Fear: A Party's Worst Enemy?

[Psychotic Jim]

I've mostly found only the two extreme cases you've told, the "coward" party and the "reckless" party...

I would love a party with common sense and the just dose of courage

Looks like the problem here is not fear or "heroics", but rather excess (of one or another).

 

[Psychotic Jim]

Obviously, there is tighter security in the city where they killed the lich, and going after wizards is always dangerous, but the party concludes it is much too dangerous (either course of action) and ends up getting items identified, crafting an item or two, and selling some loot from the last adventure. At the end of the night, they track down a couple of old enemies of theirs and end up beating them up (they knew these enemies were "lower level" and not a real challenge to them).

After all this, it just seems to me the party was afraid. "It's too dangerous" or "we'll all be killed" were mentioned a couple times.

How do you handle "party fear"? It kept the party in a state of inactivity for most of the evening, and in the end the party went after a couple of villains at least in part because they knew they could easily win the battle. It didn't seem very heroic to me, and I think I could use some advice to entice the party to "take a chance" or "fight the good fight".

Thanks!

If the party goes around whacking small-time enemies from their pasts, perhaps the wizard and/or lich could notice this pattern through scrying and set up a trap with some of the characters' previous enemies as bait.

Then again, it may not be best to force a confrontation with the party. The players may not be feeling fear but rather a sense of learned helplessness and despair. The actions you describe the characters doing sounds like they think they will die no matter what they do and in a sense are "getting their things together" in preparation of it. What is the history of your campaign? Perhaps the players just need to be shown a little light and to reminded that their good deeds do make a difference, no matter small they might seem.

 

[SonOfLilith]

I'd have to say the legendary assasine Artamese(sp?) from FR. Our party split up because the mages went to go find the Saff of Fire, and left w/o inviting me (barb) or the cleric. I guess the pissed him off, they got into a fight, but were forced to teleport away (obviously.) So he comes to me and the cleric wanting us to give him the mages' location. I repsond that they left without me and i have no clue where they are. I guess he took that as a "F*** you", and we where attacked. We survived the first time, but I was attacked again all by myself. We battled for a bit, but it ws obvious he was going to win. (he could attack 6 times arround and use improve invisibility) So I yeilded. He said tell me where they are. I said I didn't know. He said O.K., I'll make you a deal, you can eather sacrifice your life and i'll spare your friends, or I spare you and kill your friends. Now, seeing as all my friends had teleported far far away (the cleric ran after we where attacked), leaving me here to die, and considering that I had already lost everingthing( a friend and every single iteam) to res them some time ago and they only gave me a +1 sword, I desided to keep MY life this time. He says Okay, and starts to leave. As soon as he reaches the door, he shoots me in the back several times, killing me. Anyway, sorry 'bout the rant, just had to get that out. So, yeah, Artamese is not a very nice guy.

 

[Limper]

Negative reinforcement eventually has a reverse effect on players.
When you try things and they fail ALL THE TIME it kinda sucks and makes you want out of the plot arc esspesially if you actually think like your PC. As a player I find it hard to become attatched to ANYTHING in a camapign world as soon as you do it becomes a tool against you.

The problem with your PC's might stem from you using the same old schtick on them to many times. Believe it or not players do tire of being pimp slapped by their DM's baddies all the time.

 

[Eryx]

I would love a party with common sense and the just dose of courage

Ah... the dream of every DM.

I'd show your group the repercussions of the actions or inactions. Does the wizard and the Lich want the heroes to return? If so, have them commit acts against the populance of their city to force the character's hand.

 

[Vaxalon]

If the PC's are paralyzed, then the villain's plans should go forward without hindrance. Every day that passes should make their job harder.

 

[Horacio]

Ah... the dream of every DM.

Yes, a dream. A dream I hope finding. At least, I keep searching

 

[Dispater]

I think its healthy that your party fears their enemies. From the sound of it, they seem pretty powerful. Perhaps they thinks its best to keep a low profile until opportunity presents itself. Perhaps they need time to plan and build their strength. Going up against powerful liches and wizards without due preperations can have fatal consequences. You don't want to die just because you rushed into something dangerous without second thought.

This will of course also mean that the antagonists will have good time to prepeare for an assault, and if things go too slowly, you may want them to stage an attack on the PCs through their minions or something. Scrying and using spies against the party, maybe they will prepeare some sort of trap. This can go so far that it will force the PCs into attacking the villains or perish themselves.