d100 = 1
Near the edge of a toxic marsh, players save a mysterious traveler from 2d8 swamp horrors. In gratitude, he shares the location of a hidden treasure, but warns of the betrayal waiting for anyone who seeks it.
D1 Wasteland Random Encounters
D&D 5e · 100 scenarios · Roll d100 → roll D1
A complete D&D 5e random encounter table for wasteland 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 wasteland, roll a d100.
- The result (1–100) is your scenario. Read it out and run with it.
The D1 Wasteland encounter table
d100 = 2
The players come across a traveling merchant who specializes in rare and exotic animal parts. However, upon closer inspection, they realize that some of the animals are still alive and are being cruelly treated. Will the players intervene or turn a blind eye?
d100 = 3
A group of adventurers, consisting of two members of each class, are mapping the jungle to the north-west. They are based out of a small tent in the woods, next to an ancient stone bridge over a river.They want to hire the party at three times the normal rate (90 gp per day person). But there's a catch. An ancient lich is thought to the in the area. They have magical weapons which can destroy certain types of zombies. Their adventures will lead them through the jungle until they reach a location that is populated with many ghouls.
d100 = 4
A desolate graveyard of rusted swords and broken shields stands as a stark reminder of a war long fought. A spectral knight, leading a phantasmal army, demands blood vengeance against a living bloodline. Players must choose to right the ancient feud or face constant ambushes.
d100 = 5
A group of 2d6+2 bandits are hiding in the bushes. They are a group of bandits that are trying to steal the gold. They will try to ambush the party if they see them. A party of 3d6+2 goblins are also hiding in the bushes. They are a group of goblins that are trying to steal the girls. They will try to ambush the party if they see them.
d100 = 6
Through the oppressive haze of the Wasteland, the players find an ancient oasis, guarded by the ghost of a serene nymph, Aisling. Her ethereal tears overflow the streams, keeping the oasis alive but severely draining her essence. She reveals that a malicious spirit imprisoned deep within a submerged cavern keeps her bound with a curse. Resolving to help, the players dive into the treacherous waters, confronting the deep-dwelling menace. Upon breaking Aisling's curse, they rejuvenate the oasis, which thereafter becomes a crucial lifeline for lost wanderers. Aisling rewards them with water imbued with healing properties and the ability to breathe underwater.
d100 = 7
The players encounter a group of feral children who have been abandoned in the wasteland and forced to fend for themselves. Will the players take them in and care for them, or leave them to their own devices?
d100 = 8
You encounter a young shepherd leading 2d6 odd-looking sheep over the barren hills. The sheep are actually illusions protecting the shepherd from lurking wyvern raiders.
d100 = 9
The players come across a dying sage who speaks of a vengeful lich threatening to wake ancient evils. Players can save a village marked for destruction or face a world changing foe.
d100 = 10
An enormous, broken mirror portal emits an eerie hum. Entering it transports players to a dark reflection of the Wasteland, where shadow creatures mimic their every move. Destroying the portal awakens the shadow version of themselves, seeking to replace them in the real world.
d100 = 11
A family of 1d8 overly ambitious kobolds prides itself on building the "World’s Tallest Sandcastle." They desperately need engineering tips and buckets. Help them, and save them from their own catastrophic creative endeavors.
d100 = 12
A group of quick-witted thieves challenges the party to a series of riddles and puzzles. If the party can solve them all, they will be rewarded with a valuable treasure. However, if they fail, the thieves will take any valuable items the party has with them.
d100 = 13
An unnervingly cheerful bard singing about apocalypses past innocently offers his services. Accept, and his optimism proves infectious, offering an uncanny morale boost. Refuse, and his songs take a dark turn, drawing a horde of thirty maddened and musically entranced orcs.
d100 = 14
A rolling dice of 2d6 rogue die mimics creatures makes for an accidental yet hilarious combat encounter. Each number causes truly bizarre effects, like a rain of flowers or a gust of giggles.
d100 = 15
Players encounter a group of 1d4+2 adventurers traveling through the forests of the north to track a group of ancient warriors who were wiped out centuries ago.
d100 = 16
Hordes of tiny, tinkering clockwork crabs emerge nightly from underground vaults, scavenging anything deemed unmagical. Capturing a crab offers riddles tied to the crabs' ancient constructs and their makers.
d100 = 17
While exploring a network of underground tunnels, the party encounters a group of mind-controlling creatures known as Illithids. The Illithids offer the party a deal - help them capture and experiment on other intelligent beings, or face their wrath.
d100 = 18
Under a sky brooding with volcanic ash, players find a sea of obsidian and lava pits. Amid the searing heat lies a dragon’s lair fully preserved in molten rock, protected by fire elementals and magma golems. Surviving the heat and defeating the guardians grants access to treasures and hidden fire lore.
d100 = 19
Beneath a sky torn by lightning, an unusual groaning fills the air, leading to a rock outcrop inhabited by a hermit claiming divination through the opening skies. They speak of future calamities and the rising of an age-old tyrant known only through fevered stories.
d100 = 20
A single mutant with a random mutation with 2d10+1 hit points. The mutant will be fighting a group of 1d4+1 humans.
d100 = 21
A band of mysterious androids are traveling down the road, looking for a town. They will attack the party if they aren't cautious, as they walk down the road, looking for a town. They appear to be humanoid and will attack the party with spells and attacks if they are provided with no food or treasure and/or attacked.
d100 = 22
Wandering upon an ancient bathhouse, players discover a group of 3d8 slaves freed from their captors, seeking guidance. The slaves possess hidden tattoos leading to a secret haven, an underground resistance breaking chains of tyranny forced upon their kindred.
d100 = 23
Pterodactyl flying overhead
d100 = 24
On the edge of an abyssal chasm, players encounter four vengeful earth spirits lamenting their home’s ruin. Players must either help restore the land or face relentless seismic strife.
d100 = 25
A giant sandworm bursts out of the ground and attacks the group, drawn by the vibrations of their footsteps. If you defeat it, you notice a glint of metal in its stomach. Upon further inspection, it is a powerful weapon that can only be wielded by someone with immense strength.
d100 = 26
A wood elf, who has 1d4+1 hit points and has a bow, will be hunting some deer or 1d6+1 rabbits/raccoons. The wood elf will thank the party if they help him get food. The party will find some fur, meat, and bones on top of the bodies of the animals.
d100 = 27
A group of barbarians are attacking a group of humans. The humans are members of an evil tribe. The barbarians are saving a group of captured humans.
d100 = 28
A group of 1d4+2 orcs is hiding out in the woods. They are on a raiding mission. They are looking for specific things. They are unaware of the party until the party enters the woods.
d100 = 29
Witnessing a magical conflux as ley energies converge, creatures undergo unnatural evolution. Combatting evolved 3d8 wasteland creatures offers scientists’ notes detailing mutations spreading through various holds and probable epicenters.
d100 = 30
The distant sound of muted roars leads players to six tortured wyverns whose eggs were stolen by a ruthless enemy. They demand their blood returned. Players can attempt to retrieve the eggs or be marked as prey by the grieving parents.
d100 = 31
A group of five harpies, mourning the death of their queen, seek vengeance on travelers. Players must address the root of their grief to avoid further brutal encounters.
d100 = 32
A desolate village ahead seems abandoned. Scanning houses reveal 3d6 husk-like humanoids tethered to immense, black stones by glowing chains, begging for release. Acceding to their pleas beckons foul, nightmarish demonic entities, summoned from the underworld in retaliation. The choice stands between compassion and survival.
d100 = 33
A small group of 2d6 giant spiders is crawling along the ground toward you.
d100 = 34
A group of 2d4+2 men are looking for food. They will attack the party if they don't get any food or gold from the party.
d100 = 35
While resting for the night, the players are approached by a ghostly figure who begs them to find their lost locket that was stolen by a group of bandits. The locket is said to contain the spirit's only connection to the living world and they will not rest until it is returned.
d100 = 36
The adventurers find a windblown hut made of glass bottles, inhabited by an eccentric sand sculptor obsessed with creating living golems from the Wasteland's sand dunes. To perfect his art, he needs "Soul Sand," which can only be found in the belly of a great wyrm that has been haunting this region. He promises to craft a powerful sentient ally from sand if they can bring him the material.
d100 = 37
You see a group of humans and desert elves fighting each other. The human group is riding in on horseback. The elven group is walking on foot. The horsemen are shooting arrows at the elves. The elves are throwing spells.
d100 = 38
Fungal blooms splay over secrets deeply buried here. Awakening 2d8 sporewalkers guarding these pheromone-laden patches shows pathways honor-keeping covens once traveled. This walk heralds pre-communion meetings masked under fogs.
d100 = 39
A river full of glowing blue water is teeming with aquatic creatures that are attracted to the light. If you have the right equipment, you can capture and tame these creatures to use as mounts or pets. However, the creatures are incredibly rare and difficult to handle.
d100 = 40
A haunted grove conceals eight dryads seeking retribution against an encroaching villain. Players must choose to protect nature or face its wrath.
d100 = 41
A cult of zealot farmers worshipping a "Harvest God" emerges from the burned field, brandishing pitchforks and stale bread. Their leader, an eloquent scarecrow, promises eternal abundance—if players give "tribute" of hard-to-find trinkets. Refusal leads to a deadly encounter with six animated hay golems.
d100 = 42
A group of 3d4 men and 3d4 women are stranded on a sand island and are seeking help to get off the island. They are extremely weak, so they will give the party any treasure they have to help them.
d100 = 43
A swarm of mutated insects ambushes the party, their sharp pincers and stingers ready to attack. But upon closer inspection, the insects seem to be guarding something valuable buried beneath the ground.
d100 = 44
Ruins scatter across the sands, marked by the sprawling marks of a colossal creature fallen from divine heights. Inspecting the ruins wakes divine echoes—the wrathful tranquility is shattered by 3d6 celestial servants enforcing their broken master's will.
d100 = 45
The party sees a giant pool of water about 100 feet in diameter. It has magic properties. This pool will heal any creature that drinks from it. If a player drinks from it, it will heal 100 hit points.
d100 = 46
On the horizon lies a vast rust-colored plain, with skeletal remains of massive creatures scattered about. Excavating them may provoke 2d6 lurking necromancers salvaging marrow for dark rituals aiming to summon an arch-demon. Sparing one necromancer reveals their fear of impending celestial retribution.
d100 = 47
The party will see a black and white striped tower in the distance. They will see that it is damaged. The tower is surrounded by a moat. It takes the party 15 minutes to reach the tower. They see that the top of the tower is missing and it seems to be inhabited by a group of 2d6+2 ghouls. The party can try to get into the tower without waking them. If they do wake them, they will attack the party.
d100 = 48
A group of nomadic traders offers the party a chance to trade for rare and exotic goods from distant lands. However, they must also navigate through a treacherous maze of traps and illusions set up to protect the traders' valuable treasures.
d100 = 49
A group of 4d10+5 goblin archers are firing arrows at a cottage. The party is able to help the people inside by shooting at the goblins. There is a small chance that there is a piece of jewelry in the cottage worth d6x10 gold pieces.
d100 = 50
An ancient, abandoned temple suddenly appears before the party, emanating a powerful aura of magic. As they explore the ruins, they discover a hidden chamber with a powerful artifact, but they must also face the wrath of the undead guardians that protect it.
d100 = 51
Beneath an ever-boiling sun, a rare, shaded caravanserai beckons weary travelers but has been overtaken by 3d6 mad cultists. They offer dire warnings and refuse to leave unless convinced otherwise by divine intervention or combat.
d100 = 52
A hidden godling stirred from its slumber speaks in a tremulous voice, offering toys of celestial might in exchange for relics of old, warning the party of an impending cataclysm involving a mad sorcerer’s return.
d100 = 53
1d10+1 giant rats
d100 = 54
You see 2d4 evil-looking humans being chased by a giant t-rex. They are from the evil human kingdom in the north. The t-rex is from the good human kingdom in the east.
d100 = 55
A group of 1d4+6 goblins are riding overland in carts and carriages. They are heading toward a town called Bridgewater. They will not attack unless attacked.
d100 = 56
An ethereal, shimmering mirage reveals a flourishing oasis with a single, lonely bard singing odes to a dried-up watering hole. Accepting his offer for a drink leads to either oral histories of the deceased, or ambush by a band of twelve leprous bandits out for blood.
d100 = 57
An erratic snowstorm exposes a glowing ruin overlooked by wizardry towers where ice and arcane magic blend seamlessly. Frozen wizard traps and arcane guardians test the resolve of those who seek the knowledge of ice sorcery and the secrets that froze the entire region.
d100 = 58
The players stumble upon an abandoned wagon loaded with rubber anvils. No one is entirely sure why they exist, but they make for excellent, if unexpected, projectiles. Anyone lifting one over their head risks bouncing themselves right off their feet.
d100 = 59
A strange old woman wearing tattered clothes and a pointed hat is sitting on the side of the road. She offers to sell the party a potion that can grant them the ability to speak with animals for a limited time.
d100 = 60
Spectral war horses, led by an over-enthusiastic undead jouster, challenge the players to a “timeless tourney.” Accepting the duel means facing six heavily-armed skeletal knights, winning grants you "Knight of the Barren Order" status—complete with an official-sounding but meaningless title.
d100 = 61
An ancient, abandoned temple suddenly appears before the party, emanating a powerful aura of magic. As they explore the ruins, they discover a hidden chamber with a powerful artifact, but they must also face the wrath of the undead guardians that protect it.
d100 = 62
On a cracked and glowing wasteland, the players find survivors of an ancient war who speak of a hidden vault. The vault is guarded by constructs programmed to betray whoever claims it, turning their greatest strengths against them.
d100 = 63
Lizards, 10d10 lizardmen and 2d6 lizardlords. They are looking for the party. They have been tracking the party ever since they left the village. The lizard have been following the party ever since they left the village. They can also track by smell and know the party location. The lizardmen will attack the party. The lizardmen are lead by a sorcerer of level 22. The lizardmen are powerful. The lizardmen are looking for the party because they have heard where the party is headed. They want to use the party to get the King and the queen. The lizardmen want the king and queen so they can create an army of lizardmen and rule the kingdom. They want to take over most of the known world.
d100 = 64
A giant eagle is flying over the party toward the direction of the party. It is looking for food.
d100 = 65
A group of friendly goblins offer to trade their valuable weapons and armor in exchange for a rare item that the players possess. However, the goblins have a hidden agenda and may turn violent if the players refuse their offer.
d100 = 66
A group of 1d6+1 goblins are in this area. They are running away from a group of 1d4+1 lizard men. The lizard men are chasing the goblins and will kill them if they catch them. The goblins are carrying small backpacks with a few rations in them.
d100 = 67
While seeking shelter from a storm, players uncover a hidden bunker occupied by 1d8 survivors of a great betrayal. They beg players for aid, but the players must decide whether to intervene or risk revealing the bunker’s location to outside threats inadvertently.
d100 = 68
A wood elf, who has 1d4+1 hit points and has a bow, will be hunting some deer or 1d6+1 rabbits/raccoons. The wood elf will thank the party if they help him get food. The party will find some fur, meat, and bones on top of the bodies of the animals.
d100 = 69
A thick, toxic fog envelops your party, reducing visibility to near-zero. Whispered voices and ghostly apparitions seem to drift in and out of sight. Suddenly, spectral figures attack, their very touch draining your life force. Solving the mystery of the fog requires delving into ancient lore about a cursed, vengeful spirit.
d100 = 70
They find the ruins of an ancient temple, where glass shards litter the ground, each holding a fragment of souls. Gathering the shards brings insight into a grand celestial conflict, attracting the anger of 2d8 soul reapers protecting the shards.
d100 = 71
A party of six adventurers are looking for a magic belt that will allow them to bring peace to their kingdom. The belt has been stolen by a group of hobgoblins. The party has no allies. The party's leader is a male human. His name is John. The rest of the parties consist of a female half-orc, a male human, a male elf, a female elfish archer, and a female triton. They are 10 levels lower than your party due to the fact that they are still new adventurers. The hobgoblin king is a male hobgoblin. The hobgoblins camp is located on the other side of a nearby mountain range.
d100 = 72
A group of lizard men who are riding around the area searching for a group of humans who have stolen something from them. They have 2d4+2 lizard men and have captured 3d4+3 humans, who are tied up and are being used as hostages.
d100 = 73
A group of 1d4+2 ratfolk who are helping other merchants or victims repair the damage caused by an attack from the remnants of the black dragonflight.
d100 = 74
Players encounter a group of 1d4+2 merchants. The merchants are returning to their homeland after selling their goods at a nearby city.
d100 = 75
Witnessing a magical conflux as ley energies converge, creatures undergo unnatural evolution. Combatting evolved 3d8 wasteland creatures offers scientists’ notes detailing mutations spreading through various holds and probable epicenters.
d100 = 76
Jellied human remains cover the ground around you. It stinks.
d100 = 77
A band of 1d8 goblins on pogo sticks bounds across the horizon. They claim they're in a hopping race to see who can find the legendary "Golden Pogo Stick." If the players help them, they might share a few pogo sticks and their hilariously bouncy tracking skills.
d100 = 78
A mirage shifts into a towering citadel, nothing more than a spiritual echo of a divine sanctuary. Spirits of the ancient guardians offer glimpses of arcane cataclysms but repel those failing their tests as 2d8 spectral warriors in a shadow realm.
d100 = 79
A group of 2d4 dwarves are sitting by the side of the road, drinking and singing songs
d100 = 80
Amidst the cracked earth and withering dust storms, the players catch sight of a rare, glowing oasis. However, the shimmering water is guarded by four elemental spirits. Each spirit demands a toll to pass. Refusal results in a bitter battle, and the water turns to toxic sludge if taken without permission.
d100 = 81
Xanthar the giant owl is flying in circles over the party. If the party can get to him, he'll lead them to his home in one of these trees. If the party wants to ride him, he'll fight them.
d100 = 82
A caravan of exotic entertainers is trapped by a swirling sandstorm of magical nature. Helping them escape reveals their leader, a sorcerer hiding among the dancers to escape from an assassin's guild. They offer enchanted instruments laced with sorcery and details about the guild's hidden lair.
d100 = 83
A group of 1d6+2 halflings who are traveling in caravans to trade with nearby towns
d100 = 84
A group of 4d6 elves on horseback are traveling through the desert. They are carrying longbows and have a pack-mule in tow behind them. They have been hunting for days and have come across nothing. They have not eaten in a month and need all the food that they can find. They will trade some of their food with the party if they feel that the party is trustworthy.
d100 = 85
A pair of competing stormcloud elementals argues over whose lightning bolts are flashier. They demand the players to judge a thunder-off. Dodge the display and the cloud’s whimsy might pay off in storm-related boons.
d100 = 86
A group of friendly, sentient, talking animals greets the party and asks for their help in protecting their forest from a band of greedy loggers. The animals offer their knowledge of the forest and its secrets as payment to the party.
d100 = 87
A half-dead hermit mutters of a cursed cavern holding ancient monsters trapped by duplicitous allies. Players can seal the cavern properly or risk monster retribution.
d100 = 88
As the players travel through an abandoned city, they hear the faint sound of a piano playing. Following the sound leads them to a lone survivor, playing haunting melodies on a grand piano in the middle of the ruined streets. The survivor offers the players a trade - their most precious possession in exchange for a memory of their choice.
d100 = 89
The party finds a diseased uncle of the king. He's had an easy life, but he has been sick for a long time. He is blind and has many servants to help him.
d100 = 90
A group of 2d6+3 gnolls and a gnoll shaman approach the party. They demand 2d20 gold or they will attack.
d100 = 91
The players discover an immense hourglass, half-buried and tilted askew in the sand, leaking arcane sand that ages or reverses time for anything it touches. Nearby, trapped within a shimmering time-loop, is a fey adventuring party eternally repeating their last moments. Deciphering the hourglass's riddle means choosing to break the loop, freeing the fey and gaining their whimsical companionship, or facing 3d6 temporal guardians intent on preserving the stasis.
d100 = 92
A group of 2d4 nymphs that are welcoming the party to their land. They don't trust unfamiliar people. They may be willing to give the party directions to their village and the promise of safe passage through their land.
d100 = 93
2d10 giant spiders
d100 = 94
Crossing a desolate bridge, players find it haunted by three ghosts of those who died by treachery. They offer glimpses of treasure if the players avenge their deaths. Refusal results in spectral attacks.
d100 = 95
Pterodactyl flying overhead
d100 = 96
Amidst a dead forest, twelve spectres lament their murder by rival druids. Players can restore the forest and avenge their deaths or face the spectres’ deadly embrace.
d100 = 97
The party encounters a village with 1d6 houses and 1d6 shops. Some people are outside of the village and are not willing to talk to strangers. The locals are afraid of strangers. The parties will be asked if they are of a local clan, if they are not, they will an asked to leave the village immediately. They may also be attacked by the locals. There is a 2 in 6 chance that a local will recognize the party as strangers and could try to pick a fight with a different group of locals. Fighting between the two will break out. If a fight breaks out, all members of the party will fight, except for the people that are in the group that the fight broke out with.
d100 = 98
The party crosses paths with a group of 1d4+2 paladins on a holy crusade against a powerful demon. They may be recruited to aid in the fight and potentially gain powerful allies.
d100 = 99
A grumpy ogre tries to bury a treasure chest that giggles and wriggles every time he digs. He finally gives up and leaves it, but the players will have to persuade the enchanted, ticklish chest to cough up its contents: a cache of prank items.
d100 = 100
Pterodactyl flying overhead
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 wasteland: 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.