"A few bats flit about you and into a vertical shaft ahead leading up and down. Far more bats are visible in the shaft and one starts speaking to you..."
Where does the shaft go? What does the bat have to say?
Tables for Underdark Encounters (levels 1-4, 5-10 and 11+) plus Beasts, Humanoids, Duergar & Deep Gnomes, Fungi & Oozes, Mind Flayers and Monsters
D&D Dungeon - all | cave encs | dungeon noncombat | ruins encs | sewer encs | trinkets | underdark encs
[Photo by Bryce Evans on Unsplash]. Updated from original article in 2018.
Underdark Encounters
creatures | locations | non-combat | complications
The Underdark is a place of twisting tunnels, constant darkness and strange magic. Encounters might occur in a forest of fungi, amid giant stalactites or by the side of a gaping chasm.
The Underdark is it's own world away from the surface civilisations, a place of elemental earth and gates to far realms. They are home to fungi creatures, the dark elves and aberrations from the Far Realms
There is a 5e underdark random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Table Rolls - Underdark Encounters.
Underdark Encounters Table (Levels 1-4)
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d8+1d12 | Underdark Levels 1-4 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 intellect devourer as host in a drow or 1d2 nothics |
| 3 | 2d4 grimlocks or roll on Humanoid Encounters |
| 4 | 1d3 gargoyles or roll on Planar Creatures lvl 1-4 |
| 5 | 1d2 grells or roll on Underdark Monsters lvl 1-4 |
| 6 | 2d4 drow with 1d4 goblin slaves or 2d4 deep gnomes |
| 7 | 1d3 carrion crawlers or roll on Underdark Monsters lvl 1-4 |
| 8 | 2d6 kuo-toa led by a kuo-toa whip or roll on Humanoid Encounters |
| 9 | 1d6+1 darkmantles or roll on Underdark Monsters lvl 1-4 |
| 10 | 2d6 troglodytes or roll on Humanoid Encounters |
| 11 | 1d4 giant bats and 1 swarm of bats or roll on Underdark Beasts |
| 12 | 1d6 gas spores or roll on Fungi and Ooze Encounters |
| 13 | 2d6 giant fire beetles or roll on Underdark Beasts |
| 14 | 1d3 quaggoths or 2d6 flumphs |
| 15 | 2d4+2 giant centipedes or roll on Underdark Beasts |
| 16 | 1d3 minotaur skeletons or roll on Undead Encounters lvl 1-4 |
| 17 | 1d4 giant spiders or roll on Underdark Beasts |
| 18 | 1d3 duergar and 1d3 orc slaves or roll on Duergar & Deep Gnomes |
| 19 | 2d4 myconid sprouts and 1d4 myconid adults or roll on Fungi and Ooze Encounters |
| 20 | 1 beholder zombie or 1 roper |
Underdark Levels 5-10
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d8+1d12 | Underdark Levels 5-10 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 spirit naga or roll on Underdark Monsters lvl 5-10 |
| 3 | 1d2 yuan-ti abominations or roll on Yuan-ti lvl 5-10 |
| 4 | 2d4 hook horrors or roll on Underdark Monsters lvl 5-10 |
| 5 | 1d4 salamanders or roll on Planar Encounters lvl 5-10 |
| 6 | 1d4+1 chuuls or roll on Underdark Monsters lvl 5-10 |
| 7 | 1d3 driders and 2d6 giant spiders or 2d4 duergar kavalrachni (MToF) on steeders (MToF) |
| 8 | 1d4 umber hulks or roll on Underdark Monsters lvl 5-10 |
| 9 | 1d4+2 quaggoths led by a quaggoth thonot or 1 elder oblex (MToF) |
| 10 | 1d2 ropers with 2d4 piercers or roll on Underdark Monsters lvl 5-10 |
| 11 | Roll on Underdark Levels 1-4 or 1 deathkiss (VGtM) |
| 12 | 1 fomorian or roll on Underdark Giants lvl 5-10 |
| 13 | 1 drow mage with 2d6 drow or roll on Drow Encounters lvl 5-10 |
| 14 | 1d2 mind flayers and 2d6 quaggoths or roll on Mind Flayers lvl 5-10 |
| 15 | 1 aboleth with 2d4 kuo-toa or 2d4+2 chitines (VGtM) led by 1 choldrith (VGtM) |
| 16 | 1d4 drow elite warriors or roll on Drow Encounters lvl 5-10 |
| 17 | 1 beholder zombie and 2d4 ogre zombies or roll on Undead lvl 5-10 |
| 18 | 1d3 stone giants or roll on Underdark Giants lvl 5-10 |
| 19 | 3d6 orcs led by 1d2 minotaurs or roll on Orc Encounters lvl 5-10 |
| 20 | 3d6 kuo-toa and 1d4 kuo-toa whips led by 1 kuo-toa archpriest or 2d4 duergar led by a duergar warlord (MToF) |
Underdark Levels 11+
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d8+1d12 | Underdark Levels 11+ |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 death tyrant or 1 mind flayer lich (VGtM) |
| 3 | 1d4+1 cloakers or 1 sibriex (MToF) |
| 4 | 2d4 umber hulks or 1 fire giant dreadnought with 1d2 fire giants |
| 5 | 1d2 drow mages with 1d4 xorns or roll on Drow Encounters lvl 11+ |
| 6 | 2d4 salamanders or 1 fire giant dreadnought |
| 7 | 1d3 aboleth with 1d4 chuul or 1 soul monger (MToF) |
| 8 | 1 beholder or 1d4+1 howlers (MToF) |
| 9 | 1d3+1 fomorians or 1 devourer (VGtM) |
| 10 | 1 drow priestess of Lolth with 1d2 yochlols or roll on Drow Encounters lvl 11+ |
| 11 | Roll on Underdark Levels 5-10 or 1 neothelid (VGtM) |
| 12 | 1 purple worm or 1 spirit troll (MToF) |
| 13 | 2d4 stone giants or 1 blackguard (VGtM) with 1d3 driders |
| 14 | 1d3 mind flayers and 1 mind flayer arcanist or 1 duergar despot (MToF) with 2d6 duergar stone guards (MToF) |
| 15 | 1 dao with 1d3 earth elementals or 1 yuan-ti anathema (VGtM) |
| 16 | 1 behir or 1 gloom weaver (MToF) and 1d2 shadow dancers (MToF) |
| 17 | 2d4 xorns or 1d4 of the hungry (MToF) |
| 18 | 1d4+1 fire giants or 1 skull lord (MToF) |
| 19 | 1 beholder and 2d4 duergar or 1 dire troll (MToF) |
| 20 | 1 young red shadow dragon or 1 nightwalker (MToF) |
Underdark Beasts (Levels 1-4)
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d8+1d12 | Underdark Beasts Levels 1-4 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 mimic |
| 3 | 1d2+1 giant poisonous snakes |
| 4 | 1 giant constrictor snake or 1 swarm of rot grubs (VGtM) |
| 5 | 3d6 giant rats or 1 Gazer (VGtM) |
| 6 | 2d6 stirges or 1 female steeder (MToF) & 1d4 male steeders (MToF) |
| 7 | 2d4+2 giant centipedes |
| 8 | 2d4 giant bats |
| 9 | 1d2 bat swarms |
| 10 | 2d4 rothe (giant goat stats) |
| 11 | 2d6 giant fire beetles or 1 cave fisher (VGtM) |
| 12 | 2d4 giant lizards or 2d4 deep rothe (VGtM, Cow) |
| 13 | 1d4 giant spiders or 1 choker (MToF) |
| 14 | 1d4+1 darkmantles |
| 15 | 1d4 giant toads or 1d2 guard drakes (VGtM) |
| 16 | 1d2 insect swarms |
| 17 | 1d2 carrion crawler or 2d6+6 young kruthiks (MToF) |
| 18 | 1d3 rust monsters |
| 19 | 1d2 giant bats and 1d2 bat swarms |
| 20 | 1d2 cave bears or 1 swarm of cranium rats (VGtM) |
Underdark Humanoids (Levels 1-4)
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d8+1d12 | Underdark Humanoids Levels 1-4 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 intellect devourer in a host... (roll again on table) or 1d4 half-ogres |
| 3 | 1d4+1 bugbears or 2d6 goblins led by a nilbog (VGtM) |
| 4 | 1d2 scouts with... (roll on Underdark Beasts) or 1d2+1 duergar with 1 duergar stone guard (MToF) |
| 5 | 1d4+1 orcs led by an orog or roll on Orc Encounters lvl 1-4 |
| 6 | 1d3 quaggoths or 2d6 xvarts (VGtM) led by a xvart warlock of Raxivort (VGtM) |
| 7 | 1d6 kobolds with a pet carrion crawler or roll on Kobold Encounters |
| 8 | 2d6 escaped commoner slaves or roll on Underdark Slaves |
| 9 | 1d4 duergar or roll on Duergar and Deep Gnomes |
| 10 | 1d4 kuo-toa led by 1 kuo-toa monitor or 1d3 ogres |
| 11 | 2d4 drow with... (roll on Underdark Slaves) or 2d4 chitines (VGtM) |
| 12 | 2d6 grimlocks or 1d4 darklings (VGtM) led by 1 darkling elder (VGtM) |
| 13 | 2d6 troglodytes or 1d3 firenewts (VGtM) mounted on giant striders (VGtM) |
| 14 | 2d4 deep gnomes or roll on Duergar and Deep Gnomes |
| 15 | 2d6 goblins led by a goblin boss or 1d4+1 firenewts (VGtM) led by a firenewt warlock of Imix |
| 16 | 1d2 yuan-ti malisons or roll on Yuan-ti Encounters lvl 1-5 |
| 17 | 1d3+1 hobgoblins led by a hobgoblin captain or 2d6 derro (MToF) |
| 18 | 2d4 tribal warriors led by a veteran or 2d4 skulks (MToF) |
| 19 | 1 druid with 1d2 giant lizards or 1 meazel (MToF) |
| 20 | 1 doppelganger among... (roll again on table) or 2d4 boggles (VGtM) |
Duergar and Deep Gnomes (Levels 1-4)
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d4+1d6 | Duergar and Deep Gnomes Levels 1-4 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 duergar with 1 minotaur slave or 1 duergar hammerer (MToF) with 1d2 duergar |
| 3 | 1d2 duergar with 1 ogre carrying empty cages or 1 duergar screamer (MToF) |
| 4 | 1d2 duergar mounted on giant lizards or 1d2 duergar hammerers (MToF) |
| 5 | 1d4 duergar or 1 duergar xarrorn (MToF) with 1d2 duergar |
| 6 | 1d4+1 deep gnomes or 1 duergar stone guard (MToF) with 1d2 duergar |
| 7 | 1d4+1 duergar with... (roll on Underdark Slaves) or 1d4 duergar led by 1 duergar soulblade (MToF) |
| 8 | 1d3 deep gnomes with 1d3 gargoyles or 1d2 duergar mind masters (MToF) |
| 9 | 1d3+1 duergar with 1d4 orc slaves |
| 10 | 1 deep gnome with 1 xorn or 1d2 duergar kavalrachni (MToF) mounted on female steeders (MToF) |
Fungi and Ooze Encounters (Levels 1-4)
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d4+1d6 | Fungi and Ooze Encounters Levels 1-4 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 black pudding or 1 adult oblex (MToF) |
| 3 | 1 ochre jelly |
| 4 | 1d3 gray oozes |
| 5 | 1d3 shrieker or 1 slithering tracker (VGtM) |
| 6 | 2d6 gas spores |
| 7 | 2d6 violet fungi or 2d4 oblex spawn (MToF) |
| 8 | 2d4 myconid sprouts and 1d4 myconid adults |
| 9 | 1 gelatinous cube |
| 10 | 1d4 myconid adults and 1d2 quaggoth spore servants |
Mind Flayer Encounters (Levels 5-10)
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d4+1d6 | Mind Flayer Encounters Levels 5-10 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1d4+4 intellect devourers inhabiting...(roll on Underdark Slaves) |
| 3 | 1d2 mind flayers with 1d4 troglodytes |
| 4 | 1d3 mind flayers with... (roll on Underdark Slaves) |
| 5 | 1 mind flayer and 2d6 quaggoths or 1 mindwitness (VGtM) with 1d2 mind flayers |
| 6 | 1 mind flayer with 2d4 grimlocks |
| 7 | 1 mind flayer arcanist or 1 ulitharid (VGtM) with 2d4 bugbear slaves |
| 8 | 1 mind flayer and 1d3 intellect devourers or 1 alhoon (VGtM) |
| 9 | 1 mind flayer with 1d6 ogres |
| 10 | 1 mind flayer arcanist with... (roll on Underdark Slaves) |
Underdark Monsters (Levels 1-4)
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d4+1d6 | Underdark Monsters Levels 1-4 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1d2 grells or 1 mindwitness (VGtM) |
| 3 | 1 minotaur |
| 4 | 1d2 hook horrors or 1d3 rust monsters |
| 5 | 1d3 gricks or 2d6 stirges |
| 6 | 1d4+2 darkmantles or 1d2 spectators |
| 7 | 1d3 carrion crawlers |
| 8 | 1d6+1 piercers or 1d2 trappers (VGtM) |
| 9 | 1d2 nothics |
| 10 | 1 otyugh |
Underdark Monsters (Levels 5-10)
level 1-4 | level 5-10 | level 11+ | beasts | humanoids | duergar | fungi | mind flayers | monsters 1-4 | monsters 5-10
| 1d4+1d6 | Underdark Monsters Levels 5-10 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1d4 earth elementals or roll on Planar Creatures lvl 5-10 |
| 3 | 2d4 phase spiders or 2d4 adult kruthiks (MToF) and 2d6 young kruthiks (MToF) |
| 4 | 1d4+2 gricks led by a grick alpha or 1 froghemoth (VGtM) |
| 5 | 1d4 umber hulks or 1 warlock of the fiend (VGtM) with 1d4 spectators |
| 6 | 1d2 ropers with 2d4 piercers or 1d2 gauths (VGtM) |
| 7 | 1d6 chuuls or 1d4 neogi adults (VGtM) and 2d6 neogi hatchlings (VGtM) |
| 8 | 2d4 hook horrors or 1d4 adult oblexes (MToF) |
| 9 | 2d4 grells or 1 neogi master (VGtM) with 1 charmed minotaur and 1d4 neogi adults (VGtM) |
| 10 | 1 spirit naga or 1 balhannoth (MToF) |
More Encounters
There is a 5e underdark random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Table Rolls - Underdark Encounters.
If you liked these there are D&D Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.
