The Book of Random Tables: Fantasy Role-Playing Game Aids for Game Masters (The Books of Random Tables)

This made my DnD games so much faster! When my players took a detour away from my plan I just pulled this out real quick instead of having to overthink an encounter or story plot.

This is great for me. Yes, you could make your own, and yes you could plan all that you need to as a GM/DM. However, I love that I don't have to do any of that. I have acquired several of this author's books and use them to help make game nights more interesting and I also write my own single-player campaigns and love that I can use these random tables to keep myself on my toes.

Lots of spelling and grammar errors. A lot of items on lists are repeatedly uncreative too. However it does come with some good ideas, and its compactly easy to pull out in a pinch.

I find this book quite helpful as a DM. Although some lists are more helpful than others, overall they are useful for prepping and getting ideas on the fly. I read all of the other reviews before deciding to give this book a chance. There is a table of contents for easy reference and although some lists like the gemstones do not offer detail, you as the DM can do that. This is not designed nor intended to provide exhaustive details about everything included, it is quick reference. The multiple entries (such as the various options for deer in the Forest Encounters) are there for randomness if you are rolling instead of searching for ideas.I like the size and feel of the book and the fact that it is the same size as the sourcebooks appeals to me. I personally do not want tiny address book-sized materials. I also like the layout as the lists are easy to read and not crammed together to save space or reduce the page count. This is nice when searching for something quickly. I appreciate that the layout allows for one list per page (except for the Rumors & Odd Jobs). I find this book easy to use and very helpful for getting ideas for my games.

I do want to preface this review with a point to consider: when I ordered The Book of Random Tables I was probably guilty of expecting too much. I think I had hoped for two things: a slightly smaller book (would have been nicer to have a slightly thicker but smaller presence on my already-full hobby table) and a bit more in the way of meaningful variety. The first point is more of an annoyance than an issue, per se. The second point is what really makes this product far less useful to your average Dungeon Master than the positive reviews on this product would make it seem.I will be blunt: this book is not useful. It is not particularly helpful in the big scheme of things. I have found some use for it in planning some aspects of my current 5th Edition Dungeons and Dragons game, but the integration of anything in this book has been peripheral and borderline inspirational at best. In my latest sessions with my players I had tapped into the random table for Rumors & Odd Jobs to get some very bare bones inspiration. From the super basic prompts provided I managed to spin some marginally more inspired material, but most of that was my sitting an wondering how I might entice or subvert the expectations of my players.Most of the tables in this book, I will never use. They range from "this could be useful in a very specific set of circumstances" to "why would I bother keeping this book on the table?" Mister Matt Davids did deliver on what he promised, if only just. The lists of names feel disjointed and random for both males and females. The gemstone tables, the table on 'item found in x' were never touched, and I actually had to go grab my copy from its place on my bookshelf to remember what else was in this book. Some of the tables are awfully specific, which is not bad, except that most of the entries on the tables are uninteresting, and given the table profile of the book it just seems that this product is not as useful as a 'on the fly' resource as say, anything I could find in my 3.5 edition DND Dungeon Masters Guide. Given the fact that this book is a better prep guide than table top tool, that is a big black mark against it.The forest encounters feel particularly uninspired- I feel I could use the encounter tables from any RPG book on my shelf and probably get something more fitting/interesting for forest encounters. I know I could fall to Curse of Strahd or even some of my 32ish page module books for more inspiration for forest encounters. Though maybe I am beating a dead horse at this point.It fulfills its intended purpose, I will give it that. So who knows? Maybe this is the perfect product for uninspired adventures, or bored/lazy Game Masters. Maybe this is just the tool for the up and coming Dungeon Master who is searching in all the wrong places. And hey, maybe this product could give a Dungeon Master with writer's block that little push that they need to make something far greater than all that Matt Davids offered us here.But as for me and my table?I think I have spent more time in this book, trying to remember what was in it and writing this review than I have in actually utilizing it. I did take time to read over it when I first got the book, but it just has not gotten as much use as I had hoped for the price.If you want my advice? Go to DrivethruRPG or DMsGuild and search random tables. I have found as much or more than offered in this book there, and in many cases I have gotten more inspiration from fifty cent adventures there than what I have gotten from this book.One more thing, and I promise this is the last bit. I hope that Matt Davids and Dicegeeks.com end up learning from this book, and improving on things like their presentation. These 'tables' are really more of lists. A bit of a nitpick, but if they had used tables and worked with their layout in the book, they could have had less white space, made the lists (in my opinion) easier to read, and could have fit more into the supposed fifty pages of this book. Maybe then I wouldn't see so many books in this 'series' when the first was so scant. Given that page number, this book is still shockingly thin on content. It feels like a bit of a bait and switch.TLDR; too little, poor quality content for your buck. There are other resources out there.

I love it. I am a huge D&D fan and host many games at my apartment. I have the master bedroom dedicated to RPG games. I've been running RPG games for over 3 decades now. This is a terrific item that shortens up my prep time for sure. Characters interested in the roll playing aspect of the game ask questions of things like names, or ask for more detailed descriptions of stores or homes or objects they want their character to carry with them that offers no die roll bonus but identifies the character. The Rumors and Odd jobs is fantastic for the players who don't care what you have planned for them.. they want to explore the world how they want to. This book takes away a lot of time consuming prep for sure. Just remember this isn't a book that adds extra magic items or abilities or story plots... it adds the nonessential mundane aspects of the game that bring life to your campaign.

Easy to use and read. Perfect for when you are caught off guard or prepping for an adventure.

I was surprised at how big the book was; especially for a book of tables. There’s a lot of white space in this book— I assume to make it roughly the same size as the D&D books while still making it feel substantial. This is exactly as described: a book of tables,not a book with expansive backgrounds, stats, etc. It’s extremely useful in dungeon prepping and when players choose to go in unexpected directions to give a more descriptive, lived-in world. Is it revolutionary? No, but at this price point it doesn’t need to be. The time it would take to compile these lists, let alone attempt to generate the lists is way more valuable than the cost of the book. As mentioned in other reviews, the Rumors & Odd Jobs is particularly inspiring. It is DEFINITELY worth the investment. The inside design is sparse. The tables are really just lists, but the cover is good enough to have it on my shelf.

I bought Random Encouters 1 to 5 in one go, so this review is about all 5. I find these collectively a great resource to help add content and detail to any campaign. Do you need all 5? Probably not, and if you wanted to get them one at a time then start with 1. 1 to 3 are the best, if feels like when they did 4 & 5 they started to make up lists for the sake of making up lists.

an interesting set of tables but apparently my friend liked this book so much he took it home so i had to buy it again and i did buy the other all the books in this series as well

As stated in the title, this can cut a lot of game prep time for the DM out, making other aspects more intricate, or even just to give the DM a little breather.I recommend any book like this to any DM.

I wasn't sure what to expect but it really is a helpful book for DM's. Many key reference items that can help in a pinch. Used it several times in todays game just a day after it arrived. Glad to now own it.

The tables in this book were not as exciting as I thought they'd be.