A pair of cloud giants hails you. Each one is carrying a wagon on their back and they ask the way to a local town
Updated Mountain encounters using D&D 2024 Monster Manual. Also a D&D 2014 version. Tables for Mountain Encounters (levels 1-4, 5-0, 11+), Beasts, Humanoids, Dwarves and Giants
Encs by terrain - arctic | coastal | desert | feywild | forest | grassland | hill | jungle | mountain | road | ruins | sea | shadowfell | swamp | underdark | underwater | urban | all dnd 2024 encs
[Photo by Neil Rosenstech on Unsplash]
Mountain Encounters
Mountains encounters bring visions of snow-topped crags, mighty waterfalls, verdant valleys and cloud castles. Maybe encounters take place at a shallow cave, an old rope bridge or a clear mountain lake.
The roof of the world, they are often hard to navigate and pass along. They are the home of proud highland tribes, avian predators and mighty giants.
There is a 5e mountain random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Mountain Encounters.
Mountains - encs (2024) | encs (2014) | locs | noncombat | extras | all mountains
MotM = Monsters of the Multiverse
Mountains Levels 1-4
| 1d8+1d12 | Mountains Levels 1-4 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1d2 red dragon wyrmlings or 1d3 chokers (MotM) |
| 3 | 1d4 saber-toothed tigers or 1d4+1 firenewts (MotM) |
| 4 | 2d4 winged kobolds or roll on Kobolds lvl 1-4 |
| 5 | 1d4 giant eagles or 1d3 aurochs (MotM) |
| 6 | 1 druid with 3d4 goats or 1d4 stone cursed (MotM) |
| 7 | 1d4 orc toughs led by 1 orc berserker or roll on Orcs lvl 1-4 |
| 8 | 3d4+4 kobold warriors or roll on Kobolds lvl 1-4 |
| 9 | 3d6 dwarf guards led by 1 warrior veteran or roll on Dwarves lvl 1-4 |
| 10 | 1d3 griffons or 2d4 aarakocra skirmishers |
| 11 | 2d4 giant goats or roll on Beasts |
| 12 | 3d6 warrior infantry or 1d4 hippogriffs |
| 13 | 1d3 ogres or roll on Giants lvl 1-4 |
| 14 | 1d6 scouts or roll on Humanoids |
| 15 | 1d4+1 swarms of bats or 1d3 bronze scouts (MotM) |
| 16 | 1d2 lions or 1 adult kruthik (MotM) & 1d8+2 young kruthiks (MotM) |
| 17 | 2d4 warrior infantry led by 1d2 berserkers; or 2d4+2 derro (MotM) |
| 18 | 1 ettin or roll on Giants lvl 1-4 |
| 19 | 1d2 perytons or 2d4+2 star spawn grues (MotM) |
| 20 | 1d4+1 pteranodons or 1 barghest (MotM) |
Mountains Levels 5-10
| 1d8+1d12 | Mountains Levels 5-10 |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 young red dragon or 1 balhannoth (MotM) |
| 3 | 2d6 giant eagles or 1 annis hag (MotM) with 2d4 ogres |
| 4 | 1 bulette with 1d4 bulette pups or 2d4 vampiric mists (MotM) |
| 5 | 1 chimera or 2d4 firenewts (MotM) on giant striders (MotM) |
| 6 | 1d3 trolls served by 1d3+1 ogres; or 1 githyanki gish (MotM) |
| 7 | 1d3 air elementals or 1 warlock of the great old one (MotM) with 1d2 cultist fanatics and 3d6 cultists |
| 8 | 1 cyclops sentry or 1 annis hag (MotM) |
| 9 | 3d6 orcs, 1d3 ogres and 1 orc war chief or roll on Orcs lvl 5-10 |
| 10 | 2d4 berserkers or 1 stone giant dreamwalker (MotM) |
| 11 | Roll on Mountain Levels 1-4 table or 3d6 aurochs (MotM) |
| 12 | 1d3 stone giants or roll on Giants lvl 5-10 |
| 13 | 1d2 wyverns or 1 cloud giant smiling one (MotM) |
| 14 | 1d2 fire giants or roll on Giants lvl 5-10 |
| 15 | 2d6 ogres or 1 aarakocra aeromancer & 2d6 aarakocra skirmishers |
| 16 | 2d6 hell hounds or 3d6 duergar scouts, 1 duergar xarrorn (MotM) and 1 duergar warlord (MotM) |
| 17 | 1d3 galeb duhr or 1d4 oaken bolters (MotM) guarded by 1 stone defender (MotM) |
| 18 | 1d2 cloud giants or 1 githzerai enlightened (MotM) |
| 19 | 2d4 perytons with 1 wyvern or 1d2 lonely sorrowsworn (MotM) |
| 20 | 1 roc or 1d2 lost sorrowsworn (MotM) |
Mountains Levels 11+
| 1d8+1d12 | Mountains Levels 11+ |
|---|---|
| 2 | 2 young silver dragons or 1 star spawn larva mage (MotM) |
| 3 | 1 adult silver dragon or 1 githyanki supreme commander (MotM) mounted on a young red dragon |
| 4 | 3d4 berserkers mounted on giant eagles or 2d6 duergar hammerers (MotM) led by 1 duergar despot (MotM) |
| 5 | 1 roc or 1 githyanki kith'rak (MotM) with; 2d4 githyanki warriors |
| 6 | 5d6 orcs, 1d4 orc eyes of Gruumsh and 1 orc war chief on a wyvern; or 1 balhannoth (MotM) |
| 7 | 2d4 earth elementals or 2d6 duergar stone guards (MotM), 1d6+1 duergar screamers (MotM) and 1 duergar warlord (MotM) |
| 8 | 3d6 galeb duhr or a coven of 3 annis hags (MotM) with 1d4 trolls |
| 9 | 1d3+1 stone giants herding 3d6 giant goats or 1d4 stone giants led by 1 stone giant dreamwalker (MotM) |
| 10 | 1d6+1 fire giants with 2d6 hell hounds or 1 archdruid (MotM) with... (roll on Beasts) |
| 11 | Roll on Mountain Levels 5-10 table or roll on Giants lvl 11+ |
| 12 | 2d6 warrior veterans with 2d6 scouts or 1 dire troll (MotM) |
| 13 | 1d3 frost giants leading 6d6 orcs or 4d6 ogrillons (ogrillon ogres) led by 1 orc blade of ilneval (VGtM) with 1d3 tanarukks (MotM) |
| 14 | 1d2 cloud giants escorted by 1d6+2 frost giants or 1 ki-rin (MotM) |
| 15 | 1d3+2 wyverns or 1 phoenix (MotM) |
| 16 | 2d6 frost giants or roll on Giants lvl 11+ |
| 17 | 1 adult red dragon or 1d2 eidolons (MotM) |
| 18 | 1d4+1 cloud giants or 1 star spawn seer (MotM) with 1d2 star spawn hulks (MotM) and 4d6 cultists |
| 19 | 2 young red dragons or 1 storm giant quintessent (MotM) |
| 20 | 1 djinni and 1d3 air elementals or 1 red abishai (MotM) |
Mountain Beasts (Levels 1-4)
| 1d8+1d12 | Mountain Beasts (Levels 1-4) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1d4 hippogriffs or 1 basilisk |
| 3 | 1d4 giant eagles or 1d2 bulette pups |
| 4 | 1d4+1 mountain apes or 1 giant elk |
| 5 | 1d2 brown bears or 1d3 red guard drakes (MotM) |
| 6 | 1d6 lions |
| 7 | 3d6 deer or 2d4 elk |
| 8 | 1d4 swarm of bats or 1d3 aurochs (MotM) |
| 9 | 2d4 giant goats |
| 10 | 1 eagle |
| 11 | 4d6 goats |
| 12 | 1d6 blood hawks |
| 13 | 3d6 ponies |
| 14 | 2d4 wolves or 1d3 black bears |
| 15 | 2d6 llamas (goat) |
| 16 | 1d4 saber-toothed tiger or 2d6 stirges |
| 17 | 1d4+1 pteranodons |
| 18 | 1 pseudodragon or 1 quetzalcoatlus (MotM) |
| 19 | 1 swarm of stirges |
| 20 | 1d3 griffons or 1 quetzalcoatlus (MotM) with 1d4 pteranodons |
Mountain Humanoids (Levels 1-4)
| 1d8+1d12 | Mountain Humanoids (Levels 1-4) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1d3 duergar spies or 1 troll |
| 3 | 2d6 guards with 1d2 scouts scouting |
| 4 | 1 druid with... (roll on Beasts) |
| 5 | 1d6 berserkers; or 1 derro savant (MotM) with 2d4 derro (MotM) |
| 6 | 1d4 orcs toughs led by an ogre or roll on Orcs lvl 1-4 |
| 7 | 1 scout with... (roll on Beasts) |
| 8 | 1d3 ogres or roll on Giants lvl 1-4 |
| 9 | 2d6 kobold warriors or roll on Kobolds lvl 1-4 |
| 10 | 2d4 guards led by 1 warrior veteran |
| 11 | 3d6 warrior infantry or 1d2 yetis |
| 12 | 1d6+1 orcs led by an orog or roll on Orcs lvl 1-4 |
| 13 | 1d6 scouts or 1 meazel (MotM) |
| 14 | 2d6 guards or d3 firenewts (MotM) on giant striders (MotM) |
| 15 | 2d4 aarakocra skirmishers or 2d4 winged kobolds |
| 16 | 1d2 druids or 1 warlock of the archfey (MotM) |
| 17 | 2d6 warrior infantry led by 1 berserker or 1 aarakocra aeromancer |
| 18 | 1d3 druids and 1d3 scouts or 1 stone defender (MotM) guarding.. (roll again on Humanoid Encounters) |
| 19 | 1d4 ogrillon ogres or 1d2 firenewts led by 1 firenewt warlock of Imix (MotM) mounted on a giant strider (MotM) |
| 20 | 1 ettin or 1 warlock of the archfey (MotM) and 1d4+1 warrior infantry |
Dwarves and Duergar (Levels 1-4)
| 1d4+1d6 | Dwarves (Levels 1-4) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1d2 dwarf berserkers or 1 duergar hammerer (MotM) with 1d3 duergar toughs |
| 3 | 1d2 duergar scouts with 1 ogre carrying empty cages or 1 duergar screamer (MotM) |
| 4 | 2d6 dwarf warrior infantry with 1 dwarf druid or 1d2 duergar hammerers (MotM) |
| 5 | 1d6 duergar toughs or 1 duergar xarrorn (MotM) with 1d2 duergar spies |
| 6 | 2d4+2 dwarf guards or 1 duergar stone guard (MotM) with 1d3 duergar toughs |
| 7 | 1d3 duergar scout mercenaries with 1 giant spider or 1d4 duergar spies led by 1 duergar soulblade (MotM) |
| 8 | 1d4 dwarf scouts guarding 1 merchant commoner or 1d2 duergar mind masters (MotM) |
| 9 | 1d3 azer sentinels or 1 dwarf warlock of the archfey (MotM) |
| 10 | 1 dwarf knight with 1d4 dwarf guards or 1d2 duergar kavalrachni (MotM) mounted on female steeders (MotM) |
Giants (Levels 1-4)
| 1d4+1d6 | Giants (Levels 1-4) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 hill giant |
| 3 | 1d2 ogrillon ogres protecting... 1d2 druids (or roll on Humanoids ) |
| 4 | 1 ettin with 3d6 goats or 1d2 ogre chain brutes (MotM) |
| 5 | 1d4 ogrillon ogres |
| 6 | 1d3 ogres or 1 ogre battering ram (MotM) |
| 7 | 1 ettin or 1d2 ogres led by 1 ogre bolt launcher (MotM) |
| 8 | 1 ogre with... 1d2 lions (or roll on Beasts) |
| 9 | 1 troll or 1 ogre howdah (MotM) carrying 1d4 gnome guards or 1d4 derro (MotM) |
| 10 | 1 ogre with 1d2 ogrillon ogres |
Giants (Levels 5-10)
| 1d4+1d6 | Giants (Levels 5-10) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1d3 frost giants served by 1d3 ogres |
| 3 | 1d6+1 ogres led by 1 hill giant or 1d6 ogres and 1d4 ettins |
| 4 | 1 cyclops sentry with 2d4 giant goats or 2d6 ogres led by 1d2 ogre chain brutes (MotM) |
| 5 | 1d3 stone giants or 1 stone giant dreamwalker (MotM) |
| 6 | 1d4+1 trolls or 1d4+1 ogres with 1d4 ogre bolt launchers (MotM) led by 1 ogre battering ram (MotM) |
| 7 | 2d4 ogres led by 1d2 frost giants; or 1 cyclops oracle |
| 8 | 1d4 frost giants or 1 annis hag (MotM) with 1d2 trolls |
| 9 | 1 cloud giant or 1 cloud giant smiling one (MotM) |
| 10 | 1d3 fire giants or 1 annis hag (MotM) with 1d4 ogres |
Giants (Levels 11+)
| 1d4+1d6 | Giants (Levels 11+) |
|---|---|
| 2 | 1 cloud giant mounted on a roc or 1 storm giant quintessent (MotM) |
| 3 | 1 cyclops oracle with 1d6 cyclops sentries or 2d4 frost giants with 1 annis hag (MotM) |
| 4 | 2d4 stone giants or 1 stone giant dreamwalker guiding... (roll on Giants lvl 5-10) |
| 5 | 1d6+1 fire giants with 2d6 hell hounds or 1 fire giant dreadnought (MotM) |
| 6 | 1d4+2 trolls led by 1 frost giant or 1 stone giant dreamwalker (MotM) guiding... (roll on Humanoids) |
| 7 | 2d6 frost giants or 1d4 frost giants led by 1 frost giant everlasting one (MotM) |
| 8 | 1d4+1 cloud giants or 1 cloud giant smiling one (MotM) with 1d3 cloud giants |
| 9 | 1d3+1 frost giants leading 3d4 ogres or 1d3 fire giants led by 1 fire giant dreadnought (MotM) |
| 10 | 1d2+1 cloud giants served by 1d3 stone giants or 1 dire troll (MotM) |
More Encounters
There is a 5e mountain random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Mountain Encounters.
If you liked these there are D&D Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.
