Hit me with your One-Shot!

Planning Killer One-Shot Sessions for RPGs

You know the words…

The gaming convention season is upon us, and that means it's time for one-shots galore! Whether you're attending conventions, game days, shadow cons, or back-alley dice downs, having a con-ready one-shot for 2-3 different games is essential for me. Ideally, I'll run a scenario for several sessions across different venues, so building in variance to keep each session fresh is key. In this series, I'll show you how I put together a one-shot and why I do what I do. This first part is the BIG idea and overview, with more detailed parts to follow. Use the comments (or email me) —this is a conversation. If a game is giving you the fits, ask away; if I don't know, I bet another reader does!

Cons are a battlefield.

Cold Calculations

First things first —start with a game you LOVE. LOVE > skill all day long. Pick games that excite you, especially if you plan to run them multiple times. You'll need that inspiration and dopamine hit to carry you through the work,. Your Love will shine through in your play sessions.

For me, Twilight: 2000 is a no-brainer. I've gotten more than my money's worth out of this game, with over 50 sessions of campaign play online. Now, I'm running it live for the 2024 con season with a one-shot design of my own. My goal? Showcase the T2K sandbox play and demonstrate that this game is a survival sandbox, not just Warzone, The RPG. I love the mechanics of this game and can't wait to share it with others.

Another project I'm excited about is Star Wars: Edge of the Empire RPG by FFG. I'm starting a new one-shot called "12 Parsecs," which I'll run for the May the 4th Be With You mini-con. My goal is to feature the Kessel run and give players a chance to best Han Solo's record!