How to Run a Political Intrigue Campaign in D&D

Written by Luke Hart

Political intrigue campaigns offer a unique and engaging style of gameplay in Dungeons & Dragons, filled with manipulation, deception, and power struggles. However, they come with unique challenges that can derail the game if not properly structured. If you want to run a political campaign that keeps your players invested without turning the table into a toxic mess, here’s what you need to know.

By the way, if you're looking for a low level pre-made adventure module for your D&D 5e game, I highly recommend Into the Fey. It's designed for levels 1 to 5, features tricksy fey and their sly schemes, and contains everything you need to play!

Watch or listen to this article by clicking the video below.

#1 Keep the Party on the Same Side

One of the biggest mistakes in political intrigue campaigns is allowing players to backstab each other freely. While deception and manipulation are hallmarks of political plots, D&D is still a group game. Before you even start, have a clear discussion about PVP (player vs. player) interactions. Make sure everyone understands that while different factions might be fighting for power, the players should be working together as a team. Otherwise, things can spiral into out-of-game resentment and ruined friendships.

If your group really wants every character to play for themselves, consider using a system designed for that, such as Vampire: The Masquerade, which thrives on player conflict. D&D, however, is best when players are navigating the political web together.

#2 Political Intrigue Requires the Right Group

Not every D&D group is cut out for a political intrigue campaign. Some players love combat-focused games, and they’ll likely be bored or frustrated if most of the game revolves around discussions, scheming, and negotiations. A good rule of thumb is to balance intrigue with action—give players missions that allow for fights, espionage, or other dynamic encounters to keep the pacing engaging.

If a player enjoys politics but is struggling with what to do, help them by providing clear faction motivations, giving them an NPC mentor, or providing a structured way to engage with the plot. Some players love these narratives but need guidance on how to navigate them.

#3 Factions Are Everything

For a political intrigue campaign to work, factions must be well-defined. Every political faction should be pursuing power, but power can take different forms—economic dominance, magical control, military strength, or social influence. Make sure every faction is competing for the same type of power so their conflict is meaningful.

A strong faction has:

• Strengths and weaknesses – What are their resources? What do they lack?
• Goals – What do they need to gain power?
• Obstacles – What might prevent them from achieving their goals?
• Secrets or complications – Something the players or rival factions can exploit.

Start with at least two factions, but a handful will make things more interesting. You can also include internal conflicts within factions for extra depth, but don’t overcomplicate things if it’s your first time running this kind of campaign.

#4 Establish Faction Relationships

Factions don’t operate in a vacuum. Each one should have relationships with the others, whether it’s alliances, rivalries, or uneasy truces. A simple faction relationship matrix helps track these dynamics and lets you adjust as the campaign progresses.

Just as factions have relationships with each other, they should also have relationships with the players. In the beginning, factions should generally see the players as potential allies or neutral forces. This is crucial because political factions see adventurers as tools to achieve their goals. If factions start out hating the party, it can feel like an uphill battle for players to get involved in the intrigue.

#5 Let Players Be the Driving Force

Your players should be the main movers and shakers in your campaign. Factions can make moves in the background, but the key is that these moves should affect the players directly. If factions are making big decisions and the party feels like observers instead of participants, the game will feel stagnant.

Encourage players to align with a faction, but make sure all factions interact with them—even their enemies should be trying to manipulate, bribe, or undermine them. This keeps the political tension alive while ensuring the players feel central to the campaign’s story.

#6 Balancing Combat in a Political Campaign

Many players love combat, and political intrigue games tend to be light on it. However, combat can still have a place in these campaigns—it just needs to be woven into the story strategically. The best way to do this is through missions assigned by the players' allied faction.

This could include:

• Assassinating or capturing a rival faction leader.
• Defending a key location from an ambush.
• Raiding an enemy’s supply lines.
• Spying or infiltrating a location that could turn violent.

By integrating combat as a means to a political end, you keep the players engaged while ensuring battles feel meaningful.

#7 Give Players the Right Information

For political intrigue to work, players need knowledge of the factions and their motives. Think of real-world politics—anyone who follows politics knows the basic parties, their ideologies, and major conflicts. Share this level of information with your players.

What not to share:

• Secrets and complications – These should be uncovered during the game.
• Faction plots – Let players uncover them organically.

What to definitely share:

• Faction goals – Players should understand what each faction is trying to achieve.
• Faction relationships – Who likes whom, who opposes whom.
• Faction view of the party – Do they see the party as allies, threats, or potential pawns?

Giving players this framework ensures they can make informed choices without feeling lost or overwhelmed.

#8 Set Expectations With Your Players

Political intrigue games require player engagement and a willingness to keep track of complex information. To help them succeed, set a few ground rules:

• Take notes. The campaign will be information-heavy, and players should track faction dealings.
• Review notes before each session. Otherwise, they’ll forget details and lose momentum.
• Discuss and strategize between sessions. Encourage players to plan and reflect outside of game time.
• Study political thrillers. Watching or reading about political dramas can help them better engage with the campaign style.

By setting these expectations early, you reduce confusion and help players get the most out of the campaign.

#9 Keep the Game from Getting Stale

If the political intrigue ever starts feeling too slow or repetitive, you have options to mix things up:

• Introduce a traditional dungeon crawl at the request of a faction.
• Bring in side adventures tied to character backstories.
• Take a break from the campaign and play a D&D-adjacent board game for variety.

Even in a politics-heavy campaign, diversity in gameplay keeps the story fresh and engaging.

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