In your typical 2d6 random encounter table*, the top and bottom entries are rare events with <3% probability. That's where we serious GMs hide all the good shit, the dragons and wizards we WANT to play with but are too afraid to blow up our campaigns with.
*Unlike talented designers named Beau who claim that rolling on GM-facing random tables has little benefit, I would argue that pre-game or behind-screen rolling on random tables is fun for the GM! We are a player too, and we aren't stuck with a bad roll. But rolling makes us consider possibilities we may not have otherwise thought of, and gets our brains making unexpected stories...
Joel rightly points out that the d12 is a sacred, beautifully-rolling shape that doesn't get enough love. Plus, we should not do so much math, obsess over realistic play, and save the fun things for a rainy day that never comes. Life is short, so bring on those dragons, and to quote Joel, "Rolling a d12 makes you smarter, luckier, a better lover." What's not to like?
So, without further ado:
Way #1: King d12 marries Princess d4 to bring peace to the Kingdom
Do you want BOTH a random table with a flat middle AND extra room on the top and bottom for some rarer darlings to brighten your day? Check out this graceful distribution:
See? This d12+d4 distribution is gorgeous for interesting random encounter tables: roll a d12, then a d4, and add them (or if you hate math and/or are tipsy, just count down the table from your d12 roll). Other people may add bigger dice for a similar effect, but a d4 limits the total options and mathiness and makes me smile, so d4 it is at my table.
A typical d12+d4 random encounter table has possibilities! It's flat from 5-13, and below and above that we can put the very rare stuff that we wish we encountered more often. 2-4 and 14-16 actually add up to 12.5%, so we encounter dragons and wizards MORE often. But that might get a little hairy, so we can use those probability shoulders to include a range of escalation--see below:
2--An angry dragon attacks (the unlikely possibility we GMs were afraid of)
3--Dragon encounter, non-combat (a good reaction roll, a shake down, etc.)
4--Dragon sign (you see marks of its passing)
5 through 13--Ten common and rare encounters, as we want.
14--Wizard magical effects (changing the world in their wake)
15--Wizard, genial (caught them on a tolerant day)
16--Wizard, angry (you have meddled in their affairs...)
The world is wondrous with a d12+d4 encounter table. You are likely to see and talk to dragons and wizards often, but get killed by them rarely...as long as you are properly respectful!
On to:
Way #2: Twin d12s, Love and Hate, create intuitive Reaction Rolls
One d12 twin is black as night, filled with all the dark instincts and desires of a dangerous world. The other d12 twin is red as sunset, filled with love and warmth and understanding.
When you encounter a monster and don't know how it will react (and you may or may not be too tired/drunk to remember the standard 2d6 reaction table), remember the 2d12 twins, black Hate and red Love. Why roll 2d6 for a reaction roll, when you can roll 2d12?
Immediate Attack: You rollled 11/12 Hate and 1/2 Love.
Enthusiastic Friendship: You rolled 1/2 Hate and 11/12 Love.
The statistically wise among you no doubt noted that the odds are the same as the 2d6 roll: what is different about the 2d12?
Because we can do the rest on vibes. If Love far exceeds Hate, the enemy doesn't attack right away. If Hate far outweighs Love, it is hostile. If they are equal or near-equal (they are within two of each other 37.5% of the time), it is uncertain, open to negotiation, or confused.
Because you get more information in one roll. Love and Hate can be near each other for a variety of values, right? How big those values are tells us how active, agitated, and conflicted our enemy is. Roll two 1s? It's sleeping or zoned out. Roll two 12s? It's locked on and practically vibrating with indecision as it wrestles with whether to talk to or eat the party.
Because you can easily lean on the scale. In a dangerous environment, Hate is more powerful than Love, but in a civilized one, the reverse is true. Examples: You could require a 1 on Love and 12 on Hate for Attacks in a peaceful, civilized place, lowering the chance from 2.78% to 0.69%. In a dungeon, a 12 on Love and 1 on Hate could be required for enthusiastic friendship, with the other friendship-number rolls resulting in guarded courtesy. In a large-scale battle between armies, near-ties are meaningless as soldiers make snap decisions--Love 7, Hate 8? Soldiers attack. A powerful spell altering minds, or your party being charming? Add bonuses to Love and/or Hate rolls. And so on...
The d12 is there for you to roll with. Take it up, and achieve ultimate power!!
ALL HAIL King d12
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