Review of 30 Things Can Happen

http://www.rpgnow.com/product/100971/30-Things-Can-Happen

I posted a shorter review on drivethru, but here is an expanded write up I did that I thought I would share here:

This is the kind of product I love, tables that help me add elements to my games I would never think of on my own. Plus the author chose a nice selection of "open" art that almost always fits the section of tables it is inserted into, and the others are at least close. If you like to present opportunities to role play you will really like these tables, because most of these descriptions can drag an inquiring mind into a role play encounter that could be ran serious or even humorous. They can also easily turn into hooks for an off the cuff adventure scenario, or do some pre planning to turn them into planted hooks. If you love using tables to help inspire you, break those mental blocks, or to take even you as the GM in directions you don't know where they go, this is a PDF for you. Plus it gives your D30 purpose! Or if you don't own a D30 you can use the D6 and D10 method, which is made even easier because each Table is broken down into 3 sub tables of 10 items each. So roll the D6 to determine which of the 3 sub tables, then the D10 to get the specific result. I really feel you can't go wrong with this if you like using tables in the first place, and if you have never used tables before, this has a great chance of turning you into a fan of such products.

I'll even make rolls from the product itself to illustrate how helpful it can be. Each section is also broken down into 10 tables, so I will use the D6/D10 method, since everyone should have those. I roll a 7, so that is the section for a Castle or Keep, which is on page 9. I roll a 1, getting the first table, then a 5, getting "The castle cook is inspecting some foodstuffs brought to the castle from town." Now how can I use that? First thing that comes to my mind is to make him unhappy with some kind of discovery. Like something is rotten, or missing, or the wrong items. So Have him say, "The scoundrel cheated me! The squash are all pitted!" Then see if the players decide to take an interest, and if they do I can keep it a simple role play encounter, and just have him complain about all the challenges his position throws at him. I can also use it to throw in a potential adventure hook, like teaching the scoundrel a lesson, and to not cheat the castle's lord. Which could be as simple as threatening him, or being asked to give him a beating. If the party is of higher level have the bad item be an expensive food, like a rare fish, or something like caviar, and escalate the "pay back", things like that.

Another roll. I will do it in the next section. Which is "While in the Country", so country side scenarios. I roll a 7, giving me a festival! I then roll a 6, giving me the third table. Then a 2, giving me "A drunken fellow is unsuccessfully attempting to tap the wrong end of a keg." I can leave it at that as a simple "Flavor" element, or I also see an opportunity to add a humorous moment to my game, by having a leak result, covering the drunk in wine or ale. I could also add in a potential adventure element by having the keg owner desperately needing a replacement for the now ruined keg. The higher the level of the party, the more valuable I make the contents of the keg. Maybe even leading them to run down and arrest a drunk who is sober enough to realize he will be thrown into the stocks or prison and run for it.

Lets do another roll. This will be from the last section of tables, for Underground situations. I roll a 7 again."near a Stream". Page 29. I roll a 3, giving me the second table. I then roll a 9, giving me, "A leaky boat nearby may be the only way to cross without swimming." So now they can attempt to cross, if they wish, and if they do so I can have them make a simple check to keep up with the leak while doing so. If they fail, they end up swimming and dealing with wet gear and supplies. Or drowning if they do not have the ability to swim, especially with heavy armors on.

So like I said, tables like these can really take you into directions you probably would not come up with on your own, especially "spur of the moment". I really like how they can take my tired mind and energize it with the potential challenges of adding depth to these rolls if the party becomes interested in reacting to them. Hopefully it will do the same for you.