4 TIPS FOR HAVING CONSEQUENCES IN A D&D ONE SHOT

Brothers and Sisters,

Unlike the multi-session campaign whose stakes are more easily incorporated and communicated to the players, a one shot poses a unique challenge- How do you enforce consequences {the things that make an adventure exciting instead of boring} without torpedoing an adventure meant to fill a single night with fun for the whole table?

Well I've got 1d4 tips to do exactly that.

Let us pray.

I. TO MAINTAIN THE STAKES...

1;1 {Critical Question} Ask yourself, "What do the characters stand to lose in this adventure?" and know that the answer {especially in a one shot} doesn't have to be their lives {maybe its the lives of the NPCs they're escorting through a desert or some of the treasure horde they've piled up on their flying carpet as they flee the dragon's lair}.

1;2 {Failed Checks} Utilize the oh-so-common failed Skill Check to enforce an immediate, minor consequence that has lasting impacts on the remainder of the session {each failed Survival check to navigate the sands increases the number of Purple Wyrms hunting the party's caravan, or each failed Acrobatics check to steer the flying carpet sees 1d10% of the stolen ragon horde spill over its sides and litter the cavern floor far below}.

1;3 {Timers} Incorporate the revered Timer mechanic into the one shot, giving the characters only 1d4 rounds to overcome a challenge before a negative consequence is enforced {failing to escape the sand pit in time sees 1d12 of their NPC caravan members devoured by a purple wyrm, or failing to quickly dispatch a kobold patrol might see the dragon awoken from their slumber}!

1;4 {Final Roll} Leave the fate of the characters and their quest up to a single/group roll in the final moments of the one shot for a truly dramatic finale whose outcome won't have detracting impacts on a long-term campaign and might even lead into the next one shot {failing to reach the oasis city's gates in a desperate last sprint might see the entire party devoured by the pursuing Purple Wym and trapped within their intestinal track, or failing to outpace the dragon's fiery breath in the final stretch might see one or more of the party members tragically reduced to ash mere inches before escaping the lair}.

Hope this helps you crank up the tension in your next one shot, and please share any tips of your own in the comments!

xoxo,

Landon "Father Doom" Guss

{p.s.} If you got value out of this blog post, considering indoctrinating yourself into the church's Patreon where every Sunday I upload a week's worth of homebrew materials used in my ongoing StartPlaying campaigns!