Random Plot Generator


Random Plot Generator

Before COVID, shelter in place, and masks were household topics, I ran one-shot Dungeons and Dragons adventures at my local comic book stores and for Time2Tabletop events. A one-shot, in case you haven't heard the term before, is a full story/adventure that can be completed in a single session of a few hours. Sometimes I show up to these events fully prepared. Other times, I end up running a game on the fly, either because no one else can or because I simply didn't prepare ahead of time. Luckily, many of these one-shots include players who have never picked up dice before let alone played Dungeons and Dragons, so while the players are creating their characters and I'm explaining the rules, I'm also working out the plot in my meat thinker.

There are times when I am particularly inspired and the ideas flow. Other times, I struggle to find even a seed of an idea upon which to rest the session. It's at those dry times when I wished I had a cheat sheet to help me along. To that end, I put together this Random Plot Generator, a Dungeon Master's little helper for those times when a DM is not feeling her or his creative best. It's inspired by the random background generator in Xanathar's Guide to Everything.

NOTE: Since writing this article I have refined the random plot generator quite a bit and have published it on the DMs Guild.

How it Works

The random plot generator works a little like a Mad Libs. There is a basic statement. (Some of you might recognize its general structure as a user story from software development.) The statement has several missing words. There is also a set of tables that include the words that will fill in those missing words. Simply roll on each table and fill in the result. The completed statement is the plot hook. The results can also guide the overall tone of your one-shot. Some of the words can lend themselves to humorous story lines. Others can become quite serious. Ultimately, the results are only adventure hooks. It's up to you, as a Dungeon Master, to flesh out and create a richer story around that hook. 

This Random Plot Generator is geared toward stories where the main actor is a humanoid non-player character (NPC).  The NPC can be a hero, a villain, or a commoner, all depending on what you've rolled and how you interpret the statement after all the missing words are filled in. The common thread, however, is that the NPC is central to the story. They can be helping the party, hindering the party, or even hiring the party depending on the context. They might also be the target or goal of the party's actions. I have plans to create other generators for groups of humanoids, individual non-humanoids, and groups of non-humanoids if there is additional interest.

Note: The images for this post are from the DMsGuild creator resources. The header graphic seems a rather fitting depiction of a Dungeon Master coming up with the plot for a one-shot, don't you think?

The Random Plot Generator


The Statement

Here is the basic statement with its missing words. 

As a (adjective) (subject) (profession)
I want to (verb) the (object)
So that I can (goal)

The remaining sections are the tables to fill in each of the bold words.

Adjective (d100)

1-5 Angry
6-10 Antisocial
11-15 Contemplative
16-20 Depressed
21-25 Detested
26-30 Diseased
31-35 Dull-witted
36-40 Emotional
41-45 Genial
46-50 Greedy
51-55 Hyperactive
56-60 Impoverished
61-65 Intelligent
66-70 Lonely
71-75 Maniacal
76-80 Popular
81-85 Strong
86-90 Weak
91-95 Wealthy
96-100 Witty


Subject (d100)

1-4 Bugbear 
5-8 Bullywug
9-12 Demon
13-16 Devil
17-20 Doppelganger
21-24 Dragonborn 
25-28 Dwarf
29-32 Elf
33-36 Giant
37-40 Gith
41-44 Gnome
45-48 Gnoll
49-52 Goblin
53-56 Halfling
57-60 Hobgoblin
61-64 Human
65-68 Kenku 
69-72 Kobold
73-76 Kuo-toa 
77-80 Lizardfolk
81-84 Lycanthrope
85-88 Merfolk
89-92 Orc
93-96 Tiefling
97-100 Yuan-ti 

Profession (d100)

These are all NPCs from both the Monster Manual and Volo's Guide to Monsters.
1-2 Abjurer
3-4 Acolyte
5-6 Apprentice Wizard
7-8 Archdruid
9-10 Archer
11-12 Archmage
13-14 Assassin
15-16 Bandit
17-18 Bandit Captain
19-20 Bard
21-22 Berserker
23-24 Blackguard
25-26 Champion
27-28 Commoner - Farmer
29-30 Commoner - Guildmaster
31-32 Commoner - Innkeeper
33-34 Commoner - Mayor
35-36 Commoner - Trademaster
37-38 Commoner - Rancher
39-40 Commoner - Shopkeeper
41-42 Conjurer
43-44 Cultist
45-46 Cult Fanatic
47-48 Diviner
49-50 Druid
51-52 Enchanter
53-54 Evoker
55-56 Gladiator
57-58 Guard
59-60 Illusionist
61-62 Knight
63-64 Kraken Priest
65-6 Mage
67-68 Martial Arts Adept
69-70 Master Thief
71-72 Necromancer
73-74 Noble
75-76 Priest
77-78 Scout
79-80 Spy
81-82 Swashbuckler 
83-84 Thug
85-86 Transmuter
87-88 Tribal Warrior
89-90 Veteran
91-92 War Priest
93-94 Warlock of the Archfey
95-96 Warlock of the Fiend
97-98 Warlock of the Great Old One
99-100 Warlord

Verb (d8)

1 Destroy
2 Find
3 Hide
4 Protect
5 Return
6 Restore
7 Steal
8 Transport

Object (d100)

1-5 Armor
6-10 Creature(s)
11-15 Enchanted site
16-20 Equipment
21-25 Flora
26-30 Humanoid(s)
31-35 Holy site
36-40 Knowledge
41-45 Magical item
46-50 Military site
51-55 Portal
56-60 Ruins - small
61-65 Ruins - large
66-70 Settlement - small
71-75 Settlement - large
76-80 Tomb
81-85 Treasure
86-90 Trinket
91-95 Vehicle
96-100 Weapon

Goal (d12)

1 Acquire love
2 Acquire power
3 Acquire status
4 Acquire wealth
5 Damage the reputation of an individual/organization
6 Empower an individual/organization
7 Free an individual/group
8 Improve the reputation of an individual/organization
9 Save an individual/group
10 Strengthen faith in a deity
11 Weaken an individual/organization
12 Weaken faith in a deity



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