Deep down inside, do you eagerly anticipate a TPK?

[dreaded_beast]

I have yet to run a game where a TPK has occurred.

However, I have played a few games where the entire party nearly suffered from a TPK, but 1 or 2 characters always got away.

Although I would imagine a TPK is usually not the desired outcome from a typical game session, I have to say that as a player, almost all the sessions I played in that almost resulted in a TPK were strangely fun and enjoyable.

I think I may just be taking morbid delight and pleasure seeing my fellow comrades-in-arms falling to their deaths, hehe. Even if it is my own character that dies, I still find the battles where the party nearly dies the most memorable and most enjoyable.

As a DM, I wouldn't want to run an encounter which resulted in a TPK, since I would feel I failed in my job as a DM. Hopefully, that day will not come anytime soon, but when and if it does, I hope my players and myself deal with it well.

As a player however, sometimes...well, hehe.

 

[MerricB]

Occasionally, not enforcing a TPK means you've failed in your job as DM.

Cheers!

 

[WanderingMonster]

I'm working on it. I'm trying to reboot the campaign. Of course I'm not good at engineering subtle TPKs. A Pit Fiend for 4th level characters would be too obvious.

 

[Piratecat]

Nah. If it happens that would be okay, but I'm not eagerly anticipating such a thing.

Despite multiple attempts at trying. . .

 

[shilsen]

Nah. If it happens that would be okay, but I'm not eagerly anticipating such a thing.

Despite multiple attempts at trying. . .

Do or do not. There is no try.

 

[Malk]

You have only failed your job as a dm if people go away not having fun.....only then.


No other time.

 

[borc killer]

I think I may just be taking morbid delight and pleasure seeing my fellow comrades-in-arms falling to their deaths, hehe. Even if it is my own character that dies, I still find the battles where the party nearly dies the most memorable and most enjoyable.

Sign of a good DM!

As a DM, I wouldn't want to run an encounter which resulted in a TPK, since I would feel I failed in my job as a DM.

Sign of a weak DM!

Hehe. No really TPKs are not to fun on ether end. What I work for is to have a near TPKs ever few weeks were no one permanently dies... it is a little like walking on a razors edge but the players and I seem to have fun… ok maybe it is just me…

Anyway sometimes the players just work so hard at making things bad for themselves that I can’t stop them from dieing. But at times like that I don’t feel too bad. Like this past week… the party of 5 7th level PCs almost died in 2 different CR 7 battles (with one permanent death but could have easily been lots more…) and then they forced me to make 3 separate encounters (CR 9, CR 10, and a CR 10) into one massive battle because of their tactics… only 1 person died but that was because I was being super nice. But hay… their players… what do you expect? LOL

Borc Killer

 

[Torm]

First 3rd Edition game I ever played in would have been a TPK, if I hadn't have made three highly improbably saves in a row and ran like heck at the end. It wasn't intentional, though - it was just that that was the point that our DM realized there was some wonkiness with the Challenge Ratings, and since we had almost nothing invested in the characters, anyway - all 1st level - he let it play out without any "divine intervention."

Made for an interesting follow-up plot, in which we faced undead versions of our previous selves.

 

[Goblyn]

Guilty conscience

Yes, sometimes I do ... even when I'm playing.
A TPK means new characters all around
which means new stories
a new group dyamic
a shuffling of roles.

Grantingit's generally an un-fun experience, but sometimes you get that twinge of glee at having died to a worthy opponent as said oponent smashes your party into toothpaste.

 

[Thanee]

I'm too nice to do TPKs.

Bye
Thanee