Finish Strong in D&D

The strong finish of every D&D session

As DMs, we have no clue how our next game is going to end. Nonetheless, a strong finish to our D&D game can elevate the engagement and excitement of our players. We can and should plan the start to our next session, but what tools can we use to finish strong?

Don’t go over time

We should not go over the agreed-upon time frame for our D&D session. If we have a regular game night which is scheduled from six to nine, we shouldn’t go past nine. Our players count on the regularity of the game. It can leave a sour after taste to an otherwise great game if the time commitment wasn’t honored.

How can we make sure not to go over time? First, keep an eye on the clock. When we’re in the flow of a session, we might forget the time. An hourly timer, or a visible clock can help us schedule breaks and aim for an one-time finish.

Second, remember that endings are important. Don’t cut from the conclusion of a session. Cut from the middle. Is there a boss fight coming up? Get the party to the fight at least 45 minutes before the end of the session. This is especially important in one-shots but it’s good advice for long-running campaigns as well. Cut from the middle, not the ending.

But what kinds of strong endings are there for our D&D game?

Strong finish #1: The cliffhanger

Our D&D games have a lot in common with serial TV shows. We follow an overarching plot in smaller contained story segments. To keep us coming back to a TV show, writers often end an episode with a cliffhanger. We can use the same technique to finish strong in our game.

Ending with a dramatic question instead of an answer creates a memorable ending. Similar to a TV show, a cliffhanger keeps players excited for the next session.

When we’re reaching the ending time of a session, about half an hour before the clock runs out, we can look for cliffhanger opportunities. In a dungeon, the characters might open the door to the next room. Instead of describing the room, and then ending the session, we can describe the fiery light creeping across the floor as the door swings open. Then we end the session right then and there. The players (and we ourselves) have a week to ponder what lies behind that door.

Strong finish #2: The big reveal

Similar to the open dramatic question, we can finish a session strong by dropping a big reveal in front of the characters and the players at the end of the session.

The characters enter the ritual chamber of the yuan-ti, ready to stop the summoning of a balor. And right in the center of the bloody runic circle lies their ally NPC who they thought had died weeks ago. We can end the session right after this reveal and enjoy the shocked faces of our players.

Again, a strong finish such as this one is memorable, it creates the feeling of a well-rounded session, and it keeps us and the players excited to come back next week.

Strong finish #3: Before a battle

Another kind of cliffhanger is ending right before a combat. Instead of rushing through a combat in the final fifteen minutes of a game, we can end early and save the fight for the next session. We can describe how the cultists draw their knifes across their palms and smear their faces with blood as they get ready to assault the characters.

This gives us time to think about the combat encounter, and it creates a strong start for our next session. Many players will look forward to an upcoming session even more when they know it is going to kick of with a big battle.

Strong finish #4: The middle of a battle

Instead of finishing the session right before rolling initiative, we can end the game in the middle of combat. This is especially impactful if we do it at a dramatic high point in the battle.

An example: “The frenzied marilith raises her six scimitars over the prone and wounded sorcerer. Her eyes glare with vicious, deadly intent. And that’s where we’ll end tonight’s session.” This will guarantee some groans and cries from the players but it is certainly a strong ending.

When we’re finishing a session mid-battle, we should keep track of where we are in the initiative order and where everyone is on the battle field. Then, next session we set everything up roughly as it was before, and kick the game off with the dramatic moment in our combat.

Strong finish #5: Words of a character

As DMs, it can feel like an obligation to have the final word in the session. And generally we do have the final word. But sometimes, a player delivers a strong in-character statement that we can use as the closing words of the session. We might end with the plea of a character in a high-stakes roleplaying encounter. Or with the inner monologue of a character after an intense scene.

Letting in-character expressions stand as the final word of a session lends them extra weight and puts the characters front and center of the game.

Declare the end of the session

Even though the characters might be the last to speak in-game, we should still clearly state the end of a session as DMs. Otherwise, the energy of the table slowly fades and no one is quite sure if we’re still playing or not. A simple, “and that’s where we pick up next time” or “that’s a good place to end”, goes a long way towards creating a clear frame for our game and ending the session on a high note.

Beginnings and endings create memorable sessions

We should pay attention to how we begin and end our D&D sessions. These moments are often the most-remembered instances of our game.

In addition, having strong beginnings and endings makes our sessions feel like well-constructed episodes of a larger story. With a strong start and a clear finish, no one will see the hot mess of plot pivots and improvisation that actually goes on during a session.

We should keep an eye on the clock. About half an hour before the end of a session, we can start looking for opportunities to finish strong. Is there a cliffhanger we can use? Is there a big battle that we can tease? Where is the dramatic high note during combat to end on? Take these opportunities to create strong finishes and don’t be afraid to end a session early if the moment feels right.