DMs, Tell about the shortest encounter ever because of players luck and actions

[Ghostwind]

Every DM will testify that hours of preparation are spent for a particlular encounter only to have all of that worked dashed when his players come up with an incredible bout of luck or a plan he hadn't considered. Let's hear all about your "best laids plans of mice and men" stories...

I've got two. The first occurred while taking my group through the Mines of Bloodstone (we were playing 2nd ed.). They were in the part of the story where they go through the Tests of Orcus and came upon the sleeping Terrasque. I was certain this would take a couple of gaming sessions. The rogue turned invisible, successfully sneaked over to the slumbering beast and used her Sword of Nine Lives Stealing to sneak attack. She rolled a natural 20. Endgame.

The second incident occurred when a party member was playing an epic level homebrew character (essentially a super lizardman) and was inside the adventure Nightmare Keep. There is a spot where two undead dragon turtles are encountered. The character has a dire flail of disruption. You guessed it. Two natural 20's in a row. Boom! No more dragon turtles...

So? How about your stories?

 

[Sagan Darkside]

Spycraft- they were trying to rescue a person from a terrorist in some snowy mountains- I had this whole car chase planned out. I had written up different encounters in the winding pass.

The first drive check.. I roll a 1.

They activate.

I roll a crash check.. I roll a 1.

They activate.

*sigh*

SD

 

[Dieter]

Spycraft- they were trying to rescue a person from a terrorist in some snowy mountains- I had this whole car chase planned out. I had written up different encounters in the winding pass.

The first drive check.. I roll a 1.

They activate.

I roll a crash check.. I roll a 1.

They activate.

*sigh*

SD

Heh...yeah. Been there.

My personal favorite was against a favorite DM of ours. Back in the day, long before the whole BBADD*, we had the most uncanny of luck at defeating the winged beasts.

Without fail, someone would roll a critical against the dragon during first round on combat. In one campaign alone we slayed three of them with such luck.

*Being Bothered About Disposable Dragons

 

[Stockdale]

I recently used "Vanity" from Dungeon #94 (?). The adventure ends when the characters encounter a spectre, following an encounter with a Chimera. The Chimera encounter brought the characters to their knees, but they were victorious. Badly wounded, they continued on to what I thought would be their doom.

A few 20s from the party cleric and it was over. No muss, no fuss. Grrr. The bugbears at the start of the module provided more entertainment.

 

[Drawmack]

Three level dungeon that took four months to complete. The PCs get to the final room containing the BBEG.

The scene:
A 70' x 70' room. There are pillars dispersed around the room. The back half of the room is filled with fog. The room is crawling with zombies. The PCs enter the room and roll initiative. The fighter goes first and then the rogue.

Fighter: I had this scroll I found to the rogue and say read it, what can it hurt.

Rogue: I take the scroll and read it.

Me: I haven't decided where the vilan is standing yet but she is against the back wall. So you pick the square you're targeting and then I'll roll % to see if you hit her.

Rogue: I target there

Me: (rolls) damn you hit her.

Rogue: rolls max damage killing her outright with one more point of damage then she could stand. Causing the zombies, whose command was to protect the villian, to collapse.

Epic adventure ending encouter done in less the one round.

I'm still pissed about this one.

 

[HellHound]

Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil...

One of the three main villains fell victim to the Talisman of Pure Good. First combat round, initiative count of 24. Fight is basically over.

 

[Schmoe]

I recently used "Vanity" from Dungeon #94 (?). The adventure ends when the characters encounter a spectre, following an encounter with a Chimera. The Chimera encounter brought the characters to their knees, but they were victorious. Badly wounded, they continued on to what I thought would be their doom.

A few 20s from the party cleric and it was over. No muss, no fuss. Grrr. The bugbears at the start of the module provided more entertainment.

And hence the first commandment for Big Bad Evil Guys who also happen to be undead:

"Thou shalt have lots of undead peons to suck up turning damage."

 

[Zulkir Jax]

The Runes of Chaos adventure from the Spellbound boxed set.

Characters somehow managed to get to the end, a thief (don't know what it is with theives and luck) hid in shadows, snuck around the back of the tanar'ri Eltab, did backstab damage and rolled a natural 20. He flees when reduced to 25 HP's or less. He fled. Battle with him over.

Then they had to fight Szass Tam and a boatload of Red Wizards. They got lucky with that one as well.

 

[Ratenef]

At the moathouse in Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil.

The Blue Dragon, Krysinibon(?) makes his appearance.

Initiative is rolled.

Monk wins.

Stabs dragon with Longsword (not proficient) that he grabbed from the Bard earlier.

Rolls natural 20, natural 20, 19.

We were using the optional rule of 20/20/hit was a kill.

Beast slain.

The End

 

[shilsen]

One more RttToEE story here.

Disguised party (I'm a player, not DM in this campaign) enters a room guarded by a huge red dragon. After some bluffing, it's obvious that the dragon is more than a little suspicious. The party wizard says, "Ah, what the heck!" and decides to attack. Hastes himself and fires off a disintegrate.

The DM grins, since there's almost no way the dragon can miss it, and proceeds to blow the save. Poof!

The wizard was kinda miffed that he wasted a haste