DMs only: Stop me from killing off all my players

[italianranma]

I'm handling an evil campaign (two of 6 PCs are Evil, 3 are neutral, and one just had an epiphany and became chaotic good which is a whole 'nuther story) Anyway the PCs are under the mistaken metagaming impression that every challange I throw at them is one they can hack through, there are two problems down the line, 1) they're about to go rescue someone from a lot of goblins (more than they can handle) and they (after being shown how easily more powerful the elite goblin raiders are) still haven't learned the fine art of sneaking around. And 2) they have plans to kill off the major NPC in my campaign and seize control of a thayian enclave (they're all thayian btw). Unfortunatly the NPC in question is 3 levels higher than the party, and he's got cohorts. If they go through with either of these they are going to be killed to a man (and one woman). I don't want to tell them OOC that what they're planning is foolish, and in character all the characters are too prideful and important to listen to the run of the mill NPC. I've been dropping subtle hints (they know that the Major NPC can cast animate dead as a wizard, a.k.a 4th level spell when they're casting 2nd) and (got a taste of the elite raiders power). If they go through with this am I justified in killing them all off? Should they be rescued at the last second? What are some good story "plan b's" that I can use if they do the unthinkable?

 

[AGGEMAM]

Killing foolish PCs is not something that should be viewed as something to be sad about, it an obligation .. and fun too.

Arrogant PCs who are not aware of their own capabilities in comparison with others, do and should die quick.

 

[Liquidsabre]

If they get in over their heads, defeat them. Clap 'em in irons and perhaps said NPC will give them a second chance by letting them do somethign for him, and they will live. Otherwise kill 'em. Take them down a notch and have them make new (possibly smarter ones?) characters. Their PCs own folly really, best to let the players know that crazy PCs can't just run around a wreak havoc all the time aye.

 

[Old Gumphrey]

"Clap 'em in irons and perhaps said NPC will give them a second chance by letting them do somethign for him"

I've seen that in action. If you can pull it off right it's nasty, and fun.

 

[Black Knight Irios]

I greatly dislike killing PCs at all, but stupid ones like yours should be killed. -1st they should learn that being evil is not enough that you can do what you want, it always comes down to power in one or the other way, 2nd evil is not the same as psychopathic and stupid. 3rd who will ever rescue evil guys, especially that stupid ones. They are not good so no one cares if they get killed/humiliated or what ever. -Maybe if you like the idea someone/something good will happen to your single good PC...that's up to you.
Another way is subduing them in combat and selling them as slaves, thayan are known for slavery. I think that will teach them a nice lesson.

 

[S'mon]

Kill them, but let them escape if they decide to retreat in time and it's at all possible they could flee.

 

[StalkingBlue]

Kill them, but let them escape if they decide to retreat in time and it's at all possible they could flee.

Seconded.

 

[The Souljourner]

1.) Don't be subtle. Tell them flat out "There are challenges in this campaign that you cannot win. Be careful, and these should become obvious."

2.) If they still don't listen, give them a scare on the way to the big battle. Have them ambushed by something they can only just barely beat, and insinuate that there are more powerful things ahead.

3.) If they *still* don't listen, kill them off, and tell them to be smarter next time.

-The Souljourner

 

[Kahuna Burger]

3rd who will ever rescue evil guys, especially that stupid ones. They are not good so no one cares if they get killed/humiliated or what ever.

This was my main thought. You can give them opertunities to retreat, but if they go down, they are done for. I dislike evil parties to begin with, and I've gotten the impression that a lot of folks think evil (or evil acting neutral) is somehow easier and more powerful. "Hee hee, we can torture people for information and kill the hostages and double cross our employers, look how much better we're doing than those dumb heroic parties tied down by stupid codes of honor...."

But if a heroic party got so full of themselves that they needed to be taught a lesson, I would give them the lesson of temporary imprisonment and losing some stuff. Then give the group the opertunity to play a group of npc classed but competent "commoners" (non adventurers, not the actual class) who are contacted by the wizards escaping familiar, and come to execute a rescue. The npcs would be those that they had rescued or helped in the past, and it would be a nice way to get a heroic party out of their own mess and show a more than monetary reward for their past good deeds. (but they would still lose some stuff and hopefully learn that they can't win every fight.)

But an evil party? If they don't need anyone else when they are on top, they don't have anyone else when they are out of luck. If they don't take a retreat opertunity, either kill them or enslave them in some nasty railroading manner. And if you eventually decide to let them escape the slavery, make it only due to the goodwill cultivated by the one good guy. Oh yeah, first introduce a couple of npcs who could have giving them important information, but make them the type that these guys see as "targets". If they ask why they didn't know the true power they were going up against, tell them. All evil campaigns don't have to turn into morality plays, and stupid PCs deserve a non fatal lesson in your play style, but evil and stupid should lose and quite probably lose permanently.

kahuna Burger

 

[Oscar carramiñana]

Capture, torture, slave and/or Kill them all of them and maybe the next party will have brain in their heads. Do with them the same what they do with the BBGs.