Using Players’ Fan Theories in Your D&D Campaign: The Real DM’s Guide

Introduction

So you are starting to run D&D for your friends or family. Maybe you watched some videos, read the rulebook, and now you are thinking about what happens next.

The thing is, when you are sitting at the table running the game, your players are not just listening to what you say. They are thinking. They are making guesses. They are creating their own ideas about what is happening in your world.

That is what we call a fan theory. Your players will think things like “Maybe that shop owner is actually the bad guy” or “I think that person we met yesterday is connected to this person.” When you hear these kinds of ideas, that is gold for you as a DM.

That means your players are paying attention and they care about the story. Using these ideas that your players have? That can actually make your campaign much better. It stops being just you telling a story and becomes something you and your players are making together.

I am going to explain how you can use these theories to run a better game. If you are new to D&D, this will make sense. If you have been playing for a while, you might already be doing this without realizing it. Either way, let me show you how this actually works.

What Are These Player Theories Anyway?

First thing – what exactly is a fan theory? It is simple. It is anything your players think or guess about your game world. Maybe they think an NPC has a secret. Maybe they think two different events are connected. It’s possible they believe someone they met isn’t who they claim to be. That’s just a theory.

Now, when your players say these kinds of things, what does it mean? It means they are interested. It means they are not just rolling dice and moving their characters around the map.

They are actually thinking about your world. They are asking questions. They are trying to figure things out. This is exactly what you want as a DM.

When I am running my own games, I see this all the time. Someone will say, “Wait, I think that guard we met in town is the same person who helped us that one time, right?”

Or, “That conversation felt weird. I think he was lying to us.” These are theories. Your players are making connections. They are thinking ahead.

Here is the important thing to understand: not all theories have to be true in your game. You already have a plan for your campaign. You know where things are going. But when a player has a theory, it shows they are engaged. And if you can use that theory? Even better.

According to D&D Beyond, the best campaigns happen when the DM listens to what players care about. Players feel more connected to the game when they think their ideas matter. So when someone shares a theory, that is a gift.

Even if you do not use it, you can acknowledge it. You can say something like, “That is a really good idea, I did not think of that.” This makes them feel like you value what they are thinking.

In my experience running games, the best theories come from three places. First, players notice small details you mentioned but did not think were important. Second, they make connections based on what their character would know or what makes sense in their character’s story.

Third, sometimes they just make a random guess that actually sounds really good. All three types of theories are useful.

How Do You Get Your Players to Actually Share Their Ideas?

Most new players will not just start telling you their theories. They think you have everything planned out. They are worried they will mess things up. They think the story is your thing, not their thing.

That is where you need to make them feel comfortable. You need to tell them, “No, this is our game. Your ideas matter.”

One way to get them talking is to ask them directly. During the session, when something interesting happens, stop for a moment and ask them what they think. Say something like, “So what do you guys make of that?” or “Does anyone think that is connected to something we heard before?”

When you ask these questions, you are telling them that guessing and theorizing is okay. You are asking them to think out loud.

Another thing I do is give them rewards when they come up with good theories. In D&D, there is something called inspiration.

When a player does something creative or makes a good idea, you can give them inspiration. This is a real rule in the game. You can give inspiration when someone shares a good theory about the world. This sends a clear message: I like when you think about this world. You get rewarded for it.

D&D Beyond says that good DMs should actually ask their players what they think. You can do this even outside of sessions. You can send a message to your group. Say something like, “Hey, what did you guys think about that weird letter we found? What do you think it means?” This gives them time to think and answer without the pressure of being at the table right now.

I will tell you something from running many games: never make your players feel like asking questions about your world is wrong. If they want to know if something means something, if they want to connect things together, if they want to guess about NPCs – that is all good. Tell them to do this. Make it clear that you like this.

Here is something I do that works really well: sometimes I put something in the game that I do not have an answer for yet. A strange symbol somewhere. An NPC who acts weird. Something that does not quite fit.

Then I ask the players what they think it means. Some of their ideas are so good that I actually use them. I make them part of the real story. This makes players feel like they shaped your world.

Not Every Theory Will Work – And That Is Fine

Your players will come up with theories. Some will be perfect for your game. Some will not work at all. That is okay. You need to think about which ones to use and which ones to leave.

First, ask yourself: does this theory fit what I already decided about my world? If your player thinks an NPC is a dragon in disguise, but you have not said anything about shapeshifting magic in your world, maybe that does not fit. But if your world has magic that allows this kind of thing, then maybe it does fit.

Second, does it go against something you already decided? If you already said an NPC is good but your player thinks they are evil, you have options. You could change your plan and make them evil. Or you could keep your plan and maybe the NPC just has a bad reputation. Both can work.

Third, when will this theory be useful? Some theories are perfect but they are too early. Maybe it should be a plot point later in the campaign. You can use the theory later. You might even hint at it, so when it becomes true later, your players feel smart for figuring it out.

What do you do when a theory does not work? Do not just say no. Be kind about it. You can say something like, “That is a really creative idea, but I have something different planned for that character. We will see what happens though.” This keeps them interested without making them feel wrong for thinking of it.

D&D Beyond talks about communication between the DM and players. You should explain the rules of your world. You should be clear about what is possible and what is not possible. This helps players understand why some theories might not work.

You can say, “In this world, that kind of magic does not exist, so this would not work.” They will accept that.

From my own experience: about seventy percent of player theories will not work exactly as the player thought. But parts of half of those theories will give me new ideas. Your players are creative people. Listen to them. Judge their ideas fairly. Use what makes sense. Leave what does not.

When A Theory Is Good – Use It

When you find a player theory that actually works and would make your campaign better, do it. This is one of your best tools as a DM.

Let me give you an example. Let us say your players think an NPC they met by chance is actually the villain’s brother. Maybe you never planned that. But now that they said it, you realize it is perfect. It makes that NPC much more interesting, right? So now you can make it true. You weave it into your story.

When I add a player’s theory to my game, I feel grateful. They just made my story better. I am not just saying yes to their idea – I am making it real in the world. I am making it official. Other DMs call this “collaborative worldbuilding,” and it is one of the best parts of running games.

Here is how you do it: write the theory down in your notes. Say to yourself, “Okay, this is true now.” Then figure out how to bring it into the story later. Maybe an NPC mentions it casually. Maybe the players find a clue about it. Maybe there is a big reveal moment where they realize they were right all along.

The really good part about using player theories is that when they turn out to be true, your players feel amazing. They feel like they understand the world better than they thought. They feel smart.

And when players feel smart and involved, they come back to play your game every week because they want to know what happens next. D&D Beyond says that when players feel like their actions and ideas matter, they become invested in the campaign. That is exactly what happens here.

In my games, when I use a player’s theory, I make a note of it. Later, I might give that player’s character something special because of their good idea. Maybe their character finds out about something first. Maybe they get a reward. This says, “Thank you for coming up with this idea.”

Here is a real example: You are running a game in a fantasy town. Players meet a scholar who says they are researching old ruins. One player thinks, “Maybe this scholar is actually looking for something dangerous, like an old powerful item.” If that idea is really good and fits with what you already planned, make it true.

Make the scholar be searching for something dangerous. Later, when the scholar shows their real reason, the player who came up with the theory feels like they solved a puzzle. They figured it out.

Using These Ideas to Make Your NPCs and Story Better

These theories are not just for fun. They actually make your NPCs deeper and your story more interesting. When you use theories to develop characters, those characters become way more real and interesting than if you made them alone.

Think about it this way: an NPC with secrets and depth is much more interesting than an NPC with one simple job. If a player thinks an NPC has something hidden, and you use that to make the NPC more complex, you have just created a character that your players will remember long after the campaign ends.

I have seen players really care about NPCs because those characters had depth. Sometimes that depth came from a player’s theory. One time, a player thought that a simple guard was actually someone from another player’s character’s past. I made that true. Suddenly, this guard became important to two different players. There was emotion. There was connection. It was amazing.

Here is how you use theories to make the plot better: if a player thinks something is connected to an earlier event, you can make it true. This makes your world feel real. It feels like events have consequences. It does not feel random.

The best thing? Your campaign stops being just you telling a story. It becomes everyone discovering a story together. That is when D&D becomes really special.

Balance Your Plan With Player Ideas

Now I need to be honest with you: using player theories does not mean you throw away everything you planned. It is about balance. You are not becoming a DM who lets players do whatever they want. You are becoming a DM who listens to good ideas and adds them smartly.

Think of your campaign plan like a highway. You have your main route planned. If your players find an interesting detour that still gets everyone where you want to go, that is fine. They can take that side road, find that side story, and still end up in the right place.

I plan about sixty percent of my campaign, and I leave forty percent open for player ideas and surprises. This keeps me from being too rigid, but I also do not show up to session with nothing prepared.

Here is the thing: you might worry that using player ideas means all your hard work goes away. It does not. Your planning is still the base. You still know the world. You still know the rules. You know where you want things to go. You are just letting players help build the story sometimes. It actually makes DMing easier because now you have help.

D&D Beyond says that DMs should definitely be in charge of the rules and the direction of the story. But at the same time, DMs should make space for players to have input and agency. It is not one or the other. It is both.

From my own experience: the campaigns I enjoyed running the most were the ones where I let player theories shape things. I had plans, yes. But my best moments came when I said, “You know what, that is such a good idea, let us make that true.” Your players will remember those moments forever.

Quick Guide Table

What Happened	What You Do	Example
Theory fits perfectly	Use it now	Player: “That shop owner is secretly rich” → Make it true
Theory partially fits	Take parts of it	Player: “He is evil” → Make him a rival instead
Theory is good but too early	Use it later	Perfect for Act 2, put it in then
Theory does not fit	Be kind, say no	Explain why it does not fit the world
Theory goes against your plan	Change your plan or gently close it off	Show them why it will not work this time

The Quick Version (TL;DR)

Using players’ fan theories in your D&D campaign makes your game better for everyone. Pay attention to what your players think. Write down the good ideas. Use the ones that fit your world. When players see their theories become real, they feel important and smart. This makes them want to keep playing.

Balance what you planned with what they suggest. Ask them questions. Give them rewards for creative thinking. Remember: you are making this story together. The best campaigns happen when the DM and players work as a team.

Conclusion

Whether you are a new DM with kids playing, regular people who want to have fun, or anyone else picking up D&D, this is simple: using players’ fan theories in your D&D campaign is one of the best things you can do. Your players are smart. They are paying attention. They have good ideas.

Listen to them. Write things down. Use the ideas that make sense. Say thank you to the ideas that do not fit.

D&D is supposed to be something you do together. It is supposed to be like friends talking, not like someone performing. When you let player theories shape your world, you are saying, “I think your ideas are good.

You are part of making this story.” That is when the real magic happens. Everyone at the table feels like they are creating something together. So when someone shares a theory next time, stop. Really listen. You might hear an idea that changes your whole campaign. That is a real moment right there.

Questions People Ask

Question 1: What if a player comes up with a really bad theory? Do I have to use it?

No. You do not have to use every theory. But here is what I would say: even a bad theory might have something good in it. Maybe the main idea is not great, but one part works. If you really cannot use it, be kind about it. Do not say it is bad. Just say it does not fit your world’s rules or your plans. Move on. Your players will not be upset if you explain nicely.

Question 2: Will this make my job as a DM harder?

No, it makes it easier. Think about it: if players come up with theories you can use, they are helping you write the story. You have less work to do, not more. You are not adding extra things – you are letting players help with something you would normally do alone. That is actually easier and more fun.

Question 3: I already have my whole campaign written out. Can I still use player theories?

Yes. Plans can change. Plans are not locked in. If a theory is really good, you can change some things. You might change some NPC ideas, some events, the order of things. But your main story still happens. You just take a different path to get there. And honestly, the path your players help make might be better than what you planned.

Question 4: How do I tell the difference between a real theory and just a random guess?

It does not matter. Both are fine. A random guess is still a theory. If it is good and fits, use it. If it is random and does not fit, forget about it. There is no real difference between a “real” theory and a “random guess.” If your player thinks something and it is interesting and fits your world, it is worth thinking about.