A shift in lethality. What's fair warning?

[The_Universe]

I have been thinking of turning up the heat in my games a bit. I have yet to claim a character in my current game, but I think that a change of the lethality level is in order.

I don't precisely want to announce this, but I don't want to just dump the players into it cold. I had considered just start gradually pushing them closer and closer to the line, but I think that fudging for them to avoid the results if I go overboard the first few times would be the exact wrong thing to do.

Pick a character.

"Rocks from the sky - you're dead. Roll up a new character."

Just kidding.

Seriously, let them know. Just say, from this point forward you're not going to pull any punches and there's a very real chance that one or more of their characters may die. As such, it's very important that they play their characters with the correct balance of bravery and intelligence.

But it never hurts to just knock one off.

 

[Thorin Stoutfoot]

I don't precisely want to announce this, but I don't want to just dump the players into it cold. I had considered just start gradually pushing them closer and closer to the line, but I think that fudging for them to avoid the results if I go overboard the first few times would be the exact wrong thing to do.

One possibility is to introduce a new game mechanic like "Action Points" into the game. It's a clear signal to players that things are about to change, and has the advantage of giving them a little added edge (that they will presumably need).

 

[JoeGKushner]

If they have any peers who might be able to help them, have them save them once just to give them a heads up that the bad guys have suddenly started working a heck of a lot smarter, similiar in many ways to what DC comics has been doing with their various Crisis/Omac etc... books.

Have the characters in a situation that sometimes happens in the game, but in a dream, and show them what's really going on with no dire consequences in the dream but knowing that the next time it happens in the real world...

Have one of those peers, perhaps one that's acted as a mentor, get snuffed in front of them.

Have omens and portents show that dark times are coming and only through careful combat and planning can they survive.

 

[Psion]

One possibility is to introduce a new game mechanic like "Action Points" into the game.

Already using 'em.

Of course, the rate they were acumulating them was getting excessive, so I changed from a "rollover" method to a "use or lose" method (they get 1-3 points per session, depending on level, and every level get the normal alotment described in the book MINS the per-session points. But now I reset them at every level.)

That I capped their APs might have been the first sign.

 

[Breakdaddy]

When I decided to turn up the heat in our game, I linked it with a major event. The PCs had being doing a bunch of sidequests here and there without much linking them together. I fast forwarded the campaign two years into the future, played out what the consequences of their previous actions did inside the campaign, and Luruar was at war. They knew that with a major region at war, and them playing a role as Luruar Alliance Skirmishers that their lives just became a lot more interesting.

 

[Dieter]

10.5 or so. The character is meant to be a thorn in their side for a bit.

You're hitting that point where everything you throw at them seems to be rediculously easy or impossibly hard. It's going to be hard to tweak a balance between the two when they have access to a large arsenal of weapons and magic.

There's always the rust monster/disenchantment route that will give any party a run for their money.

 

[Ralif Redhammer]

Wouldn't say concerned, but there are good and bad reasons for making the game tougher. It looks like you've got some valid points, if combat isn't challenging and the game seems to be in danger of stalling for you. And I'm not a big fan of multiple characters at all these days.

Er, why so concerned? There are a number of reasons, not all of them that might be considered praiseworthy.

 

[Psion]

You're hitting that point where everything you throw at them seems to be rediculously easy or impossibly hard. It's going to be hard to tweak a balance between the two when they have access to a large arsenal of weapons and magic.

Really? Well, if I had more death effects flying around, I could see that being the case. But generally, I find combats currently to feel like "a race to 0 hp" with the enemy.

Critical hits tend to mess things up a bit, but that's the way it goes.

Perhaps more magic opponents would do the trick. Been planning some anyways...

There's always the rust monster/disenchantment route that will give any party a run for their money.

Not as much as you would think. The party is seafaring and I actively discouraged heavy armor, so nobody has it.

 

[Dieter]

The party is seafaring and I actively discouraged heavy armor, so nobody has it.

Even better. Put them in a violent storm and/or shipwreck. Saving throw vs. all their stuff going down to Davy Jones Locker. It's a plausible scenerio and will test their will to survive vs. their greed. With any luck, they'll lose some items and have to scrape by for a while on what they have left.

 

[The Sigil]

Quite simple. When you sit down to play, whip out a copy of Grimtooth's Traps. Place it next to you.

Whip out the Epic Level Handbook. Set it next to you.

Make sure they notice that you placed Grimtooth's Traps on top of a pile of your Trap books (more of the Grimtooth books, Traps & Treachery I & II, etc.) and your ELH is sitting on top of a pile of monster books (MM I-III, FF, Book of Fiends, Creature Collections, Librus Bestarius, et al) that were all sitting on the table when the arrived.

Crack knuckles. Grin. Off a "red shirt" in the first two minutes.

They'll get the hint.

--The Sigil