diff --git a/src/d_dehacked.cpp b/src/d_dehacked.cpp
index 49e8211785..4239ae3d3b 100644
--- a/src/d_dehacked.cpp
+++ b/src/d_dehacked.cpp
@@ -1353,7 +1353,7 @@ static int PatchFrame (int frameNum)
 
 		if (keylen == 8 && stricmp (Line1, "Duration") == 0)
 		{
-			tics = clamp (val, -1, 65534);
+			tics = clamp (val, -1, SHRT_MAX);
 		}
 		else if (keylen == 9 && stricmp (Line1, "Unknown 1") == 0)
 		{
diff --git a/src/info.cpp b/src/info.cpp
index 69476d2903..4d3225344e 100644
--- a/src/info.cpp
+++ b/src/info.cpp
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ extern void LoadActors ();
 extern void InitBotStuff();
 extern void ClearStrifeTypes();
 
+FRandom FState::pr_statetics;
+
 //==========================================================================
 //
 //
diff --git a/src/info.h b/src/info.h
index c2962512d7..87e623814d 100644
--- a/src/info.h
+++ b/src/info.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include "doomdef.h"
 
 #include "m_fixed.h"
+#include "m_random.h"
 
 struct Baggage;
 class FScanner;
@@ -61,18 +62,19 @@ enum
 
 struct FState
 {
+	FState		*NextState;
+	actionf_p	ActionFunc;
 	WORD		sprite;
 	SWORD		Tics;
-	int			Misc1;			// Was changed to SBYTE, reverted to long for MBF compat
-	int			Misc2;			// Was changed to BYTE, reverted to long for MBF compat
+	WORD		TicRange;
 	BYTE		Frame;
 	BYTE		DefineFlags;	// Unused byte so let's use it during state creation.
+	int			Misc1;			// Was changed to SBYTE, reverted to long for MBF compat
+	int			Misc2;			// Was changed to BYTE, reverted to long for MBF compat
 	short		Light;
 	BYTE		Fullbright:1;	// State is fullbright
 	BYTE		SameFrame:1;	// Ignore Frame (except when spawning actor)
 	BYTE		Fast:1;
-	FState		*NextState;
-	actionf_p	ActionFunc;
 	int			ParameterIndex;
 
 	inline int GetFrame() const
@@ -89,7 +91,11 @@ struct FState
 	}
 	inline int GetTics() const
 	{
-		return Tics;
+		if (TicRange == 0)
+		{
+			return Tics;
+		}
+		return Tics + pr_statetics.GenRand32() % (TicRange + 1);
 	}
 	inline int GetMisc1() const
 	{
@@ -134,6 +140,7 @@ struct FState
 	}
 	static const PClass *StaticFindStateOwner (const FState *state);
 	static const PClass *StaticFindStateOwner (const FState *state, const FActorInfo *info);
+	static FRandom pr_statetics;
 };
 
 struct FStateLabels;
diff --git a/src/thingdef/olddecorations.cpp b/src/thingdef/olddecorations.cpp
index 421ff1e888..d4db28e96e 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/olddecorations.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/olddecorations.cpp
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ void ParseOldDecoration(FScanner &sc, EDefinitionType def)
 	if (info->NumOwnedStates == 1)
 	{
 		info->OwnedStates->Tics = -1;
+		info->OwnedStates->TicRange = 0;
 		info->OwnedStates->Misc1 = 0;
 	}
 	else
@@ -226,6 +227,7 @@ void ParseOldDecoration(FScanner &sc, EDefinitionType def)
 			else
 			{
 				info->OwnedStates[i].Tics = -1;
+				info->OwnedStates[i].TicRange = 0;
 				info->OwnedStates[i].Misc1 = 0;
 			}
 
@@ -273,6 +275,7 @@ void ParseOldDecoration(FScanner &sc, EDefinitionType def)
 			else
 			{
 				info->OwnedStates[i].Tics = -1;
+				info->OwnedStates[i].TicRange = 0;
 				info->OwnedStates[i].Misc1 = 0;
 			}
 
@@ -307,12 +310,14 @@ void ParseOldDecoration(FScanner &sc, EDefinitionType def)
 			}
 			info->OwnedStates[i].NextState = &info->OwnedStates[info->NumOwnedStates-1];
 			info->OwnedStates[i].Tics = 5;
+			info->OwnedStates[i].TicRange = 0;
 			info->OwnedStates[i].Misc1 = 0;
 			info->OwnedStates[i].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_FreezeDeath"));
 
 			i = info->NumOwnedStates - 1;
 			info->OwnedStates[i].NextState = &info->OwnedStates[i];
 			info->OwnedStates[i].Tics = 1;
+			info->OwnedStates[i].TicRange = 0;
 			info->OwnedStates[i].Misc1 = 0;
 			info->OwnedStates[i].SetAction(FindGlobalActionFunction("A_FreezeDeathChunks"));
 			bag.statedef.SetStateLabel("Ice", &info->OwnedStates[extra.IceDeathStart]);
@@ -671,6 +676,7 @@ static void ParseSpriteFrames (FActorInfo *info, TArray<FState> &states, FScanne
 		}
 
 		state.Tics = rate;
+		state.TicRange = 0;
 
 		while (*token)
 		{
diff --git a/src/thingdef/thingdef_states.cpp b/src/thingdef/thingdef_states.cpp
index 31d49db5d0..5c2d81602b 100644
--- a/src/thingdef/thingdef_states.cpp
+++ b/src/thingdef/thingdef_states.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 #include "colormatcher.h"
 #include "thingdef_exp.h"
 #include "version.h"
+#include "templates.h"
 
 //==========================================================================
 //***
@@ -237,8 +238,30 @@ do_stop:
 			sc.MustGetString();
 			statestring = sc.String;
 
-			sc.MustGetNumber();
-			state.Tics = clamp<int>(sc.Number, -1, 32767);
+			if (sc.CheckString("RANDOM"))
+			{
+				int min, max;
+
+				sc.MustGetStringName("(");
+				sc.MustGetNumber();
+				min = clamp<int>(sc.Number, -1, SHRT_MAX);
+				sc.MustGetStringName(",");
+				sc.MustGetNumber();
+				max = clamp<int>(sc.Number, -1, SHRT_MAX);
+				sc.MustGetStringName(")");
+				if (min > max)
+				{
+					swapvalues(min, max);
+				}
+				state.Tics = min;
+				state.TicRange = max - min;
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				sc.MustGetNumber();
+				state.Tics = clamp<int>(sc.Number, -1, SHRT_MAX);
+				state.TicRange = 0;
+			}
 
 			while (sc.GetString() && !sc.Crossed)
 			{