Dungeons & Dragons, especially the 5th Edition, can be a great system for a variety of genres. Obviously, the game has roots in horror, survival, and swashbuckling adventures, but it’s also a lovely toolset for games that are more political, action-oriented, comedic, dramatic, and much more. One less utilized genre is the murder mystery.
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Many murder mysteries in popular media have little action and rely more on intrigue and reveals. Thus, DMs don’t naturally jump into the game with a murder mystery session in mind. However, with the right tips, you can easily build a memorable murder mystery session or two. D&D has a ton of monsters and creatures to utilize in such games, making it a very unique setting to solve a murder within.
10Come Up With The Murder And Timeline
What lies at the center of a murder mystery is the murder, obviously. This meansyou’ll have to be very clearon who was murdered by whom, when, and how. While a fluid approach to who the murderer or the victim is could work, it’s recommended to have a clear idea of how and why the crime took place.
An even better way to prevent uncertainty or surprises is to come up with a murder timeline. Work out your time intervals and think about what the involved parties would be doing at that time, or where they’d be. This makes answering a lot of the players' questions quite easy during play, and will definitely make things easier on you, the DM.
9Make Sure The Central Mystery Is Not Trivial
D&D is not a system without murder, so it can be challenging to come up with a murder that’s actually worth solving. This is a world inspired by medieval fantasy Europe after all, where it would be rather common to fall victim to a tavern brawl or such.
Try and make sure that the victim was a somewhat noteworthy character, and that their murder was a surprise to the surrounding settlement. Was the murder political? Did cults have a role in this? How could a murder so violent take place in the town square? These are all questions that will nudge you in the direction of a more involved mystery.
8Build An Atmosphere
Many D&D tables have a vibe that’s somewhere between Lord Of The Rings and Mothy Python. Meaning there are usually tons of epic encounters as well as wacky fun. However, no matter how seriously you take the game usually, a murder mystery should be a bit more dreary.
This could be done via the reactions of the surrounding NPCs. Maybe the victim was a beloved figure, and the town is in mourning. You could also establish a tone with mysterious music, dimmed-down lights, and even some props like a bloody tome you specifically make to immerse your players.
7Give A Reason For The Party’s Involvement
“What’s in it for us?” is a very common question DMs hear whenan adventure introduces itself.To avoid such a lack of commitment to the session, it’s important to give a reason for why it’s your players' job to solve the murder mystery. This could be done in a variety of ways, but should definitely be emphasized.
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Maybe the party were the only ones with an alibi when the murder took place, and thus are trusted by the authorities. Maybe the party is somehow connected to the victim. What if the main suspect is someone the party has crossed paths with, and they have to clear his name? No matter how, make sure the party has a reason to be there.
6Add Suspects And Red Herrings
An obvious solution is never fun to uncover. This is exactly why you should keep the mystery wrapped up in misunderstandings, false accusations, and framing jobs. When your party is discussing who has motive, means, and opportunity with each other, you’ll know you’ve succeeded.
This is extra easy to do in D&D, where shapeshifters, spellcasters, and rogues are running about. You could even go wild and have someone die and come backvia the Reincarnation spellto avoid suspicion. Make sure you don’t flood the narrative with too many red herrings and keep a clear vision of the real crime though, otherwise, your party may grow sick of being led astray.
While this goes without saying, you want to keep your players immersed for as long as possible. A great way to do this is to spread out your clues and keep a steady flow of information. Make sure not to bundle a bunch of clues or evidence in a single chest, and sprinkle them throughout the adventure.
You should also prepare backup clues, as you don’t want your party to miss out on crucial info because they rolled poorly on an investigation check. Clues that lead to evidence, suspects, and other clues are the bread and butter of any murder mystery. If you’re able to unify these breadcrumbs to lead to the central mystery and a plot twist, that’s as good as it gets.
4Be Prepared For Magic And Abilities
An otherwise rock-solid mystery can be easily unraveled in a D&D game, due to magic and over-the-top abilities. You can literally speak with the dead or force someone to tell the truth after all. The feat Keen Mind allows a player to accurately remember the details of what they’ve seen within the past month.
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With so many options to power through the actual mystery, you should be prepared for them. You could use spells and abilities like Polymorph, Wild Shape, Modify Memory, and more to counter your players' options. It’s also likely for local authorities to pass a temporary ban on spells to prevent suspects from escaping. No matter how, make sure you’re prepared foryour players' spellsand abilities.
3The Twist!
Any good murder mystery should have a twist that has the audience, and in this case, the players, gasping for air in disbelief. While it can be as simple as a long-time companion turning out to be the murderer, it can also mean a lot more.
The thing you should be the most careful about is to not have a completely unexpected twist. The players should ideally believe that the reveal could be the actuality from the beginning. This is also the part where you could introduce other elements and/orfactions from your greater worldor your players' backstories.
2Make The Adventure Worth The Player’s Time
When your players finally reveal the true crime, and turn the murderer(s) to justice, verify it was worth their time. They should obviously get some material rewards, in the form of gold pieces and magic items, but rewards could be much more interesting.
You couldoffer the party roles as investigatorsif they’ve enjoyed solving the mystery. Maybe, the secrets that were revealed are key to some of the characters' backstories. Their fame might spread due to their service. Make sure that your players feel the adventure was not for nothing. Because that feeling can turn a great adventure into a sour experience.
1Tie The Session(s) Into The Main Plot
While a murder mystery can be the perfect fit for a one-shot, or a short campaign, it also works beautifully in a full-blown campaign. If that’s the case, you should definitely utilize what you’ve already established in the story to your advantage, as murder is a great way to convey tension.
You could have your NPCs be part of factions, having ulterior motives. You could use a form of corrupt authority to halt the party’s investigations. Feel free to use what fits the vibe and disregard what doesn’t until the mystery is solved. That way, it’ll feel more likean episode in a TV showand less like a spin-off.
