[DM advice] Did I do this right?

[gfunk]

So I set up an encounter for my 4 PCs which I thought would be very challenging for them. Basically, I realized that the EL of the fight was high enough that it was all they could do in one day (e.g. expend 100% resources). To make it fair, I staged the encounter early in the morning after the cleric and wizard had regained their spells.

To make a long story short, the wizard in my party used Dust of Disappearance to make short work of my monsters. One of the beasties had See Invsibility up, but this did diddly against the Dust. The wizard was flying around laying waste to his foes. Although other party members took some serious hits (two stabilized at negative hit points), the PCs prevailed.

Two of the their opponents, an ogre mage and an illithid, seeing the writing on the wall escaped before they could be taken out by a fireball on lightning bolt. These two informed their boss of their failure as well as the tactics used by the wizard PC (to great effect).

The boss, being highly resourceful and skilled, picked up some Dust for himself as well. When the party invaded his stronghold shortly thereafter, they were quickly and efficiently beaten down b/c they couldn't see him (even though the PC cleric used Invisibility Purge). Only the wizard survived (ironically) b/c he was able to fly away.

Afterwards, my players were grumbling that this encounter was unwinnable and that by swapping items into a purchased module I was simply having revenge on them for wise tactics.

Anyway, I used the opportunity to take a vote to either ban the Dust from the game, increase its cost, or allow it to be detected by high-level divinations (e.g. True Seeing). I abstained and three of four players voted to nerf the Dust.

Did I handle this situation correctly?

 

[barsoomcore]

Well, there's two ways to look at it.

1. Yes. You did totally the right thing. NPCs need to be smart, make use of all their resources and come up with brilliant tactics. That's what makes them scary and that's what makes the PCs thrilled when they finally beat them. So well done. And very clever on your part, I might add. Sauce for the goose, and all that.

2. No. You did totally the wrong thing. The point of the game is to have fun and now you have cranky players who feel like there's no point to carrying on with the game.

The point is, there's no simple answer, but by and large I think you handled the situation very well. I think you had every right to have the NPC alter tactics when he realised what the PCs were doing. I would say it makes you a better DM and makes your campaign a better campaign. Good for you.

As far as having a vote and nerfing the dust, in a way that's kind of a good tactic to disarm player's complaints but I would take care that your players don't start thinking that every time you have a good idea they're going to be able to ban some item or other. It's okay if they're cranky sometimes. It shows that they care. As long as you can deliver opportunities for melodramatic revenge I'm sure you'll have no long-term problems.

DMing is a weird thing. Sometimes you have to truly irritate and anger your friends in order to have a good time. Fortunately most DMs are complete misanthropes so that's rarely an issue.

 

[Valmur_Dwur]

You did good son! *a single tear slowly rolls along the father's cheek to drip upon the dungeon floor* Tho' it would be better, he said with a snuffle, if'n you'd whacked the wizard also.

 

[Xarlen]

I say you did well.

The PCs *obliterated* the oposition using an item. Well, nothing wrong saying the same tactics can't be used against them.

It's like having a rogue using tanglefoot bags at every turn. Eventually, someone's going to hear about it, and stock up on tanglefoot bags, and throw them at him at the first time they get the chance (or start sniping the bags on his belt).

 

[Jeph]

[rant]
This may seem rude, but I say your PCs are whiney little brats.

What's with that? Saying that customizing a published module was unfair? doesn't all d20 material *exist* to be customized? Do they want every gamer in the world playing a premade Iconic character? Saying that it was unfair for you to use an item that they used themselves, for the exact same purpose and effect? And they didn't even prepair against it, when they knew that two of their opponents had escaped to tell the tale?

the party deserved it, IMHO.
[/rant]

 

[Leopold]

NPC's who think and have strategy besides charge and die? NO WAY!!

 

[MasterOfHeaven]

NPC's who think and have strategy besides charge and die? NO WAY!!

What he said.

 

[Caedrel]

Not sure about the mutual agreement

NPCs using the same strategy - absolutely! Especially as the PCs grow in power and enemies hear rumours of their tactics. I've had a similar thing almost start to happen in my campaign with Quaal's Feather Tokens - the Whip, which (with a +15 bonus to its grapple check) immobilises an awful lot of lower level "bosses" for only 500gp (I should check if that's been errata-ed)

I'm not sure about just ruling out a tactic altogether, though. I mean, you've discussed it with your players, and that's fantastic and I have no doubt it will resolve the problem, but I guess I'd find it personally more satisfying if the PCs and NPCs started developing counter tactics - Dust of Appearance, Dispel Magic, that sort of thing.

It's like in the real world - eg. sports. You work out a great tactic that wins you a lot of games, but then other people catch up and copy it as well as counter it. You have to be always adapting to stay ahead of the game...

 

[National Acrobat]

I think you did the right thing. There is no rule that says certain magic items should only be used by PC's to aid PC's. I always remind my players that if it can be used by you, it can be used against you as well. As a DM you are supposed to provide a fun and entertaining environment, but your adversaries for them are also supposed to be smart, well equipped and challenging, not pushovers.

 

[yeebarr]

Speaking from a players perspective:

I don't have a problem with the way you handled the situation. In fact, since a couple of the badguys got away I (as a character) would have expected the main villian to try and ambush the party or the very least neutralise their tactic.

This not only makes your world seem consistent but makes for an exciting and worthwhile villian.

That said, maybe the problem wasn't just the villian using the same tactic but the fact that they got wiped out without getting a chance to escape or at least get a nice death scene thrown in (speaking as a player that fits the "storyteller" category that's something I think is important!)

"I would have followed you, my brother, my captain...my king...aargh...!"