Types of Encounters Creating a campaign adventure means constructing an interactive storyline. The game master needs to create plot, characters, and encounters that the players will face. On one extreme of the creative spectrum you have a completely detailed and structured adventure. On the other end, you have more general descriptions and a less structured adventure. A good campaign adventure combines the two. A good adventure has enough structure to move the underlying story along and present engrossing details and flavor. At the same time, a good adventure needs a wide spectrum of general details and campaign setting, to allow for flexibility and an evolving of the story - not just forcing it to play out. When creating the basic structure and encounters for an adventure, I find it very helpful to do some basic analyzing of each encounter. Assuming the players follow the advenutre without going off on too many tangents, its important to realize what kind of encounters are lining up back to back. Below are 7 generalized catagories of encounter types. When I look at an encounter I've written, I catagorize it by the most relevant aspects. Many if not most times, an encounter falls into more than one group - this is fine. As a general note, the more catagories an encounter falls into, the longer it will take to play out. The real importance of knowing what kind of encounters your producing comes when you look at the entire adventure event line. For instance, you may create an adventure with 10 of the greatest ecnounters you've ever written, then when you take a closer look, you realize you've got too many combat based encounters back to back. You also realize you put an encounter that has a small combat, but really is a rest encounter just before the end of the adventure - a very anticlimatic thing to do. Of course, common sense will give you an idea of what kind of encounter your creating, while you're writing it. But I find by actually making a note, creating a labeled outline, you can paint a much clearer picture of the adventure, and avoid sticky situations based on bad adventure structure. Storyline Encounter Many times an encounter in an adventure, is just its own little event - independnet of the grand scheme. Therefore, Storyline Encounters, are encounters that continue, reveal or enforce the plot of the adventure. This can be done many ways, such as through NPC dialogue, through the finding of items, or through the learning of information. Combat Encounter The action encounters. These are the basic fighting conflict encounters of the game. The pcs must defeat their enemy or suffer consequences (which more times than not, is usually death). I've seen many game masters give little life to the battles, reducing them to mere dice rolling tournaments. This is poor use of a major element to the game. It is important to detail specifics of battles and add flavor to every action and turn. It's also important to be creative in battle descriptions, especially when dealing with enemies and battle scenarios the pcs commonly face. Item Encounter These are encounters that contain a useful, magical, or otherwise relevant item or weapon. Treasure as well as cursed items fall into this catagory. Bonus XP Encounter These are encounters that present a specific problem or task that if accomplished grant additional experience points. These encounters can consist of relatively tasks, such as figuring out to smash the mirror on the wall... or these encounters can be complex, opening up entire subadventures. Rest Encounter these encounters are those that reveal a safe place for the party to rest and regroup. These encounters may have healing availability, drinkable water and a food source. Depending on your particular style of play, and wether or not you make healing and resting available at anytime, these encounter may be more or less relevant. In my own campaigns, these encounters are quite critical, If I happen to leave one or two out, my players are most likely not getting through alive. NPC Encounter These are encounters that if the pcs play their cards right will walk away with a new party member. These additional members can be critical in an adventure in many ways, such as an extra sword hand in combat intensive adventures, or as key players in the storyline later on.