Free tabletop campaign planner

Linear notes are useless at the speed of a table. A game master needs factions in motion, hooks in reach and a page that answers a question in two seconds.

Use this template free Free, no account, opens in your browser.

Main focusTabletop campaign plannerBranchThe campaign in one sentenceThoughtPlayers and charactersBranchFactionsThoughtIf the party does nothing

Built from the same cards and connections you edit inside HeadTidy.

What’s included

A one sentence campaign card describing the situation rather than the plot
A player table with each character’s want and personal hook
A faction table covering what they want, what they are doing now and what they know about the party
A table of what each faction does next if the party ignores them
An NPC list and a next session preparation checklist

Prepare situations, not plots

A plot survives contact with players badly. A situation with pressure in it survives anything, because whatever the party does, the factions still want what they wanted. Write the campaign as a situation and the improvisation problem mostly solves itself.

Keep the world moving off screen

The table of what happens if the party does nothing is the most useful page in the map. It turns a static setting into a world with momentum, and it means a session where the players go somewhere unexpected still has consequences waiting when they come back.

Hook the characters, not the party

A hook aimed at the party is an announcement. A hook aimed at one character’s personal want is a decision. The player table keeps those wants visible so the next hook can be aimed at somebody specific.

Worked example

The party ignores the smuggling plot for three sessions. Because the faction table had a next move and a date, the smugglers simply succeed, and the consequence arrives as a changed city rather than a plot the game master has to reintroduce.

How to use this template

Start
Write the campaign as a situation in one sentence.
Sort
Give each faction a want, a current action and a next move if ignored.
Move
Prepare a strong opening, two possible scenes and one thing that happens regardless.

Frequently asked questions

How do I prepare a session without railroading?

Prepare situations, not sequences. Know what each faction wants and what it does next, prepare a strong opening and a handful of possible scenes, and let the players choose the route between them.

What should a campaign planner include?

The premise as a situation, the player characters and their personal wants, the factions and what they are doing, NPCs, loose hooks, and what happens in the world if the party does nothing.

Does this work for systems other than D&D?

Yes. Nothing in the template is rules specific. Factions, wants, hooks, NPCs and session preparation apply to any system.