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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Rechan" data-source="post: 3853785" data-attributes="member: 54846">Except in movies like Alien where you have space marines, and other such where you have Talented people who are getting blitzed by something they just don't anticipate.Horror in D&D works like this: the unknown. If you're not operating out of the Monster Manual, if the PCs have no clue what the hell they're fighting, that puts you a step in the direction of horror. As soon as the PCs see the mini on the battlemat, as soon as they can go "Oh yeah that demon is weak against this", they're Confident, not scared. I plan on having a priest summon blood elementals - a huge pool of blood that will have an Entangle effect, as well as a water elemental with a con-draining slam. I'm not going to tell the players what it is, just describe the hands coming out of the blood grabbing at their legs while the elemental sucks the essence from their veins. Another aspect is taking away the party's strengths. A blindness/deafness on the mage will ruin his day. Ability damage and negative levels scare everybody. Temporarily take the druid's animal companion away - have it resist going into certain areas, because it's terrified, or have a demon possess it and turn on the druid mid-fight. Survival horror games intentionally give you little ammo and the feeling of being surrounded by enemies to make you worry. A monster with DR/y and no one has material y to beat the DR will make them scramble for ideas. A monster that is way out of their CR range, but can be held at bay by lines of salt or iron, etc. The minute your PCs realize "standard operating procedure doesn't work", you're another step closer to horror.But that's just mechanical horror, in a sense. Horror is 9/10ths psychological. Take the players out of their comfort zone. Just things which are creepy and unsettling in general, but have no baring on mechanics. For instance, in the middle of ruins/empty tower/etc, have a room that is utterly pristine - the paint isn't chipped, the furniture's in one piece, it's perfect, and there's no monster in there. And don't give an explanation as to why. An example from one of my games - while the PCs are moving through a deserted, forsaken town, the wind doesn't moan - it weeps and pleads for mercy. Provide no source, no explanation why. It'll put your players on guard.Read the thread that I linked to up above - it has lots of tips on running a horror game, along with general horror scenarios.Not to give spoilers, but the new Castle Ravenloft. There are two evil entities at play, both want to destroy the other, and both say "Hey, the other one is the more dangerous/destructive evil."</blockquote>

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