Another horror story is the player who is always late or flakes out on the game. We had a guy who would often show up an hour late or not show up at all without warning. It was really frustrating for the rest of the group who were all ready to play. It made it hard to keep the story going and plan future sessions.
Players who don't respect the DM's world - building are also a horror. They might say things like 'that's stupid' about the DM's carefully crafted lore. It's disrespectful and can disrupt the flow of the game. Like when we were in a medieval - themed world, and a player tried to introduce modern - day concepts just because he thought it would be cool.
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.
One horror story was when a player completely ignored the party's plan. We were sneaking into a castle, and he just charged in yelling. It alerted all the guards, and we were almost wiped out. He thought it was funny but it ruined the whole mission for the rest of us.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Character death due to misunderstandings is also quite common. Maybe a player misinterprets a rule and makes a move that gets their character killed. Or perhaps communication within the group is so bad that other players don't warn them about an obvious danger, resulting in their character's demise. It's really a bummer when that happens.
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.
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.
One horror story is about a player whose Sims' house suddenly caught on fire out of nowhere while all the Sims were sleeping. There was no apparent reason like a faulty stove or electrical problem in the game. The Sims woke up in a panic but couldn't escape in time and all perished. It was really a shock for the player as they had put a lot of effort into building that family and their home.