20 Different Ways to End Sessions in Dungeons and Dragons

[@OneShotQuesters]

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[@ninjachihuahua4843]

I just checked it out. Its one hell of a learning curve but I def see its convenience. Totes a blessing to those who dont have irl maps and figures

[@user-zm3xk2mm2k]

R.I.P. Jimmy He had a heart attack because the merchant was the BBEG and is another player's Dad and that player is also evil and also secretly a ####ING DRAGON, TOD! i joined in jimmy's place because of this AND PLAYED HIS CHARACTER! I DO NOT LIKE TABAXI!

[@torgranael]

"No more heart means no more heart attacks. You're cured!" Ad-barian is a gem we all ad-spire to be.

[@simonnading]

Yeah, that line sent Dr Pepper right out my nose. Painful, messy, but still laughing.

[@-.starfilled_galaxy.-]

@@LuizCesarFariaLC comment *sesssion* ?

[@MarkhorSculpin]

His logic is impeccable.

[@mordredpendragon1235]

Don't worry he'll just sleep it off

[@torgranael]

@@LuizCesarFariaLC How is this new? First rule of anything with a comments section is to absorb the contents before diving into comments, for precisely this reason.

[@schwarzerritter5724]

The cliffhanger ending: "This is an intended cliffhanger; I did not forget to prepare the encounter."

[@drchicken2477]

Alternatively, "I totally expected you guys to make it this far today."

[@B.-T.]

Ouch, you didn't have to call me out so accurately like that, mate!

[@EatAnOctorok]

I read that as "I did not prepare to forget the encounter" but that's just the truth.

[@DawnzeenaMcGill]

Sad irony. One of my D&D buddies actually died of a heart attack this week on our Wednesday session. We were all wondering where he was and couple contact him. Turns out he’d had a heart attack and been rushed to the hospital. We found out yesterday he didn’t make it. He’d been playing D&D since first edition and was probably my grandfather’s age, but it was still a shock to lose a player like that.

[@Csawllc]

His legend can still live on. My condolences for your loss.

[@graywolfdracon]

My condolences. Losing a friend is always hard. At least you'll always have some fond memories from your sessions together.

[@insanecrazyman7637]

Condolences mate, hopefully your friend is playing dnd with the greats still above in whatever heaven he believed in

[@friendlyredneckneighbor4326]

My condolences, hope you guys as well as his family are making it OK during this rough time.

[@Indigo_Indignation]

I wish you a good life even without him. May you continue your travels, remember him in your hearts and share the memories of him in tales of legend.

[@MysteryMedia2001]

My favourite way to end a session is the “And that is as far as I have planned so uhh, that’s it”

[@lindenbrock4102]

Lol love it

[@MonkeyJedi99]

Funny coincidence. My latest session of our combinati9on space/fantasy campaign ended because the players decided that after waking up in a spaceship they had never seen before (they are all alien abductees) and using the on-board robots to help fix enough systems to see where they are, and needing more materials to continue fixing the spaceship... They ignore the planet they are orbiting (having intercepted some radio traffic from the obviously bombed planet) and the shell of orbital debris from shattered satellites around the planet (full of all the materials they would need), and they hare off to the planet's moon, where a barely intercepted signal and a marginal thermal bloom indicate a possible underground base they can raid for supplies. - Don't get me wrong, that underground base DOES have the stuff they need, AND it has major story information. I was just not expecting them to go there for another 3-6 sessions... So I ended the session and have a lot of prep to do that I thought I had a month or more to get done.

[@erickj4384]

Ad-barian multiclassing into cleric seems dangerous... Best decision ever 🤣

[@alexkoder1982]

Imagine if Barbarian takes a level in Warlock. Eldritch Axe Attack.

[@masonhibbard6824]

Bad ideas=the best ideas

[@rockstarlefty6153]

So now hes ad-bardclericbarian

[@blackcat738]

I love how Matt Mercer has his own category.

[@JRTIntervencion]

And it makes a lot of sense given current events X)

[@d4s0n282]

@@JRTIntervencion oh yeah, I litterally just finished that ep, that was CRAZY

[@d4s0n282]

also if im a be honest a lot of these are a refrence I feel to matt lmao, idk I dont play dnd unlucky

[@WellBattle6]

I’m glad recently they’ve also been doing Brennan Lee Mulligan.

[@TPKMAGICIAN]

Matt Mercer needs his own category though

[@qwefg3]

My favorite one had my players accidentally releasing the ancient evil that was supposed to be a background piece because they destroyed the one thing they were supposed to not break. Turns out the party knight was a lot stronger than anyone realized. Still loved their expression when I informed them they opened the gates of the underworld causing the villain they were fighting to run away screaming in fear.

[@chriwehl7173]

Aaaaaaat that point, I think they should join him. Maybe team up. Fight back literal hell. Get stabbed in the back when it's done. good times all around

[@_Moar]

The “the PCs reached the battle at the end of the session like I intended them to, but they won’t fight until next session” ending, AKA the Brennan Lee Mulligan. “You see before you, hovering in the sky, is the BBEG! Everybody roll for initiative!” (Wait until everyone rolls) “…and that’s where we’re going to end our session!”

[@xavierbehrens3015]

Same thing happened to a bear in my first campaign. But, we didn't gain a level because we stabbed it while 2 people were trying to go pacifist. Anyway, that's how a party member got their leg bitten off by a giant centipede!

[@theweebchannel4850]

I do that sometimes... mostly because my players don't have a lot of time to play... so I do the role-play to fight sessions.

[@mikesands4681]

"with one level of cleric" "that's not my healing staff" I love him.

[@TheSmart-CasualGamer]

This is my first One Shot Quips after a session with a new group. We turned a Bone Devil into a giant flumph by firing fey food into it's mouth. One of our party turned into an owlbear. The BBEG is now a librarian for the party's monk.

[@Csawllc]

🤷‍♂️ Yahtzee?

[@serenegenerally]

Niiiiice

[@Konpekikaminari]

That sounds wild

[@Malkontent1003]

What in the fresh unholy skitbarian.

[@KatarHero72]

That Matt Mercer one hits after that one episode a few weeks ago.

[@georgehancock652]

It's a time capsule.

[@MostLikelyMortal]

Oh god that’s gonna leave a mark in a few thousand people

[@IanAnimatesBagels]

Always down for a 'I do not control the speed at which lobsters die' gag

[@ChaosHolland28]

The TPK literally happened to me a few weeks ago. We started a new one

[@picklejho69]

Why not continue the campaign... IN HELL

[@lukaslp7722]

1:31 I love how the music also repeats the entire time

[@shafayatkabir]

It has been 3 weeks and we still haven't recovered from the Matt Mercer brutality.

[@herman1francis]

I'm the cliffhanger type. One time my players found an old battlefield full of corpses and such, overall creepy place. The rogue looked for shinies and grabbed a knife that looked sharper than her's. That night, when the rogue was doing guard alone, the blade started to shine blue and three skeletal ghosts in full clad armor appeared in front of her pointing their swords towards her. Aaaand that's where we ended that session. Great times

[@netherhunter945]

More

[@herman1francis]

@@netherhunter945 I don't understand sorry. More of what?

[@shellpoptheepicswordmaster755]

More of the story, you ended it in a cliffhanger.

[@herman1francis]

@@shellpoptheepicswordmaster755 the rogue swore to them that she would find a way to bring peace to their souls if they spared her life. She used the knife from time to time after that session but it was cursed and hurt her when she used it. Much later on the campaign they were dungeoneering inside a tomb. They found a ghost crying over a tombstone. Suddenly the three skeletal ghosts manifested from the knife and started attacking the other Ghost claiming it was the commander of the enemy army that killed them in that battlefield. The rogue discovered inspecting the tomb that it was the gravestone of a young soldier. She realized it was the son of the general, who also died in that battle. The party used this information to calm the ghosts and make each side ask for forgiveness. The knife was freed from the curse and became a poweful magic weapon called brothers in arms.

[@chrishansen8181]

Sadly i had a friend die of a heart attack yesterday while on his way to our dnd session. This is like the 8th time this has happened and i end up seeing him posting on his Instagram whenever he is supposedly dead and everytime i try to confront him if he is lying or not he always says "oh i slept it off".

[@kriger619]

I like the Matt Mercer Cliffhanger endings, everyone yells at him.

[@DMingThoughts]

At "TPK ending" I was expecting clip from C3E33 upd: Oh you kinda got it lol

[@user-cx9un9fs7q]

I always end the session when there’s about to be a boss fight. Because when I’m going to have a pre planned boss fight I always want to test it to make sure that I don’t tpk the party, but at the same time it isn’t easy as hell.

[@skyjaxx8686]

I am watching this after my last dnd session being left on a cliff hanger where my character was just about to reunite with her missing brother. The wait for the next session is killing me

[@The_Penguin_Editz]

Normally my campaigns end like this Me the dm: ight it 10:30 pm you seem tired we gonna end it right here My player: yea ight thanks

[@edmg7]

What about "The rage quit"? Or "Pretending you don't like the game anymore to get rid of THAT player"? Or "Realizing you spent the whole session playing Yahtzee and got nothing done in the campaign"?

[@princessblazena]

😂👏

[@h.s.6269]

You forgot the about to TPK panic cliffhanger during combat! Just had that doozy a few days ago. Extra points for each PC played by dm so we can still play that day, only to brace for tpk pause cause he doesn't want to kill their characters when they aren't there... 2 Players couldn't make it, 3 did. We are frozen at around 5 hp and a dream...

[@faolan2174]

Here for the update when the next session resolves what happened.

[@arianacoelho9804]

I am also here for an update, if y'all survive (the would be impressive if y'all do) I would like to know how

[@blank___blackasd]

also here for an update

[@davidparkes7741]

Ditto on the update thing. That sounds intense.

[@melaniescribbles]

PLEASE tell me that you have a means to heal and a party member that has Revivify. Like, even a healing potion would probably do in your situation.

[@jonathonpolk3592]

I'm a fan of the twist and cliffhangers. My old DM loved the 12 hour sessions. Ugh, it was so much easier when I was younger and could stomach limitless quantities of Mountain Dew...

[@oz_jones]

Also, didnt have so many responsibilities

[@lorenzocassaro3054]

My first experience as a DM was both a "12 hour session" and a "check in". I had the terror of having been boring, or too railroad-ish Turns out it went really well and we're planning to continue with that campaign

[@guidojacobs2002]

My favorite ending: The DM is in a fetal position, mumbling about how the BBEG was taken out by the D&D equivalent of Fus Ro Dah-ing him off a cliff in the first round of combat.

[@Vercanya]

That barbarian "heal"... perfection.

[@alicepbg2042]

2:15 - a salute for our fallen players/dms... may our schedules be fixed, eventually, hopefully, somehow... o7

[@AvangionQ]

0:46 The level up ending ... yep.

[@NobleWolf]

When the Barbarian takes a lvl in Cleric Barbarian: * uses lay on hands and Screams at the fallen party member * Get up maggot!!! We have heads to break for our lord of throwing it back!

[@Battleguild]

My campaign went out like Berserk did for 3 years. Out on a boat in the middle of the sea and left on a cliffhanger.

[@iamkah4789]

Accurate. My DMs have pulled most of them. The ending of a couple campaigns were rough but beautifully done

[@mathmusicandlooks]

“When the next session is the BBEG fight” 😆 Iiterally had that exact type of ending just a couple of weeks ago. The party leveled up, became full health, and all got points of inspiration. Because, what other bones are you going to throw them when a bunch of level 6 characters are facing off with a dozen modified beefed-up zombies, 3 CR-9 necromancer AND a CR 21 lich in a single fight while trying to keep the king alive? Here I was prepping for an epic finale with a twist. Half of the party had already become undead without realizing it, and the lich had an opportunity to take control of each of them, unless they passed a DC 20 saving throw. It was going to be a glorious TPK! Surprise! The party saved the King’s life and defeated the Lich and every one of the baddies. None of the party died. (though the sorcerer was running around at 1 HP for more than half of the fight.) My entire sequel campaign? Total rewrite.

[@Nempo13]

Something to remember that practically EVERYONE forgets because it is usually only listed in the depths of the DMG in weird places; Cleric and Paladin (well unless they are oathbreakers) characters cannot be controlled as undead due to still being protected by their deity. They can become mindless and not have access to their skills and be controlled that way but if they have access tot heir skills then they are still being protected. Again, the exception is oathbreakers who due to breaking their oath have no protection. In 3.5 paladins that break their oath actually became easier to charm/mind control/etc than others as an added penalty.

[@mathmusicandlooks]

@@Nempo13 good note, thanks! I’m a new DM, so something like that would have escaped me. Luckily, it wasn’t an issue here because nobody in the party is either a cleric or a Paladin. (The undead - or unliving, rather - were a wizard, monk, and a warlock.) Anyway, I’m proud of them. I put a practically impossible challenge in front of them and they destroyed it with flying colors.

[@resileaf9501]

Liches are surprisingly easy to kill for low-level characters.

[@cyberblizzard4703]

Glad to hear I am a normal DM who ends the session normally... by killing my whole party

[@ShikiRen]

Definitely used the Cliffhanger and Boss-fight oners before. Usually I end it "on time" though.

[@bjarnes.4423]

Since Jimmy felt the pain of getting hit by an axe, I would say the revival was successful

[@RawwkinGrimmie64]

Ad-barian's medical notes from the 1600s: "I was able to relieve the patient of his heart pain successfully. He died of blood loss soon after. Patient success rate remains at a steady 100 per cent."

[@drchicken2477]

Unrelated blood loss, of course.

[@PK-qi9jr]

i had the chance to end my last 2 sessions on a cliffhanger both times it hit me when i was making something to eat afterwards just pain

[@deansheets]

That matt mercer was amazing... especially recent events

[@Cheerybelle]

1:31 - 1:44 I love this. Very memorable.

[@emberfist8347]

"The TPK session." Rocks fall, everybody dies, give me your character sheets to shred, the campaign is over.

[@crystaltriforce64]

one thing i did for a "play as yourself" campaign was have a theme song playing an outro when each session ends. in that campaign's case it was "my life is better with you" by Montaigne

[@davidmccall4024]

play as yourself sounds interesting.

[@FHBStudio]

Having a tpk the first session is a blast if you continue anyway but as ghosts.

[@niko3648]

You should make a part two but its where you last left off as you begin your session.

[@BeybladeASMRreviews]

Mathew mercer is like a combination of all of these

[@ToxicWaffle183]

Okay but C3 Episode 33

[@garesgaming7381]

You forgot the « When its the end of the campaign, but the DM prepared another one »

[@TheCantripCast]

I did not come here to be called out for my cliffhanger endings. Update. Finished the video. I also didn't come here to be called out on my campaign endings.

[@Kaminkaese]

One shot's ad-barian would be a perfect match for pitch meeting's ad-stronaut 😂

[@motekar5791]

The Matt M. One was what got me going! 🤣

[@matthewjames7504]

The Real Life ending hits a little too home

[@undermanx2578]

Can you please do the wizard character sheet please?

[@lowa2680]

ive started playing outro music at the end of my sessions and it really brings a whole new atmosphere to the ends lmao

[@Eramiserasmus]

I like to end with something to keep them thinking and then ask how it was.

[@realdragon]

Transitional ending sounds like the best

[@deni140492deni]

Oh I just remembered the final fight with stradht now. We ended the session because we started a 30 minutes fight with his accountant that ended with the barbarian succeeding a strength test to shove half a book into the accountant's arse. Btw, in the middle of Stradht's fight, the accountant broke free and charged the barbarian for vengeance, the barbarian grabbed him and threw him at Stradht that spent a desintegrate spell on the old man. That was the MVP of the fight hahababhababha

[@Arturiamagus]

"The irl" Oof, i feel that one...my current campaign has been on hiatus for a little over two months while my store is shortstaffed.

[@DemikusYT]

Once again here for ad-barian~ The true MVP of all skits ✌️

[@Evan345gdf]

To me this is the funniest skit you’ve made yet

[@musicplayer5355]

Duke, Ad-barian is the best. The cleric bit cracked me up!!! 🤣😂

[@KBZ957]

AD-Barian just keeps getting better and better!!!

[@benjaminoechsli1941]

"No more heart means no more heart attacks. You're cured!" DM: "...... Roll... persuasion?"

[@MayBeSomething]

1:32 - 1:44 I'm laughing too hard!

[@oru8185]

I don't know if I'll ever recover from the Matt Mercer one.

[@Thorninjag]

The ad-barrian is hilarious. Especially in this video.

[@PizzaBombz]

Had to take a moment to pause the video after "Home" was next in initiative and laugh lol

[@vojinmiljus5600]

usually for my friends and I we end the session when we get hungry and get some food and then we end regardless if we are mid combat or somewhere normal

[@josepablobonillajimenez6297]

In my group we always play until someone falls sleep like at 3am, that's when we say "ok I think that's enough for this session"

[@davidparkes7741]

"And he never played D&D again." Those are some cursed words, let us hope they NEVER come to pass.

[@hongcuong]

OMG he should have his own category of humor 😂

[@codym4340]

Mercer famously kills very few PCs compared to many other DMs

[@unhundred5315]

Pretty accurate

[@michaelrhett4958]

If a DM ends a session with a cliffhanger, that’ll mess me UP cause my brain NEEDS that closure dopamine

[@gamergirl209]

For the title card I legitimately just expected, welcome to Jurassic Park

[@hedwigon6951]

If adbarian multi passed into bard, we will have an adbardbarian on our hands, people!

[@mordredpendragon1235]

2:47 Barbarian: Oh well

[@kodabear1996]

I love these videos! Keep up the great work!

[@minealotdude7423]

Or the end of the first space combat session in spelljammer that finished about an hour and a half ago as of writing this

[@verdrang5614]

"Unprepared for your upcoming session, and instead you're watching me!" .... Me, a DM who is procrastinating instead of preparing the plot the players will most likely follow tomorrow: I feel called out

[@crazebear]

Mind blowing ending is always so satisfying tho

[@spazzie89]

"And you goblins have blown this to hell so get out of my kitchen so I can figure out what to do next week."

[@Kaiser8513]

Ad-barian said "Jimmy is having a heart attack? Here's a heart attack"

[@rcrc9943]

My gms are definitely fond of the cliffhanger and boss encounter endings

[@einkar4219]

as online player I prefer ending "you are traveling/ you ended at long rest" it gives opportunity to roleplay on txt chat

[@micahj5388]

Last session my character, 15 years old normal sheltered kid, downed a hallucinogenic drug, shot an enemy 40 times and ended passed out in a container that may or may not be used to suck life force energy from one person and transfer it to a corpse to reanimate them… good times

[@obadijahparks]

I have never thought about the cleric multiclass for the barbarian!... I now have an idea for an npc.

[@LisaVGG]

I was looking for this for days

[@shadowknightproductions5275]

2:38 I relate to that more then anyone should

[@Maninawig]

Thanks Duke. Now my half-orc Zealot Barbarian (Named Henk) has found his battle cry: Yatzee! (it's orkish for no fear)

[@ianweech]

I never end a session on a normal end spot. I ALWAYS want to leave the party guessing at what happens next and keep them coming back. It's worked for the 4 years I've DMed.

[@angelapplepie]

I've done some of these, for sure

[@thatrandomgamer28]

I love that new cleric level

[@Apocalythpe]

This was a good one, i had a good laugh from it!

[@nightflame69]

And he never played D&D again! That hits in the feels

[@graywolfdracon]

Almost thought Hype Goblin would make an appearance.

[@Lunrrr1308]

The last DND session I was in, the DM left on a cliff hanger once

[@rarkael9949]

2:50 I feel attacked. I have a session tomorrow. I did not prepare it .

[@colinlibra7968]

I mean ive had a session end like the heart attack one. One of my players of the last campaign i ran nearly choked to death on a piece of taffy and had to be rushed off to the er. With 3 of 5 members gone, you may as well call that session.

[@danitenotes]

My response to the Matt Mercer: "These guys should take a Dungeon Crawl Classics Funnel for a spin!"