How do you scare your players?

[Calico_Jack73]

I love the horror genre but sometimes it can be difficult to actually "Scare" the group. I've actually only participated in one session where any of the players had a genuine fear response. In that game there were only two players (myself included) and the GM who was running Kult. I've come to the conclusion that you can get a better fear response with fewer players... it is natural human psychology to draw strength from a crowd. I believe two players is a fine scenario because one of the players is always interacting with the GM. The non-interacting player doesn't have any other inactive players sitting at the table whom they can cite movie quotes to, joke around with, and otherwise spoil the mood.

To those GM's out there who have successfully scared their group... how did you do it?

 

[Rechan]

Oh man. There was a six page thread about six months ago that had a huge catalog of creepy stuff.

In general the issue is atmosphere (low lighting, reducing the amount of out of character stuff, not using detailed minis on a grid), the Unknown (both rule mechanics they've never seen, and explanations they cannot find), elusive enemies, sound effects...

Another trick is obviously to separate the characters from their resources. The wizard from his spellbook, the druid from his animal companion, etc. It's mean, but it ratchets up the tension.

One of the most effective things I ever did, I threw at a party of seasoned, cynical, morbid players who were immune to the horror. I just had them roll fort saves. Two failed. The failed individuals proceeded to vomit galons of a black substance. When they finished, the black substance stood up and attacked them. It was a hard battle.

Afterwards, any time I had them roll a fort save out of the blue, or told them their stomach felt a little queasy, everyone got real tense.

 

[Delta]

(1) Level drain.
(2) Destroy magic items.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Both of the previous posts relate to mechanics which relate to scaring the character. What I want to know is how you scare the Players.

Destroying Magic Items and Level Drain don't actually invoke fear in the Player (IMHO). Frustration maybe because they have "worked" for the level being drained or the magic item being destroyed... but neither will cause a Player to get that creepy feeling that something is standing behind them, raise the hairs on their neck, get the adrenaline flowing and their hearts pumping. That is the fear I am talking about and to date I've only seen one GM who actually pulled it off.

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

Get the latest edition of GURPS Horror. The author dissects the horror genre like few other.

 

[Vanuslux]

Soap.

Sorry, couldn't resist. Last weekend was Dragon*Con.

 

[Calico_Jack73]

Get the latest edition of GURPS Horror. The author dissects the horror genre like few other.

If you've read/seen it would you care to share?

 

[Jack99]

I asked the same last year, and I got a lot of great advice, so check it out. Some very useful links in there as well, especially Philsens story is a must.

Linky

 

[Rackhir]

I asked the same last year, and I got a lot of great advice, so check it out. Some very useful links in there as well, especially Philsens story is a must.

Linky

I think you mean "Shilsen".

In his campaign all he has to do is show up....

 

[CharlesRyan]

I think the biggest way to get a fear response is to lean heavily upon the unknown. Put the players in a situation in which they don't know what might happen to them, and they don't know which of the choices presented leads to safety and which leads to dire consequences.

And don't underestimate the ability of mechanical issues to illicit a fear response. Players really do fear level drain--more than just the loss of hit points or some other consumable resource, level drain takes some element of control of the character away from the player. That loss of control can also lead to a real fear response (or at least a high level of anxiety, which can support other fear-inducing efforts). This is similar to the idea of taking away spellbooks or other critical, rarely challenged resources--and very different from taking away routine resources, like hit points, that don't really erode the players' sense of control over their characters.