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Why Should you use Plot hooks
Plot hooks make your world big
Plot hooks are attention-getters designed to put player characters on a quest line. Typically these are not forced. In the 5e module Out of the Abyss Players are forced to start out in a jail cell and follow the plot from there. You can certainly do your campaign this way.
The opposite of this would be giving players a complete sandbox where they can do anything they want. Campaigns like this prioritize choice. Plot hooks are usually placed in Sandbox campaigns to give some level of direction. They advertise a potential quest line for players to follow or not follow. Typically these can be calls to action, Mysterious scenes or rumors to check out.
The real magic lies in giving multiple disconnected plot hooks. This makes your world feel less like a narrative structure and more like a world. A narrative structure can be great and I personally favor it, but for these sandbox campaigns, you want to make it feel like an open world. Players want to feel like they are in control and placing plot hooks gives them that while also keeping them prepared. You have to understand that not every plot hook will be followed. That’s Okay!
It’s really hard for me to deal with players not following what I prepared, I usually subconsciously or consciously railroad my players to what I want them to do. One way to eliminate this bias is to not put a lot of effort into creating the plot hooks, taking them from someone else, like me, is nothing to be ashamed of. The other way is to recycle the plot hooks and content if they are not followed. You could also bait players into taking the path you want by offering the illusion of choice. Make them think they have a choice while slowly guiding them.
Dnd Plot hooks give your players choices
So Plot hooks emphasize player choice. How many choices should we aim to give them? When faced with a lot of choices people are usually frozen because they want to make the right choice. Have you ever felt that way about your career? Precisely, despite this people want to have the freedom of choice. The best way to do this is to give 2 to 3 options at the start and progressively add more if no bites are being taken. Plot hooks should be location-based. Players going to a location should trigger an event. Legendkeeper does this to amazing effect and is perfect for organizing plot hooks and much more!
Dnd Plot Hooks
A powerful and ancient artifact has been discovered, but it’s guarded by powerful magic and dangerous creatures. The players are hired to retrieve it, but they soon discover they’re not the only ones after it.
A group of evil necromancers are raising an army of undead to take over the world. The players are recruited by a secret society to stop them.
A small village is being terrorized by a werewolf, but the players soon discover that it’s not just any werewolf – it’s a cursed member of the village, and they must find a way to break the curse before it’s too late.
The players are hired by a wealthy merchant to escort a valuable shipment across dangerous territory. However, they soon discover that the merchant has enemies who will stop at nothing to steal the shipment.
The players stumble upon a mysterious portal that leads to a strange and dangerous alternate dimension. They must explore the dimension and find a way back home before they’re trapped forever.
The players are hired by a wealthy noble to investigate a series of murders in their city. However, the noble has their own secrets to hide, and the players soon find themselves caught up in a dangerous web of intrigue and betrayal.
A powerful dragon has taken up residence in a nearby mountain, and it’s been causing havoc in the surrounding area. The players are tasked with slaying the dragon and saving the people.
A powerful wizard has gone missing, and the players are hired to find them. However, they soon discover that the wizard was experimenting with dangerous magic, and their disappearance may have unleashed something terrible.
The players are hired by a powerful king to retrieve a stolen treasure. However, the thief is a powerful sorcerer who has no intention of giving it up without a fight.
A powerful demon has been summoned to the world, and it’s wreaking havoc on the countryside. The players are tasked with finding a way to banish the demon back to its own plane of existence.
The players discover an abandoned dungeon filled with treasure, but they soon discover that it’s also filled with dangerous traps and deadly monsters.
A powerful cult is trying to summon an ancient evil from another plane of existence. The players are tasked with stopping the cult before they can complete the ritual and bring about the end of the world.
The players are hired to investigate a strange sickness that’s been spreading throughout the countryside. However, they soon discover that the sickness is actually caused by a powerful curse, and finding a way to break it won’t be easy.
A powerful wizard has created a golem that’s gone rogue and is causing chaos in the city. The players are tasked with stopping the golem before it destroys everything in its path.
The players are sent to investigate a haunted mansion, but they soon discover that the mansion is actually a portal to a different dimension, and they must find a way to close it before it’s too late.
What to base your plot hooks around
Of course, not all these are going to fit the flavor of the campaign you have. You can easily mix and match the setting, monster and circumstances of the Plot hook. Try to make your plot hooks feel like the characters are walking into something.
The general advice I would give is to make the players have a little backstory. Make them adapt to the plot hooks they choose, rather than having a preconceived backstory that is irrelevant.
Conclusion
In conclusion, plot hooks are useful tools to give players choices. You should be prepared to lose out on the work you put into them. I recommend using resources like this to save time. They are best suited to sandbox campaigns. Make sure players don’t have too much backstory. Thank you so much for reading! Subscribe to our Email list if you’d like to read more.