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Free Template

Murder Mystery Suspect Board Template

Running a mystery scenario is one of the most rewarding — and most complex — things a Dungeon Master can do. Keeping track of suspects, motives, alibis, and hidden connections across multiple sessions is genuinely hard without a visual aid. The Mystery Web template gives you a pre-built relationship map that you can customize for any whodunit, crime investigation, or noir campaign.

Motive (60)Opportunity (50)Secret (40)Ally (70)Witness (80)Investigates (90)
The Crime
Abstract · Active
crimemystery
Suspect A
NPC · Alive
suspect
Suspect B
NPC · Alive
suspect
Suspect C
NPC · Alive
suspect
Key Witness
NPC · Alive
witness
Crime Scene
Location · Known
location
The Investigator
PC · Alive
pc
The Mystery Web template, exactly as it opens in the app. Drag to pan, scroll to zoom.
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No signup required. Runs in your browser.

What's included

  • 7 pre-built nodes: the crime, three suspects, a key witness, the crime scene, and an investigator PC
  • Color-coded relationship edges: motive, opportunity, secret alliances, and witness connections
  • Hidden edges (DM-only) for secrets the players haven't discovered yet
  • 2 pre-loaded quest goals: identify the culprit and interview the key witness
  • Tag colors: suspects in red, witnesses in blue, secrets in purple

Use cases

  • One-shot murder mysteries at a noble's estate or tavern
  • Multi-session noir investigations in urban campaigns
  • Political assassination plots with shifting suspect pools
  • Cold case backstory investigations that reveal campaign lore

Designed for Dungeon Masters running D&D 5e, Pathfinder, Call of Cthulhu, Gumshoe, or any tabletop RPG with an investigation arc.

More free templates

  • Faction War — Three factions in conflict — shifting alliances and hidden agendas.
  • Heist Crew — A crew of specialists, the target, and all the complications in between.
  • Royal Court — Nobles, alliances, betrayals, and the scramble for royal favor.

Or see all campaign templates and build a map from scratch.

Frequently asked questions

How do I adapt this template to my own mystery?
Rename the nodes and keep the shape. The template's value is the structure — three suspects each connected to the crime by a different kind of link (motive, opportunity, a secret), a witness who is connected to the scene rather than to the crime, and one hidden edge that is the actual answer. Swap in your own names and the mystery still works, because the relationships are what make it a mystery.
Where is the solution stored?
In the hidden edges. The Secret relationship running from one suspect to the crime is marked hidden-from-players, as is the alliance between two of the suspects who are covering for each other. Both stay visible to you and are stripped out of any player-safe share link you generate.
Can my players see the board?
Yes, and it's a good use of sharing — a suspect board the party can consult between sessions. Share the map and they see the suspects, the witness and the crime scene, with every hidden connection removed. Reveal edges by unhiding them as the investigation earns them.
Does it work for systems other than D&D?
Yes. Mystery structure is system-independent, and this is used equally for Call of Cthulhu investigations, Gumshoe scenarios, Brindlewood Bay-style games and D&D urban arcs. Nothing in the template references rules.

Part of a complete GM toolkit

The Spider's Web combines an NPC relationship mapper, session planner, initiative tracker, dice roller, and generators into one campaign manager for any tabletop RPG — in person or online. Free, no login required. Your data stays in your browser.

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