DMs, Do You Have Mini-Games In Your Campaign?

[Scorponok]

I was wondering, for those who have DM'd, do you ever have mini games within your campaign?

For mine, I read some discussion about Dwarven Bowling on one of the forums and invented a Dwarven Bowling game in my campaign. The prizes were magic items and writs of property and gold. The players had so much fun they spent the rest of the night trying to win the items.

Do you have mini games in yours? I'm in the middle of doing my next campaign now and want to borrow some ideas!

[Troacctid]

I've tried it before with an adaptation of Cabbage Facepunch Bonanza. (Google it.) It wasn't a hit, probably because the rules weren't balanced with D&D characters in mind; the 5e Rogue had an extra move action every turn and could just outrun everyone else. I ruled that other players could try to trip her, but that inadvertently turned it into a PvP contest where everyone was trying to disable everyone else. Ultimately, not a successful experiment.

I think minigames can work well, but I prefer when they incorporate the skills and abilities of the characters, because I don't sit down at the beginning of each session thinking "I sure wish I could play some other game instead of D&D."

[Nibbens]

In all of my game worlds, there is a game called Hex. Hex is a game played using a 20 sided dice, and all gambling done in game is done using Hex rules - either because I'm boring or I'm obsessed with self-gratifying.

Either way, my players know when they see someone throwing a single 20 sided dice around, they know what it stands for - gambling. It's few and far between someone plays with the dice and money's not involved.

As far as a "mini-game" is concerned - I've come up with rules for Hex and my players do often play it in their downtimes with each other, and with NPCs from time to time. Every now and again, I involve all the players in plot related hex games, and the feelings about such have been mixed - so I often leave it out.

PCs finding ivory, silver, and platinum Hex dice sets are a thing in my game as well.

[Flickerdart]

The game Legend (an abortive attempt at a 3.75) did something like this with skill games, which were codified alternative uses of skills for more narrow purposes, such as pursuits, investigations, or interrogation. The framework can be adapted to minigames with ease.

[Hal0Badger]

I am currently using Dice Poker from the Witcher game series, as a mini game for gambling. So far so good.

[martixy]

Beyond always having one or the other actual gambling game(because you really can't have a narrative-heavy campaign without one), I'm planning a campaign where I'd really like to play a little bit of SimCity and/or Civilization on top of normal D&D(using things like the Stronghold Builder and PF's Downtime and Kingdom building rules).

[CharonsHelper]

The Pathfinder rules for chase scenes amount to a mini-game. I kind of like them as a change of pace - though some don't. Though they only work for the first several levels, as eventually the casters will learn magic such that such chase sequences are meaningless.

GM: "Alright - you can try to climb over the wall, or squeeze through the hedges. Give me a check."

Wizard: "I cast Fly".

[Zero_Knight]

My players have tried making dice rolls for the goblin games mentioned in modules, like Stupid Frog and Roach Impale. In other scenarios we have broken down into a game of Three Dragon Ante with a time limit for interactions. Dragon magazine has a few others that I have yet to try but I'm not too familiar which issue they are listed in.

Having the PCs take the time out to write or make up the games spur of the moment is pretty cool, just have to keep them on track so they don't derail the game. Though in some nights its better to side track the group if they are into it.
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