Great White Games/Pinnacle Entertainment Group

[Aki]

I was going to put this in the other thread, but it's a large enough thought for it's own thread. A system for random encounters.

If you don't like random encounters in principle, don't use this and don't comment. I rather like the things. That said...


When a random encounter could occur, draw an action card. If it isn't a club draw four more cards.

No Hand
If no hand can be formed from the cards drawn, refer to the first card drawn. It's suit determines disposition (Hearts Friendly, Diamonds Neutral, Spades Hostile), and the card's value determines the strength or value of the encounter. These will be the most frequent encounters. Jokers have no entry - as wild cards they will always cause some hand to be formed, even if only a pair.

Pair
The suit of the first card drawn of the pair sets disposition, the strength of the pair as above. The weakest pair will be about even to a single face card.

Two Pair
The suit of the first card of the first pair drawn sets disposition, the strength of the first pair drawn sets level.

Three of a Kind
The suit of the first card drawn sets disposition

Straight
There are two different charts depending on whether the straight was dealt in order or in reverse order. The first card's suit and strength sets level. Unlike in poker, straights may "wrap" (when this house rule is used in poker it's called a 'dogleg straight'. Hence Q,K,A,2,3 is a straight.

Flush
First card's strength sets encounter level

Full House
Two tables are again used for whether the first card is in the pair or in the three of a kind. Strength and suit as before.

Four of a Kind
Suite of the first card again sets disposition.

Straight Flush
As with straights, these can wrap and their order determines table.

Five of a Kind
Made possible by the jokers speaking of which...

Jokers
Jokers are wild, and they are dangerous, because they must become the card that forms the highest possible hand of those available. As there are two jokers present some of the higher hands occur significantly more often then they would otherwise.


For those wondering, there are 507 spots on the encounter chart. In Fallout this ranges from solitary rad roach to unexploded atomic bomb.

[cheezit257]

that sounds like a pretty cool idea to handle random encounters, i think i may adopt this into several of my own games
oh, may I ask if these hands lead to a separate random encounter table or just determine the severity of each encounter and the actual encounter is up to the GM?