How to End a D&D Campaign

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Misfit Adventurers

Күн бұрын

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@misfitadventurers 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for all the kind words! It means a lot to me ❤

@dantherpghero2885 3 ай бұрын

Sly Flourish suggests advancing the time line by one year after the climax. Then ask the players what their characters are doing to mark the anniversary. He lets them write/create their own epilogue.

@cadenceclearwater4340 3 ай бұрын

Seriously, do take the time you need, take care, we'll always be here.

@davidjennings2179 3 ай бұрын

Closing off a campaign can really seal how everyone will remember it. It's always something I worry about - build up is easy and you have a few shots at it through a campaign but the ending only happens once. Thanks for the tips! Also, I'm sorry to hear about your family member. It's tough when it comes out of the blue like that, it's so hard to process too. If a break helps, like we always say, we'll still be here....if more videos help then I'm certainly not going to complain about that either 😁

@neyaralbator1834 3 ай бұрын

All the support for you during this difficult Time. Take all the time we need. If and when you come back, you will be welcome. If you don't, remember we enjoy your content and presence. Take care. I have been there. Enjoying life will be the hardest but most rewarding challenge. Stay strong. Courage.

@the-patient-987 3 ай бұрын

You just made me realize that after more than 20 years in this hobby I never experienced a proper game ending. The closest I had was a kind of season finale for my last VtM chronicle. But the "second season" started like the following week and after a couple of sessions it fell prey of the scheduling monster. Just like most others before it. And I wish I had closure for those characters and parties, I wish I could've seen at least one of their arcs through. Two years ago I've been where you are now, with my mom. It's never easy, take all the time you need, sounds like you know where to gather your strength. I'm recent follower and I already learned you're more than worth the wait, we'll be here.

@Ryanironwolf 3 ай бұрын

It is never easy loosing someone. Take your time and take care of yourself m'lady. So sorry for your troubles.Thank you for your hard work!

@CyberianWaste 3 ай бұрын

Excellent video, and a topic that isnt discussed as often as it should be! My problem is I always fall into the "Let's keep it going" trap, and never have a conclusion until people cant schedule anymore or lose interest or whatever. I definitely need to set an expectation for myself on when things will end, and remember that I can always start a new campaign after the first one left off. Also want to echo the well wishes. I have a friend who is going through something similar. Give yourself space, take as much time as you need. But also, maintaining a sense of normalcy is very important for your sanity. Best wishes for peace and healing

@undeadamerican1107 3 ай бұрын

So I like to close out a campaign with Epilogue slides/handouts for each character and each major NPC. I got inspiration from Owlcat games (Kingmaker and Wrath of the Righteous). But it really ties the story together nicely and my players have loved it. Off topic: I'm sorry for your loss, take the time you need to heal, use games and work as a distraction - whatever helps you personally get through the grieving process.

@btottori 3 ай бұрын

Good advice. I plan to incorporate asking the players about their PCs' epilogs before the last session as you suggest.

@The-Blind-Bard 3 ай бұрын

Some great advice. Most of our campaigns do not have endings because we are always switching out campaign and it would be nice to end a campaign on a good note so it feels wrapped up and complete. I’m sorry for what you’re going through. It’s definitely hard so take the time you need and do what works for you to get through it. I’ll still be here, no matter what.

@oneheart537 3 ай бұрын

Thank you for making this. There is so much advice on how to start running and playing DnD, but next to no guidance on how to end a campaign in a way that is on the same level as all the epic moments that happened during the campaign.

@umberhaven 3 ай бұрын

I'm sorry for what you and your family member are going through with the cancer diagnosis. Cancer is terrible. I like this D&D topic and appreciate your suggestions. I haven't game mastered yet, and the few campaigns I've played in have never had an ending. But, I loved the "Balance" season of the "Adventure Zone" real-play podcast (the season that they're also publishing books for), and I liked that that story had such an emotionally satisfying wrap-up. This isn't directly related to RPGs, but this is one of many reasons that "Babylon 5" is my favorite TV show. That show's last episode, and in some ways the whole last season, was so good at three things: (1) Wrapping up loose ends (though intentionally not everything, because life also goes on); (2) Saying goodbye; and (3) Answering the question, "What was all this for?" So many other shows like to leave big battles or remaining plot twists up to the last minute. I prefer the B5 method of giving closure. So, if I ever do game master a campaign that gets to its end, I'd want to leave one whole session for wrap-ups, goodbyes (including to support characters, as you mentioned), and to summarize the purpose of the story. If I were to give titles to sessions, I would possibly call the last session, "What Was All This For?"

@darcyw156 3 ай бұрын

Great video, i enjoy your take on ending campaigns. It's often tough you end a long running campaign. Mary you find someone that brings you strength during your challenging time.

@BLynn 3 ай бұрын

I'll be praying for you & your family. At the beginning of the video I was wondering what was up. Thanks for trusting us with your struggles, but definitely get some counseling whether that professionally or within the church. (Yes there are professionals within the church but many are not which is why I separated those.)

@notearz76 3 ай бұрын

Great advice and perspective to keep in mind. Keeping in mind your family going through this difficult time.

@valathor95 3 ай бұрын

I’m not the most experienced DM yet. My last campaign, and the only long campaign that I’ve ever had come to a planned end, was set in Middle Earth between The Hobbit and LOTR with several tie ins and we were able to keep it mostly in canon. (Unfortunately thanks to a little railroading from me that I regret and have learned from) but I think I did the ending really well. The players, specifically the human character had adopted a young orphaned human girl during the campaign, so after the players defeated the big bad and saved Middle Earth they returned to the town where they had left her safely. As they reunited I ended the scene and cut to another scene. An old woman climbed a hill to look at a grave. She started talking and the players realized that it was the orphan girl they had adopted, grown up and the grave was that of the human character’s. She talked to the grave, explaining what each character did after the campaign and how their actions had affected the story of The Lord of the Rings. She thanked them for raising her and taking care of her, and that she misses them. Then I cut to Samwise Gamgee talking to the girl/old woman and getting her story of the party and starting to write. I’m still really proud of it, however I would do it differently if I could do it again. I do regret not letting the players decide on what their characters did, even though they loved it and said I had captured what they would have done perfectly I now realize it’s a no, no, to take the agency away from the players like that, but live and learn, overall I still think it was a fantastic ending.

@jeffbergstrom 3 ай бұрын

The fancy word for this is "denouement." The bit after the Death Star is destroyed or Voldemort is killed. A hoity-toity word but a well worn one. Looking it up can give a lot of structure to your end-of-story...story.