Dim the lights, break out a big candle, and cue the creepy playlist: it’s the spooky season. Or maybe it’s nowhere near Halloween but you still want to run a horror RPG one-shot for your friends. Either way, there’s a lot of great material to choose from. Whether you want to mix up your DnD group’s usual silly antics or try a new game altogether, here are some of the best one-shots for a horror-themed session. 

Call Of Cthulhu The Lightless Beacon

Easy to set up, includes color maps/handouts, and free! The Lightless Beacon is a staple for introducing Call of Cthulhu to new players, or for slapping together an emergency one-shot when someone cancels. It can even run as short as an hour so you could run it for a local Halloween event to spark interest in CoC. It takes place on a remote island complete with a silent lighthouse– the perfect spooky setting. The big finale can either run as a desperate struggle for survival or all-out battle until dawn, whatever the players (and Keeper) find more fun.

Alien RPG Hope's Last Day

The Alien RPG is one of the best reviewed horror systems around, and a personal favorite. The way it handles the growing stress of a deadly situation is masterful, and it’s not afraid to kill off player characters. It also gives players pre-generated characters that have just enough detail to kickstart roleplay while still allowing a lot of freedom to make game-changing decisions. The Hope’s Last Day adventure included in the Evolved Edition Starter Set is classic Alien scenario with a desolate setting, killer stakes, and of course Xenomorphs stalking the characters. 

Dungeons & Dragons EB-03 Where The Dead Wait

I recommend EB-03 for a table that’s very into DnD’s specific style of play, particularly if the group responds to most obstacles by hitting them. The setup puts level 3 characters in an abandoned house when the dead start to rise. They must fight off seemingly unending waves of zombies, skeletons, and specters. Creative players could make use of the house’s items to fashion barricades or traps. Clever players could explore the house to discover a ritual to dispel the undead for good. The result should be a session that’s intense, combat heavy, and feels amazing to overcome. 

Vampire: The Masquerade Auld Sanguine

This particular VtM one-shot is written to take place on New Year’s Eve, so you’ll need to make some adjustments to give it Halloween flavor if you’re running it in October. It’s worth it, however, as this module is free and flexible. It could be a holiday one-shot or it could serve as a side story in a larger chronicle. It serves as a decent introduction to the game, but can also challenge experienced players with its timed objective. Overall, it gives an experienced Storyteller a lot of room to play. Auld Sanguine is free on the Renegade website. 

Fledge Witch How To Make Magical Dolls

For some groups, spooky is more about the vibes than attempting to invoke fear. A warm cup of tea, fun outfits, and an excuse to eat chocolate. Fledge Witch is a great TTRPG for capturing witchy vibes without touching combat or character death. In this scenario, apprentice witches learn how to animate dolls to become their familiars. It’s a cute series of events that give players a lot of agency to describe their dolls’ creation process and eventual appearance. If the GM does want to add some tricks to balance out the treats, a failed check could result in a doll coming to life as a mischief maker that hinders future rolls.

Dungeons & Dragons CCC-GSP01-02 Brotherhood

Brotherhood is very thematic, especially in regards to the lore around death in DnD. The party tracks down a necromancer, though the encounter doesn’t play out as expected. A particular highlight is a series of trials posed by a death god priestess, one of which involves players seeing how their character is destined to die. This one-shot is a great way to have a spooky experience that still takes the story seriously. In fact, the whole Clover Group Series is a fantastic mini-arc full of unique encounters and emotional payoffs.

Daggerheart Phantom Peak

Looking for a classic “something stalking you in a remote location” horror story? Phantom Peak on Heart of Daggers is just that. This free Daggerheart one-shot brings players to a snowy mountain lodge, where of course strange creatures start to emerge in the night. It even comes with a custom “Phantom” creature to serve as the horror movie monster. One review mentions that it uses a modern setting, which may be perfect for some or might require adjustment if fantasy is preferred. Fortunately, Daggerheart is a very easy system to tinker with. 

Cyberpunk Red Mischief Night

What does a Halloween one-shot look like in a futuristic TTRPG? Like Mischief Night chooms! This free Cyberpunk Red mission has players compete in a prank-a-thon around the streets of Night City. Reputation is at stake in this adventure that emphasizes roleplay and creativity over combat. There’s even a set of homebrew candies included that bestow “enhancements” like certain other items in Cyberpunk. 

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Sergio Solórzano is the best Dungeon Master in the USA (according to an official D&D competition, anyway). He loves minis and terrain but also goes all-in on improv!