The 10 Best D&D Murder Mystery One Shots
We follow the clues and uncover some of the best whodunnit adventures for Dungeons & Dragons 5e.
D&D is known for its dungeon crawling, wilderness exploration, urban exploits and even the occasional horror one shot. But one often overlooked adventure type is the D&D murder mystery. Which is a shame, because when you think about it, it’s actually a perfect genre that combines all of the best aspects of the game, with players gathering clues, solving puzzles, interviewing suspects and getting into an occasional scrape or two. Of course, running an entire D&D murder mystery campaign isn’t really feasible, which is why they make perfect single-session experiences.
The good news is that there are actually a number of amazing adventures out there that do just that. So get ready for a world of crime sprees and critical hits as we dig into… the 10 best D&D Murder Mystery One Shots for 5e!
10. Volo’s Guide to Getting Murdered
Designed for 4th to 5th level characters, this classic D&D murder mystery one shot takes place in the city of Waterdeep and features the infamous explorer Volo himself. The adventure kicks off with Volo about to unveil a new book inside the legendary Hawkman Statue located in the heart of the City of Splendors. Unfortunately, one of the guests at the event want to see the flamboyant writer dead and it’s up the players to find the killer before they can strike. The one shot features 4 NPC suspects, 19 unique encounters and a slew of background info, statblocks and maps – all of which can be played in about 3-4 hours.
9. Candlekeep Murders: The Deadwinter Prophecy
While technically this isn’t a one shot, it’s also one of the best D&D murder mysteries ever made, so we had to include it on this list. Designed for level 3-5 characters, this series of adventures takes place at the library of Candlekeep, with the players arriving shortly after the head Keeper of Tomes has been murdered. Players are then tasked with finding the killer, while dealing with terrifying monsters, deadly secrets and scheming librarians. The adventure features three new monsters, a random library section generator, unique NPCs, printable clues, 24 locations inside the keep and an introduction from Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood.
8. A Murder in Mossbank
Created for party of Level 1-2 characters, this short-but-satisfying one shot murder mystery can be wrapped up in about 2-3 hours. The adventure takes place in the idyllic town of Mossbank, which is reeling after the death of a beloved community leader. The players are then hired by the Mayor to find the killer and are soon gathering clues, interviewing townsfolk and investigating the larger and much stranger mystery that lies the heart of Mossbank. It’s an a solid adventure that can easily be tailored to just about any campaign.
7. Murder at the Old Wolf Inn
Inspired by the works of legendary crime writer Agatha Christie, this one shot murder mystery is designed for a group of three to five Level 4 characters, but can be scaled up or down without too much difficulty. As the name suggests, the adventure takes place an old roadside inn, with players arriving shortly before the murder of one of the guests. It’s a classic whodunnit, with players tasked with finding the culprit and conducting an investigation. The adventure includes a new magical item, nine fully fleshed-out NPCs, 13 rooms, detailed maps and solid original artwork. It’s a classic caper that blends the best of D&D with old school mystery.
6. Scarab of Death
Arguably one of the best D&D one shots of all time, Scarab of Death is designed for more powerful characters of Levels 8-12. The adventure takes place in the city of Waterdeep, with players tasked with investigating the death of a local noble under highly mysterious (and magical) circumstances. The resulting story has plenty of roleplaying, puzzles and combat – all of which can be wrapped up in about 4-6 hours of gameplay . It’s an absolutely incredible adventure that showcases the best of what a good D&D murder mystery should be.
5. The Curious Case of the Drowned Man & the Shriveled Woman
In this amazing urban one shot adventure designed for Level 3 characters, the party is hired by a Priest of Tyr, God of Justice, to investigate the deaths of two prisoners who shared a cell: one of whom appears to have drowned and the other who is now a shriveled husk. with no indication of who the culprit is or how it might have happened, it’s up the players to get to the bottom of the mystery. Blending the best of a police procedural with classic D&D roleplaying, the adventure features a series of unique locations scattered across a city. It’s a smart and surprisingly suspenseful horror one shot (and would work amazingly as a Halloween one shot), with a number of twists and turns that will have players guessing right up to the end.
4. Murder on the Primewater Pleasure
A murder mystery with a nautical twist, this particular one shot is designed for Level 4 characters and ties into the larger Ghosts of Saltmarsh campaign (arguably one of the best DnD 5e campaigns ever). The adventure finds the players helping a wealthy merchant who’s holding a lavish party on his ship. When a guest ends up dead, however, it’s up to the players to uncover the culprit before the ship reaches the shore and the murderer escapes. The adventure includes several full-color maps, a number of fully-fleshed out NPCs and a unique twist ending, making it an absolutely stellar murder mystery experience for D&D 5e.
3. Murder in Skyway
Set in the world of Eberron, this Adventurers League approved one shot takes place in the city of Sharn. The story kicks off with the players stumbling across a dead body in a wealthy district, just as the Watch arrives. Now accused of murder, the players will have to clear their names by tracking down the real killer in the City of Towers. Designed for characters from Levels 1 to 4, it’s a short but incredibly fun murder mystery that can be wrapped up in about 3 hours.
2. Murder in Baldur’s Gate
Originally designed by Wizards of the Coast for D&D 3.5 (and written by RPG legends Ed Greenwood, Matt Sernett and Steve Winter), this one shot adventure has since been updated for fifth edition. The story takes place in the city of Baldur’s Gate in the Forgotten Realms and finds the players investigating the death of a powerful Duke. Designed for characters from Levels 1-3, the entire adventure can be wrapped up in about 1 or 2 hours of play and features a slew of unique NPCs, maps and background content. It’s a classic murder mystery that still holds up over a decade after it was first released.
1. Murder on the Eberron Express
And last but not least… our number one pick for the very best D&D murder mystery one shot is the amazing Murder on the Eberron Express. As the name suggests, this adventure takes place entirely on a train and is designed for Level 6 characters. The story (which can be wrapped up in about 3-5 hours) finds the player investigating the death of a noble in transit between Sharn and Fairhaven. The players must then investigate his murder before they reach their destination. It’s an incredibly fun, charcter-driven one shot that features an unique setting,NPCs, magic items and a high production value. In short, it’s the perfect Dungeons & Dragons whodunnit.
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Ollie Delano is a Staff Writer who lives in Chicago, Illinois where he majored in Journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. He’s been playing Dungeons & Dragons for over 10 years and currently plays in a weekly game group where he rolls way too many natural 1s and chugs way too much Mountain Dew. His favorite D&D campaign setting is Eberron and his favorite character to play was a Tiefling rogue named Draxiss who enjoys both literal and figurative backstabbing.
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