this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2025

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Evil One-shot (lemmy.today)

submitted 3 days ago by mushroommunk@lemmy.today to c/rpg@ttrpg.network

12 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Howdy folks.

A friend of mine has been itching to play some DnD and I drew the short straw to run it. I don't think we have time for more than a one shot so I come for ideas.

Normally I'm good with coming up with stuff but she wants to do something where they get to play as evil instead of your typical heroes. My problem is everything I come up with just feels like typical hero quest but called evil. Like "kidnap the princess" just feels like a re-skin of "rescue the princess". Hoping y'all have something more to get me thinking.

I am aware of the Critical Role Mordor one shot that I'll take some inspiration from.

Thanks in advance y'all

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[–] jjjalljs@ttrpg.network 1 points 1 day ago

What kind of evil?

Power fantasy of abuse and subjugation?

Have them play vampires or demons. Awaken from their slumber in a small town and go about setting up a cult and securing their safety. Make thralls out of people. Add some sort of mechanic like "eating someone's soul gives you a stat boost" so mechanically they're rewarded for cruelty. Have NPCs beg for their life. Have some sell out their neighbors and loved ones for favor. Let the players kill them anyway.

Maybe some heroes show up to fight them and free the people. Maybe it's just two hours of crushing limited resistance and making their temple.

[–] Mendas@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

How about a "Suicide Squad" like run. The players can create all kinds of evil prisoners that get send to kill a thing that all the heros already failed to defeat. Now they can try do to what they are told to in exchange for their freedom or whatever or try to run away and and not risk their own life's on the way.

A lot of chances to play evil or even reconsider when the little orphan begs for help.

[–] hedgehog@ttrpg.network 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

You could have the PCs be in service to an evil wizard or overlord, and just take any regular plot and give them the baddies' role.

You could have multiple factions in a city, like noble houses, and give them some sort of goal to accomplish in that context. Think Game of Thrones or the drow in Menzoberranzan.

You could have them doing something "good" but with a "the ends justify the means" mentality.

[–] mushroommunk@lemmy.today 2 points 3 days ago

I like the "give them the baddies' role" idea. I'll think on that one, thanks

[–] sauerkrautsaul@lemmus.org 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

a town is planning a yuletide or similar celebration where they all pooled their resources to get an expensive icon. have them stake out the delivery and go into the town to steal the item, murdering anyone who resists

[–] statler_waldorf@sopuli.xyz 1 points 3 days ago

And they have to succeed a willpower save to keep the townspeople's singing from growing their hearts 3 sizes and making them bring back the gifts.

[–] HubertManne@piefed.social 2 points 3 days ago

pathfinder's begginers box. sorry. just being a fanboy ass.

[–] actionjbone@sh.itjust.works 1 points 3 days ago

A heist job.

The PCs are forced to kill, whether or not they want to.

At a pivotal moment, an NPC from one PC's past shows up - or maybe just somebody who convincingly pretends to be one. They reveal information that makes it sound like the PC has been conspiring against the rest to split the hall with the NPC.

Thing is, the NPC is lying. But is very convincing.

In effect, you orchestrate a situation in which evil characters begin to infight. And because they're evil, it creates lots of opportunity for highjinks.

[–] ThisIsAManWhoKnowsHowToGling@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Ask your player what they mean by evil in this context. Do they mean evil as in oil barons extracting all the wealth they can by any means necessary, or does she want to skin babies to make purses?

[–] mushroommunk@lemmy.today 3 points 3 days ago (1 children)

I did ask and she just said she wants to cause trouble and be the bad guy. I know she's big into serial killers so more the skin babies side I'd guess.

[–] pteryx@dice.camp 2 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Thing is, your typical clear-out-the-humanoid-tribe dungeon crawl could be considered pretty evil in its own right by modern standards. Just putting an emphasis on how much that old trope would actually involve disrupting lives and destroying families could be enough, depending on what she's going for.

[–] mushroommunk@lemmy.today 2 points 3 days ago

I love doing this to my players. They go to loot a goblin body in a cave and find a baby rattle or something. They always get so upset.

I could see taking that to it's max as a fun thing. An evil king wants a town cleared out so he can build a highway through it. It's the players job to clear the town