Let’s get spooky! It’s time to get ready for Halloween again, and what better way to celebrate the season than with a creepy D&D one shot with your gaming group?
In this guide, we’ll brew up a cauldron of tips to set the perfect spooky mood and reveal some enchanting finds that won’t haunt your wallet. Let the Halloween games begin!
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. At no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission.
Get Spooky With Thematic Music Playlists
Get ready for Halloween with a curated selection of thematic music playlists on platforms like Spotify or YouTube. Include tracks that evoke fear, suspense, or supernatural elements to immerse players in the game’s atmosphere.
In addition to this, play ambient soundtracks to fit your session. Premade sounds for haunted houses, including creaking doors and ghostly whispers are all great choices. Websites and apps like Tabletop Audio and Spotify have playlists perfect for this purpose.
If you want a list of my personal favorites, make sure to check out our article here on utilizing music to boost engagement in your sessions.
We also have a complete guide to free music and sound in D&D that’s not to be missed. Check it out here!
Grab Some Glow in the Dark Dice for Your D&D One Shot
Surprise your players with glow-in-the-dark or UV-reactive dice. When the lights go down, these dice will add an extra layer of mystique to your tabletop adventures.
I love shopping for dice at Dark Elf Dice. Not only are they a small business, which I like to support, but they have tons of options and regularly run awesome deals with special gifts included in your purchase. They especially love to do this around holidays!
The best part? By clicking the links here or using the code MALICEINNANDTAVERN when you check out, you will get 10% off your order!
Incorporate Thematic Decor
Spruce up your gaming space with thematic decorations and get ready for Halloween with cobwebs, fake spiders, skulls, and the like. Take a look at our links below to inspire you!
Here’s a link to a set of pretty realistic looking creepy crawlies.
And if you just want a few big spiders, check this out.
I have this exact set of bats on my guitar wall year-round.
A life-sized fake skull for your abode.
If you’re more of a do-it-youreself type, you’ll appreciate these potion bottles, ready for your Cricut or other crafty addition!
Get Ready for Halloween With Spooky Custom Character Sheets
Create or buy custom character sheets with spooky graphics and fonts. You can find free templates online or hire an artist from somewhere like Fivrr to design something special for your one-shot, if you really want to go the extra mile.
But if less work is more your style and you want something pre-made for 5th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, take a look at the Shadow Symphony and Neon Monsters character sheets I sell in my Etsy shop! Each purchase comes with a digital file that’s completely form-fillable in a program like Adobe Acrobat, as well as a printable file in both U.S. Letter and A4 sizing.
If you’re interested, I’ve linked the images below. Thanks for looking!
And if you like my designs but prefer free, don’t forget: if you subscribe to our newsletter, you’ll get a completely FREE Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition compatible character sheet inspired by the Druid class to download and print out, and a notification in your inbox when we publish a new article.
There are lots of other really beautiful character sheets available to download and print out, too. A quick search on Etsy will give you lots of options to browse through.
If you want more tips on how to engage your table in a session, make sure to take a look at our article on how to spook your players and get them talking.
Enlist Your Players in Preparing for Your Spooky D&D One Shot
It’s dangerous to go alone!
Rope your players into the fun by suggesting costumes or coming up with a creepy-themed food list that everyone can contribute to. It will build excitement for the gathering and get everyone in the mood before they even arrive.
You can keep it really simple: Blood-red punch, “eyeball” candy, and “witches’ fingers” (mozzarella sticks) are some examples; these don’t take much work but they add a little something extra to the party.
If you’re not sure how to run a D&D one shot successfully, take a look at our resources on getting started. We’re here to help!
Closing Thoughts
Setting the mood for your spooky D&D one shot is a great way to get ready for Halloween (or any horror-themed session). Your extra time and effort will certainly create fun memories for years to come. Happy gaming, and may your spooky adventure be a haunting success!
If you need help setting up a special villain for the occasion, hop over to our article on building a boss fight to remember.
Do you have any special traditions or rituals this time of year to make your games a little extra special? I’d love to read about them in the comments below.
Thanks for reading this today. If you enjoyed your time here, please consider subscribing to our newsletter. You’ll get a free Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition compatible character sheet inspired by the Druid class to download and print out, and a notification in your inbox when we publish a new article. Spammers are fed to the false hydra!
