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Snatching victory from the jaws of...victory
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<blockquote data-quote="WanderingMonster" data-source="post: 1397945" data-attributes="member: 573"><p>During a red herring adventure, the PCs found some clues that suggested a local alchemist was abducting children to use them in a fiendish summoning ritual. They followed the clues all the way to the secret underground chamber where children were about to be sacrificed as components in a dark incantation. As designed, this was a "run away" encounter where the PCs were hopelessly outmatched and would witness atrocities that would set up a righteous vengeance quest with a nasty BBEG. It started to work!</p><p> </p><p>The barbarian was instantly imprisoned with a <em>bead of force</em>. The resulting blast nearly killed two other 2nd level party members. The bard healed the cleric and started to run away (after much debating). The cleric healed the second cleric and instead of running away as they all had planned to do, he <em>roleplayed.</em> He decided he couldn't leave the remaining children (and his barbarian companion) to die and still look himself in the mirror everyday. Everyone else does the same. So four 2nd level characters charge through a crowd of goblin adepts, risking AOOs and almost certain death, to kill the BBEG.</p><p> </p><p>It works.</p><p> </p><p>I designed this as an EL8 encounter as a plot element to introduce a diabolical element. They could have run away—I counted on it—and the design of my arc would have remained intact. But they called my bluff and won. A few unlucky die rolls and it would have been a TPK. They were already discussing "new characters" as they roleplayed this desperate act out. The bastards beat the encounter.</p><p> </p><p>I love this game.</p><p> </p><p>Bur now I need to come up with a plan B. They deserved the win, and I rewarded them <em>heavily</em>. DMs: what would you have done? Would you have fudged to save the plot? Players: would you have acted tactically or gone for broke? Would anyone read this if I started a Story Hour for it?</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="WanderingMonster, post: 1397945, member: 573"] During a red herring adventure, the PCs found some clues that suggested a local alchemist was abducting children to use them in a fiendish summoning ritual. They followed the clues all the way to the secret underground chamber where children were about to be sacrificed as components in a dark incantation. As designed, this was a "run away" encounter where the PCs were hopelessly outmatched and would witness atrocities that would set up a righteous vengeance quest with a nasty BBEG. It started to work! The barbarian was instantly imprisoned with a [i]bead of force[/i]. The resulting blast nearly killed two other 2nd level party members. The bard healed the cleric and started to run away (after much debating). The cleric healed the second cleric and instead of running away as they all had planned to do, he [i]roleplayed.[/i] He decided he couldn't leave the remaining children (and his barbarian companion) to die and still look himself in the mirror everyday. Everyone else does the same. So four 2nd level characters charge through a crowd of goblin adepts, risking AOOs and almost certain death, to kill the BBEG. It works. I designed this as an EL8 encounter as a plot element to introduce a diabolical element. They could have run away—I counted on it—and the design of my arc would have remained intact. But they called my bluff and won. A few unlucky die rolls and it would have been a TPK. They were already discussing "new characters" as they roleplayed this desperate act out. The bastards beat the encounter. I love this game. Bur now I need to come up with a plan B. They deserved the win, and I rewarded them [i]heavily[/i]. DMs: what would you have done? Would you have fudged to save the plot? Players: would you have acted tactically or gone for broke? Would anyone read this if I started a Story Hour for it? [/QUOTE]
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