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Sometimes a game will get into a rut, with characters doing basically the same thing week in and week out. Plot gimmicks can be used to break up the monotony and sometimes even help the game shift gears.
- Holiday Special: The plot of the episode is themed to some game-world holiday: Midsummer’s Night, Halloween, Gurnenthar’s Ascendance, whatever.
- A Very Special Episode: The PCs have to deal with some emotional issue: Planning an intervention for a GMC (or PC) with a drug problem, dealing with the death of a beloved supporting character, etc.
- Special Guest Star: A character who has previously been referenced but has never appeared “on screen” is central to the session.
- Dream Sequence: The entire session is a dream or hallucination.
- Flashback: The session takes place in the past. It may focus on the entire group or a single character (with other players taking on the roles of supporting characters). If the flashback reveals something pertinent to the current plotline, even better.
- Genre Switch: The session borrows tropes from another genre. For example, a group of fantasy characters must solve a noir-style mystery or space travelers find themselves on a planet that resembles the Wild West.
- Zeppo Spotlight: The episode focuses on the adventures of a minor character. This can be a sub-plot revolving around a PC who isn’t often in the spotlight or can focus on a GMC. Players may play their own characters or supporting GMCs.
- Mistaken Identity: A character (or the whole group) is mistaken for someone else. This could be good or bad.
- Abnormal Behavior: A character or GMC begins acting strangely. The question is, why?
- Paranormal Activity: The players encounter evidence of ghosts, cryptids, UFOs, or some other strange phenomenon. Maybe they just have overactive imaginations, but maybe not.
- Amnesiac Attack: The players wake up in a strange place with no idea how they got there.
- Golden Apple Corps: Something is introduced to make the PCs work against one another.
- The Man Behind The Curtain: The players learn something unexpected about a GMC.
- Bottle Episode: The entire session takes place in a single location that the PCs cannot leave.
- Film Break: The game picks up at some point in the future, possibly with some existing plots and subplots already resolved.
- Plot Archaeology: Some forgotten plot thread from the past shows back up.
- Smoke Me A Kipper: An incredibly competent GMC shows up and makes the characters look bad. He may have feet of clay or a hidden agenda, but maybe he’s just that awesome.
- Talent Show: The PCs must compete in some kind of contest.
- Change of Scenery: The session takes place in an exotic location.
- Plot Twist: Something happens that has major repercussions on the storyline.
