Ho-Ho-Hold On, Adventurers! 13+ Dazzling One-Shots for Your Holiday Feast of Gaming
The crisp winter air bites at your nose as you trudge through the snow-covered village square, your breath forming frosty clouds in the twilight. The warm glow of flickering lanterns emanates from the cozy tavern ahead, promising a respite from the biting cold. Inside, the air is filled with the aroma of roasting chestnuts and the joyful chatter of revelers.
But tonight, you and your adventuring party aren't here for mere merriment. You've come bearing a different kind of cheer – the kind that comes with sharpened blades and whispered spells.
For the holidays are upon us, and with them comes a flurry of magical misadventures just waiting to be unraveled. Imagine facing off against a mischievous band of gingerbread golems, their eyes made of glistening candy and their fists packing a surprising punch. Or picture yourselves negotiating with a grumpy winter fey, their icy breath frosting your eyelashes as you bargain for a lost treasure. These are just a taste of the festive fun that awaits you in this collection of 12 captivating one-shot adventures!
But before you embark on your quest for holiday glory, let's take a moment to prepare.
5 Super Simple Tips to Keep Your One-Shot Short and Sweet
- Focus on a Single, Clear Objective: Whether it's retrieving a stolen gift or thwarting a Grinchy villain, keep the goal simple and easy to understand. This ensures everyone stays focused and on track, maximizing your precious gaming time.
- Pre-Generate Character Sheets: Save valuable minutes by having players choose pre-made characters relevant to the holiday theme. This eliminates the need for character creation at the table, allowing you to dive straight into the action.
- Embrace Modular Maps: Prepare multiple, small-scale maps that can be easily linked together to create the adventure's environment. This modular approach offers flexibility, allowing you to adapt the layout on the fly as your players explore.
- Prioritize Roleplay over Combat: While some battles are inevitable, emphasize social encounters and puzzle-solving for a more unique and engaging experience. This allows for character-driven storytelling and creative problem-solving, adding a deeper layer to your one-shot.
- Set a Timer: Let your players know you have a specific timeframe in mind to keep the session focused and exciting. This helps maintain a sense of urgency and ensures the story unfolds at a satisfying pace.
Now, let's amp up the holiday cheer and transform your one-shot into a truly unforgettable experience!
5 Ways to Make Your One-Shot Extra Festive
- Go All-Out with Decorations: Surround your playing area with twinkling lights, festive garlands, and themed props like miniature snowmen or gingerbread houses. This creates a truly immersive atmosphere and gets everyone in the holiday spirit.
- Play Some Holiday Tunes: Create a playlist with upbeat carols or instrumental pieces to set the mood for adventure. Familiar melodies will evoke the warmth and joy of the season, adding an extra layer of emotional resonance to your game.
- Get Creative with Your Snacks: Offer themed refreshments like gingerbread cookies, peppermint hot cocoa,or candy cane-shaped pretzels. These delicious treats will keep your players fueled and engaged throughout the session.
- Incorporate Holiday Traditions: Add a fun twist by incorporating traditions like exchanging gifts, singing carols,or participating in a snowball fight within the adventure. This personalizes the experience and allows your players to connect their real-life holiday traditions to their characters' in-game world.
- Embrace the Spirit of the Season: Encourage your players to get into character by wearing festive attire and embodying the joy and generosity of the holidays. This adds a layer of lightheartedness and immersion, making your one-shot a truly magical experience.
So, gather your friends, grab your dice, and prepare to embark on an unforgettable holiday adventure! With these tips and tricks in your arsenal, and the 12 dazzling one-shots waiting to be explored, get ready to unwrap a season of laughter, excitement, and memories that will last long after the snow has melted.
13+ Holiday D&D One-Shot Adventures
In The Black Midwinter
"In The Black Midwinter is a Festive adventure, designed for characters of levels 2-4, to be played in one (3-4 hour) session. The PCs battle an ancient evil threatening a remote village in the subarctic north. Very much the same as most D&D adventures, only this time, it’s Christmas themed!"
View In The Black MidwinterA Kobold Christmas
"A Kobold Christmas is a festive one-shot perfect for an adventuring group looking for a little bit of chaotic fun this holiday season. Set in the town of Finnick, play as a group of kobolds working their way out of the sewers and into the home of Sanderklauzen the Red in the pursuit of riches and revenge.
Perfect for seasoned (pun intended) and new DM's alike, A Kobold Christmas is a level 3 stand alone adventure, suited for a group of 3 - 5 adventurers if you have 4 to 6 hours to play."
View A Kobold ChristmasA Very Aberrant Holiday Special - An Adventure for 3rd and 4th Level Characters
"Let's take the holidays back to their cheerful and giving roots. That's exactly what the Spirit of the Season aims to do in "A Very Aberrant Holiday Special!"
The quiet logging town of Pinemere has drawn the attention of a very friendly, very powerful entity from the Far Realm that sends its herald to spread good will toward man this holiday season. However, some of the nuances of the season are not fully understood by the entity or its messenger. Toys and cookies shouldn't try to kill you, presents belong under the tree instead of people, and the gift of 'surviving' is a gift that you probably don't need to specify that you're giving.
Trapped in a transparent, impenetrable dome it's up to the party to save the town and set the holidays straight. "A Very Aberrant Holiday Special" is a one-shot adventure for 3 to 5, 3rd or 4th level characters that makes for a great Christmas themed adventure"
View A Very Aberrant Holiday Special - An Adventure for 3rd and 4th Level CharactersA Yuletide Surprise! A Christmas 5e One Shot for kids. 3rd Edition.
"This short adventure has been created to introduce my six year old to the wonderful world of DnD! It is a fairly linear mini story containing kid favourite monsters – trolls, spiders and goblins – as well a spooky campfire and mudcake!"
View A Yuletide Surprise! A Christmas 5e One Shot for kids. 3rd Edition.Claus for Concern: A Holiday One-Shot for Christmas
"Oh, no! Santa has been bamboozled! Something is wrong in the toy factory, and the workshop is overrun with frosty foes, wintry wrongdoers, and North Pole ne'er-do-wells.
A team of Santa's elves manages to escape the workshop warzone and recruit a party of adventurers to go take back toyland.
Can our heroes muster enough cheer and joy to make sure all the good girls and boys get their holiday gifts? Or will everyone forever get stockings full of coal...whether they're on the Naughty List or Nice?"
View Claus for Concern: A Holiday One-Shot for ChristmasDanger In A Midwinter Wonderland: A Christmas One-Shot
"Danger in Midwinter Wonderland is a single session Christmas adventure suitable for a party of 3-5 players of 4th or 5th level but is best with 4 5th level players. It is easy to play as a one-shot adventure with new characters or to place into an already existing campaign.
This adventure also includes Christmas themed magic items like the Exploding Midwinter Crackers and has stats for a number of new monsters including the fearsome Snoman and the deadly Krampus.
Everyone has heard of the festival of Midwinter, the great Winter's Father and his dutiful Toy Makers. They are the core of the Midwinter celebrations and there is no better place to visit than the Noel Isles and see the Winter's Father in person during these celebrations. Each year the Toy Makers decorate the Isles with such splendour that it can only be fully appreciated in person.
But this year something foul is afoot, the Winter's Father is missing and the Noel Isles are too quiet. Something is definitely wrong but you're not quite sure what. All you know is that you sense Danger, in this Midwinter Wonderland."
View Danger In A Midwinter Wonderland: A Christmas One-ShotDDAL00-05 Winter's Splendor (5e)
"You’re invited to the Midwinter Gala in the City of Splendors!
Among the jovial festivities, a sinister mystery waits to be unwrapped.
A two-hour holiday adventure for 1st – 4th level characters."
View DDAL00-05 Winter's Splendor (5e)Last Christmas
"This Christmas, Santa Claus must die! Adopt the role of one of the characters based on iconic Christmas villains and raid Santa’s North Pole base in order to destroy Santa’s corrupted form.
Due to Grunch’s machinations, Santa’s jovial form has been corrupted and he’s called off his annual gift-giving journey. Now, the Spirit of Christmas gives Grunch an ultimatum: he must assemble a team of other famous villains, infiltrate the North Pole base and destroy the corrupted Santa Claus so he can be reborn and deliver presents. The team will have to navigate environmental hazards, deal with four factions of Santa’s elves and finally battle the Man in Red himself.
However, each team member has their own secret agenda to complete … and time is running out!"
View Last ChristmasMeal with the Mind Flayer - a Christmas Murder Mystery with Santac'Laus
"Meal with the Mind Flayer is a standalone Christmas-themed murder mystery designed for 4th level adventurers. The setting is non-specific and can be dropped into any campaign world.
Christmas is coming! As the nights draw in and the snowy climate of the north spreads southwards across the land, dwellers in cities, villages and the wilds alike all prepare for the festive season. Since the arrival in the world of Santac'Laus the Christmas mind flayer, the tradition of giving and receiving presents has become established.
Previously, Santac'Laus terrorised the halfling village of Flodur. This year, he has invited a number of friends and acquaintances to his mansion for Christmas. Little does he know, his guests will soon be solving his murder...
The adventure includes a mixture of combat, dinner and party games with a set of bizarre monstrous guests, and exploration of Santac'Laus' mansion in search of clues to find the murderer. It contains a Dyson Logos map, custom stat blocks and magic items, tips on the design to help you run it, and a few puns."
View Meal with the Mind Flayer - a Christmas Murder Mystery with Santac'LausHow The Lich Stole Christmas
"You’re a foul one, Mr. Lich
Your flesh smells like decay
For the crimes you have committed
There will be hell to pay
When the heroes come to save Christmas Day
How The Lich Stole Christmas is a short 3-4 hour one shot holiday adventure for characters of all levels. The encounters include variations for adventuring parties of each tier of play. The story unfolds through melodic rhymes that are certain to get the players into the spirit of the adventure.
Does your party have what it takes to save Christmas?
The door flew wide open, in blew the cold.
A young girl stepped in, confident and bold.
"I escaped from the bad things, I know where they are!
Inside of the mountain, it isn't too far."
Her parents embraced her, she was hugged and was kissed,
But the rest of the children were still being missed.
"Hello, strangers," the girl said. "You look quite brave.
Would you please help rescue my friends held in the cave?"
Not a Creature Was Stirring
"Helpful and fun for beginners, this christmas themed adventure was created for new dms and new players.
With an easy to follow story and advice at the turn of every page this adventure meant for 2 to 5 level 1 characters provides what you need when you need it.
It can seem daunting to begin playing on the other side of the DM screen but this document was made to facilitate that. This adventure from cover to gametime has an expected prep time of 1-2 hours and the information you need to help new players get their first character sheet."
View Not a Creature Was StirringOnce Upon a Winter's Eve: a 5th-level Christmas/Holiday One-Shot
It's a chilly Winter's Crest in the cozy village of Pinedale as loved ones gather tight, share cocoa, and tell stories of ages past. But when a blizzard strikes the town, Pinedale finds itself drawn into the dreaded domain of a mysterious fey with deadly plans...
- A 4-to-6-hour adventure for 5th-7th level characters set in the frozen forests of Winter.
- 18 pages of encounters that can be added or removed for extra time and challenge
- Three full-color maps, plus a unique monster stat blocks for The Winter Queen, a CR6 fey obsessed with ice and dance.
- 4 new magic items, including the Everburning Log, Bells of Jingling, Icicle, and Nutcracker, as well as the Harmonite Blade, an optional weapon that increases in power if characters join together in song.
- Encounters with a Frozen Lake, a mid-air battle on the back of a dragon, and a ballroom fight atop a mountain's edge.
The Nutcracker, a retelling
At the Royal Christmas Eve party, the Queen is kidnapped by the evil Mouse King, and our adventurers are sent to rescue her. Into the mouse-hole your adventurers will go, where it leads, no-one knows.
A 2020 GOLD Best Seller. Wow, thank you all so much!!
This is a Christmas themed mini-adventure based on the Classic story and ballet The Nutcracker. The Nutcracker is a classic Christmas tale of magic, mystery, and sugar plums, and I have re-written this 1816 German story by E.T.A Hoffman for a 51-page level 5 5e D&D adventure, that runs over 3-4 hours.
View The Nutcracker, a retellingThere's Snow Place Like Home: A Winter Holiday Adventure
Dashing through the snow,
Running as fast as they can,
Hungry for some gnomes,
But they’d settle for some Man…
-Traditional Cheerington song warning children about the region’s reindeer
Steal gifts! Fight Reindeer! Save the holidays!
Take on the dreaded devil Belsnickel and save the snowy gnomish town of Cheerington from his grasp in this fun-filled adventure for one-on-one parties or small groups level 4-5.
View There's Snow Place Like Home: A Winter Holiday Adventure