RPG One-Shots vs. Campaigns

My introduction to tabletop RPGs (TTRPGs) happened at a friend’s house where we jumped into an ongoing campaign meant to last for years (it didn’t last years, but that’s another story). I honestly don’t remember when I played my first single session game, or one-shot, but I quickly learned that there’s value in both gaming formats. Let’s discuss the benefits (and some downsides) of ongoing campaigns and one-shots.

Benefits of a One-Shot

One-shots, as well as two-to-four session arcs, allow players to test out a game without making an extended commitment. They can learn the mechanics and, if they’re unfamiliar with it, the setting to determine if they want to invest more time in that particular game.

Another major benefit is that players can experience a complete story that gives them closure at the end of the arc. Ongoing campaigns may end a session on a cliffhanger, encouraging the players to return for the next session with a building sense of suspense. But (as has happened to me), if the game master or a significant number of players suddenly have to drop out, there’s no closure. And no way to receive that closure in the future. One-shots get players to the end of the story, and if a two-to-four (or maybe even eight) session arc reaches the end, players aren’t left wondering who the big bad guy was, how he needed to be defeated, and what happened to the world afterward.

If players get along well enough, or they like the system and setting, the one-shot may give them a launchpad for an ongoing campaign. A feat that gets more and more challenging as we grow older and take on other responsibilities.

Benefits of a Campaign

Campaigns allow players to experience an ongoing story that can run for weeks, months, or even years. I’ve run the same campaign for three years, following the same characters as they journey through a changing world, having an impact on the same ever-evolving story. I’ve previously played in campaigns that lasted for many years, building a bond with the other players as our characters grew and changed. This is a major benefit of the ongoing campaign. The characters get to see how their actions impact the world around them after each smaller story arc. Rather than ending the story and wondering what happens next, the players get to work with the game master to decide how to change the world. They also have to learn to live with the consequences of their actions, whether good or bad.

Campaigns also give players a chance to build friendships, plan something that regularly lets them interact with other people (a challenge for introverts like me!), and have something to look forward to if and when the daily routine gets dull, predictable, and (at times) sad. Of course I recommend weekly church and Bible study attendance for this reason (among many others), as well, but weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly games are a great way to develop friendships in a different context.

Obviously this overview is far from all-encompassing, but the benefits of each scenario may differ depending on your goals, schedule, and local (or online) gaming community. The clear benefit of both options is that, whether you choose a one-shot (or short multi-session arc) or a campaign, you still get to play a game with other people. So find a one-shot or campaign and go have fun!