The D&D Encounters was an organized play program part of 4th-edition Dungeons & Dragons. The series of adventures are run as a series of short weekly encounters at game stores participating in the D&D Encounters program.
Description[]
This weekly program was created to offer players a casual and consistent opportunity to participate in Dungeons & Dragons at local game stores. Each session of D&D Encounters presented a discrete portion of an adventure designed to be completed in a single sitting. The format emphasized ease of learning and accessibility, providing an enjoyable introduction to the game for new players while supporting regular play for more experienced participants.
The adventures were not sold directly to the public but were only available at participating stores. Most of the adventures in this series are packaged as a single item, but season two and three were broken down into a number of separate items. From season fifteen onwards, D&D Encounters used adventures that were available generally for sale, and there was a special "Launch Weekend" supplementary kit available as a limited release instead.
Gameplay[]
Each adventure functions as a short, self-contained campaign “season,” structured to be played in single-encounter sessions held once per week at participating Wizards Play Network locations. Each Wednesday, players earn in-game rewards for their characters—such as treasure—while also accumulating Renown Points. These points contribute toward program-exclusive D&D Encounters Cards, which may be used in the current season as well as in future installments of the program.
Characters[]
Players are responsible for bringing their own characters to each play session. A first-time participant should bring a new 1st-level Dungeons & Dragons character created using the rules presented in various 4th-edition sourcebooks. Most seasons allowed new players to use the player creation rules from Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms or Heroes of the Fallen Lands. Some seasons allowed new players to also use the rules in sourcebooks relevant to that season, such as the Neverwinter Campaign Setting for Season 6. In addition, some seasons allowed new players to use the rules presented in Dragon magazine.
If a player does not have a character prepared, or prefers not to create one, several pre-generated characters are included in the play kit. These may be obtained from the organizer, who will provide a selection for players to choose from.
At the end of each session, the Dungeon Master awards experience points, treasure, and Renown Points to each player. Players record this information on their D&D Encounters Play Trackers, and the Dungeon Master reports the Renown Point totals to the organizer.
At the conclusion of each session, experience points and treasure are awarded to the players. The “Reward” section at the end of each session specifies the amount of XP each character should receive. This total includes the encounter reward as well as any exploration and story awards. All characters receive the same amount of XP. Players record these rewards on their D&D Encounters Play Trackers.
D&D Encounters uses an accelerated experience system, enabling players to advance through levels more quickly and experience their characters’ progression over the course of the season.
Players may change characters at any point during the season. If a player chooses to do so, the new character begins with the same number of experience points as the character previously used. However, the new character does not retain any treasure or items possessed by the former character.
If a character dies during a session, the player has two options. The first is to continue using the same character at the beginning of the next session, applying a death penalty of –1 to attack rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks. This penalty remains in effect until the character completes one milestone (one encounter). The second option is to select a new character, forfeiting any additional treasure previously earned.
Renown Points[]
Renown Points (RPs) are a key reward associated with participation in a D&D Encounters season. These points are granted to players for specific accomplishments achieved during, and occasionally between, weekly sessions. Renown Points are recorded at the Wizards Play Network location, and reaching designated point thresholds entitles a player to receive a tangible reward: a D&D Encounters Card. These cards may be used during the current season, in future seasons, or in some cases both, and each card includes printed instructions describing its function and use.
The Dungeon Master was responsible for awarding Renown Points at the conclusion of each session, in the same manner that experience points and treasure are distributed. However, unlike those rewards, they must report each player's Renown Point totals to the event organizer when submitting their session tracking sheet. The organizer will then determine whether any players have earned a card.
Renown Rewards[]
- D&D Encounters Cards
From Seasons One to Three, players earned D&D Encounters Cards upon reaching specific Renown Point milestones during a season. Cards are awarded at the end of the session in which the qualifying point total is reached.
The final two rewards are distributed at the conclusion of the season. A limited number of D&D Encounters Cards are allocated among the players who qualify for these end-of-season awards. If the number of eligible players exceeds the available cards, the event organizer determines the method of distribution.
- Fortune Cards
Beginning in Season Four, D&D Encounter Cards were replaced with Fortune Cards. D&D Encounters Cards awarded in previous seasons provide benefits similar to those of Fortune Cards. Players may choose to use either a D&D Encounters Card or a deck of Fortune Cards during each session. They may not use both options in the same session.
Treasure[]
Throughout the course of a season, characters have opportunities to acquire treasure in the form of gold pieces, valuables, and magical items. When treasure is discovered, the Dungeon Master should follow the instructions provided in the adventure. Most magic items are drawn from the Heroes of the Fallen Lands and Heroes of the Forgotten Kingdoms rulebooks.
When the characters obtain a nonconsumable magic item, the players decide which character should receive it. In most cases, these decisions are straightforward, as particular items naturally suit specific characters. If no clear choice exists, the item should be assigned to a character who currently possesses no nonconsumable magic items. If two or more such characters qualify, each rolls a d20, and the highest result determines the recipient.
If no character desires a particular magic item, the group may sell it at the end of the session, following the rules outlined in the Rules Compendium. The resulting gold pieces are divided evenly among all party members. Characters may purchase equipment at the start of each chapter.
History[]
In 2010, Wizards of the Coast launched D&D Encounters at stores in the Wizards Play Network as a D&D equivalent of Friday Night Magic. Eleven Encounters seasons ran through late 2012, before the program took a short break and shifted over to a mixed 4e and D&D Next format in 2013
Seasons[]
- Season 01: Undermountain: Halaster's Lost Apprentice (March - June 2010)
- Season 02: Dark Sun: Fury of the Wastewalker (Chapters 1-3) (June - September 2010)
- Season 03: Keep on the Borderlands (Chapters 1-5) (September 2010 - February 2011)
- Season 04: March of the Phantom Brigade (February - May 2011)
- Season 05: Dark Legacy of Evard (May - August 2011)
- Season 06: Lost Crown of Neverwinter (August - November 2011)
- Season 07: Beyond the Crystal Cave (November 2011 - February 2012)
- Season 08: The Elder Elemental Eye (February - May 2012)
- Season 09: Web of the Spider Queen (May - August 2012)
- Season 10: Council of Spiders (August - October 2012)
- Season 11: War of Everlasting Darkness (October 2012 - January 2013)
- Season 12: Against the Cult of Chaos (February - April 2013)
- Season 13: Storm over Neverwinter (April - June 2013)