First Time DM-How to Write a One-Shot?
I’m part of a D&D group that runs one-shots every week for characters lvl 5-10. I want to try running a one-shot sometime that will take 4-5 characters about 3 hours to complete, but I’ve never DMed before. I have an idea, but I’m still trying to figure out how to put it all together.
The idea is that the characters received a quest about a monk who has sent out a challenge seeking anyone who can beat him in a fight. He’s beaten many in his adventuring and he’s looking for someone who can actually give him a serious challenge. Many of his opponents have underestimated him due to his being drunk often, yet this drunkenness only seems to make him stronger.
The adventure would take place at a tavern, or perhaps a monastery. The party will have to find the monk since he’s more reclusive due to being jaded. It also gives the characters a bit more of a chance to roleplay since many characters are unique in their own kind of way.
For the fight, I picture he fights the characters one at a time, gauntlet style. But when a character is downed, the bar patrons pull them to the side and stabilize them so that no one dies. That character is then out of the fight. The monk then fights the next character after perhaps a Potion of Healing.
The adventure ends when either the monk beats all the characters or one character manages to bring the monk down to 0 HP. The character who beats him is declared the winner and gets his Uncommon-rarity fisticuffs.
For a group of 4-5 characters who will probably be lvl 5-7 or so, what challenge rating would be appropriate for a Monk boss? What sort of buff should drunkeness give him?
How should the hook for the adventure start? What ideas or changes should I make to make it more streamlined and engaging?