Connection between Stranger Things and Dungeons and Dragons was established in the very first episode of Season 1, when the show began with four friends at a table fighting the Demogorgon at the end of a long match. Dungeons and Dragons campaign.
Now the popular Netflix series has released the first part of its final season and Dungeons and Dragons There were many references as the characters prepared to face Vecna. Stranger Things Fans waiting for the final few episodes to drop can pass the time playing a Dungeons and Dragons a game or two of its own, with plenty of connective tissue across a range of products.
Stranger Things has a long history with dungeons and dragons
Stranger Things has always thoroughly embraced the culture and nostalgia of the 80s and Dungeons and Dragons is at the heart of it. All five seasons of the show featured the game heavily, including tie-ins:
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Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Will play Dungeons and Dragons in the first episode of Season 1 and again after Will's return. They name the antagonist of the season Demogorgon after the monster they faced in their campaign.
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The antagonistic monster of the 2nd series is called Mind Flayer, another iconic one Dungeons and Dragons creature, due to its ability to possess humans and lesser creatures of the Upside Down.
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In season 3, the party's interest in the o Dungeons and Dragons he upsets Will, who repeatedly tries to organize the games. When she leaves Hawkins, she leaves him Dungeons and Dragons books to Lucas' sister Erica.
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In the fourth season, Mike and Dustin, now in high school, join the “Hellfire Club”. Dungeons and Dragons with Dungeon Master Eddie Munson. They play a campaign called “The Cult of Vecna” and later name the monstrous enemy of the season “Vecna” after the lich lord.
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No spoilers, but Season 5 continues this trend.
Stranger Things fans can enjoy the official D&D adventure
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The Stranger Things Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set
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Welcome to the Hellfire Club
The whole plot Stranger Things does not have to be one fig Dungeons and Dragons adventures, but the characters' adventures have become official tie-ins released in Wizards of the Coast. The Stranger Things Dungeons and Dragons Starter kit features the original DMed by Mike campaign in season 1 while Welcome to the Hellfire Club includes adventures designed by Eddie for new club members. Both are excellent options for Stranger Things fans to explore dungeons and dragons, but are generally intended for newer TTRPG players.
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Official Dungeons and Dragons Gameplay |
Stranger Things Sets the gameplay |
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Characters can be fully customized to create players. |
Contains pre-generated characters with some options to disable spells or items. |
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Characters can level up gradually, with a maximum level of 20. |
Adventures are designed for low level characters with few or no leveling options (level 3-4 in starter kit, 1-3 inches Welcome to the Hellfire Club). |
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Huge amount of monsters, spells, items, etc. to choose from, with dozens of books released. |
Generally designed for newer players, with a limited selection of monsters, spells and items. Includes counter stats Stranger Things Demogorgon and Mind Flayer versions (but not Vecna) |
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A mix of linear and open-ended adventures with many options for creating your own stories. |
The stories are generally linear, with some room for improvisation. |
While Starter kit and Welcome to the Hellfire Club are a great introduction for fans of the show who are Dungeons and Dragons beginners, are just that: a starting point. Veteran Dungeons and Dragons players or those who enjoyed it The Hellfire Club adventure and want to experience more D&D can offer, can create custom adventures or even spice up existing campaigns Stranger Things taste.
Incorporating Stranger Things into Dungeons and Dragons campaigns
For those who want to move on Welcome to the Hellfire Club or you're looking for something higher level or more complex, there are plenty of ways to incorporate elements Stranger Things fans can look forward to a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. Here are just a few options:
Adding extraneous items to a homebrew campaign
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Bring a Stranger Things –style 'flower head' Demogorgon or the multi-legged Mind Flayer into the campaign as a monster for players to fight.
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Have players visit an alternate realm or dimension similar to the Upside Down. A great choice for this is the gloomy plane Shadowfell – alternatively, use Valley of Shadows from Welcome to the Hellfire Club.
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Include NPCs inspired by a favorite Stranger Things character. DMs could use the character sheets listed in Starter kit or Welcome to the Hellfire Club as the starting point for the introduction of Will the Wise, Lady Applejack and others.
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Have the player solve a puzzle like you see in Stranger Things. For example, they could interpret a message delivered through twinkling Christmas lights, such as how Joyce and Will “talked” when Will was in the Upside Down.
The ultimate official adventure for Stranger Things fans
Alternatively, there are several official ones Dungeons and Dragons campaigns that Stranger Things fans can watch while they wait for the rest of Season 5 to debut on Netflix. With Vecna, he looms as the final boss of the series, Dungeons and Dragons players may want to face the deadly lich themselves. The best way to do this is Vecna: Eve of Doom, high level adventure released in 2024. The Eve of Doom is an epic campaign spanning a setting that takes players from level 10 to level 20.
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Item: Eve of Doom
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Curse of Strahda
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Candle Keep Mysteries
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Tomb of Extinction
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Out of the abyss
Curse of Strahda is another great option as it focuses on the grim horror aesthetic that is increasingly present Stranger Things' later seasons. Candlekeep Mysteries too contains several shorter adventures that mix mystery and humor, which would be perfect for those Stranger Things fans who love to read and theorize. Tomb of Extinction borrows heavily from the classic adventures in earlier releases D&Dpotentially evoking the same 80s nostalgia as Stranger Things. Finally, Out of the abyss centers around players trapped in a strange alternate world, perfect for anyone who's ever wondered what it was like to be stuck in the Upside Down.
