One terrifying encounter could be when the party stumbles upon a haunted mansion. Inside, they face ghosts that can possess their bodies. The players have to constantly make will saves to avoid being controlled, and the feeling of losing control of their characters is truly horrifying.
In some DnD horror stories, the encounter with a lich that has the power to drain life force is really scary. The lich can paralyze the party members with a single look and then start to slowly drain their life, all while taunting them with dark whispers about their impending doom. It's a race against time to break free and defeat the lich before it's too late.
The DM can use ambient sounds. For example, playing creepy music or the sound of howling wind in the background. It immediately sets a spooky mood. Also, describing the environment in detail. Saying things like 'The walls are slick with an unknown slime, and a cold draft seems to carry whispers of the dead' can make the players feel uneasy.
The most frightening encounter for me was when we faced a lich in a DND horror game. The lich's eyes glowed with an otherworldly light. It had this deep, menacing voice that sent shivers down our spines. Its magic was so powerful that it could turn our spells against us. Just the sight of it made our characters freeze in fear for a moment.
One popular DnD horror story involves a group of adventurers exploring an ancient, cursed castle. As they delved deeper, they encountered undead creatures that seemed to be unkillable. Every time they thought they had destroyed one, it would rise again with even more malevolence. Another is about a forest that was enchanted by a dark sorcerer. The trees themselves would come alive and attack the players, and strange whispers filled the air, driving some of the characters insane.
For me, it's the loss of control. Like when your character suddenly starts acting against your will. It makes you feel helpless and is really scary.
One common DND horror story is about a party entering a haunted mansion. They thought it was just a simple exploration but soon realized the rooms shifted on their own. Traps kept springing up and undead creatures emerged from the walls. It was a terrifying experience as they struggled to find an exit while being constantly attacked.
There's a r dnd horror story where the players entered an abandoned temple. The moment they stepped in, a feeling of dread washed over them. The carvings on the walls seemed to move in the corner of their eyes. Strange noises echoed throughout the halls. They encountered a series of puzzles that, if solved incorrectly, released more horrors. Eventually, they woke up a mummy lord that had been slumbering for centuries, and it was a fight for their lives as the mummy lord had powerful necromantic abilities.
In a DND party I was in, we had a cleric who was not very experienced. We were in a dark forest and he tried to use a powerful healing spell to revive a fallen comrade. But he misread the spell and instead of healing, it summoned an evil spirit. The spirit started to drain the life force of all of us. We were so scared and confused. We tried to fight it, but our attacks seemed to have little effect. Eventually, we had to flee, leaving behind some of our precious items in the process.
A common one is when the DM railroads the story too much. The players have no real agency. They are just being pushed along a pre - determined path. For instance, no matter what choices we made, the DM had a set outcome in mind and wouldn't deviate. It felt like we were just puppets in his story.
Dark and spooky locations are common. For example, old castles, haunted forests, or abandoned asylums. Another element is the presence of undead creatures like zombies, skeletons, or ghosts. Curses also play a big role. A character might be cursed by an evil witch or a powerful artifact, which brings all sorts of misfortune and horror. And often, there's a sense of isolation, where the adventuring party is cut off from help or civilization.
A common one is the min - maxer. They build their character to be super powerful in one aspect but often at the cost of role - playing. For example, they might focus only on combat stats and not care about the character's backstory or personality. This can make the game feel unbalanced.