Does anyone have any cool Festival mini games they like to use?
My players are about to enter a winter festival in a town and I am looking for some fun mini game type of distractions. Winter themed is best but I can always tweak as needed.
One idea I had was for a Snowball fight, it would function like a dodge ball like game ( 1 hit and your out) last team standing wins. possibly some easy money for the players or some cool NPC connections before or after the match. the game would function like normal combat, however they would only be able to use snowballs as weapons. Range of 30 ft, one HP to remove a character from the match.
Maybe a sled race or something. It doesn't have to be winter themed, like I said I can always tweak.
I know that my players may skip over this type of stuff but I want to be prepared.
I don't like to toot my own horn, but I wrote a thing for Carnival/Circus games. I explained in it how they all were rigged and potential solutions. However, they can be used to help run an honest version of the games too. You can find that over here which might be helpful: https://ko-fi.com/s/638112998d
My players attended a festival celebrating the summer solstice, for which I created a bunch of carnival games. I'm sure some could be adapted to a winter theme.
The Lobster Race - a relay race with two teams of four runners each who each run a 90' leg (like around a baseball diamond). But instead of carrying and passing a simple baton, the runners have to carry and pass a live lobster! It's just a bunch of Athletics checks really. Each runner rolls athletics, lower roll goes their movement speed, higher roll goes their movement speed + 5 feet. But each time they roll athletics you roll a d6 for each runner. If you roll a 1, that runner gets bit by their lobster, causing them to move only half their movement for that roll. Just tally the distance each team goes until one team reaches 360 feet.
The Ring Toss - for one copper piece you can try to throw three rings onto the upright fishing poles standing 15 feet behind the counter. It's just three Dexterity checks, but the DC keeps going up because at first the poles are stationary, but once you start throwing the rings and hitting the poles, the poles start flexing and swaying. So the 1st roll is DC 15, 2nd roll is DC 20, 3rd roll is DC 25. Two successes wins a small prize, three successes wins a bigger prize.
Fish in a Barrel - this is basically cornhole but with live fish. There are two sets of barrels filled with water and fish set 20 feet apart. Each contestant must reach into their barrel, grab a live fish, and throw it into the barrel 20 ft away. Just set a timer for 30 seconds and have the two players roll Dexterity checks as fast as they can. Whoever beats the most DC 20 rolls in those 30 seconds is the winner.
Sorry, I almost forgot The Fool's Joust. This one is a bit complicated though.
Imagine a simple split rail or rope fence marking off a 25 foot diameter piece of ground. The contest is between two teams of two players each. On each team, one person sits on the other person's shoulders. The person on bottom (the Mount) is then blindfolded. The person on top (the Striker) is handed a pugil stick (a 5 foot long thick staff with a padded leather ball at each end). The objective is to knock the opposing Striker off their Mount. When the bell rings, each Mount makes an Athletics check. Whoever rolls higher, their Striker gets to attack first, making one attack roll (using Strength, Proficiency is at your discretion). Then the other Striker gets to make one strike, but at disadvantage. The Armor Class they're aiming for is 10 + the higher Dex modifier of the two opposing players. Whichever team scores 3 hits first wins. If you really sell it with the descriptions of the hits and misses it'll be hilarious. My players loved it.
Oh, and of course the people in the crowd bet on the outcome. So the players who are watching might win or lose some money based on how well their friends do.
Hello Everyone,
Does anyone have any cool Festival mini games they like to use?
My players are about to enter a winter festival in a town and I am looking for some fun mini game type of distractions. Winter themed is best but I can always tweak as needed.
One idea I had was for a Snowball fight, it would function like a dodge ball like game ( 1 hit and your out) last team standing wins. possibly some easy money for the players or some cool NPC connections before or after the match. the game would function like normal combat, however they would only be able to use snowballs as weapons. Range of 30 ft, one HP to remove a character from the match.
Maybe a sled race or something. It doesn't have to be winter themed, like I said I can always tweak.
I know that my players may skip over this type of stuff but I want to be prepared.
so any cool ideas?
thanks
I don't like to toot my own horn, but I wrote a thing for Carnival/Circus games. I explained in it how they all were rigged and potential solutions. However, they can be used to help run an honest version of the games too. You can find that over here which might be helpful: https://ko-fi.com/s/638112998d
There's a much simpler, but far more complete list here though: https://www.dndspeak.com/2019/08/07/100-activities-at-the-local-faire/
DM session planning template - My version of maps for 'Lost Mine of Phandelver' - Send your party to The Circus - Other DM Resources - Maps, Tokens, Quests - 'Better' Player Character Injury Tables?
Actor, Writer, Director & Teacher by day - GM/DM in my off hours.
Thank you, these are really cool.
I appreciate the help
My players attended a festival celebrating the summer solstice, for which I created a bunch of carnival games. I'm sure some could be adapted to a winter theme.
The Lobster Race - a relay race with two teams of four runners each who each run a 90' leg (like around a baseball diamond). But instead of carrying and passing a simple baton, the runners have to carry and pass a live lobster! It's just a bunch of Athletics checks really. Each runner rolls athletics, lower roll goes their movement speed, higher roll goes their movement speed + 5 feet. But each time they roll athletics you roll a d6 for each runner. If you roll a 1, that runner gets bit by their lobster, causing them to move only half their movement for that roll. Just tally the distance each team goes until one team reaches 360 feet.
The Ring Toss - for one copper piece you can try to throw three rings onto the upright fishing poles standing 15 feet behind the counter. It's just three Dexterity checks, but the DC keeps going up because at first the poles are stationary, but once you start throwing the rings and hitting the poles, the poles start flexing and swaying. So the 1st roll is DC 15, 2nd roll is DC 20, 3rd roll is DC 25. Two successes wins a small prize, three successes wins a bigger prize.
Fish in a Barrel - this is basically cornhole but with live fish. There are two sets of barrels filled with water and fish set 20 feet apart. Each contestant must reach into their barrel, grab a live fish, and throw it into the barrel 20 ft away. Just set a timer for 30 seconds and have the two players roll Dexterity checks as fast as they can. Whoever beats the most DC 20 rolls in those 30 seconds is the winner.
Anzio Faro. Protector Aasimar light cleric. Lvl 18.
Viktor Gavriil. White dragonborn grave cleric. Lvl 20.
Ikram Sahir ibn-Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad. Brass dragonborn draconic sorcerer Lvl 9. Fire elemental devil.
Tayn of Darkwood. Human Life Cleric. Lvl 10.
Sorry, I almost forgot The Fool's Joust. This one is a bit complicated though.
Imagine a simple split rail or rope fence marking off a 25 foot diameter piece of ground. The contest is between two teams of two players each. On each team, one person sits on the other person's shoulders. The person on bottom (the Mount) is then blindfolded. The person on top (the Striker) is handed a pugil stick (a 5 foot long thick staff with a padded leather ball at each end). The objective is to knock the opposing Striker off their Mount. When the bell rings, each Mount makes an Athletics check. Whoever rolls higher, their Striker gets to attack first, making one attack roll (using Strength, Proficiency is at your discretion). Then the other Striker gets to make one strike, but at disadvantage. The Armor Class they're aiming for is 10 + the higher Dex modifier of the two opposing players. Whichever team scores 3 hits first wins. If you really sell it with the descriptions of the hits and misses it'll be hilarious. My players loved it.
Oh, and of course the people in the crowd bet on the outcome. So the players who are watching might win or lose some money based on how well their friends do.
Anzio Faro. Protector Aasimar light cleric. Lvl 18.
Viktor Gavriil. White dragonborn grave cleric. Lvl 20.
Ikram Sahir ibn-Malik al-Sayyid Ra'ad. Brass dragonborn draconic sorcerer Lvl 9. Fire elemental devil.
Tayn of Darkwood. Human Life Cleric. Lvl 10.
These are also really cool thanks!