Maze Rats Tables

Using the Maze Rats tables

The tables that have 36 results are organized into 6 groups of 6 results each. To randomly pick an item from one of these tables, roll 2d separately: the first die points to a group, while the second die points to an item within that group. For example, rolling “4, 2” on the Appearance table means group 4, item 2: Lanky.

Bolded items refer you to another random table where you should roll again. Follow the linked table references recursively, then combine the results into a concrete detail, spell, NPC, monster, place, or treasure.

Use the random tables included in Maze Rats to keep the game fresh. Their surprising twists can bring an energy and mystery to the game that is hard to improvise from nothing.

Maze Rats v. 4.3 was created by Ben Milton and released under CC BY 4.0.

Character table notes

Use these tables to flesh out player characters and NPCs. Roll or create appearance, physical details, background, clothing, personality, and mannerism. For a player character, record a short, memorable name, level 1, and zero XP.

Drawing a portrait of a character is encouraged, as is adopting a mannerism or two when speaking in the character’s voice.

City table notes

Use these tables to create city districts, factions, buildings, rooms, and the activity of urban places. Tactical street and building features are useful for adding complication and interest to city encounters.

Wild table notes

Wilderness regions are divided into regions, landmarks, structures, discoveries, activities, hazards, and useful or dangerous plants. Use the Wilderness Hazards table to create a personalized hazard table that fits the terrain the PCs are in. Use the edible and poisonous plant tables when PCs forage for food in the wild.

For inns, combine an Inn Adjective and an Inn Noun, or just two Inn Nouns, to create an inn name, such as the Ghastly Griffin or the Axe & Fork.

Maze table notes

Dungeon entrances, forms, layouts, ruinations, rewards, activities, rooms, room details, tricks, hazards, trap effects, and trap triggers are provided for building dungeons quickly. Not all dungeons have to have rewards, but rewards provide a good motivation for players to explore.

A good trap should either already be active or should have a fairly obvious trigger. The challenge should come from avoiding the trap’s effects, avoiding the trigger, or finding a way to deactivate it.

Tricks are weird effects, puzzles, or challenges tied to a dungeon area. They may be dangerous, amusing, or anything in between.

Referenced table notes

The tables below support bold results elsewhere on this page. When a result calls for a spell, animal, monster feature, valuable material, or other linked category, roll here and fold the new result back into the original entry.

Magic table notes

If a PC has spell slots, its player generates spells during character creation and every morning in-game after a full night of rest. Spells in spell slots cannot be removed except by casting them.

To generate a spell, roll 2d on the Spell Formula table: one die indicates the row, and the other die indicates the column range. Then roll on the two indicated magic tables to create the spell’s name. The GM describes the spell’s general effects based on that name. Offensive spells typically allow their targets a danger roll to resist or avoid the effects; if the spell includes damage, the GM can set a flat damage rating or rate the damage as 1 to 6 dice.

Players may also suggest uses for a spell outside the GM’s description. If the suggested effect closely matches the spell’s name and the situation, the GM should usually allow it. Casting a spell takes one action in combat; after being cast, the spell is erased from the caster’s spell slot and cannot be cast again.