5e Horror

>>51487651
>first start with the omens, weird occurrences that are related to the threat but will likely be dismissed at first
>establish a dangerous area and two safe areas, the PCs should have a mission to travel between the two safe areas through the dangerous area (these can also be separated by time instead of space, 'survive til morning' for instance)
>as the players begin their journey start the countdown clock, it's up to you what causes it to progress but as it does the PCs will have to deal with escalating encounters, each one also revealing more information about the distant threat
>eventually the penny will drop and someone will realize what's going on, at this point you should also make them aware of the clock and how it works, where it's at, etc
>then it becomes a race, can the PCs reach the safe area without the clock finishing?
>if yes then great, but the threat is still out there and can be used for future adventures
>if no then they should face a winnable but extremely difficult (a couple of PC deaths difficult) fight

this is my general formula for horror, altered for D&D specifically

>>51487651
Use your players expectations and anticipations. Incorporate imagery and content that draws on their fears. Use the mechanics to their fullest, fluffy language is one thing, but when something mechanical happens to the character suddenly they're really going to get invested. Also less is more, let their imagination do most of the work for you.

A lot of the key to good horror is not having all the information, and what you do have not quite making full logical sense. Also, give the players a few skill checks (Perception, Insight, Arcana/Nature/Religion, whatever) that they were just plain never going to pass, and only give them vague answers as to what they think they might've just seen.

>>51488288
Adding on to that, it does depend very heavily on the players being willing to get invested in the mood/scenario, instead of giggling like idiots and deciding to Fireball the whole building down and so forth.

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Contradictory and/or incomplete information.

I would try to avoid obvious mechanics while still giving mechanical effects. That is, if the players can recognize which spell/feat/skill/ability that you're using, you've messed up. They'll know more or less what they're facing and be less afraid of it. Don't let them know what's going on.

Alternatively, you can be very obvious about which abilities you're using, but they're on the wrong things. A monster using an Infernal Pact Warlock ability followed by something that can only be cast by Holy Paladins might be unsettling, for example, especially if it's a known monster that shouldn't be able to do either of those things.

>>51488005
>>51488040
>>51488288
>>51488310
>>51488426

You all beat me. This is very good advice, the only thing I can add is when in doubt use the bear stats and reskin it as some kind of monster. Works everytime.

>>51488476
I am now picturing some kind of Scooby Doo Villain scenario where instead of it always being disgruntled real estate entrepreneurs, it's bears.

>>51488492

Now I'm asking myself how and where bear could get all those costume and props.

>>51488620
Clearly a joke idea could actually be built into a good creeping-conspiracy plot.
>where did they get all this stuff?
>why are they all doing it now?
>what's the common thread?
>who put them up to it?
etc.

>>51487651
Like other's have said, less is more, their own minds will create far greater terrors with the information it doesn't know than with the information it does.

On top of this, create a sense of "wrongness". Put things in places they really shouldn't be, create a sense of uncomfortable and disconcerting weirdness. Keep the players guessing, and they'll do all the hard work for you.