d100 = 1
A broken, abandoned mining cart with rusted tools scattered about.
D1 Underdeep Random Encounters
D&D 5e · 100 scenarios · Roll d100 → roll D1
A complete D&D 5e random encounter table for underdeep scenes. Roll a d100 to pick a set, then roll a D1 to pick a scenario within that set — 100 unique D&D encounter scenarios in total. Every scenario is system-neutral and runs on either the 2014 Player's Handbook or the 2024 D&D revision. Pair each scenario with a stat block from our D&D monsters catalogue and you have a session-ready encounter in under a minute.
How to roll this table
- When the party enters a underdeep, roll a d100.
- The result (1–100) is your scenario. Read it out and run with it.
The D1 Underdeep encounter table
d100 = 2
The sound of distant, echoing voices.
d100 = 3
The players stumble upon a duergar mining operation. They have enslaved a group of kuo-toa and are forcing them to mine precious minerals for them. Will the players try to free the kuo-toa or negotiate with the duergar for a share of the minerals?
d100 = 4
A group of kuo-toa are worshipping a statue of a giant lobster. They offer fish and other offerings to appease the deity, but if the group disrupts their ceremony, the kuo-toa will fight to the death to protect their god.
d100 = 5
The party finds a small stone chapel inhabited by two 2d6+2 rat swarms and two giant rats.
d100 = 6
You see a group of drow being attacked by a pack of cave bears. But upon closer inspection, the drow are actually wererats in disguise, trying to lure unsuspecting travelers into their trap.
d100 = 7
The players discover a hidden underground chapel where a ghostly cleric still waits for his long-lost love. Helping his spirit find peace grants the players blessings of divine protection.
d100 = 8
The players come across a group of mind flayers traveling on a flayer ship, a large vessel made from the bones of their victims. They stop to trade, but the players must be careful not to get too close.
d100 = 9
The players come upon a group of 2d6+2 goblins playing cards. They are betting money and gold coins on the game. The goblins will refuse to stop playing the game. They need the money for food and supplies.
d100 = 10
A gentle echo of dripping water can be heard.
d100 = 11
As you make your way through a maze of tunnels, you come across a group of Mind Flayers who are using enslaved goblins to mine for them. Will you help the goblins overthrow their masters or try to strike a deal with the Mind Flayers?
d100 = 12
A group of drunken human barbarians are trying to get into a human city. The guards keep telling them to go away and not come back.
d100 = 13
The party comes across a room with 7d6 deep gnolls in it.
d100 = 14
While exploring a tunnel, the players come across a strange device with multiple dials and buttons. A group of gnomes suddenly appear, claiming to be scientists who are conducting experiments on travel through time and space. They offer the players a chance to test out their invention.
d100 = 15
The sound of drums and chanting echo through the tunnels, drawing the players towards a hidden entrance to an underground celebration hosted by a group of duergar. The players can choose to join in the festivities or try to sneak past unnoticed.
d100 = 16
A drow is seen fighting a deep gnoll in a room full of 2d6 spider swarms.
d100 = 17
A small group of 2d4 kobolds are working to repair some damage to the tunnel caused by a wild surge of magical energy during a spell being cast. The group is composed of a female kobold, an adult male kobold, and a female adult kobold. The kobolds are repairing the damage and are eager to talk to anyone who is interested in helping them.
d100 = 18
The sound of whispering carried on a faint breeze.
d100 = 19
An old, rusted pickaxe leaning against a wall.
d100 = 20
A group of stone giants are having a heated argument with a group of fire giants over land. The players must navigate through the chaos and try to broker a peaceful solution.
d100 = 21
A band of drow children appear, begging the players to help them escape their cruel and sadistic masters. Can the players sneak the children out of their city and find them a safe haven without being caught by the drow?
d100 = 22
A strange pulsing light reveals 1d6 phase spiders weaving their enigmatic webs. Disturbing their harmony risks opening portals to dangerous outer dimensions.
d100 = 23
The players discover a hidden underground chapel where a ghostly cleric still waits for his long-lost love. Helping his spirit find peace grants the players blessings of divine protection.
d100 = 24
The winter winds echo classic ballads of heroism. Solving a puzzle from the nuanced lyrics protects the party from forewarned dangers ahead.
d100 = 25
A group of mind flayers are experimenting on drow, trying to create a hybrid race with enhanced psionic abilities. Will the players intervene or let the experiments continue?
d100 = 26
The party sees a group of 2d6+2 orcs fighting with a group of 2d6+2 goblins.
d100 = 27
A group of humanoid creatures with the lower body of a serpent are lounging in a hot spring. They are yuan-ti, a race of snake-like beings with a strong hatred towards all other humanoid races. Will the players try to make peace or prepare for battle?
d100 = 28
All around you, glowing mushrooms illuminate the cavern. Suddenly, you see a swarm of tiny fairies fluttering around, collecting the glowing spores for a powerful spell caster. However, the fairies are very elusive and the players must be careful not to harm them or the spell caster will turn hostile.
d100 = 29
An umbra hulk artist is painting a mural depicting scenes of its love's light. But dark forces threaten to erase his work. Protecting his artistic endeavor ensures painted wards against Umbra threats.
d100 = 30
A group of dark elves are arguing about their plans for the future. They are not certain if they will live or die in the coming war.
d100 = 31
The players encounter a drow noble who is hosting a masquerade ball in a grand underground palace. However, it is actually a trap to lure powerful adventurers and sacrifice them to Lolth. The players must find a way to escape or defeat the drow and their minions.
d100 = 32
Exploring an old mine now claimed by a beholder, the players must evade 1d6 floating eyes patrolling the tunnels. The air feels dense, almost watching, filled with the hum of arcane energy. The beholder’s central chamber pulses with dark power, its many eyes glistening with malevolent intelligence. Players must steel their nerves and strategize efficiently to confront this deadly foe or find a way to escape its notice. Each decision here marks their fate in the beholder's lair.
d100 = 33
A roper is quietly waiting for unsuspecting prey to come by, using its camouflage abilities to blend in with the surrounding cave walls.
d100 = 34
Wandering into a cavern filled with maze-like tunnels, the players are pursued by 2d6 umber hulks. Each step echoes, amplifying the sense of being hunted. The air is damp and cold, making every breath visible and reminding them of their mortality. The umber hulks' hypnotic eyes and tunneling abilities turn the cavern into a lethal playground. Navigating this treacherous environment requires both cunning and bravery. Every twist and turn could mean escape or a fatal encounter.
d100 = 35
The players see a group of 4d8 ghouls, who are stumbling down the hall of their own accord. The ghouls are stumbling like they are drunk or on drugs.
d100 = 36
A group of dark elves who have captured a surface elf. They are about to torture the elf for information about their homeland.
d100 = 37
You see a group of 1d4+1 giant cave spiders who attack trespassers to their territory which is a part of the trail through the tunnels that connects several parts of this underground world.
d100 = 38
A group of drow have captured a group of myconids and are using them as slaves in their mines. The players must either free the myconids or bargain with the drow for their release.
d100 = 39
The party stumbles upon 1d6 mindwitnesses in a psychic duel of domination. Ending the duel could influence the balance of power between the Illithids and Beholders of this region.
d100 = 40
As the players navigate through the Underdark, they come across a group of svirfneblin fighting against a powerful beholder. The players must choose whether to join the battle or try to sneak by and avoid the danger.
d100 = 41
The players find themselves in the middle of a conflict between two rival factions of deep gnomes over control of a precious mineral deposit. The players may choose to side with one faction or play them against each other for their own gain.
d100 = 42
A group of 1d6 goblins are trying to capture a group of 1d4 dwarven children. The goblins will try to convince the players that they are just trying to help the dwarven children, who are orphans.
d100 = 43
A group of wererats are in a heated argument over how to divide their stolen goods. Will you try to mediate or take advantage of their distraction?
d100 = 44
A peculiar pond of shimmering liquid attracts 2d6 gibbering mouthers, whose otherworldly babbles overlap, creating an almost mesmerizing cacophony. Drinking from the pond offers temporary darkvision but induces madness.
d100 = 45
A group of three dark elf warriors and two priestesses are watching over a group of goblins that are working hard on building a bridge over a small stream. If you try to interfere, the dark elves will attack.
d100 = 46
Surrounded by towering columns of dripping stone, the party faces a trio of 3d4 mind flayer thralls, each bearing the marks of cruel manipulation. The air is charged with a static energy that suggests ongoing psychic warfare. The columns themselves seem to pulse, echoing the thralls' psychic anguish. The players can either free these tortured souls or use their affliction to gain an advantage against the illithids. Each decision here carries weighty moral and tactical consequences, echoing throughout the Underdark.
d100 = 47
A group of dark elves are praying to their dark goddess for protection from a nearby dragon that has been terrorizing their city for months. The dragon's name is Xy'lothax. He has been terrorizing the city for several months, and he has been killing several dark elves each night he attacks. The dragon's attacks have been increasing in frequency, and the dark elves are getting worried that he will attack their city soon.
d100 = 48
A group of dark elves are throwing rocks at a target. If threatened, they will attack.
d100 = 49
The party comes across a group of derro (mad deep dwarves) who have discovered a powerful and forbidden magic. Will the players stop them or use the magic for themselves?
d100 = 50
While traversing treacherous ground, the party is stalked by 1d10 invisible stalkers. These beings were summoned to protect a hidden library filled with forbidden knowledge.
d100 = 51
A group of derro are conducting a horrific experiment, trying to fuse living creatures with mechanical parts. Will you try to stop their twisted creations or leave them be?
d100 = 52
As you rest for the night, you hear a group of goblins chanting in a strange language. If you understand Goblin, you realize they are summoning a demon and must stop them before it’s too late.
d100 = 53
The party stumbles upon a secluded grotto where 1d4 dryads sing to crystalline formations. These dryads are bound and tormented by an ancient elven curse and eagerly seek their release.
d100 = 54
A cavern begins a slow transformation into autumn with fungi shedding glowing spores like falling leaves; these spores cling to people, making them outline eerily visible in the dark.
d100 = 55
A cavern opens up into a high ceiling, with stalactites hanging precariously.
d100 = 56
An unexpected avalanche of pebbles startles the party.
d100 = 57
A narrow cavern with perfectly smooth walls, almost like glass.
d100 = 58
The party sees an area of the cavern where an earthquake has created a large crack in the rock. If a player tries to climb through the crack, he will fall into a nest of 1d4+1 giant badgers.
d100 = 59
The players come across a group of grimlocks, blind humanoids who are skilled in mining and crafting. But these grimlocks have been enslaved by a group of duergar and forced to work in their never-ending tunnels. How will the players deal with this situation?
d100 = 60
Fleeting glimpses of movement are seen from the corner of your eye.
d100 = 61
3d4 gnolls raid a nearby human town in search of children who have gone missing. The gnolls are sent by a group who do not want the humans to grow too strong and become a threat to their own interests.
d100 = 62
You see a group of 3 humans and 2 goblins fighting over a dead body.
d100 = 63
A kraken-like creature has taken up residence in an underground lake and has been causing tremors and flooding in the surrounding areas. Can the players defeat this powerful creature or will they have to find another way to stop it?
d100 = 64
There's a small camp where a group of 2 half-orcs are looking for an orc that owes them money. You can help them find him and get their money back or rob them yourself if you like.
d100 = 65
Players come upon a large chamber with three doors on each side of the room. In the center of the room is a table that has a black candle on it. The candle is lit, but it burns with no flame and no smoke. If any player touches the candle, then they will be teleported to a different location on the map, at random.
d100 = 66
You stumble upon a malevolent hag who offers to trade valuable magical items in exchange for a promise of your service in the future. But beware, the hag is known for her trickery and deals may not turn out as expected.
d100 = 67
The air feels unusually dry in this section of the cavern.
d100 = 68
1d4+1 pilgrims are looking for luck and fortune in the underdark.
d100 = 69
The sound of flowing lava can be heard but not seen.
d100 = 70
Two dark elf men are arguing about what should be done about an enemy clan that is trespassing on territory that belongs to their clan. One of them says that they should just kill them all and be done with it while the other says that they should simply send them a message using some form of magic that says 'Leave or die.'
d100 = 71
A pile of tattered, weathered clothing left in a corner.
d100 = 72
The party comes across a drow who wishes to be your ally.
d100 = 73
Mysterious footprints lead off into darkness.
d100 = 74
A band of 1d8 dark elves are waiting for a group of people to pass by. They are going to ambush them and take back some treasure the people have robbed from them.
d100 = 75
The scent of burnt wood lingering in the air.
d100 = 76
Tiny, bioluminescent insects flit around, providing faint light.
d100 = 77
A group of sentient gelatinous cubes mistakenly think the players are their long-lost creators and beg the players to help them find their purpose in the Underdark. Will the players be able to fulfill the cubes' quest or be consumed by their acidic hugs?
d100 = 78
The ground tremors slightly, hinting at seismic activity.
d100 = 79
A cool breeze that brings with it the scent of damp earth.
d100 = 80
The sound of distant, gentle humming fills the tunnel.
d100 = 81
1d4+4 dark elves ransacking a chamber for valuables.
d100 = 82
As the players walk through a dark cavern, they suddenly find themselves on the ceiling! A mischievous group of goblins have cast a gravity-reversing spell on the area.
d100 = 83
The players come across a group of deep gnomes who are building a complex trap to catch a wandering monster. They will ask the players for materials and help in setting it up, promising a share of the loot when the trap is successful. But will the players end up being the ones trapped?
d100 = 84
In the bioluminescent realm of the fungal forest, players encounter 3d4 vicious hook horrors. The air is dense with the earthy smell of decay and the spores of the giant mushrooms tower above, casting long, flickering shadows. These creatures' jagged beaks and hooked limbs spell imminent death. Combat here requires quick reflexes and agile movements to avoid being ensnared by the thick, rubbery roots everywhere. The forest itself feels alive, almost sentient, as if watching the battle unfold.
d100 = 85
A group of 3d4 dark elf women are gathering mushrooms from the forest floor. An elvish woman walks up to them and asks them if they had seen her daughter.
d100 = 86
Before a shadow-yielded chasm stands 2d6 faerzress-infused mischievous grimlocks darting collapsing ceiling illuminations merging their subterranean games establishing needed alliances overcoming puzzles linking stealth-excels overshadowed scares. Engaging leagues irredeemable caverns triggers gaining disbeliefs evolutionary aiding potentials triumph if falling is a battle.
d100 = 87
The players see a group of mind flayers walking in formation, carrying a large crystal. Upon closer inspection, they realize that the crystal is a powerful psionic amplifier, and the mind flayers are using it to control the thoughts of other creatures.
d100 = 88
A stalactite drips acidic liquid.
d100 = 89
Small, harmless spiders scuttle across the floor.
d100 = 90
The ground is covered with small, harmless cave creatures.
d100 = 91
The rustle of wings in the darkness overhead.
d100 = 92
An outcropping of rock that resembles a face.
d100 = 93
The faint scent of smoke in the air, but no flame is visible.
d100 = 94
As the players rest for the night, they are visited by a group of doppelgangers who offer to take their place in the real world while the players rest in a luxurious pocket dimension. However, the longer they stay, the harder it will be to leave.
d100 = 95
A stalactite drips acidic liquid.
d100 = 96
The tunnel twists sharply, creating blind corners.
d100 = 97
The scent of an unfamiliar flower wafts through the air.
d100 = 98
Deep in the Underdark, the players come across a small oasis populated by a peaceful group of myconids. However, a nearby myconid city is being threatened by a group of fire giants. The players must choose to either help defend the city or leave the peaceful myconids to their fate.
d100 = 99
A group of troglodytes are worshipping a powerful beholder, believing it to be a god. The players must decide whether to confront the beholder or try to sneak out without being noticed.
d100 = 100
The players encounter a mad mind flayer who has been experimenting with combining different creature's brains. The players may have to endure his twisted creations or stop him before he creates something truly dangerous.
Use this table with the rest of Doungim's D&D 5e toolkit
A random encounter scenario is just the start of a scene. Pair it with a creature from our D&D 5e monsters catalogue (3,000+ monsters with full stat blocks), an NPC from our pre-built D&D NPC roster, a spell from the D&D 5e spell list, and a reward from the D&D magic items catalogue — and you have a full one-page session ready to drop on your D&D 5e or 2024 party.
Other dice tiers for the underdeep: D4, D6, D8, D10.
Want a different setting? Browse all 41 D&D encounter locations — from arctic plains to elemental planes, every D&D 5e location has its own table on Doungim.