D&D 5e · 100 scenarios · Roll d100 → roll D1
A complete D&D 5e random encounter table for wizard tower 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.
Players find a chest full of gems and coins. There is a magic item hidden in the chest. It is a finely crafted locket that allows the wearer to speak any language (including the languages of creatures). There is also a ring that, when placed upon the finger of a humanoid, turns the creature into a frog.
Snoring sounds come from a rolled-up rug in the corner.
The battleground of twelve phoenix sorcerers flares ahead, their feud scorching the surroundings with fiery rebirth cycles. Engaging in this conflict aligns you with phoenixian rebirth, potentially granting immense power. However, remaining neutral could miss opportunities while avoidance encompasses danger as they engulf the area.
A bowl of endless fruit replenishes itself as you take pieces.
A monster has been bothering many of the students in the tower. It is an invisible creature that they can only see when they are in 'panic' or 'fear' states. The monster will ask them to leave the tower before it kills them all. If they're not gone by a certain time, it will show up and do it's job.
Zagol the wizard will hire the players to help him recover his stolen artifacts and research that were stolen by a group of dark elves. He will tell the players that he wants them to find out where the dark elves live, infiltrate their base, and recover the sculptures and scrolls. He wants to make sure that the dark elves do not use them again. He will tell the players that he believes that the dark elves have sold some of these items to a group of orcs who live in a nearby cave.
Cultists: A group of cultists are walking down the hall. They are carrying a casket.
A dragonfly jeweled stem illumining wishes.
A set of glowing footprints leads down a dark hallway.
Bookmarks dart from tome to tome, leaving a trail of glittering dust.
A group of merchants are out in the courtyard. They are selling very expensive magical items including gems, clothing and wands. The wizards are all fighting to get the best items because they do not have much money left.
Binding runes glow when love is mentioned. Each player must contribute to unlocking a collective spell.
Waffle Demon: A waffle demon is flying towards you. He is holding a plate of waffles.
A large, ornate rug that shifts patterns.
A small plant sings a haunting melody that echoes throughout the chamber whenever approached.
At the tower’s core lies a solarium perpetually ruled by summer’s scorching heat. Shade is both refuge and danger: strange humanoid figures called Shade Stalkers haunt the darkest corners. Their predatory souls are animated by memories of ultimate betrayals. They trade protection for secrets, revealing twisted half-truths of those in your company. Can you afford their protection with treacherous salt-crusted scars upon your conscience, or dare you navigate the King's Fire on your own, risking direct conflict with the Shade Stalker's primal hunger?
A summer chamber with shifting sands hides ankle-grabbing serpents. Players need to pacify or avoid these creatures to progress.
A room shimmers with moonlight despite no visible source. An old diary lies open, recounting a tragic but beautiful romance. Players must read aloud the final, unwritten page, completing the story with their own words to be granted passage.
Mists swirl around the gatehouse at the front of the tower. The mists suddenly dissipate to reveal a small group of men in gray robes, who say, 'We're here to talk to the wizard. Have you seen him?'
A needle and yarn teleport to different places in the room, knitting patterns.
A woman named Amelia is trying to sell the wizard a magic item. She has a list of transactions she has made with other wizards.
A quill relaying satirical song.
A group of wizards are eating dinner in the common room of this building. The wizards are eating food that they have brought up from the local market. There is a rather large meal spread out on the table and everyone has a plate of food in front of them. This group consists of a
In a cryptic chamber filled with swirling magical energies and eldritch artifacts, the adventurers encounter a floating orb emitting flashes of raw arcane power. Each flash casts eerie shadows on the walls, revealing fragmentary visions of worlds entwined in utter chaos— a subterranean empire collapsing, an ancient rift tearing through the fabric of reality, eldritch horrors breaking free from their ageless prisons. Hovering before the orb is an enigmatic oracle cloaked in runic patterns, murmuring, "Your future is fraught with perils unseen." As the players approach, the orb shatters, releasing 2d8 arcane constructs, their forms shifting between solid and spectral. Each strike from these constructs echoes with prophetic declarations. Surviving the encounter grants the adventurers arcane wisdom, embossed in visions of lost tomes or cryptic relics that could either save their world or bring about its ruin depending on their choices.
Summer insects swarm a room, led by a wasp queen. Players must fend off the queen and her aggressive hive while solving a riddle to unlock the doors.
Players see a ghostly figure wandering aimlessly throughout the tower. One of the wizards in the tower explains that it is the ghost of a wizard who went mad after experimenting with forbidden magic. The ghost can offer valuable information, but it may come with a price.
A cloud of glitter swirls around a crystal ball.
An ink spill has formed a suspiciously smiley face.
A pair of elves are arguing about whether their god is better than the god of the humans. They will not notice the players at all. They will not stop arguing even if they are attacked.
A group of 2d6+2 warlocks are practicing their spells. One of the warlocks will be trying to summon a demon. The other warlocks will be trying to cast a spell to stop the summoner from completing the spell.
A large mirror reflects a slightly different version of the room's contents.
A woman named Myra is standing near the tower. She is looking for work. She is a mercenary who will act as a bodyguard for the players for the right price.
Three wizard apprentices are carrying a large chest down the hall. The chest is filled with gold coins. It is their monthly stipend from the head wizard. They will beg players not to tell the head wizard they saw them getting paid. They are afraid of being punished if the head wizard finds out they told.
A room filled with enchanted musical instruments. As the party plays the instruments, they are transported to a musical dimension where they must perform and impress a group of music-loving dragons to earn a powerful magical item.
A small, enchanted anvil hammers by itself.
Kram: A one-eyed, one-armed dwarf is walking down the hallway, mumbling to himself. He is carrying a large sack on his back. The sack is full of books and scrolls.
An interactive tapestry depicting heroic quests.
All around you, there are mirrors that reflect your past actions and decisions. As you walk by them, you see glimpses of alternate timelines and possibilities. Some may even show you the consequences of your future choices. Be careful, for some mirrors may tempt you with the power to change your fate.
The sound of a loud argument can be heard from the hallway ahead. If investigated, players will find a group of 1d8 humans who are arguing about whether or not there's life beyond the stars. One believes there is, the other seven believe there isn't.
An elven harp that plays enchanting melodies.
Various colored crystals hover above a pedestal, rotating slowly.
A wizard is working on a new spell. He's got a cage full of kobolds. The wizard will try to trick you into taking the kobolds off his hands.
An enchanted quill and parchment await in an otherwise empty room. Characters must compose a poem or letter to a loved one. The stronger the sentiment, the sooner the quill will transcribe a spell unlocking the door.
A small, glowing orb of light follows you around out of curiosity.
Autumn spirits set enchanted jack-o'-lanterns to explode. Players must identify safe pumpkins to remove or defuse.
An eerie silence fills the room.
A spool of enchanted thread hums softly.
A harp plays itself beautifully in the corner.
Tarlok is one of the wizards who lives in this tower. He is also the leader of a gang that sometimes does bad things in town. Tarlok will be found in his room, sitting in his chair. He is a portly and balding man, and an older man. The players will hear a voice coming from the room. The voice appears to be coming from a book that is open on the floor. The voice will say, "So far, I have collected all of the components I need to complete the experiments that I have been working on." This voice will continue speaking in this way, and will not notice when the party enters the room. If the players enter the room, they will see that Tarlok seems to be talking to himself. He has some open books that are about different experiments and several pieces of paper with notes on them scattered on the floor around him. He does not seem to be very neat.
The floor is covered in scattered alchemical ingredients.
The players stumble upon a room filled with enchanted portraits of famous wizards. One of the portraits challenges the players to a wizarding duel in order to prove their worth.
The party encounters 1d4+2 vampires who have come to the tower to steal the secrets of magic.
A whispering wind carrying indistinguishable words.
A drinking horn toasting mysteries.
A shelf holding hundreds of bottles, some holding tiny glowing creatures.
A shoe polisher automatically buffs nearby boots.
You see a group of goblins carrying a large sack filled with grain headed towards you. Suddenly, the group of goblins see you, and they throw the large sack at you. With your reflexes you manage to avoid the sack, and it spills open, revealing that it was full of gold pieces!
A group of men are trying to open the lock on a cell that contains an evil wizard. The lock is complex and will require time to pick.
A group of four well-dressed aristocrats are walking down the hall. They are arguing about who should be elected mayor of an imaginary city. The town is somewhere in the imaginary country of Haconyock or something like that.
A stone statue looks like it's been carved in the likeness of a figure you've never seen before. It has a slight hint of blue to it.
A fishbowl sits atop a column, its golden fish making looping patterns in the water.
A group of 2d6+2 young adult goblins are practicing their fighting skills on each other. They will not bother the party.
A random gust of wind flips through the pages of an open grimoire.
The players hear a voice chanting somewhere nearby: 'Oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo oo...'
The tower library holds a priceless artifact called the Seal of the Archmage. This artifact allows a wizard who is worthy to channel the magic of the tower without paying a tribute to a potential rival. It is a magical object that can only be worn by someone who is level 12 or higher.
A loud explosion rocks the tower, causing books and potions to fly off shelves. When the party investigates, they discover that an apprentice wizard accidentally mixed the wrong ingredients in a spell and it caused a chaotic mess. They must help clean up before the master wizard returns.
A quill relaying satirical song.
A loud explosion rocks the tower, causing books and potions to fly off shelves. When the party investigates, they discover that an apprentice wizard accidentally mixed the wrong ingredients in a spell and it caused a chaotic mess. They must help clean up before the master wizard returns.
A painting changes its scene every few minutes.
A pulsating nexus contains five primal totem guardians each contesting a potent arcane artifact. Choices unravel before you: aligning with a guardian alters artifact’s trajectory releasing potent energies or facing them causes primal disruptions shaping the tower equilibrium.
A group of 2d6+3 goblins have been sent to steal a flying broom! The broom is known to be in the tower. They are combing the tower.
A summer solstice room reflects harsh sunlight via mirrored walls. Players must navigate while avoiding blinding light and sizzling traps triggered by heat.
A magical lamp allows you to see things that are invisible.
An injured wizard is in hiding in this tower, hoping that his enemies will not find him before he can heal himself. He was injured by casting a great spell.
A group of people are gathered around a statue. There is a dog sitting on top of it. If players approach, the dog will attack.
A half-finished magical circle is drawn on the floor.
A group of gnomes have built a camp. They are on their way to the top of the tower to steal something.
A pair of elves are arguing about whether their god is better than the god of the humans. They will not notice the players at all. They will not stop arguing even if they are attacked.
A room with a furnace that produces endless amounts of magical fire. Players can use this to their advantage or risk being burned by the intense heat.
A room in the tower is enchanted to make anyone who enters experience their greatest fear. The players must overcome their fears or find a way to dispel the enchantment in order to progress.
A thick haze of incense lingers in the air, making you slightly drowsy.
A wizard wearing a blue robe is sitting on the floor of a hallway playing with a ball of blue magical energy. There is a cat asleep next to him.
A group of 1d10+2 Halflings are gathered outside the tower. They are here to trade with the wizard. If the players approach, they will ask them to join in their game of crokinole. If the players do, they will be stuck there for an hour and a half while the halflings play a marathon game that never ends.
A group of 2d10+10 orcs and 2d10 ogres are preparing to attack the tower while the players are inside it.
A bucket of glittering dust sits in a corner.
A giant spider is in the hall, blocking the way. The players can kill it or try to sneak past it.
A charmed book that flaps around like a bird.
A set of animated armor that salutes anyone entering the room.
Encountering a spectral cat familiar with a knack for slipping in and out of dimensions, it offers to spy on enemies for short periods in exchange for magical sustenance like potions or scrolls.
An ancient tome flutters open on a lectern, its pages turning by themselves.
A group of adventurers have stumbled into the tower, mistaking it for a treasure-filled dungeon. However, the wizard living there has a different idea and proposes a game of wits and skill to determine who earns the real treasure.
A group of people are standing in the middle of the hallway. They are all talking about how they got lost on the way to the wizard's tower. They will ask players for help.
As you explore the tower, you come across a room full of talking and singing enchanted objects, from teapots to rugs. They beg for your help in breaking the spell that keeps them trapped in their current forms.
A theater of enchanted puppets unfurls ahead, twelve constructions mimicking significant world figures. Each puppet’s controlled by unseen forces, engaging you in a role of power and manipulation—leaving clues to broader conspiracies while subjugating them reveals disadvantageous truths.
You stumble upon a room filled with enchanted mirrors that show glimpses of different worlds and moments in time. The wizard who built the tower uses these mirrors to witness important events, but can you decipher the true purpose of the mirrors?
The observatory at the top of the tower aligns with celestial bodies, granting the party visions of the future. Misinterpreting these visions often leads to misleading or dangerous paths.
An old, tattered wizard hat hangs on a hook.
A mysterious illness has struck the residents of the tower, causing them to fall into a deep slumber. The party must find a cure before the wizard and his apprentices succumb to the sickness as well.
The tower's roof is a giant crystal dome, showing a stunning view of the surrounding landscape. But it also acts as a powerful amplifier for the wizard's spells, and the party must be careful not to disrupt his magical experiments.
The tower's magical security system has malfunctioned and every door and window is now barred shut, trapping the party inside. They must figure out how to fix the system before time runs out and the wizard's return.
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 wizard tower: 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.