The 10 Best DnD High Level One Shot Adventures for 5e
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We level up with the best single-session adventures for powerful PCs in Dungeons & and Dragons fifth edition
One of the best parts of playing DnD is seeing your character advance in levels, starting out as a low level adventurer and gaining in power and skill as your XP grows. Unfortunately, for most players the only way to experience the action of higher levels is to run a long term campaign, which can takes months or even years to achieve.
The good news is that you don’t need to grind your way through a campaign to enjoy the best of high level DnD. In fact, there are a ton of amazing DnD adventures that are geared specifically towards Tier 3 characters (aka Levels 11-16) and which can be wrapped up in just a single session. So dust off your most powerful PCs as we prepare to do battle with… the 10 best DnD high level one shots for 5e.
10. Annihilation Hold
Created by award-winning game designer Jeff Stevens, this high level DnD one shot is designed for characters from Levels 10 to 16 and can be wrapped up in about 2 to 4 hours. The adventure takes place in a remote wilderness that was once home to a mighty kingdom of orcs long destroyed by a powerful artifact. The players learn that the dreaded artifact may have been rediscovered in the depths of an ancient orcish ruin. They must make their way inside while facing a variety of lethal traps and creatures that would likely decimate a lower-level party. It’s a fast, high-powered adventure that can be wrapped in a single session and includes custom maps, magic items, monsters and even a new Paladin sub-class.
9. Murder in Thay
While technically this high level adventure is designed to fit into the Tyranny of Dragons campaign, it also works perfectly as a standalone one shot. Designed for characters of Levels 13 to 14, the adventure can be completed in about 4 to 6 hours. The story takes place in the Forgotten Realms in a remote keep in Thay, the land of the dreaded Red Wizards. The action kicks off after a vampire noblewoman is killed, with the players considered the prime suspects. It’s up to the party to find the real killer to clear their names, while learning more about the fate of the undead victim. The adventure includes a detailed map pack, along with new magic items, monsters and NPCs that are specifically geared towards higher level players.
8. Scarab of Death
Designed for characters from Levels 8 to 12 characters, this one shot can be completed in about 4 to 6 hours. The adventure takes place in the city of Waterdeep, with players tasked with investigating the murder of a local merchant who deals in enchanted items. The ingenious nature of the crime, however, means that players can’t simply use spells, magic items or character abilities to solve the case, and instead have to rely on their own wits and role-playing skills. The result is both a fantastic DnD murder mystery and an incredible one shot that will legitimately challenge higher level players.
7. The Mage Tower
An epic dungeon crawl featuring 10 floors of puzzles and combat, this one shot is unusual in that it’s completely level agnostic. In fact, it contains special rules that allow for Dungeon Masters to adjust the Challenge Rating for the party. That means it can be run for both low level and high level characters. Designed to fit into just about any campaign world, the adventure takes place in the ancient ruins of a seemingly abandoned wizard’s tower, with players seeking to uncover the mystery of the tower while also encountering a range of treasure and monsters. The entire adventure can be wrapped up in about 4 to 5 hours, making it perfect for high-level DnD players looking for a fast and fun single-session experience.
6. Ruins of Hisari
Set in the jungles of Chult in the Forgotten Realms, this one shot is technically an expansion to the Tomb of Annihilation campaign (arguably one of the best DnD 5e books of all time). That being said, it can also easily be run as a standalone adventure. Designed for level 11 to 16 characters, the adventure takes about 4 hours to complete (although it could easily be stretched even longer by a creative DM). The action takes place the ruins of a once mighty city ruled by yuan-ti snake people, with players seeking an ancient treasure while uncovering the mystery of the city’s collapse. The module is also officially sanctioned for use in the D&D Adventures League, making this an epic adventure for players looking to test their mettle in a high-powered dungeon crawl.
5. The Fall of Cyrog
Created by award-winning TTRPG game designer Daniel Kahn, this DnD 5e one shot is technically a supplement to Out of the Abyss campaign (arguably one of the best DnD 5e campaigns of all time), but can also be run as a standalone adventure. Designed for players from Levels 9 to 12, the story can be wrapped up in about 4 to 6 hours of gameplay. The action centers around the lair of Cyrog, a powerful elder brain who rules over a colony of ruthless Mindflayers (an enemy that plays a prominent role in the Legend of Drizzt books). Blending combat, exploration and roleplaying into one satisfying, single session experience, it’s an one shot adventure that’s perfect for high level players looking to test their skills in the Underdark.
4. Invasion from the Planet of Tarrasques
When it comes to DnD monsters, there are few more bad ass than the Tarrasque, a creature so legendary that supposedly only one exists in all of the Prime Material Plane. In this one shot, the Tarrasque is front and center, which is why it requires players that are least Level 20. The adventure (which can be run standalone or as a capstone to the Dragon Heist or Dungeon of the Mad Mage) is set in the city of Waterdeep and takes roughly 3 to 4 hours to complete. The adventure kicks off when the legendary arch-wizard Halaster Blackcloak returns from a plane of existence with not one, but an entire army of Tarrasques. The resulting over-the-top battle royale will put even the highest-level characters to the test as they deal with one of the greatest threats the Realms have ever faced.
3. To Wake the Leviathan
Set in the lower planes of existence, this 4 to 6 hour one shot is designed for characters of levels 11 to 16. While it’s expands on materials presented in Mordenkainen’s Tome of Foes, you don’t need that particular book to run this adventure. The story finds the players tasked with helping Mordenkainen himself uncover an ancient weapon called the Leviathan which could help turn the tide of the endless demonic struggle known as the Blood War. It’s an incredibly fun, single-session adventure that pits high level players against some of the most powerful beings in DnD lore.
2. The Lich-Queen’s Begotten
Created by award-winning game designer M.T Black, this adventure is designed for players of Levels 11 to 16 and can be completed in about 4 to 6 hours. The story finds the players journeying to the farthest reaches of the Astral Plane in order to take on the dreaded Lich-Queen, a powerful sorceress and ruler of the race of interdimensional warriors known as the Githyanki. The end result is a one shot that finds players facing down an incredibly difficult foe, while experiencing the best of high level combat, exploration and role playing.
1. To the End of Time
Created by third-party publisher Winghorn Press, this epic adventure can be wrapped up in about 5 to 6 hours and is designed specifically for level 20 characters (with players having the option to create their own PC or choose from a number of pre-generated options). The adventure begins when the players are killed, with their souls called into service by a powerful angel. Granted incredible powers, the players are then tasked with saving the world one last time, battling godlike monsters and tapping into earth-shattering abilities that players rarely get to use. The end result is one of the greatest DnD high level one shots ever made.
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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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