Game Master Resources
One-Shot Prep Checklist for Game Masters
A one-shot needs five things prepped: a hook the party can't ignore, three to four scenes with one decision each, a finale that can flex to fit remaining time, pregenerated characters, and your table kit. That's about two hours of prep for a four-hour session. Everything else on the internet's endless prep lists is optional. Here's the checklist we give new GMs, in prep order.
The structure (60–75 minutes of prep)
One page, five beats. A four-hour one-shot comfortably fits: hook, two or three middle scenes, finale. Write one paragraph per beat, not pages; at the table you'll improvise off the paragraph anyway.
- The hook (write this last, make it immediate). One-shots have no time for slow burns. Start in the problem: the caravan is already burning, the heist begins tonight, the body is on the floor when the tavern door opens. The party should know their goal within ten minutes of sitting down.
- Three middle scenes, one meaningful choice each. A scene needs a location, an obstacle, and a decision that matters (fight, sneak, or talk past this? save the hostage or chase the culprit?). Variety rule: of your three scenes, make one combat, one social, one exploration or puzzle, because it guarantees every player archetype gets a spotlight.
- A flexible finale. Design the ending encounter with a dial, not a fixed statblock: reinforcements that arrive (or don't), terrain that helps whoever's behind, a villain who can flee at half health. Running long? The dial turns down. Running short? Up.
- Cut scene three if needed. Decide in advance which scene is skippable and how to bridge past it. Mid-session is a terrible time to invent this.
Timeboxing (10 minutes, saves the session)
Write actual clock times on your one page for a four-hour slot: intros and hook done by 0:30, scene one by 1:15, scene two by 2:15, scene three by 3:00, finale started by 3:15. When the table hits a checkpoint late, that's your cue to compress. End the scene at the next decision instead of playing it out. Endings make one-shots memorable; no one remembers the skipped hallway.
Pregenerated characters (20 minutes)
Even if players can bring characters, have four to six pregens ready, because someone always arrives empty-handed, and for tables of new players pregens are simply better: play starts immediately. Make each pregen a one-line personality plus a mechanical toy ("battle medic who owes the villain money," "diplomat with one enormous spell"). Give each one obvious buttons to press and one tie to another pregen.
The lazy version: Dice Outpost's pregen library is free to point players at, and characters they build in the character locker are reusable across games.
The table kit (10 minutes to pack)
- Your one page of beats, plus statblocks printed or tabbed. Never "I'll find it in the book."
- Dice: your set plus loaners (players forget; see what players are told to bring; they don't always read it). A pile of loose d6/d8 for monster damage.
- Pencils, scrap paper, index cards. Fold an index card into a tent for each player's character name. It upgrades the table instantly.
- Initiative tracker (index cards clipped to your screen work fine).
- A battle map and something to represent monsters if you use maps. Bottle caps outrank theater-of-mind confusion for new players. Painted minis are the deluxe version (they're easier to produce than you'd think).
- Running online instead? Load the map and tokens into the VTT the night before, and test your mic. "Can you hear me?" is not a scene one.
Safety and expectations (5 minutes, non-negotiable at public tables)
Thirty seconds of session-zero-in-miniature before the hook: name the tone ("heist romp, nobody's traumatized"), state the safety tool you use (an X-card on the table or a simple "open door" policy costs nothing), and ask about content limits if the table is strangers. Public and paid tables run this by default; it's part of why professionally-run games feel reliably comfortable, and it takes less time than choosing snacks.
The 30-minute pre-session sweep
Day of session: reread your one page (not the whole adventure), speak the hook out loud once, check the villain's three best moves, confirm seats and start time, pack the kit. Then stop prepping. Past this point, extra prep is anxiety in costume. The players are bringing the half of the session you can't prepare anyway.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a one-shot take to prep?
About two hours for a four-hour session once you've run a few: an hour on the five beats, twenty minutes on pregens, and the rest on kit and statblocks. If prep is regularly taking longer than the session, you're writing a novel, not prepping a game.
How many encounters fit in a 4-hour one-shot?
Four to five total scenes: a hook, two or three middle scenes mixing combat, social, and exploration, and a finale. A single combat encounter with four new players routinely takes an hour, so budget accordingly and pre-decide what to cut.
Should I use pregenerated characters for a one-shot?
Yes, or at least have them ready. Character creation eats an hour of a four-hour slot, and pregens with built-in personalities and party ties start the session at full speed. Reserve bring-your-own for tables of veterans.
What's the best one-shot structure for beginners to run?
Hook, three scenes, finale, with one real decision per scene and clock times written next to each. It's forgiving because each scene is a self-contained unit: cut one and the story still works.
Can you get paid to run one-shots?
Yes. Professional GMing has become a real sideline, with prep-once-run-many one-shots as its bread and butter. Dice Outpost handles listings, booking, and payment for GMs running in-store or online; the craft in this checklist is the actual product.