading "gifts" for waste |
| 3 | A knight and several guards from a temple who patrol nearby streets |
| 4 | A treant who looks after local parks and is curious about world events |
| 5 | 1 cult fanatic leading 2d4 ghouls and 1d6 cultists in a kidnap attempt |
| 6 | 1 half-red dragon veteran has been guarding a covered wagon for four hours. Asks characters to find owner of the wagon. |
| 7 | 1 lizardfolk shaman with 1d3 pet owlbears is looking for an alchemist |
| 8 | 1 medusa, destitute after losing everything to a local snake cult |
| 9 | 1 gladiator on a rhinoceros proclaiming their many deeds and victories |
| 10 | 1d4+2 wererats lead by 1 bandit captain are about to rob a potion shop |
| 11 | 1 young copper dragon looking for anyone who can best them at riddles |
| 12 | 1d3+1 helmed horrors on patrol for threats to the city or the peace |
| 13 | A young couple are having a loud argument. A mage and a werebear |
| 14 | 1 assassin preparing to publicly kill a politician. Recognizes a character |
| 15 | 1 fire giant mercenary looking for work and flexible about pay |
| 16 | 1 yuan-ti abomination with 1d4+1 malisons watching a victim as snakes |
| 17 | 1 stone golem adorned with posters and amulets, roams the town making repairs but is occasionally dangerous |
| 18 | 1d2+1 oni in humanoid form. Plotting dark deeds and hiring minions |
| 19 | 1 dao looking for sites to buy slaves for their dungeon realm |
| 20 | 1 archmage and 1 shield guardian looking for a new tower (higher level) |
City Beast Encounters
1d20City Beast Encounters
| 1-2 | 1d6 mules or 1 monkey |
| 3-4 | 1d2+1 flying Snakes carrying invitations to a cult meeting that night |
| 5-6 | 2d4+4 giant rats or 1d6 camels |
| 7-8 | 1d3 draft horses with an unattended cart or wagon |
| 9-10 | 1 swarm of ravens or 1 giant spider |
| 11-12 | 1 friendly cat which is the familiar for a local spellcaster |
| 13-14 | 2d6 mastiffs or 1d4 boars |
| 15-16 | 1d3 brown bear escaped from a laboratory or captivity |
| 17-18 | 2d4 stirges or 3d6 goats |
| 19-20 | 1 warhorse in chain barding and no rider in sight |
City Locations
| 1d20 | City Locations |
|---|---|
| 1-2 | Stone Gate of dwarven make. A dying tree stands by a sturdy shrine. |
| 3-4 | Large Square with a large well. Writing and art cover many flagstones. |
| 5-6 | Fountain decorated with nude scenes. There is smoke from a fire |
| 7-8 | Haunted Bakery. It has a herb garden surrounded by an overgrown hedge. It is home to a poltergeist that sometimes bakes bread |
| 9-10 | Shrine to a power of life beside a polluted river and a few dying shrubs |
| 11-12 | Dark Alley with several piles of debris. There is a ladder and a handcart |
| 13-14 | Graveyard with bright tombstones. Ground is muddy and fern-covered. |
| 15-16 | Crumbling Tavern called the Last Stand. Canvas and rotten wood cover many holes. Several diseased cats live here. |
| 17-18 | Warehouse covered in ivy. Inside is a large pile of waste and bones. |
| 19-20 | Fenced Garden growing large vegetables and rare flowers. It is raining. |
More Encounters
These tables and more like it are available on DM's Guild in Monster Manual Encounters - City, Dungeon and Wilderness.
If you liked these there are D&D Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.
