D&D General Fighting Law and Order

[Stalker0]

So simply put, you have entered a new game. And that is perfectly fine if you are willing to run it.

So what would happen? Ok since the PC forces have been "so terrifying" and did so much damage, the city is probably going to reach out to help. Maybe they call out to a big city in the area, or maybe even the king's palace.

And to answer the call, a King's enforcer, or a cabal of wizards, or another adventuring group. These have the approval of law and the resources of the kingdom at their disposal. They use tracking and scrying to hunt down the pcs, and they don't' relent. If the party rests, they are harried. This continues until either the party leaves the kingdom, forever being branded as criminals in that kingdom (but now they can "start fresh" in a new place), they are killed, or they find a way to make a deal with someone to clear their names if they do something for the king, etc etc.

Have the hunters act like proper lawmen, and note that by Magistrate's edict, the criminals are to be "shot on sight". The PCs pictures go up on wanted posters, etc etc. If there is a paladin in the group, well most likely their powers are gone. If there's a cleric, they get a harsh talking to from their god and maybe lose their powers as well.

Its a new game, and it can be a fun game filled with interesting new roleplaying potential....but its not for everyone. If you don't want to run that, then its time to talk to the players about some kind of reset. But if you do, have fun with it, play it logically.... and think about this as a big magistrate dealing with a threat that just butchered a city's enforcers..... you can't handle that lightly, you need to send a powerful message and crush this force quickly. So you don't hold back, you would send a force that way over CRs the party, with the intention to destroy them utterly. The party has kicked over the beehive, now they suffer the consequences.

 

[Lanefan]

Not my type of game, and I dont fix player behavior in game either.

This has nothing to do with fixing player behavior, Quite the contrary: I'm taking their behavior and running with it, rather than meta-punishing them or just stopping or retconning the scene. Put another way, if that's the direction they want the game/campaign to go then that's where it's going; and while there might be in-fiction consequences I'm not going to do anything about it out-of-fiction.

 

[payn]

This has nothing to do with fixing player behavior, Quite the contrary: I'm taking their behavior and running with it, rather than meta-punishing them or just stopping or retconning the scene. Put another way, if that's the direction they want the game/campaign to go then that's where it's going; and while there might be in-fiction consequences I'm not going to do anything about it out-of-fiction.

Cool. I have no qualms against that at other tables. Plays out too immature and directionless in my experience, I prefer to have a more specific experience than a free for all. Though, I respect your choices. OP needs to decide if thats what they want. I suspect it isnt otherwise they wouldnt be asking for advice.

 

[Vaalingrade]

I feel like coming up with a bunch of 'in world consequences' to punish players with is a meta punishment, just with extra steps.

 

[Lanefan]

I agree with pretty much everything you said except, to some extent, this:

If there is a paladin in the group, well most likely their powers are gone. If there's a cleric, they get a harsh talking to from their god and maybe lose their powers as well.

One would think a LG Paladin wouldn't even have gone along with escaping custody in the first place; but yes, if the Pally took an active part then said Pally might be a Fighter henceforth...at least until atoning, which could be an adventure hook in itself.

The Cleric, on the other hand, might not be in any trouble at all. If it's a Cleric to a chaotic or evil deity it might (long odds) even get a boon for having done this. But if the deity is lawful and-or good then there may be some divine consequences.

Its a new game, and it can be a fun game filled with interesting new roleplaying potential

This is my take on it as well.

think about this as a big magistrate dealing with a threat that just butchered a city's enforcers..... you can't handle that lightly, you need to send a powerful message and crush this force quickly. So you don't hold back, you would send a force that way over CRs the party, with the intention to destroy them utterly. The party has kicked over the beehive, now they suffer the consequences.

Yes. The one thing the PCs will probably have on their side is time enough to make themselves scarce, as it might take the Royal Force a while to get there.

 

[Lanefan]

I feel like coming up with a bunch of 'in world consequences' to punish players with is a meta punishment, just with extra steps.

Depends on intent.

If the DM's intent goes something like "Now I'll show 'em how to play in my game..." then what you say is both a) true and b) poor DMing form.

If the intent is simply to remain true to the fiction and have the setting react to the PCs as it logically would, punishing the characters doesn't equate to punishing the players. Hell, out-of-character the DM might well be saying "You guys rock! This is great! Keep it up!" to the players even as she lines up the forces to go out and hunt the PCs down.

 

[Vaalingrade]

That feels very close to "I'm just playing my character."

 

[Lanefan]

That feels very close to "I'm just playing my character."

I sure hope so, as that's the mantra I both play and DM by.

 

[Irlo]

If I were in your shoes, DMing another person’s campaign with players whose style and expectations don’t mesh with mine, I’d just recuse myself from future sessions. “Sorry, Jane. I’m not sure what to do with players like that, and I don’t want to TPK your group.”

 

[Oofta]

I pretty much stop this by having a "no evil" rule. If your PC willingly commits evil acts, they become an NPC. If someone is about to do something that I think crosses the line I remind them of the rule but, as always, they decide what to do. It is a bit heavy handed, but it's also simple and direct. I just explain to people that I wouldn't have any fun running a game for The Sopranos.

However, in this scenario ... ugh. You were handed the short end of the stick and then the players beat you over the head with it. You have a few options

• It was all a dream. A really, terrible, awful solution but it is an option. But it needs to be mentioned and discussed with the group.
• The PCs are hunted down and summarily executed. The city hires high level NPCs (ex adventurers?) to handle this or simply sends a small army. They become enemies of the state. Ask the players if they want to pursue this or simply want to write up new characters.
• The PCs have to pay for raise dead for all the guards they killed. Add in compensatory damages. Confiscate magic items to pay for this if they don't have the cash. If they don't do this, their images are posted far and wide. No one will do business with them, rent them a room or sell them food.

First and foremost though, discuss this with the group. If this is not the type of campaign you want to be involved with, let the players know why and figure out how to fix it or at the very least not have a repeat.

P.S. if you're doing a melee attack you can knock someone out instead of killing them.