One of the best ways to build fear is to let the players die to the adversary as a one shot. I recently announced we’d be playing a one-shot and had the players play a group of city watchmen, who all died brutally. Next session I had the players arrive in that same town, and hear rumours about missing watchmen. When they were hired to look into the watchmen they already knew they were out of their depth and what they were up against was scary.
I did a one shot where I got our min-maxer player to be the big bad monster. He was brutal. The other players were totally frustrated and didn't like it. Little do they know they are going to meet that monster later & they now know what to expect. He He.
The introduction of Baron in Fantasy High Sophmore Year is one of my favorites in all of Dimension 20. A great example of changing up the genre to make a very scary scene.
Maybe you'll boil me in oil for this, but... Sometimes to scare the players you have to put roleplay aside. Yep, that's right. Imagine this scene: your party marches through abandoned city, when suddenly they saw two figures in the distance. Both are armed and arguing about something, when one of them finally snaps and with one fast strike decapitates his opponent. Maybe this would scare PC's, but not the players, they will most likely rush on, to beat the shit out of him. What's the right description of this scene? "One of them finally snaps and with one fast strike decapitates his opponent, dealing 109 piercing and 49 necrotic damage". THIS is the moment when not only characters, but players shit themselves. Especially if they're like lvl 3 or 5
My best scary DM moment is when I was leading my players up to a very intense location my players were going to. I found the perfect suspenseful music on RUclips... Everyone was dead silent, my DM (who is a player in my game) said he was actually getting goosebumps which was a real notch in the belt for me. Slowly I explain the area they're walking into, the sense of dread, the stone giant carving in the surrounding walls, the sense that they're being watched, the "I''M AN ATTORNEY AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT VAGUE LAWS ARE PROBLEMATIC" ... my perfect RUclips music decided to launch an ad mid sentence and our suspenseful moment turned into fits of laughter and "ok well, anyway, you're at the Stone Giant fortress"
I always forget that the Bag Man is an official D&D monster from 2021 and *not* just someone's Reddit post about turning the Kidnappers/Snatchers from Bloodborne into a D&D monster...
Nice work. Would be aawesome if you could do a breakdown of what worked in shows like LOST and what happened to make it/them fail. What made them exciting, what made them scary etc. And how it could be translated into a D&D-game.
Sailormoon's Moonlight Densetsu. Sailormoon has been around forever and that song has existed in some form or another. I'm surprised it got overlooked for a lot of current anime songs
First of all, great content. You do an amazing job and I watch practically all of your videos. I don't even play DnD, but I still use your suggestions all the time for my own ttrpg. One thing I've been dying to see you do though is branch out a little and talk about other GM's. It seems like you talk about the same three DMs every episode, And there are so many other great RPG channels out there and content for you to use as examples. This is nothing against Matt Mercer or Brendan Lee Mulligan, because they're really good too. I just really can't relate to the table full of voice actors thing. It's actually my LEAST favorite thing about those groups. To be honest, there are times where it feels like watching them is watching a table full of people with main character syndrome. But anyway .. At some point maybe you can talk about other DMs and use other examples? I know that those names get clicks and that's what it's all about. But I feel like involving some others and branching out would really add to your content. So just something for the request list! Regardless, keep making great videos. I love your content and hope to keep watching long into the future!
One of my favorite scary monsters is the tsochar. They force themselves in to a creature and give them telepathic instructions without actually mind controlling them, because they can just wriggle to do damage if the character doesn't listen. AMAZING for a horror session
It took us a year to figure out about the bagman after it was introduced near the beginning of the game; but to be fair it was a random bag of holding that we only interacted with 3 times. the more we did the more the hand would present itself; caressing my buddys hand and arm. He called it handy andy for the longest. as soona s we figured outt hat this thing might grab and whisk us into the sack we were like..." FUCK THAT". Never snuck out but its a think that was with us for a while
my favorite scary moment was related to a 3-shot i did, using the Electrum Archive system - to be concise, they were tasked in figuring out what was going on with what was being called "Specimen 27", deep within the bowels of an old (but still functional) store, and they slowly carved their way through secret passages until they found a room with simply a medical table, old water damaged cabinets, and what appeared to be an odd pattern on the floor and walls, which all head to the table. when they made their way towards it, they realized there was a person who was essentially melted to the table, and that pattern was essentially an extention of its body. and then it spoke, in a plain tone very casually about how it wants to assimilate all beings and create a new universe. they then found logs (as he spoke) of the previous 26 people who came down here, and then they realized - specimen 27 is simply the 27th iteration of what's essentially a being that absorbs human life. to watch my players have chills as they realize what they had to deal with, first session, as the flesh that is near the entrance closes it off and it spoke candidly about how humans were fickle, and how the hivemind can essentially outlive any mortal outcome.
Also, there are a lot of ways you can knock down objects and make loud noises, using smart home devices, or even something simple as a remote controlled car toy, or even pulling a string if you are crafty enough. If you can make it look less obvious it was you, by making sure you don’t give it away with your movement or timing, even better.
I think a problem with D&D specifically when it comes to horror is that D&D fundamentally tries to play into a power fantasy... the characters are strong, capable, well armed with a lot of resources at their disposal. This doesn't make it impossible to play a horror game, but does make it harder... compare to something like Call of Cthulhu where the PCs are basically just regular people and most of the enemies are extremely powerful. Low level parties will almost always work better for this. Making the party feel vulnerable in general can really ramp up the tension. Forcibly splitting the party can help a lot. One horror themed game that I played that worked pretty well involved an inn where there was an Elder Oblex that lived in the cellar beneath it, who had its mycelium tentacles coming up through the walls and floor, which it used to puppeteer the entire staff of the inn. During the night, the Oblex would try to steal the party members' memories, then started impersonating them as well. When players met and starting talking with each other, sometimes they would actually be playing as the Oblex impersonating them, sometimes as themselves.
One of the best ways to build fear is to let the players die to the adversary as a one shot.
I recently announced we’d be playing a one-shot and had the players play a group of city watchmen, who all died brutally.
Next session I had the players arrive in that same town, and hear rumours about missing watchmen. When they were hired to look into the watchmen they already knew they were out of their depth and what they were up against was scary.
I did a one shot where I got our min-maxer player to be the big bad monster. He was brutal.
The other players were totally frustrated and didn't like it. Little do they know they are going to meet that monster later & they now know what to expect. He He.
2:52 i definitely stood up from my chair, checked my front door, realized that knock wasnt from the door and came back and finished the video
The introduction of Baron in Fantasy High Sophmore Year is one of my favorites in all of Dimension 20. A great example of changing up the genre to make a very scary scene.
Maybe you'll boil me in oil for this, but... Sometimes to scare the players you have to put roleplay aside. Yep, that's right. Imagine this scene: your party marches through abandoned city, when suddenly they saw two figures in the distance. Both are armed and arguing about something, when one of them finally snaps and with one fast strike decapitates his opponent. Maybe this would scare PC's, but not the players, they will most likely rush on, to beat the shit out of him. What's the right description of this scene? "One of them finally snaps and with one fast strike decapitates his opponent, dealing 109 piercing and 49 necrotic damage". THIS is the moment when not only characters, but players shit themselves. Especially if they're like lvl 3 or 5
My best scary DM moment is when I was leading my players up to a very intense location my players were going to. I found the perfect suspenseful music on RUclips... Everyone was dead silent, my DM (who is a player in my game) said he was actually getting goosebumps which was a real notch in the belt for me.
Slowly I explain the area they're walking into, the sense of dread, the stone giant carving in the surrounding walls, the sense that they're being watched, the "I''M AN ATTORNEY AND I CAN TELL YOU THAT VAGUE LAWS ARE PROBLEMATIC"
... my perfect RUclips music decided to launch an ad mid sentence and our suspenseful moment turned into fits of laughter and "ok well, anyway, you're at the Stone Giant fortress"
I always forget that the Bag Man is an official D&D monster from 2021 and *not* just someone's Reddit post about turning the Kidnappers/Snatchers from Bloodborne into a D&D monster...
This was probably the best produced/edited video you've done yet! You had my full attention. WHAT'S BEHIND THAT DOOR????
Plenty of good advice! I also find it’s easier to scare them in the regular campaign than in a one shot!
Great to see you back!
Nice work. Would be aawesome if you could do a breakdown of what worked in shows like LOST and what happened to make it/them fail. What made them exciting, what made them scary etc. And how it could be translated into a D&D-game.
I’ve been looking for a video like this ❤❤
Great video on one of my favorite TTRPG subjects. Also, fantastic editing!
Sailormoon's Moonlight Densetsu. Sailormoon has been around forever and that song has existed in some form or another. I'm surprised it got overlooked for a lot of current anime songs
When you rewatch all of lost in order it all makes sense
Am I too deep into CR brainrot that I know the thumbnail is the "they were just putting on make-up, I just have to clarify that" face
First of all, great content. You do an amazing job and I watch practically all of your videos. I don't even play DnD, but I still use your suggestions all the time for my own ttrpg.
One thing I've been dying to see you do though is branch out a little and talk about other GM's. It seems like you talk about the same three DMs every episode, And there are so many other great RPG channels out there and content for you to use as examples. This is nothing against Matt Mercer or Brendan Lee Mulligan, because they're really good too. I just really can't relate to the table full of voice actors thing. It's actually my LEAST favorite thing about those groups. To be honest, there are times where it feels like watching them is watching a table full of people with main character syndrome.
But anyway .. At some point maybe you can talk about other DMs and use other examples?
I know that those names get clicks and that's what it's all about. But I feel like involving some others and branching out would really add to your content. So just something for the request list!
Regardless, keep making great videos. I love your content and hope to keep watching long into the future!
great vid!
One of my favorite scary monsters is the tsochar. They force themselves in to a creature and give them telepathic instructions without actually mind controlling them, because they can just wriggle to do damage if the character doesn't listen. AMAZING for a horror session
It took us a year to figure out about the bagman after it was introduced near the beginning of the game; but to be fair it was a random bag of holding that we only interacted with 3 times. the more we did the more the hand would present itself; caressing my buddys hand and arm. He called it handy andy for the longest. as soona s we figured outt hat this thing might grab and whisk us into the sack we were like..." FUCK THAT". Never snuck out but its a think that was with us for a while
my favorite scary moment was related to a 3-shot i did, using the Electrum Archive system - to be concise, they were tasked in figuring out what was going on with what was being called "Specimen 27", deep within the bowels of an old (but still functional) store, and they slowly carved their way through secret passages until they found a room with simply a medical table, old water damaged cabinets, and what appeared to be an odd pattern on the floor and walls, which all head to the table. when they made their way towards it, they realized there was a person who was essentially melted to the table, and that pattern was essentially an extention of its body. and then it spoke, in a plain tone very casually about how it wants to assimilate all beings and create a new universe. they then found logs (as he spoke) of the previous 26 people who came down here, and then they realized - specimen 27 is simply the 27th iteration of what's essentially a being that absorbs human life. to watch my players have chills as they realize what they had to deal with, first session, as the flesh that is near the entrance closes it off and it spoke candidly about how humans were fickle, and how the hivemind can essentially outlive any mortal outcome.
Also, there are a lot of ways you can knock down objects and make loud noises, using smart home devices, or even something simple as a remote controlled car toy, or even pulling a string if you are crafty enough.
If you can make it look less obvious it was you, by making sure you don’t give it away with your movement or timing, even better.
Kinda funny the ad after you closed the door started with someone opening a door.
Your script, filming, editing, and acting is top tier! Thanks for the jolly vibes and quality info. 💙🤘
Is everyone on a Lost kick right now??? Is there something in the Millenial water? (I’m rewatching it rn too for the first time since release 😅)
Theres definitely something going around!
7:30 or the Rick Perry.
This takes a lot of player buy-in. They know it's a game and are playing along. It can make for a fun game though.
From where is your accent? I'm new on the channel
I think a problem with D&D specifically when it comes to horror is that D&D fundamentally tries to play into a power fantasy... the characters are strong, capable, well armed with a lot of resources at their disposal. This doesn't make it impossible to play a horror game, but does make it harder... compare to something like Call of Cthulhu where the PCs are basically just regular people and most of the enemies are extremely powerful. Low level parties will almost always work better for this.
Making the party feel vulnerable in general can really ramp up the tension. Forcibly splitting the party can help a lot.
One horror themed game that I played that worked pretty well involved an inn where there was an Elder Oblex that lived in the cellar beneath it, who had its mycelium tentacles coming up through the walls and floor, which it used to puppeteer the entire staff of the inn. During the night, the Oblex would try to steal the party members' memories, then started impersonating them as well. When players met and starting talking with each other, sometimes they would actually be playing as the Oblex impersonating them, sometimes as themselves.
To scare players all I do is roll a random d6. That’s all it takes at my tables.
No pvp