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Dungeons & Dragonsis mostly a game about doing heroic deeds with friends.
D&D’s alignment system has enough room for all kinds of motivations and moral compasses.
A darkness washes over the land as sickness spreads.
Bone Devil art via Wizards of the Coast
It’s time for plague Dungeons & Dragons.
Inverting the hero-villain is nothing new to gaming.
There are some pitfalls to avoid.
Dungeons & Dragons Jungles of Chult by Jedd Chevrier
But, done right, evil campaigns offer lots of fun for players and Dungeon Masters.
Let’s check out some tips for running an evil campaign.
Others might interpret the same premise as an opportunity to explore the darker parts of the human psyche.
These two hypothetical players will have different expectations of the game.
Being honest with the table about your expectations is the best way to avoid upsetting anyone.
During session zero, you must define the limits of their characters' cruelty.
Dungeons & Dragons Jungles of Chult by Jedd Chevrier
Keeping things on track is easier when the player characters are the story’s good guys.
There’s a reason most films, books, and other media cast heroes as protagonists.
Motivating, guiding, and engaging players is simpler when they roleplay as heroes.
Heroes can easily bounce from solving one crisis to the next.
Establish PVP Boundaries
Evildoers often double-cross and backstab.
Once PVP combat begins, your game risks devolving into a group of atomized characters acting in self-interest.
No DM wants to run a game where the party is split into factions.
It isn’t much fun for players, either.
The party should be a criminal enterprise rather than a collection of criminal individuals.
Healing Hand by Ralph Horsley
Teamwork Is Key
D&D has remarkable flexibility as a system.
But some things simply work better than others.
Teamwork is an example of this.
The game allows players to compete and act against each other’s interests.
But D&D doesn’t excel in these scenarios.
Consider saving treachery and backstabbing for the climactic end of the campaign.
Plan A Short Campaign
Many DMs agree that players tire of evil campaigns sooner than heroic ones.
Choose Appropriate Alignments
All the PCs need to be Neutral or lower on the morality scale.
Entire groups may even become hostile.
The potential for annoying inconveniences due to bad behavouor can keep guard rails on the adventure.
Having a tournament arc is always exciting for the characters involved.
Let’s learn how to build an interesting one in D&D.
During session zero, have a go at develop shared history and joint plans with the other players.
Use whatever backstory gets you excited.
The following are some suggestions:
Craft an epic one-shot D&D adventure.
