One-Off Adventure Ideas

PTTG · 10-23-2013, 11:00 PM

I like to run one-off adventures with simple characters. I figure this is a good place to ask for some ideas. The ideal adventure concept allows a lot of room for player freedom, a universe that's generic enough for me to easily ab-lib as they explore, and will have some opportunities for combat, social approaches, and more creative things. A nice bonus is a twist at the end, but that's not essential.

That sounds like a lot, but there's a lot it doesn't need: a story arc (it can end or just stop when it's over), complicated NPCs (Names like Mayor and Nazi #44 turn up a lot), Complex PC motivations (You're at a cave and there's goblins inside, get the picture?), or maps.

To share an example of my own:

The Gauntlet
All the PCs are Superheroes with 50 points spent however they like, and two items from this thread. They are trying out to join the Superleague, and so they've been put through the Gauntlet, a series of challenges to test newcomers. After a few straightforward encounters with training robots, nonlethal traps, and a few caged mutants, they have to make HT checks or else they will find their powers and energy growing weaker!
Pretty soon, it's clear that something is stealing energy from them! Turns out the Superleague gets energy from new entrants. Now they've got to break out of the suddenly more dangerous Gauntlet and escape, or seek revenge!

Wizards
All the PCs are apprentice wizards to a warlock who needs something done. Since they are too weak to survive real danger, he puts their spirits into the body of a warrior. One specific warrior. Whom now has Compartmentalized Mind. The PCs have different but largely compatible goals, and can take separate mental actions... but physical actions require either unanimity or a will check. Since none of them actually have combat knowledge, it's really too bad that the warrior himself can't really help out...

Cave Men
Neanderthals were abducted by aliens and re-appeared in NEW YORK CITY! Or whatever city is easiest, really. The GM describes this from the perspective of the PCs (Player Cavemen), such as the strange rocky outcropping the natives here live in and the omnipresent giant beetles and the terrible lack of proper game. Smart players will probably pick up on this pretty quickly, but the GM should aim to keep them puzzling on the nature of the strange world they find themselves in as long as possible.

The Benj · 10-24-2013, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PTTG

The Gauntlet
All the PCs are Superheroes with 50 points spent however they like, and two items from this thread. They are trying out to join the Superleague, and so they've been put through the Gauntlet, a series of challenges to test newcomers. After a few straightforward encounters with training robots, nonlethal traps, and a few caged mutants, they have to make HT checks or else they will find their powers and energy growing weaker!
Pretty soon, it's clear that something is stealing energy from them! Turns out the Superleague gets energy from new entrants. Now they've got to break out of the suddenly more dangerous Gauntlet and escape, or seek revenge!

Dastardly!
Reminds me a bit of Showdown at the Desert Fortress of Professor Anteater

10-23-2013, 11:00 PM	#1
PTTG Join Date: Feb 2011	One-Off Adventure Ideas I like to run one-off adventures with simple characters. I figure this is a good place to ask for some ideas. The ideal adventure concept allows a lot of room for player freedom, a universe that's generic enough for me to easily ab-lib as they explore, and will have some opportunities for combat, social approaches, and more creative things. A nice bonus is a twist at the end, but that's not essential. That sounds like a lot, but there's a lot it doesn't need: a story arc (it can end or just stop when it's over), complicated NPCs (Names like Mayor and Nazi #44 turn up a lot), Complex PC motivations (You're at a cave and there's goblins inside, get the picture?), or maps. To share an example of my own: The Gauntlet All the PCs are Superheroes with 50 points spent however they like, and two items from this thread. They are trying out to join the Superleague, and so they've been put through the Gauntlet, a series of challenges to test newcomers. After a few straightforward encounters with training robots, nonlethal traps, and a few caged mutants, they have to make HT checks or else they will find their powers and energy growing weaker! Pretty soon, it's clear that something is stealing energy from them! Turns out the Superleague gets energy from new entrants. Now they've got to break out of the suddenly more dangerous Gauntlet and escape, or seek revenge! Wizards All the PCs are apprentice wizards to a warlock who needs something done. Since they are too weak to survive real danger, he puts their spirits into the body of a warrior. One specific warrior. Whom now has Compartmentalized Mind. The PCs have different but largely compatible goals, and can take separate mental actions... but physical actions require either unanimity or a will check. Since none of them actually have combat knowledge, it's really too bad that the warrior himself can't really help out... Cave Men Neanderthals were abducted by aliens and re-appeared in NEW YORK CITY! Or whatever city is easiest, really. The GM describes this from the perspective of the PCs (Player Cavemen), such as the strange rocky outcropping the natives here live in and the omnipresent giant beetles and the terrible lack of proper game. Smart players will probably pick up on this pretty quickly, but the GM should aim to keep them puzzling on the nature of the strange world they find themselves in as long as possible.