Every year I try to sus which of the free one-shot TTRPG adventures on this site gets the most eyeballs. Obviously, it’s hard to tell how many plays each one gets (which is why I ask you to tell me!), but it’s clear some adventures are more popular than others.
Based purely on downloads, this year’s top five adventures were:
5. The Warlock’s Tunnel
While Harry Potter isn’t the draw it used to be (unless maybe HBO revitalizes it), its wizarding school setting makes for a wonderful introduction to RPGs for players young and old. It’s familiar, is centered around mysteries and danger, and everyone loves playing kids. In The Warlock’s Tunnel, players go on a search for a missing student only to end up discovering evil located in the very foundations of Hogwarts. Get it here or watch the video overview.
4. The Siren’s Citadel
Arrr, there be pirates in the top five! This isn’t terribly surprising since my most popular video on YouTube is all about building great pirate adventures and making sure they feel different from typical D&D games. And The Siren’s Citadel is a true, pirate adventure, unique in that the entire plot spins around a romantic competition, and players can entirely use their wits, brains, and retorts, to win the day (or just draw swords and have at it). Get it here or watch the video overview.
3. A Crown of Fetters
More pirates? Geez. Everyone loves pirates this year. But whereas The Siren’s Citadel is an adventure filled with light-heartedness and swashbuckling, A Crown of Fetters is gloomy, gothic, and filled with pirate terror. A spiritual reboot of an old Ravenloft module, A Crown of Fetters traps the players on a cursed ship and makes them deal with ghosts, vengeful undead, and worse. Get it here or watch the review of the original inspiration.
2. St. Cecilia’s Blasphemous Bordello
There’s something’s special about old west horror… an era where only a revolver, a good hat, and ol’ fashioned guts is the only thing preventin’ yer doom. In this adventure, a truly bizarre and grotesque murder has happened in a reformed bordello. With the sheriff out of town, the PCs are the only ones that solve this unusual mystery. Soon, they discover the existence of a dark supernatural entity created through the town’s anger and shame…. Get it here or watch the video overview.
1. Amethyst Reign
I never would have thought a cyberpunk adventure would take the crown! But I guess all those folks asking for cyberpunk over the years were right. In this adventure, a gang leader finds out his girl was stolen by the celebrity musician Amethyst, so he hires dozens of street toughs, wannabe gangsters, and legit assassins to kill the star before the release of his big new album. Get it here.
And more coming…
Have you played any of these adventures? Or do you have a different favorite adventure here? If so, let me know in the comments below!
Related: Spooky One-shot Adventures
