Sometimes in Dungeons & Dragons, you may want to punish your players with unexpected punishments. Maybe your party broke in without thinking, or maybe they made a bad decision that resulted in serious consequences. If this sounds familiar and you’re looking for a way to spice things up at your table, a clever punishment might be the perfect way to build tension.
Of course, you shouldn’t punish your players too often or force them to take on too much. These are just minor consequences that should be thrown at them if they feel like it’s smart.
Updated September 9, 2024 by Jon Eakin: Players are always coming up with new ways to make the Dungeon Master sigh and rub his temples in frustration, which means DMs have to be smart about coming up with ways to counter in a way that creates consequences without feeling undeserved. To help keep your players on their toes, we’ve updated this list with new items and features.
10 Seize their stronghold
There's no place like home
Players often love building a base, and it can be a great reward for a DM to give you at the end of a particularly important story arc. Whether it's a farm, an inn, a castle, or an entire town is up to you and your players, but they'll be thrilled to have a place in the world that's all theirs.
The great thing about this for you, the DM, is that it gives you another option to plot against your player characters and punish them for their poor choices. A gang of thugs might make their tavern unwelcome to other customers, a king might reclaim their castle, or a city under their care might be attacked.
9 Make your beloved NPCs disappointed in you
I'm not angry, just disappointed.
Players often have a few NPCs that they particularly like, such as the bartender at their local tavern, the owner of a magic shop they frequent, or a regular customer on their adventures.
When your players make a choice, you want them to reconsider. Big decisions aren’t always the best bet. Having an NPC they love express regret over the path they’ve chosen is often the most powerful tool you can use, not to mention the most emotionally draining.
8 Spell of Shame
The Power of Shame
This is a situation where your party is facing off against a spellcaster. If your party can easily kill enemies, why not use spells that slow them down? Slowing down enemies can result in some hilarious situations, especially during combat.
Create homemade spells that will make them hallucinate embarrassing situations as if they were in a nightmare, or do something like make them dance every time they try to attack.
7 Poisoned by the truth
Reveal their secrets
Other social situations where the truth can be punished include: We all know about the Zone of Truth spell, but what if we could take it a step further? At a party or special occasion where food or drink is served, you could say that their food has been infused with a magical truth serum.
The same rules as Zone of Truth apply in cases of ambiguity, but the difference is that this serum is much more potent and forces the party to answer any questions given within a set time. If they don't make the save, this can lead to some embarrassing but fun moments. It can also be a clever trick from the villains that the party isn't prepared for.
6 Annoying fan
The never-ending fan letters
What better way to annoy a party than by using an NPC that is purposely annoying? If you're dealing with a party of that level and reputation, you could have them confront an annoying fan who wants to be an adventurer like them. Of course, this fan will pester them with questions, and the party might have trouble deciding what to do with them.
It can be a fun situation, especially if the situation forces the fans to stick with the party throughout certain adventures or missions. Not to mention, it also makes for a great role play if the party becomes beloved and becomes a fan favorite.
5 Cursed Weapon
Hidden blessings
There are many reasons why this game is a classic. Giving your party a cursed weapon is the perfect little punishment because it doesn't seem like punishment at all. Dungeons & Dragons has a ton of cursed weapons, and finding a good homemade weapon isn't hard.
One benefit is that cursed weapons can potentially open up more interesting role-playing opportunities for players, depending on what they are and how dangerous they are, especially if the weapon is sentient and attempts to tap into a character's darkest desires or fears.
4 Sentient Gear Labor Union
Cool gadgets
For this situation, a piece of equipment from each party member would be aware of to some extent and communicate with each other to unite. Of course, this is a very minor penalty since they can't really afford to pay for magic items. Instead, they're just asking the party to treat them more fairly and not throw them around and stuff.
This is a short and simple punishment that will help your party appreciate the items they have and treat theirs a little better. They may also bond with the party more, which is always fun for your players.
3 Time is just an illusion
Tick tock
Maybe you're looking for something that's a little more punishing when you're fighting. During combat, have your players pair up if possible, or you can do it randomly. On the enemy's turn, whether they're a spellcaster or have some magical item, have them use a one-time use item and temporarily control time.
Each pair will swap places based on initiative, or you can use the other method if there's an odd number of players. Either way, swapping places can happen every two rounds, changing the order of things. This is a great way to switch up the fight and make your party think more strategically.
2 Tax Fraud
It's time to pay
Is your party running out of gold? Maybe you want to temporarily bring them back. Have a local government representative, such as someone representing a king or a democracy, confront the party.
Since they received a large amount of gold, they may not have paid their fair taxes, so they must pay a large amount of money, or else they may be arrested. No matter what your group does, there will be consequences, whether it is losing their gold or becoming a temporary fugitive.
1 Jealousy breeds rumors
People love to talk.
Finally, we have something that many parties may have to face. After some adventures, jealous adventurers or perhaps those who have been taken advantage of by one party will start using whatever influence they have to spread rumors about that party.
It will be a surprise for the characters when they walk into the next town and find themselves being stared at and people giggling and whispering about them. They will eventually learn that rumors about each of them have been spreading around, and with a little investigating, they may even find out who started it. It can also open up interesting investigative missions while your group is in town and help make the world feel more realistic.
