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Don’t forget to add valkyries and black holes…

It feels like sooner or later the adventurers end up traveling between planes, either due to a magical trap, an angry wizard or a long lost portal deep in a dungeon. Regardless of why your PCs happen to be in an astral plane, you’ll need some interesting and unique encounters!

Good astral plane encounters can be extra hard to figure out, simply because our reality doesn’t share many similarites with the astral planes of your everyday fantasy world. Forest encounters are easy to come up with, just think about what you could encounter on a stroll through your nearby forest, and then crank them up a bit. These astral ones however, they are a different beast. But don’t, that’s exactly why I’ve put together this list (and all our other lists and tables), to make your life as a GM easier and less stressful.

These encounters should work well whether you play D&D 5e, Pathfinder, Shadowdark, or Adventurous, maybe you need some light tweaking, but nothing major.

D66 Astral plane encounters

What would a trip to an astral plane be without spectral ships, wandering black holes and soul-eaters? No fun at all I guess. Below is a D66 table of fun, unique and challenging encounters to throw at your players when they inevitably travel to the astral plane. Just roll 2D6 where one determines the tens digit and the other the ones digit.

D66 RollEncounter Description
11A rogue comet streaking across the astral plane, threatening to collide with travelers.
12A cluster of astral jellyfish, beautiful but with a paralyzing sting.
13An astral drifter, a lost soul seeking help to find their way back to their physical body.
14A wandering astral dragon, curious about the adventurers and potentially hostile.
15A field of psychic resonance that causes vivid hallucinations of past events.
16A group of Githyanki pirates raiding astral travelers.
21An astral storm, a chaotic swirl of energy requiring skilled navigation to avoid harm.
22A floating island of solid thought, home to a wise but reclusive mind mage.
23A band of celestial travelers on a sacred pilgrimage, willing to share astral navigation tips.
24A rift leading to a random dimension, with unknown dangers and opportunities.
25An astral mirage, an illusory oasis that can trap the unwary in a dream-like state.
26A silver cord snare set by astral hunters, potentially trapping one's astral form.
31A peaceful enclave of Monodrones from Mechanus, offering repairs and technical assistance.
32A wandering soul-eater, hunting for astral travelers to consume their essence.
33A floating astral bazaar, where various ethereal goods and information can be traded.
34A psychic echo, replaying a dramatic event from another time and place.
35A squadron of Valkyries pursuing a dishonored spirit trying to hide among the adventurers.
36A lost astral library containing ancient cosmic knowledge, but guarded by spectral librarians.
41An astral whirlpool, drawing in travelers to an unknown destination.
42A spectral ship helmed by a ghostly crew, searching for redemption or revenge.
43An enigmatic Sphinx challenging travelers with riddles and offering guidance for correct answers.
44A stranded deity, temporarily weakened and seeking assistance to regain power.
45A star nursery, a rare celestial phenomenon with rejuvenating properties.
46A void zone, a region of absolute nothingness that can erase anything from existence.
51An astral fortress, home to a powerful psychic entity that may be hostile or benevolent.
52A singularity point, where the laws of physics and magic behave unpredictably.
53A group of astral nomads, willing to exchange stories and guidance for supplies.
54A cosmic observatory, run by an eccentric seer who can offer glimpses into possible futures.
55A wandering black hole, a mobile hazard that can trap and compress anything in its path.
56A field of crystalline structures that resonate with harmonious, mind-calming tones.
61A bizarre, gravity-defying maze constructed by an unknown ancient civilization.
62An ethereal serpent, massive in size and capable of devouring astral forms whole.
63A cosmic garden of otherworldly flora, some with healing properties and others with toxic effects.
64A congregation of lost souls forming a temporary settlement, seeking help to move on.
65An astral anomaly that reverses magical effects within its vicinity.
66The manifestation of a powerful cosmic entity, offering knowledge in exchange for a service.

Closing thoughts on these astral plane encounters

I hope that these squadrons of Valkyries, astral bazaars and Githyanki pirates will add a good dose of astral flavor to your game, and that you and your players will have a great time exploring the astral plane of your world!

If you like this table, don’t forget to check out our D66 Desert encounters, 10 Lightning themed magic items and of course, our massive guide to Improvising as a DM.

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