One thing I learned quickly after getting into TTRPGs is that I love playing games infused with chaos. Whether I’m a player or a Steward, I want to bring chaos to the table, and I want to be challenged by chaos. When you incorporate unexpected components into the story, you’re inviting chaos, and few things invite chaos better than a d20 table.
For those of you not too familiar with a d20 table, it’s simply a collection of 20 random choices that can be infused in your game at the roll of a 20-sided die. Some d20 rolls feel almost prophetic in their ability to seamlessly deepen the narrative, while others don’t fit at all and require the occasional reroll (which is perfectly okay, as telling a great collaborative story is far more important than following some arbitrary rule).
D20 tables have been a pivotal part of all of my published supplemental books for TTRPGs. In my first book, Off the Shelf, a roll on the d20 table determines which book you’ve discovered, and then you dive in deeper to determine what that book’s about and what effects it might have on you, the reader.
On the Table is a collection of d20 tables that help with world-building, character design and enhancing conflict.
Under the Skin is about as chaotic as one can get, because it takes a “magical tattoos” mechanic that’s only briefly explored in both D&D and Pathfinder and turns it into a game of chance in both the tattoo creation phase and in the usage of the magic.
The book I’m on the verge of publishing, Out of the Box, allows for Stewards to use d20 tables to populate spaces with random items that have their own built-in narrative hooks should the players take the bait. I heartily believe in d20 tables.
But how does one generate their own d20 tables? How can you find the creative capacity to create that personalized table that’s just right for your party’s upcoming encounter? For me, it all starts with a title.
Think of an element of your upcoming adventure that could be more fun if you didn’t know the outcome. If you’re starting out with tables, I’d recommend starting with elements that aren’t essential to the main narrative: things like “Tavern Dishes,” “Chest Contents,” or “Clothes in a Closet.” From there, you want to come up with a title that makes it easy for you as the Steward to remember what it’s for. If your name hints at a certain tone, an element of mystery or a specific theme, all the better.
Then, think for a second: Why and when specifically am I using this table? Are you trying to incorporate sparks that will ignite more player-driven storytelling? Are you simply trying to flesh out what your players find without having to think extensively on-the-spot? Maybe you’re trying to establish the mood of a scene, or you want an NPC to really stand out with a specific quirk. Whatever your purpose may be, it’s important to consider that before you start populating the table.
Now that I’m sold on the non-genre-specific potential of Ealdsmyth, I like to keep my d20 elements somewhat vague so that they’ll fit any setting–whether fantasy, sci-fi, modern, post-apocalyptic or whatever. Originally, I defaulted to fantasy-style elements, but that limits who can use it or requires too much mental gymnastics for the Steward to make it fit their table. If you know you’re using this table for a specific purpose, however, there’s no shame in creating a table that’s very specific to your upcoming gaming session.
The final thing you’ll want to consider before populating the table is how you’re going to use it. Should you pull it up the minute a player starts investigating something odd? Is there a specific strange area that triggers a roll on your table? Maybe you anticipate lulls in the narrative, and you plan on infusing unexpected chaos to propel the story in these moments. Even though it’s less fun to take your players through preplanned steps in an adventure, you can consider types of situations that might prompt a d20 roll. This allows your brain to pick up on certain queues if you’ve brainstormed it out ahead of time.
Okay, here’s a blank d20 table. Feel free to copy-and-paste it to the document of your choice. It’s often common to have the least beneficial occurrence happen when the players roll a one and the best occurrence happen on a 20. Feel free to follow that tradition, or you could defy it entirely and enhance the chaos factor. (“You’ve rolled a one! You now have eyes in the back of your head, and it’s next to impossible for enemies to sneak up on you!”)
🎲 d20 Table:
| d20 | Result |
| 1 | |
| 2 | |
| 3 | |
| 4 | |
| 5 | |
| 6 | |
| 7 | |
| 8 | |
| 9 | |
| 10 | |
| 11 | |
| 12 | |
| 13 | |
| 14 | |
| 15 | |
| 16 | |
| 17 | |
| 18 | |
| 19 | |
| 20 |
Regardless of the values you place on ones and 20s, I always fill in one first and then 20. Then, to avoid the overwhelm of having to seem clever 20 different times, I focus on multiples of five. After filling out 1 and 20, fill out five, then 10, then 15. Then, I start filling in ideas that I have based on where they fit on the spectrum I’ve established (“Is this occurrence really good, really bad or somewhere in between?”)
When you’re trying to communicate the concept of what you’re trying to say at each numerical value, fewer words are better, because you can process it more quickly and keep the game going. While you’re filling in your table, throw in one-word prompts that you can flesh out later. And just because you thought of an idea doesn’t mean you can’t replace that idea with a better one later.
As I’ve said before, d20 tables are kinda my wheelhouse. I’ve learned to really lean in on them for delightfully-chaotic gameplay. That’s why I plan on dropping a new d20 table each month for patrons on the Lorekeeper tier of my Patreon. If you see the benefit of d20 tables in your gaming sessions, I’d be thrilled if you hopped in on that tier.
For those of you who have read this far in my blog post, here’s a free d20 table to get you started on your chaos-fueled adventures:
Let me know in the comments section below how you’ve used it or any other d20 table to enhance your TTRPG Stewarding experience!
