One Shots

I suck at them! This is an area I need to improve upon. As a GM, I am asked to do one shots frequently, and to come off poorly reflects on my GM-ing as well as the game itself. I need to present a full beginning, middle, and end all while allowing the players to still experience the full range of role play (exploration, social encounters, and battle).

I’m a long term gamer. I like to open the world before my players and let them explore. I could easily go two or three sessions without any battles, and let the characters interact with other non-player characters to learn more about the people, places, and histories of the world. I develop my overall plot line while we play, and generally use player conversations to guide it. But, in a one-shot, it needs to already be laid out…at least to some degree.

It really comes down to time management. I start by asking myself a few questions. Is the one-shot going to take place in 3 hours, or 6? Will there be an extended break in the middle? How many players are going to be involved? These questions should aid in guiding the creation of the one-shot, and some answers directly affect others.

I try to limit the number of players for a one-shot. Too many will bog down play time and create decision paralysis, and they can easily become distracted as they wait for others. Too few can cause holes in skills and abilities, leaving a section of your planned one-shot as a dead end. One of the ways to fix this is to have pre-generated characters. Not only will it save time, it will also ensure you have the required skills scattered among the players that are needed to complete this quest.

Getting the players hooked is easily done through reward of money, or they get to keep any other loot they find. If you want to have more story, give one of the pre-generated characters some background that involves them in the plot (a nemesis or love interest, or they may be bound by an oath). Be careful on adding this though, as a new player may not be comfortable with playing out a backstory.

A huge helpful tip that I once received is to be generous with information. Don’t be afraid to give your players the names of places or NPCs that they need to interact with right away. If you need them to investigate for information, have the minimum roll still provide enough to complete the quest and allow for your high rollers to gather “flavor text.” This will allow the players to still reach the satisfaction of a job well done, and provide a little spice along the way.

Final thought: don’t be afraid of tropes. Meet in the bar, rescue the damsel in distress, get back the stolen item for the noble, rid the town of annoying goblins. It’s a one-shot! Having an expected plot line aids the players in knowing where to go and what to do, especially if you have first time players.