Scenarios and the overarching plot are the backbones of a cohesive story and campaign. They give your party direction, flesh out your world, and provide enemies to defeat. Just as there are a variety of campaign types, there are also a variety of scenarios and story ideas, each one providing unique flavor and helping shape your world.
While these are some of my favorite campaign scenarios, they may not be best for all campaigns. For example, your players may love to take down waves of monsters, but another party may want to dive into the political tension of warring kingdoms.
Unlike my past [Best of/Top #] articles where I would count down from the worst scenarios to the best, this list will provide a variety of scenarios you can use in your campaign.
Here are my top twenty-five campaign scenarios to challenge your players and make your campaign stand out from the rest.
1. Adventurers’/Thieves’ Guild
Guilds and job boards are free advertising for quests! They can hold anything ranging from a quick side quest to a full plot hook to send your party on an adventure. Adventurers’ and thieves’ guilds are two of the most common guilds available for your party to explore.
While they are common methods of quest generation, adventurers and thieves guilds are drastically different. Adventurers’ guilds typically focus on defeating legendary monsters and taking care of their villages and communities. Thieves’ guilds typically focus on elaborate heists and maintaining justice in their villages and communities, by any means necessary.
Guilds can lead to just about any type of quest your campaign requires. Adventurers’ guilds can lead to monster hunts and fighting the forces of evil. Thieves' guilds can lead to uncovering injustice and looting dangerous dungeons. They can be flavored according to your world and the type of campaign you want to play, so have fun!
What's Fun About Adventurers’/Thieves’ Guild scenarios…
- A variety of job postings
- Climb the ranks of your guild
- Earn gold and notoriety for your adventures
2. Amnesia
Now, what were we talking about? I could’ve sworn it was a fun, interesting scenario. Ah, right! The amnesia scenario can throw your party off guard and add a new layer of intrigue to your campaign.
Whether your party was hit with sleeping gas and woke up elsewhere or you’ve been trapped in another realm for who knows how long, the amnesia scenario limits the amount of information your party knows. When they are unaware of the environment or situation around them, every new bit of information is valuable. This scenario also helps regulate the action and foresight of your players, challenging them to find new solutions to their obstacles and maintain the balance of your game.
The amnesia scenario’s challenge comes not from the monsters the party will face, but instead what they are going to do next. They will likely seek more information about who and where they are, searching for the enem(ies) who took away their memories. Or, they may find freedom in the present moment and combat the problems directly before them. Talk with your players before including this scenario to make sure they are excited for and comfortable with this plot.
What's Fun About Amnesia scenarios...
- You never know what’s coming next
- There’s a mystery to solve
- Track down the one who took your memories
3. BBEG Party Member
What if the villain you were fighting was a trusted ally, one of the friends you travelled with and fought alongside? This can add a whole new layer of emotional investment to your story, challenging your players to both defeat the evil in the world and save their friend. It can also inspire interesting character moments and allow you, the DM, to slowly foreshadow events yet to come.
Talk with your players before including this scenario, as some may be uncomfortable or upset about such a development. But if they are interested, it can be very fun to give one or multiple players a villain role. Whether they are a major or minor villain, the BBEG or an underling, the character’s struggle to choose good or evil can lead to unique character moments and situations. Your characters and party could end up enlisting evil minions or drawing upon dark magic to shift the world around them.
While your player(s) will be the main foe for your party to overcome, the emotional challenges are the real villain. Can your player choose good or are they too far into the darkness? Can they be stopped before the world ends? Draw upon other enemies and villains to bolster your evil character and provide a difficult challenge to the party who fights for goodness.
What's Fun About BBEG Party Member scenarios...
- The villain is personal
- Give your party a chance to play the villain
- Inter-relational drama and conflict
4. Travelling Carnival/Circus
The circus is in town! Circuses and carnivals are festivals of food and games, providing entertainment and intrigue from far off lands. They can also bring new dangers or threats, requiring your party to leap into action once more!
Circuses and carnivals can bring a variety of new characters and games to your world. Some are simply entertainment for your party and a way to take a break between adventures. Others are plot hooks, backdrops for the emergence of a new villain or mystery. Or they could be a mix of both! Whichever one you want to add to your story, carnivals are lighthearted environments of fun and games.
Many carnival games have been adapted to D&D systems or were created just for the system! Circuses may host exotic and wild creatures, some of which could break free and pose a threat for your party. Maybe some of your players ran away with the circus, so its presence carries an added wave of nostalgia or even dread.
What's Fun About Travelling Carnival/Circus scenarios...
- New and unexpected NPCs
- Potential for mystery and intrigue
- Carnival and circus games and shows to participate in
5. Casino Heist
Who doesn’t want to be a super spy? Casino heists make you feel like you’re James Bond, risking it all for a chance at your prize. This could be an introduction to your villain or simply a fun adventure for your party.
Casino heists are heights of intrigue and subterfuge, requiring your players to take risks and remain hidden from detection. They must blend in, keeping their cards close to their chest. Maybe they’ll need to sneak into the baron’s guest room to steal a key, or deduce the code to the main safe’s lockbox. When the moment is right, they take action, risking it all to win their prize and make it out unscathed.
The main challenges to a casino heist are avoiding detection and evading capture in case you are detected. The casino owners may have left traps to deter thieves like you, so your party may have to move carefully in order to keep out of harm’s way. The clock is ticking, though–make sure you achieve your goal before your target leaves!
What's Fun About Casino Heist scenarios...
- Become a criminal mastermind
- Enjoy the night while tracking down your target
- Sneak behind the scenes to claim your prize
6. Chariot/Motor Race
Gotta go fast! Chariot and motor races are high-speed challenges of agility and coordination. It’ll require your party to work together and stay on track, or else you’ll end up in the dust.
Chariot and motor races are essentially the same, just flavored to the time period and resources available in your world. It allows for customization and flair from your party, giving your vehicle its own unique style.
While the core elements of these races are to come in first or be the last vehicle standing, added levels of danger come from obstacles on the raceway or battles taking place during the race.
Chariot/motor race obstacles can be literal obstacles in the path, causing your cart to swerve or head off in another direction. Other obstacles are your competitors, the NPCs or even PCs trying to make it to the finish line before your party.
If you have a particularly chaotic referee, they may throw monsters or other skirmishes into the mix to distract you from your driving.
What's Fun About Chariot/Motor Race scenarios...
- High speed and high risk action
- Customize your vehicle
- Battles across vehicles-be aware of the environment!
7. Strange Dreams
Dreams can be interpreted in a variety of ways, if you even remember them at all. In a D&D game, dreams can illuminate your characters’ deepest, darkest fears or foreshadow things yet to come. They can be poetic methods of storytelling to keep the plot rolling.
Dreams in media can be anything from portents of doom to a gentle, fantasy lullaby. As a DM, you may want to give your characters strange dreams to urge them on a quest or let them know about an upcoming danger. Dreams may also be otherworldly powers communicating with characters who have arcane inclinations. Maybe the whole party had the same dreams and you need to find out what they mean.
The challenges stemming from strange dreams are the questions. What will your characters do next? Does the dream affect their actions in the waking world? Will they seek out the source of the dreams or die trying?
What's Fun About Strange Dreams scenarios...
- It’s all in your head, or is it?
- Explore subconscious thought
- Dive into the otherworldly nature of your mind
8. Escort Mission
Escort missions in D&D can be very fun! Of course, they can grow stale if the escortee or route is boring, but they don’t have to be. Give some flavor to your NPC or even have your characters be the ones who are escorted. Throw monsters at the party to keep them on their toes or make them intelligent enemies the party must overcome.
An escort mission is exactly what it says on the tin. You’re escorting something or someone from point A to point B. This could be due to the importance of the escortee or the dangers along the road. It could also be due to the dangers the escortee poses themselves, like escorting a feral werewolf as the moon grows full.
The monsters you may face could be the escortee themselves or something your party needs to protect the escortee from. Challenges could arise when the path forward becomes blocked or branches off. You may also need to determine if the party should be going on this quest altogether, or if there is something sinister afoot.
What's Fun About Escort Mission scenarios...
- You’re always at the center of the action
- Protect not only yourselves, but also your charge(s)
- Hidden ambushes to slow you down or challenge your party
9. Escort a Dignitary
Escorting a dignitary is a specific variety of the generic escort mission. Dignitaries pose their own challenges and threats, both from enemies and the escortee themselves. And of course, an escort mission never goes exactly as planned…
Escorting a dignitary adds some pressure to the normal escort mission. Perhaps the dignitary is a valuable peacekeeper amidst a multigenerational war. Perhaps the dignitary holds the key to unlocking the once forgotten vault of treasure. Don’t forget to give your NPC some flavor, to make them likable or despised by the party.
Monsters can appear en route to your escortee’s destination, or could be travelling alongside you. Challenges with a dignitary escort could include a dignitary who doesn’t want your help, or who refuses to move from point A to point B. On the other hand, they could be overly willing to reach the end goal, and your party must keep up with them or prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.
What's Fun About Escorting Dignitary scenarios...
- You hold the power in a tense political scenario
- Discover what kind of noble your charge is–are they on your side or are they a villain?
- Abundant rewards for completing your quest
10. Evil Cult
Evil cults are classic villains of D&D. Whether they serve a dark, ancient being or are attempting to resurrect a long-dead foe, evil cults provide strength in numbers. Their vast size and connection to evil forces make them intimidating enemies to face.
Evil cults can be the prelude to a monstrous villain or the villains themselves. Their presence clashes with the mission of the heroes, your party. They strive to reshape the world for evil ends, a goal your party must do everything they can to resist and defeat.
There are literally ‘cultist’ monsters in the D&D monster repertoire. In addition, these enemies can come in a variety of flavors, favoring arcane or melee combat. Some may feature an increase in power, rivaling the strength of the evil beings they serve. Their challenge comes from stopping their tyrannical reign and freeing those who have fallen prey to their ambitions.
What's Fun About Evil Cult scenarios...
- Delve into the depths of darkness and madness
- Discover the underlying villain and evil plot
- Fight a variety of minions under the villain/cult’s control
11. Evil King/Queen/Monarch
Monarchs are a common staple of D&D worlds. While benevolent rulers can provide quests and employment for your party, evil kings or queens can be an intimidating threat for your party to overcome. They hold more weight and influence than normal monsters, requiring your party to think ahead and gain new allies to defeat them.
Evil kings or queens post not only a physical threat to your party, but also a political one. They can command armies and make changes to the world around them with a wave of their hand, while the party must work hard to amass allies and forces to combat them. Their powers are oriented to darkness, drawing upon the evil forces waiting to take down the heroes.
Evil monarchs command armies with all types of soldiers, ranging from standard guards to elite warriors and arcane users. Their reach stretches far, meaning your party will always be in danger as long as they are within the kingdom. The party cannot outright foil them, so challenges arise when they must create new solutions to evade and overpower the villainous tyrant(s).
What's Fun About Evil Monarch scenarios...
- Classic plot hook and worldbuilding
- Your end goal is in sight
- Overcome the influences of an evil empire and their vast armies
12. Fetch Quest for the Macguffin(s)
Fetch quests require your party to venture out into the world, seeing something of great importance. Maybe you’re searching for a dragon egg, a magic staff, or the long lost hero of legend. Fetch quest scenarios can fuel an entire campaign, providing the main adventure to keep the story moving forward.
Macguffins are any object/person who is important to the plot or characters, but only because of its role rather than its inherent usefulness. Macguffins can be anything from a magic goblet to a valuable gem to a random NPC. Each is important to the story, something the party searches for or chases after, but they are insignificant when not driving the party forward.
What kinds of monsters are guarding your macguffins? Is it a legendary beast like a dragon or beholder, or is the macguffin locked away in an elaborate vault below the king’s castle? How are you going to track down your prize? Is there a special signature the party can trace or will they need to ask around for information, potentially alerting the enemies of your intent? These and many others can provide interesting challenges to a fairly simple scenario.
What's Fun About Fetch Quest scenarios...
- Journey across the land for the fabled artifact
- Quests with multiple objectives
- New and interesting challenges along the way
13. Gladiator Arena
Do your players want to fight monsters? Throwing them into a gladiator arena will pit them against any and all monsters they want to battle, from manticores to dragons. It can also be a way of gaining status in the local community, solidifying their reputation as seasoned warriors.
Gladiator arenas are zones of pure bloodsport. If your party wants to fight monsters, this is the place for them. They can also gain prestige or powerful items as rewards for their skill, giving them an edge in future battles.
Just about any monster can be found in a gladiator arena. If you want to make your arena historically accurate, have your party fight warriors and wild beasts. If you want to add an element of fantasy, make the creatures or opponents magical and give them special items for the party to loot. Mix and match monsters to provide new and interesting challenges for your party.
What's Fun About Gladiator Arena scenarios...
- Combat!
- Fight new and powerful monsters every day
- Advance in rank and rewards the better you battle
14. Journey to the Feywild
The Feywild is an ‘echo’ plane of the material plane, reflecting powerful magic and emotions. It is full of beautiful natural wonders and unheard of creatures, each with their own abilities and curiosities. While the feywild may seem wild and strange, it can house powerful magic and unlock secrets about your characters.
They feywild is a realm much like our own, but also wildly different. It is home to a variety of ethereal beings with dangerous magic and questions. You may run into the fey courts, who will try to trap you within the realm or send you on a quest within the material plane.
All sorts of creatures who classify as ‘fey’ call this plane their home. Some are benevolent while others seek your demise. Challenges within the fey realm include navigating the strange landscape, seeking out the denizens, and simply finding your way home.
What's Fun About Feywild scenarios...
- Beautiful and strange landscapes and creatures
- New encounters, both combat and otherwise
- Escape the plane before your time runs out
15. Journey to Shadowfell
Shadowfell is an alternate plane, like the Feywild, but much more sinister. It is also an ‘echo’ of the material plane, a demiplane full of positive and negative energy. It is a somber and dismal plane, a place only the truly brave would ever dare to cross.
As its name implies, Shadowfell is a realm of darkness and death. It is filled with shadows–no lights adorn the skies or illuminate the landscape below. As an ‘echo’ of the material plane, it is a warped reflection, constantly shifting and changing as time goes on.
Creatures found within Shadowfell include mirages and wraiths, vampires and ghosts. These beings are already outside the limits of life and death, finding their home on this gloomy demiplane. Challenges within Shadowfell are much like those of traversing any alternate plane: navigating the strange landscape, seeking out the denizens, and simply finding your way home.
What's Fun About Shadowfell scenarios...
- An edgelord’s paradise
- Walk the line between life and death
- Fight undead and other creatures who seek to corrupt the living
16. Labyrinth Puzzle
Labyrinths are ancient mazes, often filled with monsters who seek to destroy the party. At the center is a prize, often guarded by a deadly trap or legendary protector. Labyrinths challenge your party to work together and rely on each other, keeping their wits about them and always moving forward.
Labyrinths are challenges dating all the way back to ancient times. Legendary heroes would find themselves trapped within a labyrinth or venture inside to claim the prize waiting at the center. If they made it out, they would prove their true strength and have a powerful tool in their ongoing quest.
The most common monster found in a labyrinth is the minotaur, but this isn’t the only creature you may find inside! Labyrinths were often mazes to trap and contain anything (or anyone) who was a bit too dangerous to roam free. The challenges for a labyrinth scenario involve escaping both the maze and any creatures lurking inside.
What's Fun About Labyrinth scenarios...
- Solve the puzzle to escape the maze
- Monsters lurking around any corner
- Reach the center to claim your prize
17. Masquerade Ball
Masquerade balls are locations of whimsical grandeur and political intrigue, where no one is who they seem. These parties limit the party’s information, allowing key details to slip past their notice. It is also an excellent opportunity for them to be creative and dress up for the occasion, putting their best foot forward and vanishing behind a mask.
Masquerade balls are extravagant parties, ranging from small celebrations to kingdom-wide festivals. The guests all hide their faces, making it easier to commit a crime or sneak by those in power. Your party may have been invited to the ball or decided to crash it, but either way, it will be a memorable night.
The challenges posed by a masquerade ball are not necessarily the monsters, but rather the underlying tension the situation poses. It may be a time of celebration or revelry, but someone (or something) may have other plans for the night. Perhaps one of the guests shapeshifted in order to escape the ever-watchful guards, or perhaps a murder is about to take place. The fanciful atmosphere limits (but doesn’t fully restrict) full-blown fights, so what will your party do in response?
What's Fun About Masquerade Ball scenarios...
- Enter a night of mystery and intrigue
- Customize your mask!
- Have fun at the party and learn about the underlying plots to reshape the world
18. Monsters Attacking the City/Kingdom
A monster attack is nothing new. For a D&D adventuring party, monster attacks are an almost daily occurrence. But when monsters seem to be planning ahead or attacking in much larger numbers than usual, the danger skyrockets. Your party may be called to defend a city or even an entire kingdom from the onslaught of incoming enemies.
Increasing the amount of monsters or making their attacks more widespread is a great way to increase the tension and danger of your scenario. When a monster horde is nearly overtaking an entire city or kingdom, your party will have to put all their skill to the test just to hold them off. They may need to retreat and regroup with new weapons and allies in order to emerge victorious.
Pack monsters are often seen in groups, making them prime candidates for a full-blown attack. But when solitary monsters start teaming up, that means something even more sinister is afoot. Your party’s challenge will be both stopping the onslaught of monsters and finding the reason they attacked in the first place.
What's Fun About Monster Attack scenarios...
- Hold the monsters at bay long enough to protect the land
- Call upon powerful allies to come to your aid
- Can result in a multi-session scenario as your party grows in power
19. Murder Mystery
Murder mysteries are full of suspense and intrigue, requiring your party to analyze every clue. The death may be personal or upset a fragile balance, sending the party and surrounding allies into chaos. Murder mysteries challenge not only your characters, but their players as well!
Murder mysteries start with, guess what, a murder. Your party is either first on the scene or called to figure out what exactly happened. You’ll need to keep your investigation sharp, paying attention to who is telling the truth and who is trying to cover something up. The scenario is not always what it seems…
Guests of murder mystery parties may have brought in monsters under a disguise, but the true villains of the evening are much more dangerous. They are willing to do anything it takes to get what they want, even murder, so your party must stop them. The real challenge will be figuring out who did what and how to stop them before they strike again.
What's Fun About Murder Mystery scenarios...
- Solve the mystery and stop the villain
- Uncover the hidden motives of the other guests
- Pair with a Masquerade Ball or Evil Monarch scenario to challenge your party
20. Pirate Adventure
Who wants to go on a journey across the high seas? Pirate adventures give your party the freedom to do anything and go anywhere they choose. Just commandeer yourself a ship and say goodbye to the mainland, and you’re off on a brand new adventure.
Pirate adventures can range from law-abiding ship cruises to reckless outlaw takeovers. Once you have your ship, the world is at your fingertips. Race away to the next plot point or explore the carefully crafted world your DM has set before you.
Sea monsters are prevalent in pirate adventures, but any island you travel to may hold strange and unique monsters. Perhaps there is a new kingdom on one of the islands–do they need your help or are they trying to chase you away?
Are you searching for a lost artifact or hidden treasure? Challenges that arise may include water battles or navigating the new civilizations/societies you may encounter.
What's Fun About Pirate Adventure scenarios...
- Set sail across the seven seas!
- Customize your ship
- Fight sea monsters and ships from the mainland to keep your prize
21. Quest of the Gods
The pantheon is active in D&D worlds, choosing champions to fight for them and influencing the balance of the world. Whether for good or ill, the gods hold a great deal of power across these worlds. If your party is chosen to embark on a quest for them, it is sure to be an adventure.
Quests for the gods can entail feats of heroism like your party has never seen before. Not only do the gods have cosmic power, but they can also send you to other planes or seek a powerful magical boon. Completing a quest for the gods also gains their favor, granting you a powerful ally in upcoming battles.
Divine quests require supernatural enemies. Whether you are fighting demons or other celestial beings, these foes are the next level up from your average monsters. One of the main challenges with divine quests is holding the world in the balance, where your success or failure means the success or failure of the entire world.
What's Fun About Quest of the Gods scenarios...
- Call upon the otherworldly powers of the gods
- Channel the divine energy and serve as champions
- Set out on dangerous quests only you can complete
22. Race to the Spire/Macguffin
You may have heard of a motor race and searching for the valuable macguffins, but racing for the spire is a scenario all on its own. What if there are other characters searching for the same things you are or trying to reach the same destination before you? Races place your party on a time limit, making every choice matter.
When your party isn’t the only one on a magical quest, the stakes get a little bit higher. Perhaps your opponents are enemies who wish to steal power for themselves. Or perhaps they are conflicting guilds who want the prestige over your party. Either way, it is up to you to reach the objective first and keep the prize out of their hands.
The enemies you’ll fight aren’t just monsters–your party will be tracking down and defending themselves against other characters just like them. Maybe your DM will even combine campaigns, allowing two sets of players to race to the same goal! Either way, the clock is your biggest challenge–if you’re too late, the other team wins.
What's Fun About Race to the Spire/Macguffin scenarios...
- Be the first ones to the end goal
- Stop your opponents from reaching the objective
- Keep the power and reward out of the wrong hands
23. Treasure Hunters
While D&D fosters a system of collaboration and teamwork against the evils of the world, sometimes it is fun to just go on a treasure hunt. Maybe you’re sneaking into a dragon’s lair or uncovering long forgotten treasure. Treasure hunts grant a huge payoff at the end of your quest, giving your party all the loot they could want.
Treasure hunts are exactly what they sound like–your party is off on adventure to seek out the largest bounty! If you’re hunting for hidden treasure, maybe you’ll have to decipher a map and unravel vague clues. If you’re trying to steal from the rich, perhaps stealth and espionage are your objectives. Either way, you risk it all for a chance at the legendary rewards.
Treasure hunt monsters are as varied as their rewards–mimics could be waiting amidst the loot, or other greedy creatures may want the treasure for themselves. Other treasure hunters may want to intercept you before you can escape with your prize. The challenge is to get in and back out without making a sound.
What's Fun About Treasure Hunter scenarios...
- Search for the ancient treasure
- Uncover long-buried secrets
- Overcome the tricks and traps standing in your way
24. Undead Uprising
It’s the zombie apocalypse! Undead uprisings challenge your party’s fight or flight, putting them up against their mortality in a rather gruesome manner. Avoid succumbing to the infection and try to stop the undead from spreading further.
Undead can come from just about anywhere if the scenario is critical enough. While they are typically found amidst death and decay, their presence in normal society sends shivers down my spine. What happens when the kingdom is overrun by zombies and ghouls? Who ya gonna call?
Undead uprisings are full of, you guessed it, undead! Undead come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from basic humanoids to monstrous abominations. Two of the biggest challenges are avoiding the plague yourself and trying to find a cure before it all gets worse.
What's Fun About Undead Uprising scenarios...
- Fight swarms of undead monsters
- Save your allies and the world from the forces of evil
- Stay alive and avoid infection
25. Vampire/Werewolf Slayers
Vampires and werewolves are often paired together. They both are featured in a variety of teen novels, but they also both pose questions about the value and significance of humanity. When things turn dark, adventurers may be called upon to defeat the monsters who gave up their humanity and instead turned to the darkness.
Vampires and werewolves are classic monsters, both in D&D and in literature. They explore themes of humanity and monstrosities, asking what it really means to be either type of creature. If your party becomes hunters of vampires or werewolves, you’ll be confronted with these themes and asked to choose who is truly a monster.
Vampires and werewolves are both notorious D&D monsters for their abilities to rapidly regenerate. It can be extremely difficult to defeat enemies who keep healing themselves, depleting your limited supplies.
The challenge, then, is finding their weaknesses and stopping them before they can regain their strength.
What's Fun About Vampire/Werewolf Slayer scenarios...
- Search for and eradicate those who abandoned their humanity
- Protect your allies and kingdom
- Explore what it means to be truly human
