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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kbrakke" data-source="post: 7153932" data-attributes="member: 6781797">I think of one shots as I would an episode of a TV show. The session has a singular overarching plot that gets resolved. I generally try to keep things focused and moving towards the plot of a session. If you like seeing how players react to difficult choices just start with a difficult choice and keep things moving such that they spend their time dealing with those choices. For you I would suggest not running combat, or running as little of it as possible because from what you say, fighting isn't the part that you like, you like seeing characters react to difficult situations.If you're looking to see a character grow over time then I have bad news, which is that a one shot will not get you that, pretty much ever. By definition a one shot is a short slice of time that doesn't have future repercussions. If you are running an introductory adventure in one session it would be absurd to get the same character development that you get from a campaign.I would suggest you do the following -1) Make your adventure about character choices, don't force them to fight, don't force them to explore and solve puzzles, focus your adventure around the characters solving problems where the "right" solution isn't clear. Example: The mayor asks them to stop some bandits, the bandits were forced in to this life by some action of the mayor, they just take what they need to survive, The Mayor had good reasons for what he did but the outcome wasn't really ideal, and some of the bandits are thinking about making this work full time.2) Keep the players on this track, skip over things that aren't related to the adventure, don't have random encounters, don't have bits there to showcase the rules, having a good session is more important than learning about the rules.Example: Don't have a random animal or goblin attack, shortcut conversations with unimportant people.3) Frame your adventure as if it could become a larger campaign. Don't just have the adventure be the world, indicate that decisions they make here could impact things later on. If they like it consider expanding the adventure in to a campaign. This should make the players feel that their actions have more weight and give you as the DM more investment. If you don't continue the campaign then no problem, the plot was wrapped up and everyone had a good time. If you do continue it you already laid the groundwork for a larger campaign.Example: Give a sense of other larger troubles in the world around them. Perhaps the mayor is worried about Hobgoblin raiders which is why he did the thing he did, but don't let the party interact with that. So if you don't like one shot adventures because it doesn't let you see characters make tough choices and it doesn't feel as fulfilling skip everything but making tough choices and the context around that and give it a possibility of expanding in to a campaign.As a related suggestion I love the adventure DDEX 1-3 Shadows over the Moonsea. The party is sent to try and convince an island of backwoods folks that they are about to be attacked by pirates and that they need to band together. But the islanders don't seem to want to listen and might not be better than the cultists pirates. It culminates in a sweet battle at the end, but most of it is talking and investigating this strange island.</blockquote>

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