Your Favorite Random Generators, Tables, etc.

[nikolokolus]

I thought it might be useful and helpful to list some of the procedural tools I've come to rely on over the years. Also I'm curious to see what other people use for procedural generation of things like towns, cities, NPCs, rumors, physical descriptions, adventure hooks, etc.

Maybe these will be useful to people (or not)? Either way, post 'em if you got 'em.
Midkemia Press: (PDF and Application, Book OOP) Oldies but goodies like the Cities Book (originally published by Chaosium back in the 80s), and non-free Encounters tool are something I use all the time.
Tome of Adventure Design: (Book or PDF) Matt Finch the author of Swords & Wizardry created a great system-neutral book of tables that is indispensable for brainstorming adventures.
Raging Swan GM Essentials: (Book or PDF) Helps when you are fleshing out scenery, NPCs and Encounters. Other freebies on the website.
Mithril & Mages Generators (web): Mostly name generators and other stuff for old-school D&D and clones
Goodman Games - GM Gems, Dungeon Alphabet, Monster Alphabet, 50 Fantastic Functions for the D50, Random Esoteric Creature Generator: (Book and PDF). Tables for custom monsters, treasures, encounters, pick-pocket results, traps, dungeon dressing, etc. Mostly system-neutral.

EDIT: Fixed a broken link.

 

[Morblot]

https://donjon.bin.sh - a shitload of web-based generators, mostly for various editions of D&D. I've used the fractal world generator, the name generator (I love this) and the dungeon generator. I think the treasure generator was decent too, but I prefer rolling actual dice for some reason.

 

[agris]

grab your nuts and roll a d10000 because it's hackmaster 4e's critical hit table

Spoiler

vertical is the d10000 result, horizontal is the critical's base severity level (BSL). make sure to read about severity level and weapon types at the bottom.

for someone who knew fallout 1/2's critical system before playing this pnp, I was in love.

 

[Melan]

The Tome of Adventure Design is insane, and I use it all the time to poke my brain when I get stuck writing an adventure. Sometimes it almost feels like too much of a good thing - there is a bigass table to roll up enough magical thrones to build The Dungeon of Thrones, and a smaller ones for unusual book bindings. You will never use all of the book, and it could probably be 50% slimmer... but it is such an idea mine that I don't mind it.

From the classics, the encounter system in the back of the 1st edition Dungeon Masters Guide is a comprehensive whole that tells you more about AD&D's implied setting than a long-winded essay would do. Similarly, Judges Guild's Ready Ref Sheets is full of useful tables collected from their products - there is a great ruin generation table, the city encounter system from City State of the Invincible Overlord (including possible combinations like getting solicited for sex by a mind flayer, or spat upon by a minor god), and more.

And when it comes to short and sweet things, I call your attention to The Table of Despair, a modern classic. :D

 

[Karwelas]

Daily reminder to whisper to your folk about sources for nice rare books and PDFs.

 

[Rahdulan]

As far as character creation and giving your creations, well, character you really can't find a better book than Central Casting: Heroes of Legend, Central Casting: Heroes Now!, Central Casting: Heroes for Tomorrow and even Central Casting: Dungeons for something different, depending on which setting you're using. It's all fluff and uses various dice for result rolls, mind you.

Remember, 4Shared is your friend.

 

[Wayward Son]

Might be DMing a S&W game today, so this may come in handy. Thanks!

 

[Karwelas]

Few free tools, including amazing inn generator.

http://inkwellideas.com/free-tools/

 

[nikolokolus]

As far as character creation and giving your creations, well, character you really can't find a better book than Central Casting: Heroes of Legend, Central Casting: Heroes Now!, Central Casting: Heroes for Tomorrow and even Central Casting: Dungeons for something different, depending on which setting you're using. It's all fluff and uses various dice for result rolls, mind you.

Remember, 4Shared is your friend.

I have the 1st edition of Central Casting: Heroes of Legend by Paul (Jennell) Jaquays in print and there is a pdf version floating around on the interwebz. It's a nice resource for developing characters with interesting backstories (for player characters or non-player characters).

That second edition retails for crazy prices on ebay; $200 plus seems to be the going rate.