Imp Bowl: The No-Prep One-Shot Where You Play as an Imp

Ever wanted to play as an imp instead of yet another noble hero? Imp Bowl hands you exactly that. In this fast, funny one-shot, your group does not play brave adventurers – you play a swarm of disposable little imps, flung into a deathtrap dungeon so two squabbling demon lords can settle whose minions are superior. It is built for busy tables: 2 to 3 players, levels 2 to 3, a single 2 to 3 hour session, and zero prep. Every imp is ready to play, every trap is ready to spring, and every spectacular death just clears the way for the next imp to charge in. If your group is tired of taking everything seriously, or you simply love the idea of getting to play as an imp for a night, this is the riotous, low-prep palate cleanser you have been waiting for – a comedy one-shot where the monsters finally get their turn.

A One-Shot Where You Play as an Imp, Not a Hero

Most adventures cast you as the hero. Imp Bowl does the opposite, and that single inversion is its whole appeal. You play as an imp – specifically, one of a team owned by a vain demon lord named Vexolomew, who has wagered his pride against his rival Grindlewick over whose imps are the better breed. To settle it, the two lords build a deathtrap dungeon, drop a tacky golden trophy in the center, and shove both teams in one end.

When you play as an imp, the whole table changes. Your characters are expendable, the stakes are gloriously petty, and the comedy writes itself. Players who would agonize over a heroic knight will happily fling an imp into a spike pit if it shaves a second off the race. Getting to play the monster gives even cautious groups permission to be reckless, selfish, and hilarious – which is the entire point.

Designed for Small Groups of 2 to 3 Players

Scheduling is the single biggest reason tabletop groups fall apart, and pulling together a full party of four or five gets harder every year. Imp Bowl is built from the ground up for small groups, where two or three players is the sweet spot rather than a compromise. The encounters, the trap difficulty, and the shared pool of imps are all tuned for a compact table, so a session that might feel thin with a tiny crowd instead feels perfectly sized. You and one or two friends can run the entire adventure in an evening without recruiting anyone else, which makes it ideal for couples, roommates, or a regular pair who want a complete experience without the logistics of a big group.

Built to Run Tonight: Zero Prep for You and Your Players

The biggest barrier to running a one-shot is not the rules – it is the prep. Imp Bowl removes it entirely. As the Game Master, you open the file and run it; the four acts, every trap, every stat block, and every read-aloud line are written for you. There is nothing to balance and nothing to build.

Your players need zero prep too. There is no character creation – to play as an imp, a player simply rolls on a d20 roster of pre-made characters, each with its own name, quirk, and ability twist. When that imp dies, they roll again and a fresh one teleports in. A brand-new player can sit down, roll a die, and be in the action within seconds. For a one-shot meant to be played on a whim, that instant on-ramp is the whole game.

Four Acts of Deathtraps, Dice Games, and Beautiful Chaos

Imp Bowl moves fast through four distinct acts, each with its own flavor of disaster. The first is a hall of lying signs and lethal traps, where every helpful notice is a trap waiting to grind, launch, or boil an unwary imp. The second is a backwards puzzle room where levers, buttons, and paths do the opposite of what they promise, rewarding players who test before they trust.

The third act is a lava-chase gauntlet that ends at a bored, ancient guardian who would rather play a quick game of knucklebones than fight – though losing the game means a fight anyway. The finale drops both teams into a free-for-all arena of rings and bridges over fire, where a booming voice changes the rules mid-game: the first imp to the trophy ascends to glory, and everyone else, including your own teammates, is suddenly in the way. It is a tight, escalating structure that never drags.

Comedy With Teeth: Why Dying Is the Best Part

Plenty of light adventures keep things safe. Imp Bowl does not, and that is exactly why it works. The traps here truly kill – and when you play as an imp, that is the joke, not the tragedy. An imp gets ground to paste, launched into a spiked ceiling, or boiled in a vat of tar, the table erupts, and the next imp tumbles in to try again.

This runs on a shared reserve pool of imps that acts as your group’s true life total for the night. Skill checks and combat decide how many imps you burn through clawing toward the center, while the rival team’s numbers shrink based on how well you play. The result is a comedy one-shot with real stakes and real tension underneath the slapstick – the rare light adventure that still rewards smart, ruthless play.

Easy to Learn, Sharp Enough for Veterans

Because every imp comes pre-built and the rules ride on standard fifth edition, a brand-new player can join with nothing but curiosity and a willingness to die badly. There are no spell lists to memorize and no backstories to write, just a tiny doomed creature with one weird ability and a job to do. At the same time, the adventure quietly rewards tactical players who read the traps, manage the reserve pool, and time their final push for the trophy. That blend is what makes it land at mixed tables, where a seasoned veteran and a first-timer can sit side by side and both walk away laughing.

What’s Included

Imp Bowl is a complete, ready-to-run package. Inside the book you will find:

• A full one-shot adventure written start to finish, with read-aloud text and clear Game Master guidance
• Four full-page battle maps, one for every act of the dungeon
• A d20 roster of ready-to-play imp characters, plus four distinct imp archetypes
• Complete stat blocks for the dungeon’s guardians, from a bureaucratic suit of animated armor to a dice-loving iron golem
• A knucklebones mini-game, multiple opening hooks, edge-case Game Master guidance, and closing hooks for further play
• A design tuned for 2 to 3 players, levels 2 to 3, and a single 2 to 3 hour session

Perfect For

This one-shot fits a wide range of tables:

• Busy Game Masters who want a complete night of play with no prep time
• Small groups of two or three looking for a short, chaotic, laugh-out-loud session
• Established campaigns that need a one-night palate cleanser between heavier arcs
• New players and new GMs easing in through low-stakes, high-comedy play
• Anyone who has ever wanted to play as an imp instead of slaying one

Part of the Ready Adventure Series

Imp Bowl is part of the Ready Adventure Series from Anvil N Ink Publishing: complete, plug-and-play one-shots designed for 2 to 3 players, levels 2 to 3, and short sessions you can run without prep. If you have enjoyed other titles in the series, Imp Bowl brings the same drop-in convenience to a wilder, comedic premise. It works as a standalone night of fun or as a change of pace dropped into any ongoing 5e campaign. Run it on its own, slot it between sessions of a long campaign, or pull it out whenever a player cancels and you need a smaller, lighter night on short notice. However you use it, the prep stays at zero and the laughs stay high.

Run Imp Bowl at Your Next Game Night

You do not need a free weekend or a stack of prep notes to run a memorable session. You need an adventure that lets you play as an imp, delivers laughs and tension in a couple of hours, and hands you everything ready to go. Imp Bowl is that adventure. Grab two or three players, roll up your first imps, and find out whose minions truly rule. Just do not get too attached to any single imp – the dungeon certainly will not.

Imp Bowl is the no-prep one-shot that finally lets you play as an imp, and proves dying can be the best part of game night.