Dungeons and Dragonshas been a king of tabletop adventuring ever since its initial release in the mid-70s. The influential TTRPG has always been considered the home of creative gaming and still remains incredibly popular to this day. Its special appeal lies in its ability to allow players to design and influence their own place within the game’s many fantasy worlds.
RELATED:Greatest D&D Campaign Settings, Ranked
Sandbox campaigns bring an even larger sense of freedom and creativity to a game that already prioritizes such things, but they can bring a unique set of challenges too. So how, then, can DMs effectively runsandbox-style games? Here are a few things to keep in mind whencreating a sandbox campaign.
7Establish A Familiar Hub
When creating a new sandbox campaign, it can be tempting for DMs to leap straight into crafting large cities or sprawling metropolises filled to the brim with potential action. While this can be something to aim for later on, starting with a small village or town instead is always better. By keeping thefocus of the settingscaled down to begin with, DMs can focus more on a fleshed-out, living location rather than one that feels too thin.
This village hub could even serve as the home base for players to return to when the rest of the world gets too wild in later sessions. Or it could simply be the first stop on their cross-country journey. Whatever direction players choose, having a starting location that’s small in scale but rich in detail is a great way to provide plenty of story and roleplay options without putting too much strain on a DM’s skills.
6Have Some References On Hand
In any open world, there are always going to be some elements players will return to. In this case, keeping some rough references of people, places, and things on hand will prevent any continuity errors that pull players out of the world. This can be as simple as a map with itemized locations, a rough character profile for each NPC, or even an encounter table that DMs can refer back to.
These things aren’t uncommon for any game ofDungeons and Dragons, but they are especially crucial for immersion within sandbox worlds. A map is always the best starting point, especially when connected with a list of details that can be added to as the campaign progresses. Providing a good map to playersallows them to understandthis new world they find themselves in and decide where exactly they wish to explore.
5Don’t Plan Too Much
Juxtaposed against the previous entry is this essential piece of advice. Unlike other, more railroaded campaigns, players have the freedom to choose to ignore things in sandbox-style ones. That means that DMs clutching a fully formed quest complete with enemies, items, and lore may find themselves having to throw it all out the window. All because the players simply chose to do something else.
RELATED:The Best D&D Campaigns Of All Time, Ranked
DMs hoping to save themselves this heartache should instead stick to developing rough outlines rather than anything fully formed. Improvisation, freedom, and flexibility are the cornerstones of good sandbox gameplay. That means that planning should be dedicated to options instead. If DMs have something they really want their players to explore, they’ll have to pull their players in through interest.
4Develop A Few Hooks
Other campaign styles are often dominated by a central campaign that is driven forward by hitting all of its story points. While this can be fun in its own way, sandbox campaigns lack this easy luxury. As the story is almost entirely in the players’ hands,a good sandbox DMwill have a few plot hooks ready to go at any given moment.
The rule of three is an excellent place to start, as it’s a perfectly digestible number of choices for players to be faced with. The plot hooks should be relevant to the characters’ interests and intriguing enough that they might want to follow. Plot hooks are also a great way to build believability into the world players are inhabiting, as it gives the sense that the world is moving around them.
3Randomize Some Encounters
For a good sandbox campaign, DMs are going to want to have between 10 and 50 encounters prepared for any particular locale. The number of encounters is determined by the size of the location the players find themselves in, and more is always preferable to less. This can be overwhelming, however, so using an encounter table is a great option.
RELATED:Common Misconceptions About Dungeons & Dragons
Encounter tables are essentially a list of potential encounters the players can come across, which can be employed by rolling a die and selecting the corresponding encounter. There are plenty of great encounter tables out there, or DMs can even design their own. Encounters can be anything frommeeting an NPC, being given a description, having a combat encounter, or simply stumbling across a strange shop. These tables take the pressure off of DMs and keep the world feeling inhabited.
2Include Consequences For Players’ Actions
As in any real or fantasy world, what players do and don’t do will ultimately affect things. Rather than just letting this slide,DMs should take these opportunitiesto ground the sandbox campaign in reality. Players fail to follow a particular plot hook? Maybe that leads to a village being overrun by goblins. Players kill off an annoying NPC? Maybe his wife is now hunting them down in revenge.
Including consequences is a great way to keep the campaign flowing and let the players experience the joys or horrors of their own creation. It also keeps the world from feeling too artificial. Consequences can even blossom into their own stories and pull the campaign in a fun new direction that no one could have expected.
1Don’t Forget The Rule Of Fun
Whatever kind of sandbox campaign that DMs and their players co-create, they should remember thatDungeons and Dragonsis a game – and games are meant to be fun. Fun can entail a great many things, but it is essential for the overall success of the game. If DMs are debating the inclusion of something in the campaign, they should ask themselves if it’ssomething their players will enjoy.
Great rewards, silly side plots, and lovable NPCs can help players refresh after a particularly harrowing quest. Political intrigue, the natural environment, and even romance might also be something the players will enjoy. The important thing is to include plenty of content that is designed with the players’ enjoyment in mind. Let their interests guide the world around them.
