Fantasy crime ideas for your DnD game

While it's really easy to incorporate real-world laws into Dungeons & Dragons, such as burglary, grave robbing, and murder, it's much more fun to experiment with laws that would really only apply in a fantasy world. Some may resemble real-world laws, but their punishments would be much harsher than their real-world counterparts, simply because the stakes are higher.

They're dealing with magic and the terrifying potential it holds in the wrong hands. Regulating it and keeping it under control is important for the health and safety of the nation and its people. Plus, dubious (and good) laws are a great path to a jailbreak arc.

9 Higher evil magic

Yes, necromancy is on the list

No, you shouldn't bother using every single necromantic spell, as it goes against the natural laws of the world. It's only logical that these spells aren't legal unless they're approved by a higher authority.

You really shouldn't let the average person – or even the average adventurer – learn how to resurrect the dead or cast spells that can destroy a person with no more than a single word. Necromancy is hardly the only higher evil magic, and there are some “good” necromantic spells (such as False Life), but overall things aren't looking so good for necromancers.

8 Minor Evil Magic

Not quite as bad, but still not great

There are spells that appear to be completely harmless but are actually very harmful, violate free will, are intentionally deceiving, or are used for malicious purposes. Spells such as charm person, disguise self, and invisibility, although they do not cause physical harm, are rarely used with good intentions.

Charm Person intentionally violates a person's free will and controls their mind and thoughts like a monster (though not necessarily total domination). Disguise Self and Invisibility are both focused on deceit and stealth, and are likely to be used frequently by villains and thieves.

It's only fair that these and similar spells are heavily regulated and largely illegal for the general population. Perhaps it's something you could get a license to use, but they'll put a lot of faith in your moral compass.

7 Use of destructive magic within the city limits

You are liable for property damage

To put it simply, your party should know better than to use destructive magic within the city limits. There are exceptions, of course, such as when the city is under siege or there is a dragon or something of the sort involved.

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But most days nothing bad happens, and if your wizard throws something like a fireball (or something equally cool), that's not going to end well for the average person. That kind of spell is just over the top and will do more harm than good, especially if you're in such a densely packed environment.

By not only paying for the damage caused but also spending a little time in jail, your spellcaster may have time to reflect on his actions and hopefully prevent future incidents.

6 Failure to control magical beasts

They are your responsibility

Yes, your party should probably be responsible for any damage or physical injury your magical animal causes. Even if it's not physical injury, there's a chance it could affect someone psychologically, and you can't hold a magical animal liable for that.

The responsibility therefore lies with the owners. Failure to control a registered magical animal may result in a small fine or large compensation depending on the amount of damage, and may also result in the magical creature being removed from your party.

5 Error registering magical beasts

Be a responsible owner

Urge your group to be responsible pet owners and take responsibility – register your magical animal and make sure it has all its vaccinations. Otherwise, your group may have its magical animal taken away and placed in the care of the city until it has properly registered and proven its responsibility.

Magical beasts are not to be trifled with – they are not like a non-magical dog or fish. These creatures can do a lot of damage and can be downright terrifying at times, meaning your party must be responsible for them.

4 Poaching of magically vital species

Leave the unicorns and pegasi alone

In magical environments, there must be a balance, because magic is essentially energy. Just as overhunting or poaching certain creatures in real life can throw an ecosystem out of balance, the same thing could happen in a fantasy world, only the consequences would be far more catastrophic, potentially extending far beyond the affected ecosystem.

Creatures that are fundamentally magical, like unicorns, pegasi, elementals, or even dragons, are important to maintaining the world's magic. Hunting them without a bounty on their heads or a license from your party's local guild should result in dire consequences.

3 Blasphemy and heresy

The gods are real and they didn’t like that

If the gods in your fantasy world are real, which is often the case, consider the fact that blasphemy and heresy are likely to have very real consequences. The laws are less about protecting the gods from evil words or deeds and more about protecting your group and the other citizens from retribution.

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Disrespecting a god or spitting in his face could have disastrous consequences. So, although appeasing the god is a crime, the punishment might not be prison but “detention,” at least until things calm down a bit.

2 Adventure without a driving license

I guess you better join a guild

Remember that adventure is a risky business, so it's best to keep an eye on anyone who ventures into this profession. Not to mention, it helps enforce regulations and maintain their importance.

If everyone could go on adventures without a license, it would be absolute chaos for everyone to do whatever they wanted! Besides, having a license pretty much guarantees you a job at some point, right?

The guild has contracts and it is up to you to accept the ones you feel suitable for. Of course, if you do not have a license you will face a fine – maybe even a prison sentence, depending on how long the group has been active.

Still, you probably shouldn't set the price too high – perhaps give them a firm deadline to join a guild and get their license before they have to pay a hefty fine.

1 Failure to report loot

What, you didn't think the city would tax it?

Whether you collect it from dungeons or monsters, it's really good to know what magical loot people have. It helps keep the economy from becoming unbalanced and helps government officials know what kind of magical items are in circulation.

After all, you don't want things that are too dangerous to get into the hands of ordinary people. That would be like giving a baby a nuclear bomb – unimaginably dangerous and only inviting disaster.

Failure to report loot may result in your adventurers being stripped of loot or even having their adventurer license revoked. Just make sure your group is still having fun and not finding it too taxing.

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