New to Sly Flourish? Start Here or subscribe to the newsletter.

Random Tables of the Dungeons and Dragons 5th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide

by Mike on 26 May 2015

The 5th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide is packed with useful information for your 5e Dungeons and Dragons game. One of its most useful features is the huge amount of random tables. Random tables are a fantastic tool of the Lazy Dungeon Master. They break you out of ruts and give you interesting and deep options for your adventure without hardly any preparation before your game. They are also a fantastic aid to help us improvise right at the table.

Breaking Out of Stereotypes

One of the most useful features of random tables is their ability to help us break out of stereotypes and cliches. When we're thinking on our feet it can be hard for us to come up with something new instead of falling back to something familiar. Our NPCs could start to look and act the same or every castle seems to feel like the ones in your favorite TV show. Random tables can help us break out of these ruts. They point us in a completely unexpected direction when we might be tempted to head in a straight and well traveled line.

The Random Table Index

Unfortunately, the Dungeon Master's Guide doesn't include an index of all of the random charts in the book. This makes it hard for us to find the chart we need when we need it while our game is running fast and furious. Where the DMG falls, however, we can pick it up on our own.

Below you will find a list of all of the charts in the 5th Edition Dungeon Master's Guide. You can also download a PDF of the random table index printable on a single piece of paper you can cut to size and tape inside your copy of the DMG itself.

Here's the index itself.

Table	Page Number
Forms of Government	18
World-Shaking Events	27
Leader Types	27
Cataclysmic Disasters	28
Invading Force	29
Extinction or Depletion	30
New Organizations	31
Discoveries	31
Astral Color Pools	47
Psychic Wind Effects	48
Ethereal Curtains	49
Ether Cyclone	49
Feywild Time Warp	50
Shadowfell Despair	52
Abyssal Corruption	62
Dungeon Goals	73
Wilderness Goals	73
Other Goals	74
Adventure Villains	74
Adventure Allies	74
Adventure Patrons	74
Adventure Introductions	74
Adventure Climax	75
Event-Based Villain Actions	75
Event-Based Goals	76
Framing Events	79
Moral Quandaries	79
Twists	80
Side Quests	81
Sylvan Forest Encounters	87
NPC Appearance	89
NPC Abilities	89
NPC Talents	90
Mannerism	90
NPC Interaction Traits	90
NPC Ideals	90
NPC Bonds	91
NPC Flaws and Secrets	91
Villain's Scheme	94
Villains Methods	95
Villain's Weakness	96
Dungeon Location	99
Exotic Location	99
Dungeon Creator	100
Cults and Religious Groups	100
NPC Alignment	100
NPC Class	101
Dungeon Purpose	101
Dungeon History	101
Monuments	108
Weird Locales	109
Weather	109
Race Relations	112
Ruler's Status	112
Notable Traits	112
Known For Its	112
Current Calamity	112
Building Type	113
Residence	113
Religious Building	113
Tavern	113
Tavern Name Generator	113
Warehouse	113
Shop	114
Random Urban Encounters	114
Random Undersea Encounters	116
Random Encounters At Sea	118
Carousing	128
Running A Business	129
Selling A Magic Item	130
Gemstones	134
Art Objects	134-135
Individual Treasure	136
Treasure Hoard	137-138
Mixing Potions	140
Scroll Mishaps	140
Magic Item Special Features	142-143
Random Magic Items	144-149
Bag of Beans	153
Potion of Resistance Elements	188
Wand of Wonder Effect	212-213
Sentient Magic Items	214-215
Artifact Properties	219-220
Urban Chase Complications	254
Wilderness Chase Complications	254
Madness Effects	259-260
Lingering Injuries	272
System Shock	273
Random Dungeon Starting Area	290
Passage	290
Passage Width	290
Door Type	291
Beyond a Door	291
Chamber	291
Chamber Exits	291
Exit Location	291
Exit Type	291
Stairs	291
Dungeon: Death Trap	292
Dungeon: Lair	293
Dungeon: Maze	293
Dungeon: Mine	293
Dungeon: Planar Gate	293
Dungeon: Stronghold	294
Dungeon: Temple or Shrine	294
Dungeon: Tomb	295
Dungeon: Treasure Vault	295
General Dungeon Chambers	295
Current Chamber State	295
Dungeon Chamber Contents	296
Monster Motivation	296
Dungeon Hazards	296
Obstacles	297
Trap Trigger	297
Trap Damage Severity	297
Trap Effect	297
Trick Objects	298
Tricks	298
Noises	298
Air	299
Odors	299
General Features	299
General Furnishings and Appointments	299
Religious Articles and Furnishings	300
Mage Furnishings	300
Utensils and Personal Items	300
Container Contents	301
Books, Scrolls, and Tomes	301

Not All Random Tables Are Created Equal

Not all tables end up being that useful when we're running our game. The Dungeon Master's Guide contains nearly 150 random tables yet only a handful of these may come up as you run your adventure. We've highlighted some of the more useful tables you might want to reference. The random table index PDF includes a second index with just these useful charts in case you don't want an exhaustive index and just want the ones you'll reference the most. These highlighted tables may become staples in your game to add the most interest and excitement with just a quick roll of the dice.

Top Random Tables in the DMG

Framing Events	79
Weather	109
Tavern Name Generator	114
Random Urban Encounters	114
Carousing	128
Selling A Magic Item	130
Gemstones	134
Art Objects	134-135
Treasure Hoard	137-138
Scroll Mishaps	140
Magic Item Special Features	142-143
Random Magic Items	144-149
Madness Effects	259-260
Lingering Injuries	272
Obstacles	297
Trap Trigger	297
Trap Damage Severity	297
Trap Effect	297

Two Tables in the Player's Handbook

There are also two tables in the 5th Edition Player's Handbook that are also useful for a dungeon master to have on hand. These are the "Wild Magic Surge" table on page 104 and the "Trinkets" table on page 160 and 161 of the Player's Handbook. It's worth keeping these referenced as well and both can be found in the random table index PDF.

Fuel For Your Imagination

A random table is simply a way to spark a white hot flame in the furnace of your imagination. Our brains are the most powerful systems on earth for coming up with creative situations, ideas, and stories. These random tables are simply an ignition switch to help us avoid falling back to the familiar and get us thinking in a new direction. This index is designed to help you get the most out of the excellent fantastic tables in the Dungeon Master's Guide. Use it well.