While there are a lot of great Dungeons & Dragons adventures out there, both official and fan-written, the tabletop RPG has deep roots in the creative process. Countless DMs over the last few decades have carefully planned out adventures to keep players enthralled, and D&D's rulebooks and guides are garnered toward helping create memorable campaigns. Still, sometimes inspiration just runs out - or tropes have been exhausted before players reach the campaign's endgame. Here are some plot and endgame suggestions for better and unique adventures.
Dungeons & Dragons has been around for so long that it's sometimes hard to avoid adventures that don't feel too familiar or downright cliché. So many adventures start off in taverns or inns that creating alternate D&D starting locations can be a breath of fresh air for players who think they've seen it all. Likewise, creating an endgame that doesn't fizzle out or feel too trite is vital for DMs who want to put inventiveness above all else when deg an adventure.
Of course, one of the first steps to creating a unique endgame is first creating a D&D campaign that won't end early. There are multiple ways to prevent this, but having a compelling story is paramount to offering players an adventure they'll always . The best way to do this is by avoiding overused locations and plot points, and instead create something that feels truly unique.
D&D Endgame Plot Suggestion - Avoid The Clichés
While it might seem like a good idea to use one of Dungeons & Dragons' iconic villains like Lolth or Acererak for an endgame plot twist, it won't really make an adventure feel unique. After all, these villains are iconic for a reason - it's because they've been used so often players instantly associate them with D&D. Having a surprise appearance may seem cool at first - and players might enjoy a fan-favorite baddie suddenly showing up - but having an evil god or famous monster show up at the end of a campaign doesn't necessarily feel special.
Taking inspiration from other tabletop RPGs beyond Dungeons & Dragons is a good way to find inspiration that could surprise players. For example, D&D gameplay typically follows a "Kill and Loot" system, where players encounter a monster, kill it, and then search its body for loot. An alternative could be befriending monsters instead of killing them, as in some tabletop RPGs, and even taming them to be used in battle.
This can especially prove useful during the endgame of an adventure. If players aren't used to being able to tame monsters already, then having the party suddenly be able to recruit them late in an adventure could keep the campaign feeling new and fresh while also introducing a fun new mechanic to keep players on their toes. The key here is to find something new to reinvigorate the adventure after it's gone on a long time and players are in its endgame.
D&D Endgame Plot Suggestion - Reinvent The Wheel (& Setting)
For DMs worried about finding plot points that are brand new, and that haven't been done before, it's important to that adventures can still feel unique even if they don't use a completely new plot mechanic or setting. Dungeons & Dragons 5e has a lot of campaigns set in The Forgotten Realms, so what happens if players open a portal in Neverwinter and wind up in Eberron? What happens if a ship sails off the ends of the earth and players float ashore in Greyhawk?
It's a plot twist like this that can keep a campaign feeling new even in the endgame, but it allows DMs to work with existing material. Dungeons & Dragons is home to some great worlds, and connecting two of them into one adventure could certainly keep a campaign interesting. Jumping from 5e's Forgotten Realms to D&D's classic Dragonlance setting, for example, could lead the endgame of an adventure into unexpected (but no necessarily brand new) territory.
Unexpectedly changing the setting for the adventure's endgame could work well, but it also needs a good plot reason for happening. Is the first parts of the adventure part of another player's dream, and the real worlds is this second setting? Is a mysterious wizard opening up a portal between universes for evil purposes? Or do the adventurers possess abilities that allow for traveling through universes? These are all questions the DM will need to figure out prior to using this plot device. This way, it ensures the surprise second world doesn't feel too out of place.
D&D Endgame Plot Suggestion - Plot For The Players
Avoiding cliché villains or familiar tropes is great, and changing up a setting is useful, but the best plot points for D&D endgames need to appeal to the players themselves. Do the players love horror or sci-fi? Are they fans of superhero movies or space operas? DMs could try to find ways to work in players' interests into the narrative. Tabletop RPGs with Dungeonpunk, Cyberpunk, and steampunk settings already exist, offering some ideas that go beyond typical high fantasy motifs.
If a group of players love superheroes, a DM can turn them into superheroes in the endgame. If the players love ghost movies, then the DM can let players live after dying as spirits that interact with the world around them. The important part is catering endgame plot toward the players. This will ensure that the adventure feels unique and stays memorable - since it's a campaign designed with these players in mind.
Ultimately, a DM will have to decide what kinds of endgame plot points are best for the adventure they're deg. Avoiding overly familiar tropes will certainly help adventures feel unique, and deg endgame plot twists based on players' preferences can help a campaign stay memorable long after it's ended. It's also important to not be afraid to take risks, and DMs need to make sure there are actual narrative reasons for any twists and changes that shake things up in the endgame. This way, DMs can create Dungeons & Dragons narratives that allow for more unique adventures.
