its only bad if you make it bad (or maybe it's just bad)

Responding to this over at Hack and Slash, but also the things HE links to as responding to...

I run a lot of 'rail-roady' adventures (stacks of old Dungeon Mags, bits a and pieces I find online, etc). It's pretty trivial to break the railroad before you bring it to the table. I use them more as an aid, but if I can't find something in the wall of text, I make it up. It helps that I have a pretty good memory, but it also helps that I've read and re-read a lot of the material, in bits and pieces, over many years. So when it comes time to mash up three or four different half-baked adventures on the fly, it all kinda clicks into place. Or falls apart stupendously.

Example: I ran the first installment to the Age of Worms adventure path, an adventure called 'the Silver Skeleton,' AND another adventure called 'the Devil Box' all at the same time. Individually they're kinda weak in places, but taken all together it's a kind of sandbox. And then I added some stuff with unique traps, and showdowns at high noon, and long cons gone awry, and it was pretty great.

So I don't think it's an either/or thing, in every case. People do use those things for reading, yes, but it's not just idle daydreaming. It's a kinda ADD way of prepping things to run at the table, it's something that's accessible as training wheels for novice DM's to IMAGINE what DMing would be like before they sit down with the players, it's good for experienced DMs who can retain and filter and ad-lib around that information. Is it my favourite format? Definitely not, as I've learned more about what I like and what's most effective for me, I've gravitated to the kinda stuff Bryce Lynch likes in his reviews... but I still sprinkle in old ideas I gleaned from those poorly-designed monstrosities.

 I just don't think it's as clear-cut a design space as we would like to think. Maybe there's room for some kind of 'inspiration module' type of thing to evolve? Or maybe it just has to stay muddy and we muddy through as we find out what we like. Sounds familiar.

Encounters for the Isle of Dread

Altho some good points have been raised about having a concise random encounter table, I think for the strange, alien environs of the Isle I'm gonna want something more sprawling. That said, it's easier to start with something self-contained for the little area they're exploring (re: trying to get out of) right now, and add on to it as it becomes necessary.

Table is un-weighted (no bell curve) so I can add onto it easily, and to increase the chaotic swinginess I want for the Isle.

1.  Rainbow Crow. 10-foot wingspan creature shaped like a crow, but with scintillating feathers and snake tail. Sunning itself on a rock. Light radiating from it's feathers saps colours, turning anything and anyone within 30 feet black and white, and dealing 3d8 radiant damage and one point of radiation poisoning, blinds within 10 ft (Charisma save 15 for half and no poisoning or blinding). Other stats as a coatl. It can turn the radiance down to 5-ft, but it's really enjoying sunbathing right now. Route around leads through twisty canyons in the rock and danger of getting lost, or through a really muddy swamp.
2. A fulgurite elemental trying to find a thunderstorm to throw itself in front of. Isn't 100% sure what a thunderstorm is, thinks it'll know it when it sees it. Got a good (very brief) look at the surrounding area back when it was lightning, 2-in-6 chance it will know about a given geological feature, but only from above
3. 2d6 Gargelsaurs (day) or 1d6 wraithform (night)
4. The Mound Witch. Demands 'god things' via the mouths of her screaming myna birds- technically an extirpated species, other than these followers of hers.
5. A howler. Or 1d4 howlers if the poor fools are travelling at night. Players should know at least several hours before the encounter that they're being hunted, and they'll know howlers are in the area days in advance. The howlers don't really want to attack, they just follow the group for as long as possible, howling until the fear emanating from the group gets delicious enough.
6. Broken down mech. Has enough power in it's sunstone to sustain 2d6 rounds of combat, and fire it's laser 1d4 times (as Scorching Ray). Use stats for iron golem. Sunstones can be salvaged but are volatile and will explode on a failed check (proficient characters will automatically know this is a possibility)



By Jason Felix 

7. Wizard hermit of doubtful honour 
8. Some weird shit from deeper in the forest

Automecha 

Large construct, unaligned

Armor Class 18 (Natural Armor)

Hit Points 110 (20d10+100) (-100 damaged)

Speed 20 ft.

STR 24 (+7)  DEX 8 (-2)  CON 20 (+5)  INT 3 (-4)  WIS 11 (+0)  CHA 1 (-5)

Damage Immunities Poison, Psychic; Bludgeoning, Piercing, And Slashing From Nonmagical Weapons That Aren't Adamantine

Damage Resistances Acid, Cold, Radiant

Damage Vulnerabilities Lightning

Condition Immunities Charmed, Exhaustion, Frightened, Paralyzed, Petrified, Poisoned

Senses Darkvision 120 Ft., passive Perception 10

Skills Stealth +3

Languages Understands Olman But Can't Speak

Challenge 16 (15,000 XP)

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Shielding. When the mech is hit by an attack, it gets +5 AC against that attack, and any other attacks until the beginning of its next turn. This ability is then depleted until the mech goes a full round without taking any damage.

Immutable Form. The golem is immune to any spell or effect that would alter its form.

Magic Resistance. The golem has advantage on saving throws against spells and other magical effects.

Magic Weapons. The golem's weapon attacks are magical.

Clumsy. Because the mech is so large and slow, it takes a -5 on melee attacks against Medium-sized and smaller targets.

Overgrown. Covered in moss and vines, the mech gets +5 to Dex (Stealth) checks involving hiding.

Actions

Charge. the golem moves up to 40 ft. in a straight line and attacks recklessly, giving itself advantage on the attack and granting advantage on all attacks against it until the start of it's next turn.

Multiattack. The golem makes two melee attacks.

Slam. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 17 (3d6+7) bludgeoning damage, and push target 15 ft.

Sword. Melee Weapon Attack: +8 to hit, reach 10 ft., one target. Hit: 23 (3d10+7) slashing damage.

Laser Barrage (Recharge 5-6). Ranged Spell Attack: + 6, range 120 ft, 10 targets. Hit: 2d6 radiant damage.