D&D & Star Trek: Adapting DS9 as a D&D CampaignD
If you’re a Star Trek fan and a D&D player, there’s a lot to love in Deep Space Nine—it’s one of the most layered and compelling series in the franchise, and it’s packed with ideas you can bring into your tabletop campaign.
For me, DS9 stands out because it’s not just about exploration. It’s about politics, religion, and personal struggle—things that can bring your D&D game to life. The wormhole at the center of DS9 (a stable portal to another part of the galaxy) is a great hook. In your campaign, this could be a magical gateway to a distant realm or even a connection to another plane.
DS9’s location as a frontier outpost makes it the perfect model for a fortified borderland in D&D—somewhere where alliances shift and everyone has their own stake in what happens next. You can borrow the way DS9 balanced diplomacy, intrigue, and combat, and translate that directly to your tabletop.
One of the things I love most about adapting DS9’s setting is how it weaves together different factions and cultural tensions. The Bajorans and Cardassians, the Federation and Dominion—these power dynamics make great inspiration for kingdoms, guilds, or warring factions in your fantasy world.
And of course, the characters in DS9 are incredible. They’re complex and morally ambiguous, which is exactly what makes them memorable NPCs in a D&D setting. Whether it’s a grizzled commander, a cunning merchant, or a prophet who speaks in riddles, you can take these archetypes and use them to shape the drama at your table.
If you’re curious about the details of how I’d adapt DS9 into a D&D campaign—like how to use those political and spiritual themes, or how to turn the show’s memorable characters into NPCs—check out the full video I put together. You’ll find lots of ideas and examples to bring these sci-fi elements into your game.
I’d love to hear if you’ve ever used DS9 as campaign inspiration, or if this sparks some new ideas for your table. Drop a comment or join the conversation on YouTube.
Cheers,
Brian