I'm a bad DM part 2

[Gundark]

I have a table rule when I DM, when the party faces the BBEG I go all out, my group knows and understands this.

When fighting peons or even subbosses I pull punches, I randomize who certain creatures attack, etc, etc. I don't cheat to keep players alive, but I'm not out ot kill them either.

The BBEG goes for the jugular. This means attacking the fighters with stuff requiring WILL saves, attacking the Wizards with stuff that requires a FORT save. I fight nasty and capitalise party weaknesses. I don't cheat to kill them, but I definetly try.

Am I a rat bastard for this. I am running the Age of Worms hall of harsh reflections.

*spoilers*












When they came to the end Mind Flayer I did my normal thing (try to destroy the party). The BBEG had a TPK in 3 rounds. Everybody was stunned, and the MF could do his instant kill attacks before the stun wore off. Now this is a nasty fight normally and some claim that he is WAY too tough (after seeing him in action yes but that is another debate). I used mind blast to stun half the party and then used it again the next round. Memebers of my gourp got a "little" upset. At first they got upset at me then at the design of the BBEG. Thus far the BBEG in the Age of Worms has been particularily nasty.

So the poll question is "Do you think I am a bad DM by trying to kill the party with a BBEG?"

EDIT...as peple sometimes only read the OP....I should point out that when it comes to BBEG fights I don't cheat to kill the party (no fudging dice rolls). I also make sure that the BBEG is something that they can handle (I make it tough but doable). I also try my best to be fair (thus I don't take advantage of weakneses based on information that the BBEG doesn't have). Lastly the group knows that this is my style, they are used to it by now.

 

[Gold Roger]

This stuff happens. Could they have known that there's a Mind Flayer. If yes, they definitely should have prepared. Have you checked the BBEG's capabilities against those of your PC's? Every group is different and thus blindly trusting a modules or monster books judgement on difficulties is bound to end in a disaster sooner or later (seeing a Drowned TPK the party I was playing in and TPKing a group with a Rakshasa have taught me that).

I always play the opposition to full force and would only play with DMs that do so as well, everything else would take all the suspense and fun out of fights for me. My players agree to this and most of them have voiced active support to the idea, but of course YMMV.

 

[Sound of Azure]

BBEGs are BBEGs for a reason. There's no need to hold back with them. It's the end game, and is supposed to be big and spectacular IMO.

I agree with your methods, providing the BBEG is an intelligent enough foe to know such tactics (they should, if they are a proper BBEG).

My understanding is that Age of Worms is tough, anyway....

 

[Fenes]

I don't play in campaigns where the DM's objective is to kill PCs.

 

[Sound of Azure]

I don't think this is the OP's goal, either. It certainly isn't my goal as a DM. My goal is to excite the players and challenge their PCs. With BBEG, I see no need to gimp such a character's tactics. I should be fair to the players certainly, but I also should give them the right to have a proper challenge for their PCs, up to and including the risk of death.

I'd rather their PCs survive, but sometimes it doesn't work out that way due to bad luck, or poor PC tactics.

 

[Allandaros]

You're not a bad DM if you're keeping the BBEG in reasonable doses while hitting the party with everything you've got. A party of first level characters fighting a troll BBEG? I can see that. But if you make the same BBEG an elder orb beholder, that's kinda different, y'know?

 

[Goblyns Hoard]

As long as you don't use information that the BBEG woiuldn't have against them and play him according to what he's capable of I think you're doing fine (voted 4). But if you're making decisions on how to attack based on information that the BBEG just couldn't have then I think you're being a little harsh. Absolutely hit the 'bricks' with the Will save stuff and the mages with Fort save stuff, but don't stop doing that if the 'brick' happens to be a paladin with a great wis bonus, the iron will feat and a cloak of resistance.

Of course once he's thrown off that first will effect then any intelligent creature won't bother throwing another one. And if the BBEG knows the heroes well enough to be prepared for what they're capable of then that's another matter.

 

[Gundark]

Edit...moved to the original post

 

[Odhanan]

The BBEG goes for the jugular. This means attacking the fighters with stuff requiring WILL saves, attacking the Wizards with stuff that requires a FORT save. I fight nasty and capitalise party weaknesses. I don't cheat to kill them, but I definetly try.

If every BBEG goes for the jugular because it just makes for a tough fight, it's sort of two-dimensional: variation is good for entertainment, and BBEGs can have different ways of confronting the PCs or being efficient (or not) at what they do. If a particular BBEG goes for the jugular because he knows the PCs, their strengths and weaknesses in-game, that's fine.

I voted "Neutral" as a result.

 

[RatPunk]

This stuff happens. Could they have known that there's a Mind Flayer. If yes, they definitely should have prepared.

I am running Hall of Harsh Reflections at the moment as well. In the adventure as written, the Mind Flayer does make a brief appearance to the party about half way through the adventure, then retreats back to his lair to await them at the end. If this occured in Gundark's game, then yes, the party should most definately have known what they were going to face and prepared accordingly.