Creating a One-Shot Adventure: Part Three

Pacing & Player Characters

Welcome back to Creating a One-Shot Adventure! This is Part Three where we will look at pacing and player characters. If you missed Part One (Tone & Theme) or Part Two (Structure & Scene) check them out here and here.

Pacing: Keeping the Game on Track

Pacing is the rhythm of your adventure - how quickly or slowly the story unfolds. In a one-shot, pacing is extra important because you have a limited playtime (often 3-5 hours). You need to balance player freedom with forward momentum so the game doesn't stall out.

GM Tip: If your players spend 20 minutes interrogating the baker about bread prices, that's your cue to move things along. (Unless your one-shot is literally The Great Sourdough Heist...in which case, carry on.)

Tips for Managing Pacing:

1. Scene Timing

   Plan a rough time budge for each major scene. For example, in our murder mystery scenario, you might allow 45-60 minutes for the main investigation phase.

2. Use Time Pressure

   1. A ritual finishes in 30 minutes.

   2. The festival starts tomorrow.

   3. The goblins arrive at dawn.

   Time limits force decisions and create urgency.

3. Scene Jumps

   Skip filler travel unless it matters for the scene. If the players finish in House 1, just narrate their arrival at House 2 with a quick description. Keep the energy focused on important moments.

4. NPCs as Clocks

   NPCs can drive urgency. In the murder mystery, the mayor might burst in: "You've got until sundown to solve this - or the town is docking your pay."

Choosing Player Characters

You have two main approaches for one-shot player characters (PCs):

1. Player-Created Characters: More freedom, but character creation can eat into game time.

2. Pre-Generated Characters: Faster start, plus you can tie them directly to the plot.

GM Tip: Always prepare more pre-generated characters than players, that way your players have multiple options to choose from.

Tying PCs Into the Story:

Pre-generated characters let you weave personal connections into the adventure:

• The cleric's sister organizes the town festival.

• The rogue owes a debt to the tavern owner.

• The wizard suspects the murder weapon is tied to a forbidden spell from their school days.

If the players make their own characters, work with them to connect backstories to the main plot. Keep these backgrounds simple and relevant so they're easy to play within a single session.

Adding Personal Goals

Small, personal objectives give players extra motivation:

• Recover a lost heirloom.

• Keep a certain NPC alive.

• Uncover the truth about a local legend.

These side goals add flavor without derailing the main mystery.

Spotlight Each Player

Make sure each PC has at lease one scene to shine:

• The bard gets to charm or deceive NPCs.

• The wizard deciphers arcane clues.

• The barbarian smashes down the villain's door.

GM Note: Your job isn't just to run the plot - it's to make sure everyone gets their "hero moment."

Final Thoughts

Think of pacing as the heartbeat of your one-shot and the player characters as its soul. Keep the beat steady, give the soul personality, and you'll create an adventure your players will talk about long after the dice have cooled.

Stay tuned for Part Four, where we'll cover creating memorable NPCs and weaving in clues and twists.