Tension is an essential tool for a Dungeon Master (DM) looking to engage players during a Dungeons & Dragons campaign. Whether you want to heighten the stakes in an intense battle or build suspense in a mystery, there are many techniques you can apply to enhance the tension in your sessions.
However, this becomes trickier with higher-level players and campaigns. That’s why we’ve put together this guide. If you’re a DM gearing up for a high-level game, here are some effective strategies to maintain tension throughout your adventure.
How To Create Tension
If you’re planning an adventure in DND, you might be asking yourself: how can I effectively create tension? This is especially relevant for high-level games where players possess formidable abilities that can easily tip the scales.
At advanced levels, players often have the ability to heal themselves or thwart powerful enemy attacks, so simply pitting them against tough monsters won’t suffice to generate real tension.
Here are some effective strategies to build tension in your DND games:
- Introduce New Threats
- Establish Consequences
- Create Mood and Atmosphere
As a DM, it’s crucial to ensure that the narrative feels authentic to maintain tension. Without it, players might feel unengaged or stifled creatively.
An example of using tension effectively is during a significant battle: you could set a consequence for failure by revealing that the enemy has taken a beloved NPC hostage.
This means that if the players fail, they risk losing a cherished ally, dramatically increasing the tension.
If you’re unsure how to raise the tension, consider: what consequence would impact the party the most?
While atmosphere and threats are essential, establishing clear stakes for the party can often be the most effective approach for high-level groups.
How To Keep Tension
Once tension is established, the next step is to maintain it.
As a DM, there are several strategies for keeping tension high, depending on the circumstances.
You should tailor your approach to the situation at hand:
- Combat
- Roleplay
How To Keep Tension In Combat
Keeping tension during combat can be particularly difficult, especially if your group is focused on mechanics.
To enhance tension, both you and your players should actively narrate the action.
It’s easy to slip into a routine of just rolling dice and managing resources.
Not every group is keen on narrating, but as a DM, you should strive to narrate as much as possible.
Instead, ensure you’re using descriptive language to convey an enemy’s health, how conditions affect the battle, and more.
Also, consider these strategies to keep combat engaging, tense, and dynamic:
- Add New Enemies
- Allow Bosses to Regain Health
- Have Players’ Weapons Break
- Introduce Lair Actions
- Set a Countdown
In high-level games, it’s also vital to add a ‘phase two’ to combat. This is a great method to increase and maintain tension.
If players seem to be gaining the upper hand against a boss, introduce a ‘phase two’ where new enemies join the fray, the main antagonist gains new powers, or the environment shifts dramatically.
This approach will keep players on their toes and heighten the sense of urgency.
How To Keep Tension In Roleplay
In roleplay scenarios, maintaining tension revolves around mood, atmosphere, and motivations.
Incorporating music, appropriate lighting, ambient sounds, and varied character voices can keep the roleplay exciting and make tense situations feel real.
It’s also vital to outline clear goals and stakes during roleplay to amplify tension.
For instance, if the party is negotiating for a hostage, ensure that the stakes are clear should the party fail.
When handling high-level games, avoid setting too many guardrails in roleplay encounters.
If a player makes a misstep, allow the results to unfold naturally.
This approach not only makes the game feel authentic but also can build tension as you play, especially if players continue to make errors.
Ultimately, as a DM of a high-level table, your main goal should be to keep players immersed.
Maintain consistent roleplay and continually introduce complications to the plot, narrating these developments in engaging ways.
