At a crossroads is a cage with a humanoid skeleton of a victim inside. Staying away from the cage are three mismatched performers, singing in harmony for tips or any food travelers can spare.
Updated Road encounters using D&D 2024 Monster Manual. Also a D&D 2014 version. Tables for Road Encounters (levels 1-4, 5-0, 11+), Beasts, Humanoids, Lizardfolk, Monsters, Plants and Reptiles & Dinosaurs
Encs by terrain - arctic | coastal | desert | feywild | forest | grassland | hill | jungle | mountain | road | ruins | sea | shadowfell | swamp | underdark | underwater | urban | all dnd 2024 encs
[Photo by Pat Whelen on Unsplash]
Road and Trail Encounters
Roads and trails connect the cities and ports of fantasy nations. A few newly built but many fallen into ruin upon the causeways of older empires. A highway connecting two prominent cities, an ancient trail through sylvan woods or a road built by dwarves and now used by local tribes.
Encounters happen at haunted crossroads and narrow paths, with desperate brigands, friendly pilgrims, hungry mercenaries, locals herding goats and any others on the path.
There is a 5e road random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Road Encounters.
Road - - encs (2024) | encs (2014) | locs | noncombat | extras | all roads
MotM = Monsters of the Multiverse
Road and Trail Levels 1-4
| 1d8+1d12 | Road and Trail Levels 1-4 |
|---|
| 2 | 1 hill giant carrying a wagon or 1d3 shadow mastiffs (MotM) |
| 3 | 1d4+1 scouts mounted on riding horses or 1d3 ankhegs |
| 4 | 2d4 warrior infantry with a trophy or roll on Travelers Group lvl 1-4 |
| 5 | 1d4 carts pulled by draft horses accompanied by 2d4 priest acolytes |
| 6 | 1d4 giant vultures or roll on Beasts |
| 7 | A mercenary group of 1d4+2 bandits and 1 spy led by 1 bandit captain or roll on Warriors lvl 1-4 |
| 8 | 2d4 priest acolyte pilgrims or roll on Group of Travelers lvl 1-4 |
| 9 | 1d3 centaur trooper guards or roll on Monstrous Mercs lvl 1-4 |
| 10 | 2d4 mastiffs or roll on Beasts |
| 11 | Patrol of 1d2 warrior veterans on mules or roll on Warriors lvl 1-4 |
| 12 | 2d4 local commoners with 1 druid or roll on Humanoids |
| 13 | 1 spy or roll on Lone Travelers lvl 1-4 |
| 14 | 1d3 warrior infantry with 4d6 goats or roll on Domesticated Beasts |
| 15 | 1d3 perytons or roll on Aerial Threats lvl 1-4 |
| 16 | 1d2 orc toughs mounted on dire wolves or roll on Marauders lvl 1-4 |
| 17 | 1 doppelganger or roll on Lone Travelers lvl 1-4 |
| 18 | 1d4+1 wagons driven by commoners and 2d4 guards keeping watch or roll on Humanoids |
| 19 | 1d3 griffons or roll on Aerial Threats lvl 1-4 |
| 20 | 1 talkative night hag or 1d4 tortles (MotM) and 1 tortle druid (MotM) |
Road and Trail Levels 5-10
| 1d8+1d12 | Jungle Levels 5-10 |
|---|
| 2 | 1 death slaad merchant with a pony and cart or 1d3 galeb duhr |
| 3 | A pack of 2d4 dire wolves with 1d4 werewolves or 1d2 tree blights |
| 4 | 1 bandit deceiver, 1d4 bandit captains and 3d6 bandits or 1 dire worg |
| 5 | 1 fire giant with 1d4 hell hounds or roll on Marauders lvl 5-10 |
| 6 | 1d4 knights on warhorses with 2d6 guard on riding horses or roll on Group of Travelers lvl 5-10 |
| 7 | 2d6 tough mercenaries led by 1 gladiator or roll on Warriors lvl 5-10 |
| 8 | Work crew of 2d6 commoners with 1 noble and 1d2 stone giants |
| 9 | 2d4 hobgoblin warriors led by 1 hobgoblin captain or roll on Monstrous Mercs lvl 5-10 |
| 10 | 1d2 priests in a wagon with 2d6 priest acolytes and 1d4 warrior veterans or roll on Group of Travelers lvl 5-10 |
| 11 | Patrol - 1d4 scout captains & 2d6 scouts or roll on Warriors lvl 5-10 |
| 12 | 1 oni trader and 1d4 elephants or 1 stone giant dreamwalker (MotM) |
| 13 | 1 half-dragon or roll on Lone Travelers lvl 5-10 |
| 14 | 1 priest with 2d4 knights on warhorses or 1d3 performer maestros |
| 15 | 1d2 mages mounted on nightmares or roll on Aerial Threats lvl 5-10 |
| 16 | 1d4 hill giants or roll on Marauders lvl 5-10 |
| 17 | 1 githzerai zerth or roll on Lone Travelers lvl 5-10 |
| 18 | 1 lizardfolk geomancer and 2d6 toughs with 1d6 laden giant lizards |
| 19 | 1 young silver dragon or roll on Aerial Threats lvl 5-10 |
| 20 | 1d2 watchful treants or 1 balhannoth (MotM) |
Road and Trail Levels 11+
| 1d8+1d12 | Road and Trail Levels 11+ |
|---|
| 2 | 1 adult dragon (any chromatic) or 1d2 sphinxes of lore |
| 3 | 1 performer legend, 1d2 satyr revelmasters and 4d6 performers |
| 4 | 1d6 fire giant mercenaries or 1 warlord (MotM) & 2d6 tough bosses |
| 5 | 1 archmage with 1 gladiator guard and 2d4 doppelganger servants |
| 6 | 1d2 death cultists, 2d4 spies & 4d6 cultists or 1d4 eladrin (MotM) |
| 7 | 1 archpriest and 1d4 knights or 1 cadaver collector (MotM) |
| 8 | 1 bandit crime lord, 1d2 bandit deceivers and 2d6 bandit captains |
| 9 | 1 warrior commander, 2d4 warrior veterans and 4d6 warrior infantry |
| 10 | 1d4 treants watching the road's edge or 1 gray render (MotM) |
| 11 | A caravan of wagons with 2d6 scouts and 1d4 warrior veterans, escorted by 1d2 young silver dragons |
| 12 | 1 questing knight on a warhorse or 1 gloom weaver (MotM) with 1d3 shadow dancers (MotM) |
| 13 | Family of 2d4 stone giants or 1 githyanki dracomancer |
| 14 | 1 berserker commander and 2d6 berserkers on dire wolves or 1 rakshasa merchant with 1d2 nycaloth guards |
| 15 | 1 iron golem pulling a wagon or 1 storm giant quintessent (MotM) |
| 16 | Work crew - 1d3 dwarf mages & 1 stone golem or 1 rot troll (MotM) |
| 17 | 1 adult dragon (metallic) or a patrol of 2d4 mercenary mezzoloths |
| 18 | 1 dao trader and 1d4 gargoyles or a patrol of 1d4 knights with 1 deva |
| 19 | 1d4 cloud giants with 1d2 wyverns or 1 death knight aspirant on a nightmare |
| 20 | 1 storm giant mounted on a roc or 1 elder tempest (MotM) |
Road and Trail Beasts (Levels 1-4)
| 1d8+1d12 | Road and Trail Beasts (Levels 1-4) |
|---|
| 2 | 1d4 dire wolves or 2d6 baboons |
| 3 | 1d2 elephants or roll on Beasts of Burden |
| 4 | 2d4 blood hawks or 1d3 aurochs (MotM) |
| 5 | 1d8 camels or roll on Beasts of Burden |
| 6 | 1d4 swarms of insects or 1d4 lions |
| 7 | 1d6 draft horses or roll on Beasts of Burden |
| 8 | 2d6 wolves or 1d6 giant spiders
|
| 9 | 2d4 mules or roll on Beasts of Burden |
| 10 | 2d6+6 deer or 2d6 hyenas |
| 11 | 2d4 mastiffs or roll on Domesticated Animals |
| 12 | 2d4 giant wasps or 2d6 elk |
| 13 | 4d6 goats or roll on Domesticated Animals |
| 14 | 1d4 giant vultures or 3d4 jackals |
| 15 | 2d4 riding horsesor roll on Domesticated Animals |
| 16 | 1d2 brown bears or 1d6 venomous snakes |
| 17 | 1d8 boars or roll on Domesticated Animals |
| 18 | 2d6 stirges or 1d3 giant boars |
| 19 | 2d4 giant goats or roll on Domesticated Animals |
| 20 | 2d4 giant owls or 1 pseudodragon |
Beasts of Burden (Levels 1-4)
| 1d4+1d6 | Beasts of Burden (Levels 1-4) |
|---|
| 2 | giant boar or griffon |
| 3 | warhorse or allosaurus |
| 4 | giant lizard or hippogriff |
| 5 | mule or mastiff |
| 6 | riding horse or guard drake (MotM) |
| 7 | camel or pony |
| 8 | axe beak or hadrosaurus (MotM) |
| 9 | giant goat or elephant |
| 10 | dire wolf or warhorse skeleton |
Domesticated Beasts (Levels 1-4)
| 1d4+1d6 | Domesticated Beasts (Levels 1-4) |
|---|
| 2 | 1d2 griffons or 1d4 warhorses |
| 3 | 1d8 boars or 2d4 axe beaks |
| 4 | 2d4 ponies or 1d2 guard drakes (MotM) |
| 5 | 2d4 mastiffs or 1d6 cats |
| 6 | 2d4 mules or 1d6 draft horses |
| 7 | 4d6 goats or 1d3 ravens |
| 8 | 2d4 riding horses or 2d6 cows (MotM) |
| 9 | 2d4 giant weasels or 1d6 flying snakes |
| 10 | 1d2 elephants or 1d2 owlbears |
Road and Trail Humanoids (Levels 1-4)
| 1d8+1d12 | Road and Trail Humanoids (Levels 1-4) |
|---|
| 2 | 1d3 ogrillon ogres mounted on... axe beaks (or roll on Road Mounts) |
| 3 | 1d2 berserkers with 1d6 mastiffs or roll on Warriors lvl 1-4 |
| 4 | 2d4 cultists and 1 cultist fanatic with a covered wagon or roll on Travelers Group 1-4 |
| 5 | 1d3 mercenary ogres or roll on Monstrous Mercs lvl 1-4 |
| 6 | 1d4 hobgoblin warriors or roll on Marauders lvl 1-4 |
| 7 | Family of 2d6 commoners with a cart or roll on Travelers Group 1-4 |
| 8 | 1d4+1 goblin warriors on worgs or roll on Monstrous Mercs lvl 1-4 |
| 9 | 2d4 bandits, 1 spy and 1 bandit captain or roll on Marauders lvl 1-4 |
| 10 | 1 merchant (spy) with a wagon and 1 warrior veteran or roll on Travelers Group 1-4 |
| 11 | 1 scout captain or roll on Lone Travelers lvl 1-4 |
| 12 | 1d6 performers or 1 archer (MotM) & 1d4 mastiffs |
| 13 | 1 guard captain with 1d4+1 guards or roll on Warriors lvl 1-4 |
| 14 | 1 priest or roll on Lone Travelers lvl 1-4 |
| 15 | 1d4 warrior infantry and 2d4 ponies (or roll on Domesticated Beasts) |
| 16 | 1d6 guards led by 1 noble on riding horses or roll on Warriors lvl 1-4 |
| 17 | 1 knight or roll on Lone Travelers lvl 1-4 |
| 18 | 1d4+1 wagons driven by commoners and 2d4 guards keeping watch |
| 19 | 2d4 local commoners and 1 druid or 1 half-dragon |
| 20 | 1 berserker driving a chariot pulled by 1d4 giant goats |
Group of Travellers (Levels 1-4)
| 1d4+1d6 | Group of Travelers (Levels 1-4) |
|---|
| 2 | 1 noble ambassador with 2d4 guards |
| 3 | 2d4 cultists and 1 cultist fanatic with a covered wagon |
| 4 | 2d4 pilgrims, a mix of priest acolytes and commoners |
| 5 | 1 knight with 1 noble squire and 1d4 commoner servants |
| 6 | 1 merchant (spy) with a wagon and 1 warrior veteran guard |
| 7 | 2d4 warrior infantry with a slain beast or 1 illusionist (MotM) with 1d4 apprentice wizards (MotM) |
| 8 | Family of 2d6 commoners with a cart or 2d4 tortles (MotM) |
| 9 | A mercenary band of 1d4+2 bandits and 1 spy led by 1 bandit captain or roll on Warriors lvl 1-4 |
| 10 | 1 priest with 1d6 priest acolytes |
Group of Travelers (Levels 5-10)
| 1d4+1d6 | Group of Travelers (Levels 5-10) |
|---|
| 2 | 1d2 druids with 2d4 scouts and 1d4 elephants or 1 cultist hierophant with 3d6 cultists |
| 3 | 1 mage with 1 homunculus familiar and 1d3 mage apprentices or a team of 1d3+1 master thieves (MotM) |
| 4 | 1d2 priests in a wagon with 2d6 priest acolytes and 1d4 warrior veterans or 1 abjurer (MotM) with 1d6 martial arts adepts (MotM) |
| 5 | Family of 1d3+1 stone giants with 2d4 draft horses or 1 conjurer (MotM) with 1d4 archers (MotM) |
| 6 | 1d4 knights on warhorses with 2d6 guards on riding horses or 2d4 centaur troopers with 1 centaur warden |
| 7 | 1 noble prodigy & 2d4 toughs or 1 cloud giant smiling one (MotM) |
| 8 | 1 performer maestro with 2d4 performers or 1 cambion merchant with 1 shield guardian and 1d6 ogres carrying goods |
| 9 | A mercenary band of 1d4+1 warrior veterans with 1d4+1 scout captains or roll on Warriors lvl 5-10 |
| 10 | 1 assassin with 1d3 doppelganger lookalikes or 2d4 scout captains |
Lone Travelers (Levels 1-4)
| 1d4+1d6 | Lone Travelers (Levels 1-4) |
|---|
| 2 | 1 tough boss or 1 transmuter (MotM) |
| 3 | 1 knight or 1 druid |
| 4 | 1 priest or 1 goblin hexer |
| 5 | 1 berserker or 1 swashbuckler (MotM) |
| 6 | 1 spy or 1 bard (MotM) |
| 7 | 1 scout or 1 tortle druid (MotM) |
| 8 | 1 doppelganger or 1 martial arts adept (MotM) |
| 9 | 1 mage apprentice or 1 weretiger |
| 10 | 1 warrior veteran or 1 hobgoblin iron shadow (MotM) |
Lone Travelers (Levels 5-10)
| 1d4+1d6 | Lone Travelers (Levels 5-10) |
|---|
| 2 | 1 oni in disguise or 1 necromancer (MotM) |
| 3 | 1 centaur warden or 1 blackguard |
| 4 | 1 assassin or 1 warlock of the great old one (MotM) |
| 5 | 1 stone giant or 1 diviner |
| 6 | 1 mage or 1 war priest (MotM) |
| 7 | 1 performer legend or 1 gladiator |
| 8 | 1 spy master or 1 hooded medusa |
| 9 | 1 cambion or 1 warlock of the fiend (MotM) |
| 10 | 1 githzerai zerth or 1 githzerai enlightened (MotM) |
Marauders (Levels 1-4)
| 1d4+1d6 | Marauders (Levels 1-4) |
|---|
| 2 | 1d4 toughs with 1d4 mastiffs or 1d2 redcaps (MotM) |
| 3 | 1d4 gnoll warriors and 1 gnoll pack lord or 1d4 thri-kreen marauders |
| 4 | 1d4 hobgoblin warriors or roll on Monstrous Mercenaries lvl 1-4 |
| 5 | 1 ogre and 1d4 kobold warriors or 1d2 berserkers with 1d4 wolves |
| 6 | 2d4 goblin warriors led by 1 goblin boss or 1d2 displacer beasts |
| 7 | 1d4+2 bandits and 1 spy led by 1 bandit captain |
| 8 | 1d2 bugbear warriors with 1d3 worgs or 2d6 kobold warriors led by 1 kobold dragonshield (MotM) |
| 9 | 1d2 orcs scouts mounted on dire wolves or 2d6 xvarts (MotM) |
| 10 | 1 troll or 1 hill giant |
Marauders (Levels 5-10)
| 1d4+1d6 | Marauders (Levels 5-10) |
|---|
| 2 | 1 young dragon (any chromatic) or 1 flind (MotM) with 2d4 gnoll hunters (MotM) |
| 3 | 1d3 ogres on giant axe beaks or 1d2 cloud giants |
| 4 | 3d4 orc toughs led by 1 orc tough boss or 1d3 trolls and 1 ettin |
| 5 | 2d6 gnoll warriors with 1d2 gnoll fangs of Yeenoghu and 1d4 ghouls |
| 6 | 1d4 hill giants or 1 blackguard (MotM) with 2d4 toughs |
| 7 | 1d6+2 berserkers mounted on giant boars or 1d3 frost giants |
| 8 | 2d4 bandit captains and 1 bandit deceiver or 2d6 bugbear warriors and 1d3 bugbear stalker |
| 9 | 1 fire giant & 1d4 hell hounds or roll on Monstrous Mercenaries 5-10 |
| 10 | 1 githyanki knight with 1d4 githyanki warriors |
More Encounters
There is a 5e road random encounter generator at ChaosGen. And also a pdf of these and more tables at the DM's Guild as Road Encounters.
If you liked these there are D&D Generators at Chaos Gen, a monthly random tools Newsletter and an instagram of Random Tables.
