The 2-20 Table

This table has nineteen openings (although, by doubling up on some entries, more or less than nineteen different encounters can appear on the table). The 2-20 number is generated by adding the roll of 1d8 to that of 1d12. Thus, 2s and 20s are very rare, while there is an equal chance for results from 9 through 13. Monsters are assigned specific positions on the table according to their frequency, as shown on Table 54 .

To fill the table, the DM first selects those monsters he wishes to use on the table and counts how many of each type he has. If he has fewer of a given type than the chart provides for, he can repeat entries. If he has more, he either drops some creatures or doubles up some entries.

For example, say the DM is creating an encounter chart for the Desert of Shaar. First he chooses his possible encounters:

Common	Uncommon
Camel	Basilisk
Giant centipede	Brass dragon
Herd animal	Caravan
Ogre	Hobgoblin
Orc	Nomads
Huge spider	Giant scorpion
Rare	Very rare
Chimera	Djinni
Pilgrims	Efreeti
Harpy	Lamia
Dervishes
Salamander

The table has six common entries, six uncommon entries, five rare, and three very rare entries. There are also two spots that could be rare or very rare. The DM chooses to arrange his encounters as shown:

Dice
Roll	Frequency
2	Lamia
3	Djinni
4	Harpy
5	Pilgrims
6	Dervishes
7	Basilisk
8	Caravan/Hobgoblins
9	Huge spider
10	Ogre
11	Camel/Herd animal
12	Giant centipede
13	Orc
14	Nomads
15	Giant scorpion
16	Dervishes
17	Chimera
18	Salamander
19	Lamia
20	Djinni

The DM chose not to use the brass dragon or the efreeti, saving these powerful creatures for a special, planned encounter in his adventure. He justifies the presence of the djinni on the table by deciding that it will be helpful to the party, giving them a useful clue about the adventure (unless, of course, they foolishly attack it). To fill the spots of the creatures he set aside, the DM repeated a few entries, meaning they may show up slightly more frequently than might be expected.

Table of Contents