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**UPDATE** I have converted this into a Google Sheets version that does not use any scripting code - not as clever with dice rolling, but just as simple to use/edit. Link is in the download.

The attached Excel Spreadsheet has some basic VB code to select a random entry from various tables.

There are about 250 350 unique tables including wild surges, hit locations, plots, random encounters, loot and magic items. The results are guaranteed* to be unique on every click of the button.

Although these could (in theory) be used with the roll of a dice, they are not designed this way.

(* not really, but if you did the math it would be a really, really long odds)

*UPDATE* a band of easy-access list names at the top of the sheet, a few more varied loot tables, a bit more unique descriptions for random weaponry, better plots, other stuff.

 

Instructions

Click on a table title or cell content that you want to resolve so that it’s highlighted, then click on the [Randomise] button and read the result.

(There are instructions for adding/changing content within the spreadsheet itself)

*UPDATE* there is now a button to move the cursor to the current table or entry (and click again to go back to the top)

 

Introduction

AD&D5e uses a lot of tables for things like wild surges – that’s what this initially started out as: I didn’t want to roll a result where the spell caster’s hands turned blue: why not pink, or green, or black?… actually why the hands, why not the feet or nose? So I created a script that would pick a random body part and a random colour from a nested table.

I then didn’t like that really weird stuff was happening as often as fairly mundane stuff, so I worked out a bias system: you can tell it how rare one of the entries is to be selected.

It’s also much easier to click a button to get a result than have to look up a table for something. So I added in things like hit locations and critical/fumble tables that I use a lot during a game.

As a GM I also got strained coming up with non-boring stuff when PC’s loot the 138th corpse or walk into curio shops looking for cool magic– a simple click will now generate unique loot with unique properties.

You will also find a sub-plot generator, travelling encounter table, random inn name generator, random direction… and loads more.

*UPDATE* for practicality and using this sheet during a game I put a band of most used table names at the top for a simple click and go. The button beside the randomise will quickly jump to that table so that it can be changed on the fly.

 

Disclaimer

Any parallels with WotC content from any published material is purely coincidental (although if you wanted to copy any content into this sheet for your own use then I think it’s OK).

By default MS locks down spreadsheets so that they can’t run macros - You will have to enable scripts before the button will work. The code is not locked and you can examine it before enabling if you want. In theory there is nothing that can screw up your system within this spreadsheet, but please don’t blame me if it does. 

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Reviews (2)
Discussions (3)
Customer avatar
Lillian N February 17, 2024 5:41 pm UTC
PURCHASER
When purchased it is a single page PDF of examples, not the excel sheet. Am I missing something?
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Customer avatar
Gadget B February 26, 2024 9:57 pm UTC
CREATOR
There is a zip file with the excel doc inside it: the preview PDF is just a screen-shot. (The zip file also has a link to the "live", updated Google sheets version I now use at my table.)
Customer avatar
Elliott P June 19, 2023 4:22 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hey, I'm not sure why but for some reason the randomize button stopped working. I've used this for a while now and it always works great and went to try it today and it just won't work. I tried re downloading it and unblocking it and all that stuff that i usually have to do with spreadsheets and it just won't work. Was there some kind of update?
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Customer avatar
Gadget B August 12, 2023 7:52 pm UTC
CREATOR
Not on this end - the scripts are fairly simple visual basic code that was written a few years ago. Shouldn't be anything to break on updates. I have not updated to the latest MSOffice, so I'm afraid that I can't really help.
Customer avatar
Annabel H April 05, 2023 7:24 am UTC
PURCHASER
Hey! I started looking at the table more in-depth, trying to figure out how it works so I could add my own information there. Could you explain what the function of {person} is? I can't seem to decode that one..

Many thanks!
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Customer avatar
Annabel H April 05, 2023 7:44 am UTC
PURCHASER
Same question then for {spell} :)
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Customer avatar
Gadget B August 12, 2023 7:46 pm UTC
CREATOR
Hey - sorry it's been a while since I checked up on this release - the {person} and {spell} bits were a crude attempt to get random stuff to have a more natural language... they don't work very well. I would ignore or remove them.
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File Last Updated:
December 08, 2023
This title was added to our catalog on April 08, 2017.