Probably Fun RPG Ideas

Good or bad, these should help everyone have a good time playing RPGs. Please feel free to submit your own ideas!

[probablybadrpgideas]

Actually implemented this in a game I've been building: A cosmic horror creature that rolls dice to determine the bonuses and stats for each... individual...roll. It's attacks are also randomized as well as the base stats. Literally unknowable.

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[probablyfunrpgideas]

I think a good way to do this would be: make a table of creatures, or roll a die with one side per monster in the monster manual. Every time the players interact with this shapeshifting thing or after it takes an action, roll again on the table.

Using a smaller table could work well if you wanted to have a theme - here’s a dragon that changes color and elemental abilities at random! Here’s a drow druid who can shift between several spider and demon forms!

Using a larger table could represent a truly chaotic and unpredictable shapeshifter, but makes it harder to balance or manage in combat.

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Ixitxachitl are such a rarely used creature, despite their depth of lore. You have sentient manta rays, and some of them are vampires! Then there’s a related species that lives underground (the ixzan). They have a religious schism between clerics of the manta god and worshippers of Demogorgon! They practice eugenics, so you can tell they’re classic villain material.

Campaign Idea: These demon rays are preparing a terrible unholy ritual, which will begin draining life from the ocean and all its creatures into their leader Ok’tixetl. PCs become involved as abyssal whirlpools and necrotic sea monsters cause havoc for the island nation they call home! They must stop the ixitxachitl from breaking three celestial warding beacons, or the vampiric leader will become an avatar of Demogorgon (to say nothing of the ecological devastation wrought by the ongoing ritual)!

[apisashla]

Every time I go out to visit the midwest or mountain west I'm baffled as to how anyone lives in these gigantic flat plains or giant bowl valleys between mountains with no trees to speak of. It's nature's panopticon. You can go inside I guess but that roof can't hide you from God like the woods can. It's gorgeous of course but I'm going back to Mirkwood where I can think my wicked little thoughts in peace, thank you very much.

[genderfluid-dynamics]

i feel the same except the complete opposite. the mountains are nice to visit but how does anyone live there? you don’t know what’s hiding in there. peace is endless flat plains, nothing but you and the angel you’re struggling with.

[apisashla]

fascinating! enjoy the type of horror that feels like home to you and I will do the same xoxo

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea: a Powered By The Apocalypse horror game where the playbooks are all based on different terrains! The Plains-Dweller, The Mountaineer, The Coaster, The Deserted, The Tree-Speaker etc.

Your characters all imply the existence of different kinds of entities or forces in the setting: if anyone plays the Mountaineer, there are cryptids and stealthy hunters. If anyone plays the Deserted, there are aliens and spacetime anomalies. However, you also have skills and powers to help deal with the horrors that are out there!

I see this either as a traveling campaign or a situation where everyone has moved to a big city. What do you think? In either case, you must investigate the supernatural or sinister events that you encounter, bringing your distinctive viewpoints to solve problems (or just survive).

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Supervillain Idea: The mutant known as Polygraph was a sidekick in her youth, trained by the legendary Cricket. Reporters like to sketch out her path to evil, beginning when Cricket named their protege “Pinocchio Lass”, but surely a silly hero name wouldn’t make someone turn to a life of crime.

Polygraph has one major power, which appears in some cases as a weakness. Whenever she tells a lie, the earth shakes violently (increasing in intensity with the severity of the lie). This has great destructive power, but also can be directed quite skillfully by lying about specific things. Once, while fighting their former mentor in a stadium, Polygraph targeted the sound system to prevent Cricket from broadcasting their soporific music. Bystanders said the lie that shattered every speaker in the building was “I actually quite enjoy Seven Nation Army.”

Don’t make the mistake of assuming Polygraph is a one trick villain. She has done countless hours of research, learning many subjects in depth in order to lie about them more effectively. And she usually has a few minions on hand to collect MacGuffins or block a punch - while the seismic schemer has Cricket’s martial arts training, she’s not unnaturally strong or bulletproof.

[probablybadrpgideas]

A tin box of danish butter cookies of inconvenience. When you want a snack, it's a sewing kit. When you need to sew or patch something up, it's butter cookies. If you open it but you don't need anything at the moment, it's empty

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[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea: use this sewing kit when you’re playing an animated gingerbread man with a Rust Monster companion. When Rusty is hungry, you have plenty of needles and thimbles and scissors to feed her! And when you need to patch up your wounds or make new dessert clothes, the tin fills up with cookies!

What other cursed items can turn into benefits with a clever (if unlikely) character build? Play a Nilbog who has a Spear of Backbiting and heal yourself with its malevolent attacks!

[probablybadrpgideas]

give your call of cthulhu party a deck of many things. go on. do it.

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[probablyfunrpgideas]

Ok, here’s how you do it. First adventure is a standard cthulhu monster - yithians, or something. You introduce the Big Bad, an evil cultist who is trying to spread chaos in the world. Second adventure is opposing some of the cultist’s minions, and it introduces some magical items like chalk that comes to life and a mirror that can see into the past.

In the third adventure, some trouble has been stirred up by the results of the Deck of Many Things - in the hands of the villain! The cards become worthless when drawn, so they can be found as clues: The Skull has summoned a horde of skeletal reapers who are hunting down the city’s reigning crime boss, and the Vizier has given a popular artist knowledge Too Great For The Mortal Mind. Your players will recognize these cards, and understand that the rest of the deck is out there.

In the next adventure, they catch up with the Big Bad* and find the aftermath of the cult’s latest ritual. In the path of destruction left by a rogue byakhee, the trampled leader lies next to a deck, with one card turned up: the Looking Glass.

Now they have the deck, but more importantly: they know there are cards in it beyond what they have memorized from D&D. Will they risk drawing? What can push them far enough to take that risk? *Perhaps the Big Bad’s twin showing up to take revenge?

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Monster Idea: A chimera with the head of an eagle, tail of a stingray and the body of a peacock mantis shrimp (which is just one thing.)

Surprise your players with a beast that can spot them miles away, skitter up to deliver a supersonic punch, and then avoid being surrounded with swipes from its razor sharp tail barb! These creatures lurk in shallow marshes, tide pools, and mangrove shores where they can hide and hunt for fish. But they’re not a natural species - if you see one, look around and you’ll find an evil wizard’s lair nearby. The Unerring Shrimpray is designed to be a guard and occasional familiar for masters of transmutation and thaumobiology.

[actuallybestrpgideas]

If someone can stat this up I'll put it in my game

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Eons later, here it is:

Unerring Shrimpray (Medium Monstrosity, unaligned). AC 16 (natural armor), HP 90 (12d8+36). Speed 40 feet, Swim 40 feet.

STR 15, DEX 20, CON 16, INT 3, WIS 11, CHA 14

Skills: Acrobatics +8, Perception +6. The creature has no penalty to perception at any distance, as long as it can draw line of sight. Proficient in Constitution saves.

The Shrimpray can make two Beak attacks as an action, or it may replace one with an Explosive Punch if it is charged:

Beak +8 to hit, 1d8+5 slashing damage.

Explosive Punch (Recharge 5-6). All creatures in a 30 foot cone must make a DC 16 Strength save, taking 2d8 bludgeoning, 1d8 radiant, and 1d8 force damage - half damage on a successful save. If the Shrimpray and targets are underwater, targets who fail their save are pulled 15 feet toward it.

Scuttling Charge: as an action, the Unerring Shrimpray can move up to its speed in a straight line toward a hostile creature. It can then make one attack.

Lashing Sting: Creatures who make an attack of opportunity against the Unerring Shrimpray must make a DC 16 Dexterity save or take 1d12 piercing and 1d10 poison damage as they are struck by the stingray tail.

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Monster Idea: A half-dragon Gorgon.

The iron bull has striated bands of white scales, and metal wings emerge from its sharp ridged back. Its breath combines the standard petrifying gas with a magical icy blast!

If you aren’t turned to stone, the cold breath will harm you right away. If you are petrified, the chill remains in your stony form - as soon as you get restored to your normal state, you take damage from the breath weapon. This can be avoided by heating up your petrified companion to a healthy temperature before you cast Stone to Flesh.

[cursed-curse-of-strahd-ideas]

Curse of Strahd campaign where at least one elected member of your party must beat Strahd in a rap battle to fully defeat him.

Your bard will feel so loved and appreciated :D

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea: The villain's minions are having a singing/rap contest to choose who will compete against the party! So far, Strahd has won every year, but a new flesh construct with built in speakers is a crowd favorite.

Play this as a oneshot, to take a break from your regular campaign! It could be fun to see all the terrors of Ravenloft in a competitive mood, doing the Monster Mash and voting on the best performance!

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Creature Idea: Newtonic Newt

This adorable amphibian is less than a foot long (0.000308 km) but contains enough magical force to level a small building. Its strength score is 24, and it can change the pull of gravity for itself in any direction! Furthermore, any attack against it generates an equal and opposite force that can shatter or fling weapons away.

Newtonic newts (so named for their diet of fig cookies) were originally from the Quasielemental Plane of Radiance, but a wizard’s miscast summoning spell converted their entire species from energy into matter. Now they live and thrive in our world!

[jokerlives]

[amiplayingright]

Monster of the Week prompt (ID: A sign in a wooded area. “3 alien abductions here in one week!! when are the council going to do something?)

[probablyfunrpgideas]

The monsters plaguing this town are mostly classic horror creatures. Three weeks ago, your team tracked down a vampire who was committing insurance fraud. Last week, you saved Mr. Garrido from a plague of zombies out at his cabin! But this time, things have gotten a little bit science fiction in the town of Sedbergh.

Idea: a genre shift like this can be a fun surprise to your players! First of all, they have the challenge of figuring out what an alien’s powers and weaknesses might be (not as easy as vanquishing a huldra or a hydra). Second, they can gather strange and mysterious gadgets from the alien ship, a long term project to work on! Plus, of course, they can use it as a clue toward the larger adventure! Maybe the town is cursed by a dark power that’s bringing people’s fears to life, and as the campaign continues you’ll see things even worse than aliens…

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Sorcerer Idea: you’re technically not a spellcaster! Raised by an old wizard, you never had the knack for shaping your mind in the intricate patterns to memorize spells. She did, however, teach you how to brew magical potions! Long days spent in the laboratory among gryphon blood and abeil honey gave you and your guardian many happy memories. But one day you had to set off into the world on your own…

As a parting gift (or the capstone of your training) the wizard helped you invent an elixir of marvelous power - one draught in the morning fills you with chaotic magical energy! This manifests in the form of spells and even wild magic, sparkling from your blood.

Does it work for anyone else? Well, probably not. It’s tailored to your own composition and soul, after all. But maybe you and a friend can work out a variation of the elixir to empower them (when they take a level of Sorcerer).

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Idea: giving predictions to your players is a lot of fun! You can use cryptic and abstract visions to hint at important plot developments or likely random encounters. For example, in a Heart: The City Beneath campaign you might tell them “you dangle from the hands of a clock, lit by a golden fire that will burn everything you touch.” This means that some hellhounds are tracking the party, and they’ll need to deal with the Vermissian train knight Sir 10:15 To Market Street. Of course, you can throw plenty of red herrings in the mix.

On the other hand, just as a twist, you can give a very specific and straightforward prophecy: “Tomorrow, you will be harpooned by a were-manatee bounty hunter.”

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Were-Manatees

A creature feared by many coastal communities, who have legends about their strength, their ability to hide in human form, and their unending appetite for seaweed and other vegetables. Like other lycanthropes, they only take serious harm from magic or silver, but uniquely they can transform at high tide rather than during the full moon. A were-manatee in animal or hybrid form is size Large and can hold their breath for up to 30 minutes. While not the fastest swimmers, they have a natural bonus to stealth while underwater.

The most famous were-manatee is Keor Tirenia, who captured the entire Lost Possum crew alive by towing their ship into port. This bounty hunter uses her monstrous strength and her training as a psychic warrior to take down all kinds of pirates and sea creatures!

[probablybadrpgideas]

Evil cult are planning a summoning ritual to call forth their dark god to the realm. If the PCs fail to stop them, it turns out it doesn't do anything because the dark god doesn't exist. It was founded mostly as a tax evasion scheme.

[probablyfunrpgideas]

I don’t like “if the players do nothing, the world doesn’t change” as a concept. Villains are always making progress on their plots, factions are always becoming stronger or weaker!

Idea: if the PCs fail to stop the evil ritual, the cult cannot summon their god. However, they experience a crisis of faith! 3/4 of the cultists abandon the secret lair, joining the local Thieves’ Guild or the Temple of the Sea. The remaining members are fanatically loyal to the leaders, and they begin seeking out a macguffin known as the Threefold Heart, kidnapping wizards and using new tactics to “fix” the ritual and prove their worth.

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Spell Idea: Leomund’s Horrendous Oubliette (Level 7 Conjuration) Components: Verbal, Somatic, Material (a tooth from a False Hydra)

This spell affects the target as Banishment, sending them to a harmless demiplane. While there, they do not need to eat or drink. However, the duration of the spell is different. When the target fails its saving throw and disappears, all creatures who witnessed the spell forget that you cast it. You forget that you ever had access to Leomund’s Horrendous Oubliette, and even the existence of such a spell - it vanishes from your spellbook and list of spells known. You can subconsciously make up an explanation for the target’s disappearance - they fled, or teleported away, or fell into the nearby well. If your target succeeds on its save, you retain your memories.

There is no save against the memory loss, but creatures affected by it can make an Intelligence check against (2+your spell save DC) if they actively probe their missing memories.

The target can escape from your Oubliette in three ways: first, if they can use Plane Shift or a similar ability (though they must make a Wisdom save against your spell DC). Second, they or an ally can cast Wish or Gate to make a way out. And third, if you learn and cast Leomund’s Horrendous Oubliette again, the previous prisoner is freed!

[thehumanwiki]

You can teleport! How does it look?

Puff of smoke

Leaving someone's sight and suddenly you are gone

Fading out of existence

PowerPoint animation

Transforming into a flock of crows

Portal

A trapdoor that isn't there when someone checks

Exploding into confetti

Popping out of existence with no fanfare

Shooting yourself out of a cannon

The Secret Option (tell me)

i don't even want to teleport

Voting ended onJul 3

[probablyfunrpgideas]

Mutants & Masterminds campaign where the only superpower is teleporting, but the flavor is variable. You play as an inventor with a device that vaporizes and reassembles you! One of your teammates discovered a faerie coin that sends him through a palace of mirrors when he spins it, while another studied with psychic monks and learned their technique for blasting tunnels into the fourth dimension with her mind. And of course your villainous rival The Hound can appear anywhere in the presence of a right angle!

How will you specialize your combat strategies and skills around this limitation? What benefits do different flavors impart to the heroes and villains of this world, and how can you use them to create strengths and weaknesses for a variety of characters?

[bastardofficial]

Conjure Marching Band

4th-level conjuration

Casting time: 1 action

Range: 150 feet

Components: V, S

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 hour

You summon fey spirits that take the form of a marching band and appear in unoccupied spaces you can see within range. This band consists of:

7d6 trombones,

[probablyfunrpgideas]

As an action while concentrating on the spell, you can change the direction of the marching band (you must be within 90 feet of it to do so). Otherwise, the fey musicians continue forward, and turn only when their path is blocked. They can cross mud, dense foliage, and snow with no difficulty, but will not cross bodies of water or dangerous terrain.

When a creature other than yourself first sees or hears the marching band from within 90 feet, they must make a Wisdom save against the Suggestion to join their marching progress. For the remaining duration of the spell, they are compelled to follow and clap, cheer or play instruments in time to the music. If they take damage or are roughly shaken, the effect ends.