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Message: <blockquote data-quote="iserith" data-source="post: 7153988" data-attributes="member: 97077">I love one-shots. I've designed and run tons of them, often multiple times for different groups to compare how they approach things differently (which means the story turns out differently). I'm doing that this very weekend, in fact, as I run a second group through Secret Party House of the Hill Giant Playboy. In my opinion, nothing makes for a more well-rounded DM than someone who has run a lot of one-shots for pickup groups. You get all types of players that way and can see easily what works and what doesn't.There are two different designs you want to pursue in my opinion:Start Big, End Big. You start with a big opening scene with action and you end much the same way. Then all the content in the middle has to be removable in case your first scene runs long and so you can make sure you close strong. So most of your design focus is on the starting and finishing scenes. The rest is filler and connection that you can make as detailed as you want so long as you can skip over it when the clock is working against you.Real Time Stop. You set up an adventure location that is probably too big to finish in the allotted time. You then tell the players up front that at a certain time, the adventure needs to wrap up - you'll finish the scene you're in and then come up with a reason why it's time to go. Then end with a narrative montage with each player adding their bit.In general, your focus using either of these designs is on the challenge. Not on getting to the challenge by interviewing quirky, cagey NPCs or spending a lot of time in taverns expounding upon the character's feelings about being an orphan or whatever. The PCs need to be doing stuff and pursuing goals relentlessly because time is of the essence. So make sure your players know about this change in expectations and pacing up front.I further recommend that, when the players create characters, they do so before the gaming session. Then tell them to operate under the assumption that each of the characters knows the others, have adventured together before, and trust each other at least enough to go on dangerous quests together. None of that "Gettin' Ta Know Ya" crap - there's no time. At the start of play, ask each player to intro their character in 30 seconds or less - who they are, a backstory less than the length of a Tweet, and what the others can expect mechanically. Then go back around the table and ask each player to describe an adventure (very briefly) that his or her character went on with two other characters of their choice. Let them build on each other's ideas and try to write those down and reference them later when they seem related to the content you're presenting.Next, tell them that Inspiration is on them to claim and they can do so once per personal characteristic (trait, ideal, bond, flaw). That's four times they can take Inspiration for themselves during the game by playing to their characteristic. They don't need your permission. They just need to point out when they've done it and take their reward. This will usually get them to be a little less subtle with their characterizations than in a longer campaign - good! You don't have time for them to go through a 50 episode character development arc after all. And on that note, tell them that their characters exist only in this one-shot. It's not a time for being timid or conservative. Go all out and make the story as exciting and memorable as possible.I have a ton more thoughts on one-shots, but that's the very basic stuff I can recommend. If you have specific questions or want feedback on your idea, please feel free to ask.</blockquote>

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