Coastal Encounter Combat Terrain, Treasures and Complications for 5e
Coastal

Coastal Encounter Combat Terrain, Treasures and Complications for 5e

Duncan Thomson
"There are recent signs of sahuagin in the area"

Tables for Combat Terrain and Minor Treasures and Encounter Complications  for Coastal Encounters. Result is from Coastal Encounter Complications.

Enhancements by terrain -  arctic | coastal | desert |  forest | grassland | hill | mountain | swamp  | underdark | underwater | urban

[Photo by Luke Smyth on Unsplash]

Coastal Encounter Enhancements

What makes this coastal encounter different?

Maybe there is a fishing boat pulled up on the shore or a hallucinatory terrain hiding something. There might be a large rock pool or a recently dug trench with a space.  A creature might have a treasure map with goblin writing or carry a feather token that turns into a swan boat.

There is a 5e coastal random encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Coastal Encounters.

Ruins Encounters Random Tables on DM's Guild Ruins Encounters Random Tables on DM's Guild

Coastal Encounter Tables - creatures | locations | non-combat | enhancements

Coastal Combat Terrain

1d8+1d12Coastal Combat Terrain
2 A whirlpool or a pool fed by a hot spring
3 An area of grasping seaweed (as entangle spell)
4 A tentacled stone statue or a tree heavy with coconuts
5 A sea stack or a pile of coracles
6 An area of mud flats (difficult terrain)
7 A bonfire or overturned fishing boat
8 A tree with a platform and rope ladder
9 A sea cave mouth or a stream with stepping stones
10 An area of shifting sand (difficult terrain)
11 A large rock pool or a rope leading up a cliff
12 A damaged wooden pier or several large carved rocks
13 A raft (or canoe) on the water's edge
14 An area of slippery seaweed (As Slippery Ice - DMG pg 110)
15 Steps (or a narrow path) up a cliff (or steep slope)
16 A tree (or ledge) with a giant nest
17 A recently dug trench and a spade
18 A powerful geyser in a pool (or the sea)
19 At unstable cliff that could trigger a rockfall if disturbed
20 A hidden cache (Perception check to spot if near) with dust of disappearance; or roll on Minor Coastal Treasures

Coastal Minor Treasures

1d20Coastal Minor Treasures
2 A small bucket and spade made of gold and decorated with shells. Worth 1000 gp
3 Arrow of Slaying or Potion of Flying
4 1d6 pearls worth 100 gp each
5 Dust of Dryness or Dust of Disappearance
6 A pair of crystal dice depicting different numbers of sea creatures. Worth 150 gp.
7 Potion of Gaseous Form or Potion of Animal Friendship
8 A treasure map with directions written in Goblin
9 Scroll of Protection - Elementals or Beasts
10 200 ft. of silk rope or a climber's kit
11 1d4 Potions of Water Breathing (or Healing)
12 Artisan's tools (cartographer's tools, carpenter's tools or painter's supplies)
13 Spell Scroll of water breathing (or wall of fog)
14 An exotic saddle or 1d3 flasks of alchemist's fire
15 Quaal's Feather Token - Swan Boat (or Fan)
16 A tome containing an impressive collection of seashells beside annotated notes and drawings of them.
17 Spell Scroll of control water (or control weather)
18 A clockwork toy boat moves slowly in water in an erratic fashion. Worth 250 gp
19 Elemental Gem (air or water)
20 A waterproof scroll case with the deeds to a clifftop mansion.

Coastal Encounter Complications

1d8+1d12Coastal Encounter Complications
2 Ghostly figures are loading (or unloading) a boat
3 There are merfolk (or roll on Coastal Humanoids) here (or nearby) as allies (or servants / mercenaries)
4 There is a prisoner in the encounter or a lone traveler nearby. Roll on Quick Coastal NPCs
5 A raft is on the water's edge or roll on Coastal Combat Terrain
6 There is a hallucinatory terrain (or permanent illusion) hiding something
7 There is a sea cave mouth or roll on Coastal Combat Terrain
8 Noises are coming from a recent shipwreck
9 A narrow path leads up a cliff or roll on Coastal Combat Terrain
10 There are giant crabs here (or nearby) as pets (or guards). For alternatives roll on Coastal Beasts
11 A fishing boat (or several canoes) is pulled up on the shore
12 There are recent signs of sahuagin (or roll on an appropriate encounter table) in the area
13 There is an area of quicksand (DMG pg 110) or roll on Coastal Hazards and Obstacles
14 There is a hidden item (or cache) here. A pouch with dust of dryness or roll on Minor Coastal Treasures
15 There is a ship in trouble nearby or roll on Coastal Hazards & Obstacles
16 They have (or hidden nearby is) a folding boat. Or roll on Coastal Magic Items for alternatives.
17 There is thunder and lightning or roll on Coastal Hazards and Obstacles
18 Nearby is a dragon turtle (or pick from Coastal Encounters Level 11+) those encountered try not to disturb.
19 Area is cursed by a sea deity or spirit. It is Desecrated Ground (DMG pg 110). Spirits are easily attracted (roll on Coastal Spirits)
20 There is an elemental (or planar) portal here or there is a crossing to the Feywild

More Encounter Tables

There is a 5e coastal random encounter generator at ChaosGen. There is also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Coastal Encounters.

Ruins Encounters Random Tables on DM's Guild Ruins Encounters Random Tables on DM's Guild

If you liked these there are D&D Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.