Designing best side quests that players actually want to follow

Every side quest starts the same way: someone in a tavern asks for help, the party sighs, and everyone secretly wonders if this will be fun or just feel like a chore. The difference between a forgettable detour and one of the best side quests isn’t length or rewards – it’s intent. At Geeknson, we’ve seen players abandon the main quest without hesitation when a side story hits the right notes. Done well, a side quest doesn’t pull you away from the main story – it makes the whole world feel more alive, more immersive, and much harder to leave behind.

What makes a compelling side quest worth following

A compelling side quest isn’t something players do because it’s there. It’s something they follow because they want to. In tabletop sessions at Geeknson we’ve seen it countless times: the party ignores the obvious hook for the main quest, but instantly locks onto a side quest that promises drama, chaos or a genuinely interesting story. So what actually makes that happen?

Here are the elements that separate a great sidequests from a bad sidequest:

• It has a clear goal for the players. Players need to know why they’re doing this. Not just “go kill” or kill x, but a reason that sparks curiosity or emotion. A quest needs intent, not busywork.
• It connects to plot and characters. The best side quests don’t float in a vacuum. They echo the main plot, deepen story and characters, or subtly comment on themes of the main story.
• It avoids the classic fetch quest trap. A pure fetch quest where you just fetch, return and collect loot feels like MMO filler. Add a twist, a choice, or an interesting resolution, and suddenly the same structure becomes engaging.
• NPCs matter. One memorable npc or a small group of npcs can carry an entire side quest. A grumpy alchemist, a suspicious tavern owner, or a grizzled veteran with unfinished business instantly raise the stakes.
• It feels like a reward in its own right. The best side quests aren’t about the rewards you get — the experience is the reward. Players remember the moment, not the gold.

A side quest works when it feels optional, but irresistible. When players choose it over the obvious path, you know you’ve nailed the design.

Using side quests to develop plot and characters

The smartest way to use side quests is to treat them as pressure tests for the main plot and character arcs. A good side quest doesn’t compete with the main story – it reflects it. It asks the same questions from a different angle, often with lower stakes but sharper consequences. That’s how side content becomes meaningful instead of decorative.

Think about plot and characters as something elastic. A side quest can pull on that elastic and show what snaps. Maybe it reveals a moral line a character won’t cross. Maybe it forces a choice that mirrors the main quest in miniature. In rpgs, this is gold: players learn who their characters are by making decisions when nothing is must be completed and no cutscene forces their hand.

At Geeknson tables, we love side quests that send the player slightly away from the main, into a new area or a small dungeon, just long enough to complicate things. One conversation with an npc can reframe how the party feels about the conflict. One favor done “on the side” can ripple back into the main plot later. That’s when players start to care about the main arc more, not less.

This is also where a quest chain shines. A short series of quests lets consequences stack naturally. What starts as a simple favor can grow into something much bigger, shaping alliances, grudges, and expectations. It’s subtle quest design, but incredibly effective game design for long campaigns.

When side quests develop story and characters, they stop being detours. They become connective tissue – the quiet work that makes the world feel coherent, reactive, and alive.

From one hook to a quest chain players care about

Most side quest disasters start small – a cool hook that goes nowhere. One scene, one job, done. Players shrug and move on. If you want a hook to grow into a quest chain players actually care about, think continuity, not scale.

A simple pattern works wonders:

• Start personal, not epic. One request, one problem, one choice. Something that feels low-stakes but human. This is where players decide if they’re emotionally buying in.
• Let consequences linger. The outcome of that first side quest should change something. An NPC reacts differently. A door opens. Another closes. Suddenly the world remembers.
• Escalate sideways, not upward. Instead of “bigger monster, more loot”, complicate the situation. Conflicting interests. Moral friction. Someone else wants the same thing.
• Call back when they least expect it. Nothing sells a quest chain like recognition. When players realise a past decision just resurfaced three sessions later, engagement spikes instantly.

At Geeknson tables, this is where side quests stop feeling optional and start feeling inevitable. Not because the GM forces them – but because players want to see how their choices play out. One hook becomes a thread. The thread becomes a story. And suddenly, that “little side thing” matters just as much as the main plot.

How to use side quests without derailing the main story

Side quests only derail the main story when they exist in a vacuum. The fix isn’t fewer side quests – it’s smarter placement. A good side quest should feel like a lens on the main plot, not a hard left turn into unrelated content.

Here’s the simple rule we use at Geeknson: a side quest should change context, not direction.

• Anchor side quests to the same stakes. Different angle, same pressure. Let the side quest echo themes, factions or consequences tied to the main quest.
• Time-box the detour. Keep scope tight. One location, one dilemma, one payoff. Players feel free to explore without losing momentum.
• Let outcomes feed forward. Information, allies, grudges or resources gained on the side should subtly reshape what comes next in the main arc.
• Avoid mandatory “must be completed” flags. Optional content stays optional. When players choose the detour, it energizes the table instead of stalling it.

Done right, a side quest doesn’t pull the party away — it adds weight to where they’re going. The story stays focused, the world feels reactive, and players never feel like they’re grinding filler on the way to the real plot.