Don't show the monsters until right at the end. Keep the suspense by having rumours or other indications of the presence of the BBEG, but don't reveal it early.
There was a pretty good article about how to do a horror game right here on DnDBeyond, back in Spooky Season. How to Bring Horror to Your D&D Game
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Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny. Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
The introduction and second chapter of Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft has great sections on different types of horror and how to run a horror game. Definitely recommend reading that if you have access to it.
As for general advice, after you figure out what kind of campaign you want to run (whether that's Gothic horror like Curse of Strahd, cosmic horror and dark fantasy like Tomb of Annihilation, body horror like The Last of Us, etc.) one good tip for creating a horror ambiance in your games is to describe things with all the senses, and keep answers vague or delayed. Let your players see the bloody footprints walking out of the castle but not the ghost making them. Let them hear ominous whispers but not pinpoint where it's coming from. Creating tension and mood helps a horror game come alive. Just make sure that your players are cool with being scared. Everybody has a line, and it stops being fun when you spend too long riding that line or crossing it.
One thing that the Angry GM came up with (or adapted, I read it on his site first) is Tension Dice.
Basically, have a visible and loud bowl of dice that you add to every time the players do something time consuming, and roll whenever it's got 6 in it, or they do something rash.
That way if you set a spooky scene where the enemy disappears, if they spend time trying to find them, the tension dice build - and everyone knows they are building - and this builds actual tension.
If you are looking for inspiration, might I suggest Hellboy? Yes, I think I might. Hellboy is technically considered horror, and it is an incredible work of art that has greatly inspired me.
I heard one idea where the DM knows the player's hit points and keeps track of how much damage they are taking. The players know they are taking damage, and they know that some hits are harder and more painful than others, but they don't know how much damage they are taking. I know this would scare me if I was a player.
I heard one idea where the DM knows the player's hit points and keeps track of how much damage they are taking. The players know they are taking damage, and they know that some hits are harder and more painful than others, but they don't know how much damage they are taking. I know this would scare me if I was a player.
I've done this. It's a lot of bookkeeping on the DM side (not only tracking HP but also staying on top of resistances and character features that mitigate damage) and very easy to slip up and say the damage total if you're used to calling that out. I would not recommend doing this long-term, but it absolutely adds a cool and unnerving element to individual combat scenarios.
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so i want to run a horror campaign (if i can find anyone), but i have no real ideas :( i would appreciate help. thx and have a good day! :)
Don't show the monsters until right at the end. Keep the suspense by having rumours or other indications of the presence of the BBEG, but don't reveal it early.
There was a pretty good article about how to do a horror game right here on DnDBeyond, back in Spooky Season. How to Bring Horror to Your D&D Game
Look at what you've done. You spoiled it. You have nobody to blame but yourself. Go sit and think about your actions.
Don't be mean. Rudeness is a vicious cycle, and it has to stop somewhere. Exceptions for things that are funny.
Go to the current Competition of the Finest 'Brews! It's a cool place where cool people make cool things.
How I'm posting based on text formatting: Mod Hat Off - Mod Hat Also Off (I'm not a mod)
The introduction and second chapter of Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft has great sections on different types of horror and how to run a horror game. Definitely recommend reading that if you have access to it.
As for general advice, after you figure out what kind of campaign you want to run (whether that's Gothic horror like Curse of Strahd, cosmic horror and dark fantasy like Tomb of Annihilation, body horror like The Last of Us, etc.) one good tip for creating a horror ambiance in your games is to describe things with all the senses, and keep answers vague or delayed. Let your players see the bloody footprints walking out of the castle but not the ghost making them. Let them hear ominous whispers but not pinpoint where it's coming from. Creating tension and mood helps a horror game come alive. Just make sure that your players are cool with being scared. Everybody has a line, and it stops being fun when you spend too long riding that line or crossing it.
thx a lot! im definately going for aberrant and gore-y
If you can find one, see if you can pick up a copy of the 3e Heroes of Horror book. It had some seriously disturbing prompts.
One thing that the Angry GM came up with (or adapted, I read it on his site first) is Tension Dice.
Basically, have a visible and loud bowl of dice that you add to every time the players do something time consuming, and roll whenever it's got 6 in it, or they do something rash.
That way if you set a spooky scene where the enemy disappears, if they spend time trying to find them, the tension dice build - and everyone knows they are building - and this builds actual tension.
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You should check our Curse of Strahd for inspiration, even previous edition materials from RAVENLOFT.
You may want to make more frequent use of the frightened condition, Fear-effect spells, unholy, cursed or dececrated places and items.
You could use the DMG rules for Madness, Horror & Sanity and XGtE rule for Emotional Echoes Magical Phenomenon
You could rely on shapechangers, undeads and fiends more often.
If you are looking for inspiration, might I suggest Hellboy? Yes, I think I might. Hellboy is technically considered horror, and it is an incredible work of art that has greatly inspired me.
I heard one idea where the DM knows the player's hit points and keeps track of how much damage they are taking. The players know they are taking damage, and they know that some hits are harder and more painful than others, but they don't know how much damage they are taking. I know this would scare me if I was a player.
I've done this. It's a lot of bookkeeping on the DM side (not only tracking HP but also staying on top of resistances and character features that mitigate damage) and very easy to slip up and say the damage total if you're used to calling that out. I would not recommend doing this long-term, but it absolutely adds a cool and unnerving element to individual combat scenarios.