7+ Quick & Dirty Ways to Up the Horror in Your Halloween RPGs

How To Make Your Halloween Game Creepier

Halloween is the perfect time to bring a touch of horror to your tabletop RPG sessions. If you’re running a game like Shadowdark, D&D, or Pathfinder, adding elements of suspense and fear can give your campaign a deeply unsettling edge that your players will remember. Here’s a guide to adding just the right amount of horror, mystery, and thrill for an unforgettable Halloween session.

1. Set the Scene with a Dark Atmosphere

Transforming your game’s setting is one of the easiest ways to add horror. Dim the lights, light some candles for a shadowy ambiance, and set up a spooky playlist with eerie sounds—think distant howling, dripping water, and whispering voices. The key is to create a setting that feels uneasy and tense before any action even begins. Even little details can make a big statement in a game. 

Tips for creating atmosphere:

• Dim the lights, add colored bulbs (reds, blues, greens), or even flicker flame bulbs to create an unsettling vibe and add a touch of mysterious ambiance to the room. A darker atmosphere adds suspense and keeps players on edge. Just make sure there is enough light to see the table, character sheets, and game master. 

• Use ambient sound playlists or apps with horror or dungeon sounds. Ambient music is easy to find on many platforms like YouTube and Spotify. Just type in the kind of setting your adventure is set in. Experiment and notice the differences between ambient sound and atmospheric music. 

• Decorate your gaming space with Halloween props: spider webs, flickering candles around the room, and touches like skulls to remind players of the macabre theme. 

2. Add Mysterious Elements & Unsolved Mysteries

Fear of the unknown is powerful. Describe strange sounds, shadows, or glimpses of movement, leaving the source unknown. It builds anticipation and gives players a sense of dread. Describe settings as if they are in a horror film. Keep their attention on you, the game master when giving details about their horrific circumstances. 

Game Tip: Have players roll random D20 checks and don’t tell them why. 

Gameplay—Mystery Elements:

• A blood-stained locket that whispers secrets to whoever holds it.

• Footprints that appear around the campsite at night but vanish by morning.

• An NPC that only some characters can see, causing players to question their sanity.

• Have players roll random saving throws and don’t tell them why.

• Hand out private notes to players but in view of the other players. 

• Let them hear strange sounds but don’t let them discover where they are coming from.

3. Incorporate Sanity or Fear Mechanics

In horror games, fear and sanity play huge roles. Adding simple sanity checks or fear mechanics can give players a sense of lasting consequences. Implement mechanics where failing a fear check imposes temporary disadvantages, or lingering madness if they witness a traumatic event. Knowing that their characters could suffer long-term effects from terrifying encounters makes players more cautious and immersed in the horror.

Game Tip—Eldritch Horror Rolls:

Institute sanity rolls. Have players roll a Wisdom or Charisma saving throw whenever they witness a disturbing scene. On a failure, they suffer a minor drawback, like disadvantage on certain rolls or an increased chance of failure in social encounters.

4. Use NPCs as Indicators of Fear

NPCs can amplify the horror without needing to explain too much. When the townsfolk are on edge, the tension feels more real to the players. Show NPCs reacting nervously to strange occurrences, like being hesitant to talk about a cursed forest or refusing to go out after dark. If NPCs are genuinely frightened, your players will feel like they’re stepping into dangerous territory.

Gameplay Ideas for Fearful NPCs:

• A once-robust innkeeper who’s now visibly shaken, refusing to serve food after sunset.

• A local priest who’s boarded up the church, claiming they can’t stop the “dark forces” anymore.

• Villagers who keep their children indoors, whispering about “the shadow” that comes with the fog.

5. Make Combat Scary with Unsettling Monsters

The right monsters can turn a routine encounter into a terrifying ordeal. Instead of goblins or orcs, introduce shadowy creatures, silent apparitions, or entities that can’t be defeated through brute strength alone. Describe their movements as unnatural or jarring, and focus on their eerie presence rather than their physical attributes. Knowing they might suffer lasting consequences creates a sense of fear and urgency. Monsters that drain levels, permanently drain stats, or give a character lycanthropy are highly feared foes.

Oh Hell No Monsters: 

• Vampire

• Werewolf

• Wraith

• Lich

• Ghast

• Ghoul

• Mummy

6. Give Players a Unique Horror Tool or Item

To keep the game engaging, give players a mysterious item that ties into the horror theme, such as a lantern that reveals invisible creatures or a dagger that silences any noise when used. This lets players feel like they have a chance against the unknown while adding intrigue to your storyline.

Gameplay Examples of Horror Items:

• The Shadow Lantern: Reveals creatures lurking in the darkness but also attracts them if used for too long.

• Cursed Dagger: Deals extra damage to undead, but slowly drains the user’s energy with each hit.

• Book of Whispers: A spellbook that grants powerful spells but leaves the caster hearing unsettling whispers for hours afterward.

7. Create Stakes with Consequences and Curses

True horror often includes a sense of loss or inescapable consequence. Introduce curses that can’t easily be removed, or haunted places that leave a mark on those who visit. Curses that impose small, but lingering effects create a sense of caution—players will realize that encounters in this world can have long-lasting impacts.

Gameplay Curse Ideas:

• A mark that causes NPCs to shun the cursed player, making it difficult to gain help or information.

• A curse that makes a character see ghostly apparitions or hear faint whispers, unsettling them over time.

• A slowing curse that ages a character prematurely, giving them a haunted, withered appearance.

With just a few of these elements, you can turn your tabletop RPG into a terrifying Halloween adventure. The goal is to add tension and mystery without overwhelming your players—just enough to keep them on their toes. Here’s hoping for a game filled with chills, thrills, and memorable moments!

Happy Halloween, and may your dice rolls be ever in your favor…