In 2024, the latest Dungeon Master’s Guide introduced new resources that significantly simplify hosting Dungeons & Dragons games. However, the hefty size of the book can be overwhelming for newcomers. Crafting an original adventure combines the skills of a storyteller with the quick thinking and social abilities of a Dungeon Master (DM).
Some aspects of this experience may be challenging to prepare for, and you might not recognize what needs attention until you’ve faced it at least once. This challenge is amplified when you’re designing original content in place of a pre-made module. Here are some helpful insights for creating captivating adventures.
Understand Your Players First
A successful adventure should resonate with your players and their characters. This requires you to gain insight into their expectations and desires before moving past the initial draft.
Using a player motivations tracker sheet can be a beneficial starting point. It focuses on what players aim to achieve from the game and fosters excitement. Leverage this tool to pinpoint narrative and mechanical elements that will engage your players.
Another handy tool is the game expectations tracker. This not only helps you understand players’ limits but also clarifies the themes they want to explore, as well as the expectations they have for you and other players.
If you’re running a public game where you can’t connect with players in advance, prepare an elevator pitch that summarizes the game’s allure and your intended style. Be transparent about any potentially sensitive topics that may arise during gameplay.
Select a Setting That Enhances Your Adventure
Dungeons & Dragons features a vast multiverse, allowing stories to unfold in dramatically different settings, each facilitating unique narratives.
The Dungeon Master’s Guide provides ample notes on commonly used settings, especially Greyhawk. While these can serve as a solid foundation, don’t hesitate to explore other sources or deviate from the norm if your adventure calls for a different fantasy direction.
- For a series of adventures in varied locations, Spelljammer supports a travel-themed adventure across disconnected worlds.
- Eberron fits well into a steampunk-like narrative, emphasizing conflicts driven by magical and technological advancements.
- The Forgotten Realms is the default setting with classes, magical items, and deities that work best without additional effort.
On a more localized level, consider relevant locations. Utilizing location sheets can guide you, even during improvisational moments. Often, a defining characteristic, a local leader, and a current crisis are enough to create a cohesive location for players to explore.
Define the Scope of Your Adventure
A well-crafted adventure can function independently or easily weave into a larger campaign, depending on your players’ responses and your intentions. It’s crucial to determine the adventure’s scope early on and decide if you want to extend the story beyond the current narrative.
- If you plan to continue the tale, leave room for growth by leaving questions unanswered, even if you know the answers yourself.
- If the game is a standalone experience, devise a way to ensure the conclusion is satisfying. If the characters won’t be revisited, think of methods to provide a sense of closure in their stories.
Pick a Conflict
All adventures incorporate themes related to their setting and characters. You don’t need to delve into complex moral quandaries or political intrigues; even straightforward quests, like slaying a dragon, can have clear motives.
Utilizing a conflict tracker can help clarify the stakes. Will your players be up against an established faction, the forces of nature, or facing foes tied to their own history? An adventure can include multiple conflicts that influence each other, such as racing against a rival group of adventurers to defeat a dragon.
Plan Your Treasure
The new magic item tracker in the guide allows for simplified management of loot distribution. However, it’s still wise to plan how to distribute items gradually. The tracker operates in four level bands, but avoid overwhelming your party with multiple magic items upon reaching level four.
Consider integrating magic items into the natural flow of exploration. A magic sword can be claimed from a defeated foe, or new students at Strixhaven could be presented with enchanted plush mascots.
Remember to be somewhat generous with loot, as not all players will explore every nook and cranny. Track items as they appear and adjust dynamically if players display unexpected curiosity.
Map Out Encounters
The Dungeon Master’s Guide suggests the average group can tackle three tasks per hour, including social interactions, puzzles, or simple combat scenarios. This guideline can inform how much content you should prepare according to your game time.
Including flexibility in your encounter planning is essential. Players might bypass a planned encounter or struggle with a puzzle you anticipated they’d solve quickly. The guide categorizes encounters into "certain," "likely," and "unlikely," based on how often they may occur.
You can also classify encounters as fixed, modular, or optional based on how you employ them during the session.
Here’s a guideline for a three-hour game session:
- Fixed Encounters: 2-3 encounters (these should be carefully prepared and are likely pivotal to the story).
- Modular Encounters: 3-5 encounters (these can be inserted at various points and are adaptable).
- Optional Encounters: Around 3 (these enhance player experience but can be omitted without affecting the main story).
In conclusion, make sure to prioritize your time when preparing encounters. Flesh out the fixed encounters thoroughly, and create succinct notes for modular and optional encounters to allow for improvisation as needed. Most sessions typically allow for one significant combat encounter and one or two minor skirmishes.
