D&D: 15 Epic Quest Ideas For A Fun Campaign

D&D Quest Campaign Ideas
Every spellcaster's worst nightmare, having their fireball countered!


15. The Beastmaster's Challenge

Wizards of Coast: Garruk Relentless by Grzegorz Rutkowski

Are you brave enough to answer the Beastmaster’s challenge?

The Beastmaster’s Challenge is a 3rd-level quest that sees your players meeting with a renowned Beastmaster who resides outside a town/village/city and seeks new apprentices.

The party will undergo a series of challenges to tame and command different creatures. 

Challenges: Members of the party will need to succeed on various Animal Handling checks to tame the different creatures.

2x Bears: CR 1

1x Dire Wolf: CR 1

1X Purple Worm, Hatchling: CR 3

Why you should add this quest to your campaign: 

  • 1. It allows the party to tame different wild animals and keep them as pets. 
  • 2. At Level 3, the PC’s will have obtained their subclasses which opens up more options for them when dealing with the quest. 
  • 3. It shows newer players that there are different ways to solve an encounter such as taming an animal. 
  • 4. By becoming apprentices to The Beastmaster it allows the party to form early ties with a notable NPC. 

 

14. The Alchemist's Concoction 

Wizards of the Coast: Clone Crafter by Lie Setiawan

Local Alchemist seeks rare ingredigents. 

The Alchemist’s Concoction is a 5th-level quest that has your players working with an apprentice alchemist who needs the PC’s help to be promoted to a certified alchemist. 

The apprentice alchemist asks the PC’s to go out and find rare ingredients that they can use on their upcoming alchemy test.

Challenges: The party will mostly be dealing with Arcana, Perception, Survival, and Investigation checks along with some challenging encounters. 

1x Basilisk: CR 3

2x Owlbear: CR 3

1x Bulette: CR 5

Why you should add this quest to your campaign: 

  • 1. The quest lets characters with a higher intelligence stat shine while also letting characters that are more geared for combat shine during the encounter(s). 
  • 2. If the party faces all the monsters in one encounter, it will show the importance of the action economy to the players. 
  • 3. Depending on how the encounter(s) is/are spaced out it can either be an easy quest or a quest that poses a challenge to your players.

 

13. To Find an Heir

Wizards of the Coast: Stromkirk Noble by James Ryman

An heir has gone missing, can your players find them in time?

To Find an Heir is a quest best done by a party of 3rd-level adventurers. The heir/heiress to a powerful noble family has gone missing and the party has been hired to try and find them. 

Challenges: This quest is meant to show off more of the party’s detective skills and will mostly rely on Investigation, Perception, Persuasion, Insight, and Arcana skill checks.

The quest will take the PC’s around a large town/city searching for clues to the disappearance of the heir/heiress.

4x Cultist: Challenge Rating 1/8th

2x Cult Fanatic: Challenge Rating 2

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. If you created your town/city, this quest allows you to show it off due to the PC’s needing to gather clues in the city.
  • 2. While the quest does feature combat it’s more meant to let the players feel like detectives with tracking down clues and questioning suspects.
  • 3. If your campaign has your players fighting cultists, this quest can slot in nicely and show off the cult’s influence by being able to kidnap an heir/heiress. 

 

12. A Red Dragon's Prized Possession

Wizards of the Coast: Lathliss, Dragon Queen by Alex Konstad

Are you players brave enough to face a dragon? 

The Dragon’s Hoard is a 14th-level quest that sees a party of four adventurers asked to retrieve a magic artifact that an adult red dragon has stolen.

Challenges: Stealth and Sleight-of-Hand checks will be the main checks here as your players attempt to infiltrate a red dragon’s lair to find a magical artifact.

The magical artifact will be hidden atop the red dragon’s hoard and they can either try and stealth their way through the quest or take their chances and fight the dragon.

1x Adult Red Dragon: Potentially: Challenge Rating 17

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It allows the stealthier players in your game to shine if the party wants to try and avoid the dragon.
  • 2. The red dragon’s treasure hoard can be a fun way to reward your players with higher-level magic items or just a decent amount of gold.
  • 3. It gives your players the freedom to avoid the dragon and stealth their way to victory or take their chances and fight an adult red dragon. 

 

11. The Rogue Wizard 

Wizards of the Coast: Snapcaster Mage by Ryan Alexander Lee

Will the party defeat the Necromancer or become her undead servants? 

The Rogue Wizard is a 12th-level quest that will task your players with hunting down and defeating a necromancer wizard going out at night and stealing body parts from a city’s 3 cemeteries.

Challenges: The players will need to investigate each cemetery to figure out which body part the necromancer is missing and which cemetery the necromancer will most likely go to next.

1x Archmage: Challenge Rating 12

1x Mage: Challenge Rating 6

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It tests the party against an Archmage and their apprentice.
  • 2. It gives your players a fun mystery to solve.
  • 3. It can be used to introduce plot hooks for further adventures such as other apprentices seeking revenge and/or an organization interested in the wizard’s research.

 

10. An Incursion into the Feywild

Wizards of the Coast: Gallia of the Endless Dance by Johannes Voss

Always be wary when meeting with the Fey.

An incursion into the Feywild is an 11th-level quest that sees the PC’s receive news of strange occurrences in a nearby forest with a grove of druids that live in said forest and ask the party to investigate the occurrences.

Challenges: The players will encounter talking animals, gravity-defying streams, and enchanting music they’ll need to save against or be charmed by.

The boundaries between the Feywild and the material plane are weakening and wild mage surges are common in the weakened and chaotic area.

The players will need to seek out and find a sphinx that has a ritual to strengthen the boundaries in the affected area.

The sphinx will challenge the party with a total of riddles equal to the number of players in the party.

1x Sphinx: Challenge Rating 11

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It takes your players to the Feywild which could lead to some fun and interesting RP opportunities.
  • 2. Your players will need to test their knowledge against the Sphinx’s riddles.
  • 3. If the PC’s succeed they’ll earn a positive reputation with the Druid Grove and could potentially visit again for other quests and/or help with quests.

 

9. The Artificer’s Request 

Wizards of the Coast: Urza, Lord High Artificer by Grzegorz Rutkowski

Artificers are like wizards, but with guns.

The Artificer’s Request is a 9th-level quest that sees the PC’s summoned by a renowned artificer who resides in a bustling city known for its inventors and engineers. The artificer is demoing their newest invention in a day but has run into some challenges and setbacks and needs the party to help solve them.

Challenges: The Artificer will provide the party with all their notes, sketches, and prototypes.

If the players want they can look for clues and/or gather information on what’s causing the setbacks.

The artificer will tell the players they need some rare and exotic components, some of which are guarded by deadly monsters or hidden in remote locations.

1x Drider: Challenge Rating 6

1x Young Brass Dragon: Challenge Rating 6

1x Aboleth: Challenge Rating 10

Why you should add the quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It allows the party to meet with a renowned and powerful artificer in your world.
  • 2. With the players needing to venture to different locations, it could easily be tied into your main campaign.
  • 3. If the players succeed and help the artificer the artificer will reward each of them with a past invention tailored to their class. 

 

8. The Elemental Trials 

Wizards of the Coast: Air Elemental by Kev Walker

Do you have what it takes to pass the Elemental Trials?

The Elemental Trials is a 5th-level quest that sees your players having to complete the elemental trials of Earth, Air, Fire, and Water. The players have been tasked by the elementals to complete the trials to prove they’re worthy enough to gain entrance to an elemental temple.

Challenges: The party will face four separate trials with the passing of each trial leading them even further into the temple.

Each trial will be overseen by an elemental guardian and if a trial is failed the guardian overseeing it will attack the party.

If the party falls to the guardians they’ll be teleported outside the temple and will need to find another way to get the magic item.

The trials will be a series of puzzles with the party having to use the elements to solve them.

While inside the temple the party won’t be allowed to long rest.

Potentially:

1x Air Elemental: Challenge Rating 5

1x Fire Elemental: Challenge Rating 5

1x Earth Elemental: Challenge Rating 5

1x Water Elemental: Challenge Rating 5

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It’s a puzzle-heavy quest that will test your player's puzzle-solving skills.
  • 2. It will test how your players can deal with not being able to take a long rest for an extended length of time.
  • 3. If the PC’s succeed the spellcasters in the group will be taught 1 new spell of their choice that’s Water, Air, Fire, or Earth-based with melee PC’s having their weapons infused with the chosen element.

 

7. The Plague of Undead

Wizards of the Coast: Zombie Token by Craig J Spearing 

This village is full of undead evil residents.

The Undead Plague is a 6th-level quest that sees your players having to deal with a village full of the undead. As the players are resting in a small town/village, the undead will rise and begin attacking everyone in the town. The local authorities will plead with the PC’s to help them take care of the undead threat.

Challenges: The players will need to deal with 3 waves of the undead with 6 zombies in each wave. Once the last wave is dealt with the zombies will retreat and the players will be tasked with finding out what caused the undead to rise.

The players will need to investigate different locations and interrogate people as to why the undead rose.

The players discover a cryptic clue or artifact related to the outbreak, such as a riddle, a strange symbol, or a journal entry from a mysterious figure.

The players will discover that a group of Necromancers are testing their spells on this small town/village and need to be stopped.

4x Mage(Necromancer): Challenge Rating 6

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1.It’s a self-contained quest that, depending on how fast the PC’s gather clues and are good at combat, can be completed in 1-2 sessions.
  • 2. If the PC’s save the town they’ll be gladly welcomed back and allowed to rest in the inn for free on any future visits. It can also be used to spread the word of the party’s actions for future plot hooks.
  • 3. It’s a perfect quest to run in October for a spooky session. 

 

6. The Assassin's Guild 

Wizards of the Coast: Assassin's Strike by Chase Stone 

Can your players outwit the Assassin's Guild?

The Assassin’s Guild is a 13th-level quest that sees the PC’s trying to foil the plans of a local assassin’s guild within a city.

Challenges: A local authority, a crime lord, or a concerned citizen approaches them with information about a shadowy organization known as the Assassin's Guild.

The players investigate the recent murders, gather clues, and speak with witnesses to learn more about the victims and the possible motivations behind the killings.

They uncover hints that point to the involvement of the Assassin's Guild.

If the players decide to infiltrate the Assassin's Guild to gather more information. They may need to establish trust with a contact or pose as potential recruits.

The players can either take on the Assassin’s Guild, try and silently take care of its leader, reveal the guild’s location to the authorities, or even work for them.

Potentially:

1x Assassin’s Guild Leader: Challenge Rating 8

5x Assassin: Challenge Rating 8

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It allows the players total freedom in how they wanna deal with the assassin’s guild.
  • 2. Depending on how the party plays it out it can be a heavy combat session, cloak-and-dagger session, heavy RP session, or a combination of all three.
  • 3. You can introduce hooks for future adventures, such as the discovery of a rival assassin organization seeking revenge or a new criminal element attempting to fill the void left by the Assassin's Guild.

 

5. Curse of the White Wyrm

Wizards of the Coast: White Dragon by Billy Christian 

Be careful not to catch a cold when facing this dragon.

Curse of the White Wyrm is a 16th-level quest that sees the party having to face off against an Ancient White Dragon. The players hear rumors of a small village besieged by strange and deadly blizzards. Desperate pleas for help have gone unanswered, and a curse is said to be responsible.

Challenges: The players consult with local sages, druids, or wise individuals who share information about the white dragon and suggest seeking the aid of a powerful ally or artifact to confront it.

They may be directed to an ancient library, a hidden shrine, or a reclusive hermit for guidance.

The players locate the lair of the white dragon, which could be a frozen cave deep within the mountains.

Inside, they face harsh environmental hazards and deadly traps.

1x Ancient White Dragon: Challenge Rating 20.

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. You get to throw an ancient white dragon at your players.
  • 2. If Tiamat is the main big bad in your campaign this could be used as a main quest for the players to get closer to Tiamat.
  • 3. Can be coupled with the Red Dragon quest from earlier for some dragon-centric side-quests or as part of the main campaign. 

 

4. A Vampire Hunter's Dilemma 

Wizards of the Coast: Vampire Slayer by Tomas Duchek

Help a slayer kill some vampires.

A Vampire Hunter’s Dilemma is a 13th-level quest that sees the players approached by a famous vampire hunter who seeks the party’s assistance. They learn that a powerful vampire lord and their coven have established a presence in the region, terrorizing the populace, and the vampire hunter needs their help to track down and eliminate this menace.

Challenges: The players will need to track the vampire’s activities and interrogate the vampire’s victims.

The players will fight in the lair of the vampire and have to deal with traps that have been set to protect the lair.

1x Vampire: Challenge Rating 13

4x Vampire Spawn: Challenge Rating 5

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It allows for a fun gothic setting with classic gothic monsters.
  • 2. Depending on if the vampire hunter survives, they can make for a powerful ally to assist the party in the future.
  • 3. It can allow for some fun world-building with it being a gothic setting. 

 

3. The Haunted Mansion

Wizards of the Coast: Voldaren Estate by Richard Wright 

Survive a night in this haunted house.

The Haunted Mansion is a 5th-level quest that can either take place in the same gothic setting as the vampire quest or take place in a separate area entirely. The players are approached by a wealthy patron who is complaining of spirits inside their mansions and wishes for the party to banish them.

Challenges: The players journey to the haunted mansion, where they are met with an eerie atmosphere, overgrown gardens, and an imposing facade.

They investigate the exterior of the mansion and encounter clues hinting at its cursed nature.

As the players delve deeper into the mansion, they uncover diary entries, letters, or magical visions that reveal the tragic history of its former owner and the curse that befell the mansion.

4x Wraiths: Challenge Rating 5

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. Combined with the zombie and vampire one can make for a spooky subplot.
  • 2. The players get to explore a haunted house filled with puzzles, traps, wraiths, and other creepy disturbances.
  • 3. Wraiths show off the importance of having magical weapons and spells as they’re resistant to non-magical weapon attacks. 

 

2. The Pirate's Treasure Map

Wizards of the Coast: Treasure Map by Cliff Childs

X marks the spot!

The Pirate’s Treasure Map is a 3rd-level quest that will have the players find a treasure map with an X that reveals the location of an unnamed island.

Challenges: They may need to gather information from seasoned sailors, scholars, or old legends to decipher the map's hidden meanings.

Players will need to secure a ship or passage on a ship to get to the island.

6x Bandits(Pirates)

1x Bandit Captain(Pirate Captain)

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It allows for some sea-based sessions and combat.
  • 2. It allows for the players to encounter some classing pirate traps from movies, novels, comics, TV shows, etc.
  • 3. You can introduce plot hooks for future adventures, such as rival pirates seeking revenge for the treasure's theft, or the discovery of a map leading to another legendary pirate's hidden hoard.

 

1. The Ghost Ship

Wizards of the Coast: Ghost Ship by Bastien L. Deharme 

Are you brave enough to face the ghost ship?

The Ghost Ship is a 4th-level quest that will see the players sailing the high seas when they encounter a ghost ship that will try and fight them.

Challenges: The ghost ship will heal any damage after a day so if the players want to deal with it they’ll either need to defeat its captain or stay on land where the captain and crew can’t go.

6x Skeletons: Challenge Rating 1/4th

1x Minotaur Skeleton: Challenge Rating 2

Why you should add this quest to your campaign:

  • 1. It can be slotted in after The Pirate’s Treasure Map or be played on its own with no connection to the former.
  • 2. It gives the players the option to either fight the captain and crew or avoid it and stick to land.
  • 3. The encounter is overall fairly easy and can be a good way to show how strong the PC’s are getting. 

 

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As a Michigander, I'm used to a short Summer, an extended Fall, a long Winter, and an almost on-existent Spring. Winter is my favorite season because it gives me a good excuse to stay inside and game.
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