The following plot ideas arent statted up, but that means they arent systemspecific, either. The big list of rpg plots pdf version two rpg item. A pretty vampire is investigating a murder in a grand barracks. Plot generators for quick story ideas writers write. John ross from examining hundreds of tabletop rpg adventure modules and originally published as a supplement to his game risus in 1999. They were killed some how and were stuck to their house as a ghost. Emily care boss is the brilliant designer of games like the romance trilogy, and bubblegumshoe. A secret book, code, or other rare element is necessary to plug the breach maybe. John ross version two sep 23, 20 the big list of rpg plots. Aside from containing the basic risus rules, this pod book also includes the big list of rpg plots, the risus companion, and one great recipe for banana pumpkin loaves. While wizardry was very crunchy, this is converted to a pbta inspired system which is typically very notcrunchy. So much so that im itching to run a game probably using broomstix or wga.
Over the last two decades, the big list of rpg plots has been cited. Specifically, the balance of structured plots and story arcs versus unstructured and more openended shoot from the hip style campaign development. Add to library 1 discussion 1 browse more short stories. Oct 10, 2016 this amazing creation is as the title lists, the big list of rpg plots. Then things start to get crazy and the meet person b. A secret book, code, or other rare element is necessary to plug the breach maybe just the fellow who opened it. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Backer nick finck asked me to write about plots in rpgs. The campaign has lots of minor villains running about, most of whom have some sort of connection to another villain called the black spider. This should have 1999 in the title, which is when it was originally published. Strolens citadel is a stackexchange like site in that things are voted up and down where members submit plots, npcs, quests, dungeons, societies, races, items, locations, nations, devices, and any other element that can be used in a roleplaying game the site is highly structured, so you can browse the entire list of plots or you can narrow it down by plot type. There are several other improvisations on my article floating around the internet, and at least one independently written. John ross big list of rpg plots which sets up a conceptual framework with lots of twist variable, the more linear and closed approach of eureka which offers a complete story, and the structure of legend of the five rings which presents a setup, twist, and then several directions the story can go in. These systemneutral plots are simple to use and easy to personalize to your game.
After each plot is a list of addon ideas, wrinkles or tweests. Writingexercises plot generator this plot generator creates some quick plot ideas for you. Best books on rpgs a selection of the best resources on roleplaying games and computer rpgs. Use the story ideas option if you want a quick random story idea. This article is descended from an article i wrote several years ago about plotted games, based on my interpretation of a book by georges polti called the thirtysix dramatic situations. Basic form of the story, includes major incidents and encounters.
Best rpg story you ever played games discussion gamespot. The net book of plots online this is the combined net book of plots book versions 1 through 6. The big book of conspiracies 30 treasonous paranoia plots. Rpgs have a special set of plots they favor and which.
And the problem with trying to prep a plot for an rpg is that youre attempting to predetermine events that have not yet happened. Best books on rpgs 45 books meet your next favorite book. Any of the basic plots in this list can be reengineered with the pcs on the outside of it. In short, a role playing game is a game that allows you to make your own choices, and the player generally plays as a character who can explicitly interact with the world much like real life. In 2002, he has uploaded an updated version of it to his now archived website, but it is also available as a free pdf on drivethrurpg. The pc can make choices and chose his or her own path.
Just reading a couple of them with some ideas in your head gives you a lot of room to make it work on an adventuring level, without giving you anything that might spoil that creativity burning away in the back of your brain. Big list of rpg plots over the last two decades, the big list of rpg. This post subverts its use slightly by turning it into a tool to generate random plot, with the intended use of solo roleplaying. Over the last two decades, the big list of rpg plots has been cited, quoted, thanked and excerpted in articles for computergame design, a book on hollywood screenwriting, and more than a few penandpaper rpgs. Apartment, mansion, cozy town house, whatever youd like the first few nights are peaceful. Featuring a foreword by gaming industry legend monte cook, eureka contains 501 complete adventure plots usable with almost any roleplaying game, plus gming advice and tools for making the most of every plot if you game once a week, thats nearly 10 years of adventures, all right here in the largest collection of its kind ever published. People who voted on this list 25 felipe 8 books 14 friends. Jul 01, 20 in the numenera kickstarter, i had a backer level called online gamer. So, ive just reread the books again, and realised how great the hp universe is. Make the plot fit the players, not the other way around.
No matter what superhero roleplaying system you run, you can take one or more of these ideas and turn them into a nights fun. Phil scadden, soh kam hung, and i invented a new format for the books which makes it possible to convert them to html format. The problem, then, is to make a plot line for an rpg. Oct 11, 2018 the big list of rpg plots what follows is a scrap of trivia. You want some rps request naomimine short stories august 29, 2017. I expected it to be a list to the net book of plots that was a list of rpg plot ideas compiled by people online ages ago. Gms try to make sure that theres always another mystery in the game for the characters to run after and solve lots of people love a good mystery. Although i was thinking it would be a huge list that would take me all day to read through, i guess thats why he used the word big instead of huge. John ross is the creator of this list as well as another light ruleset rpg called risus. I later tried to shop it to dragon and shadis and others they also rejected it.
Dec 27, 2016 person a has just moved into their new home. If you have ever read a book or watched an episode of a tv show, you will know that most of those start with an unexpected or unexplained circumstance or event. If you are having trouble coming up with plots, make your own life easier for the moment by starting with a setting you are familiar with and have seen many plots in already. Risus is a ruleslight, lighthearted system that uses cliches to either widely or narrowly define a character archetype. Some of the other options have more involved forms. The four great clans of the earth own the four great elements. Her youngest sister is set up by a bloodthirsty time traveller. Looking back, i felt like i missed out on some of the game by always being a little too. Since i have a lot of readers who write fantasy novels, i thought id do a list of idea starters for them. I built this by examining the premises of hundreds of published adventures for all systems including those systems dear and departed from print, trying to boil them down to common denominators. Either the pcs are accompanying other characters in the midst of such a plot often being called on to defend the plot from the outside, as it were, or they are minding their own business when the others involved in the plot show up, and must pick sides. Some of these may be more along the lines of speculative fiction than science fiction. He constructed this list of plot hooks mainly in regards to being able to adapt these plot hooks to absolutely any genre whether it be high fantasy.
Chaotic shiny chaotic shiny offers a number of writing and gaming generators. With ben riggs, she chews over game theory, her career, and how ars magica may have directly inspired some of the most important indie designers of the 21st century. So many roleplaying game plots revolve around secrets. This is a solid book full of fun new character options and useful material for gms that reinforces all of 5th editions strong points. Superhero rpg plots seeds might seem like theyre a dime a dozen, but nothings better than free adventure ideas. The shelter contains the source of whatever they have been trying to avoid. The people backing at that level get to, among other things, request a specific article written by me, here on my blog. The 7 basic plots, as analyzed by christopher booker the areas of my expertise offers another fiftyfive dramatic situations asimovs three kinds of science fiction. John ross contains 33 common tabletop rpg adventure hooks and a larger number of twists that can be applied to them. The new subclasses are well designed and flavorful, with some of the most interesting new abilities not being focused on combat. Over the last two decades, the big list of rpg plots has been cited, quoted, thanked and excerpted in articles for computergame design, a book on hollywood screenwriting, and. Peter barnard, glen barnett, colin clark, david lott, jason puckett, marc rees, carrie schutrick, and jeff yaus, plus a few mysterious heroes who never let me know their true identities.
Turning the big list of rpg plots into a random generator an. The hardcover and binding are not cheap and can withstand a nice amount of passing around which you will do alot. Specifically, the balance of structured plots and story arcs versus unstructured and more openended shoot from the hip. I wrote it in 1993 as an article submission for pyramid magazine they rejected it. This amazing creation is as the title lists, the big list of rpg plots. Pretty interesting if tabletop rpgs have a special set of plots they favor and which arent favored elsewhere. My master plots list called 50 romance plot ideas is one of my most popular posts of all time, and ive gotten so much positive feedback for the plot ideas for stories and writing prompts in my book master lists for writers. The big book of conspiracies, 30 treasonous paranoia plots provides 30 plot outlines hilarious and lethal adventures for your group of troubleshooters. There are several other improvisations on my article floating around the internet, and at least one independently written article similar to it. When ive got a stubborn idea like that, i like to go to the big list of rpg plots and pick one or two and make them work. The big list of rpg plots is a wonderful source of plot ideas to help spark a gms thoughts. The big list of rpg plots is dedicated to the many, many fans whove let me know how helpful its been, and especially to those whove helped make it better. Any system with characteristic stats gets a severe sniff test. Gambler arrow darkchildbut who would you say are the big 3 now, if you feel they are still the big 3 awesome.
Every rpg plot ever in the history of the whole world ever. With the help of an alcoholic sentient fluid, she must choose between long life and integrity in order to avert disaster and save her race from destruction. Ive tried to capture as much of the wizardry dark savant trilogy into a tabletop format as i could. All ready to be adapted any which way, and popped into your beautiful workinprogress. Itll be set at hogwarts, possibly a few years after the final books. May 21, 2015 based on a real roleplay on tumblr, about a different kind of family with a hoard of brothers and couples, drama, action, and exciting story plots. My book 5,000 writing prompts has 100 more science fiction writing prompts in addition to the ones on this list, plus hundreds of other master plots by genre, dialogue and character prompts, and much more. Its 65 fully featured pages pick apart what makes a great paranoia plot and teaches you how to create paranoia adventures using only the headlines of your local newspaper. Thanks for the website, i havent come across this one yet. In the numenera kickstarter, i had a backer level called online gamer. They include prompts about the environment, artificial intelligence, genetics, medicine, time travel, space exploration, alien. Superhero rpg plot seeds and adventure ideas superhero rpgs.
Then, baldurs gate 2, fantastic characters, minsc and boo were so funny. Nov 14, 2011 so, ive just reread the books again, and realised how great the hp universe is. One of my most popular blog posts is my 50 fantasy plot ideas and writing prompts, so i thought id share a companion post of sci fi story ideas and writing prompts. The document in the form of a pdf file, available for free download from the publishers website. Based on a real roleplay on tumblr, about a different kind of family with a hoard of brothers and couples, drama, action, and exciting story plots. Turning the big list of rpg plots into a random generator. Are there any good websites which have story hooks and. The player party seeks shelter in a place that turns out to hide something dangerous, secret, or supernatural. For writers there is a story arc generator, prophecy generator, situation generator, the mashup masher and several other tools.
801 328 72 1535 1034 424 1120 354 770 91 894 13 683 342 429 1490 67 579 560 626 1082 103 52 755 1529 922 1176 1106 950 1561 421 822 1218 844 1233 41 1222 678 595 1234 418 1453 625 909 1357 742 937 1330 331 1018