Forcing a confrontation or a legitimate interpretation?
- Thread starter Quasqueton
- Start date
Cbas10
First Post
Holy Crap! That is an unusually good and interesting "random" encounter. Found a critter...played it up according to the creature's normal behavior...and had a level-headed party that knows how to think. Good encounter, sounds like a great game.
As for worrying about PC death due to random encounters; that all depends on how you are handling it. If the characters know that a journey is going to be dangerous (troll-infested swamps or whatever), then any "random" encounter is basically part of the storyline; however, "randomly" rolling a young adult red dragon for your 2nd level party to encounter - then mercilessly killing them because "It was a random encounter!" - is pretty lame. Equally as lame is the tendancy for some DMs to roll for similar chances of random encounters, no matter where the PCs are. If, for example that bullette was rolled up when they were travelling on a well-established trade route that stretched 75 miles between two cities, that might be a bit beyond acceptible.
As for worrying about PC death due to random encounters; that all depends on how you are handling it. If the characters know that a journey is going to be dangerous (troll-infested swamps or whatever), then any "random" encounter is basically part of the storyline; however, "randomly" rolling a young adult red dragon for your 2nd level party to encounter - then mercilessly killing them because "It was a random encounter!" - is pretty lame. Equally as lame is the tendancy for some DMs to roll for similar chances of random encounters, no matter where the PCs are. If, for example that bullette was rolled up when they were travelling on a well-established trade route that stretched 75 miles between two cities, that might be a bit beyond acceptible.
nopantsyet
First Post
I like how you handled it. Having killed PCs in random encounters before, I can empathize with the feelings that follow. In my case, it was my favority character in the party. The player and I had brainstormed a number of aspects of him together, and his personal quest had become a prominent subplot of the campaign. Then one day they took a shortcut through the desert, met some roving Dragonnes...
Interestingly, the character was a Barbarian-turned-Cleric who died as a result of hubris, so it was dramatic and enjoyable nonetheless.
But definitely keep thinking like the monsters. The players should never forget that it's a hard and dangerous fantasy world. And worse for adventurers.
Interestingly, the character was a Barbarian-turned-Cleric who died as a result of hubris, so it was dramatic and enjoyable nonetheless.
But definitely keep thinking like the monsters. The players should never forget that it's a hard and dangerous fantasy world. And worse for adventurers.
Quasqueton
First Post
I use random encounters when traveling overland for long distances. In the civilized lands, a "monster" encounter is rare -- there are military patrols and hunters out keeping the main roads safe. In the borderlands, on the fringes of civilization, a monster encounter is possible, but unlikely -- less frequent patrols and hunters. In the wild lands, between civilizations, travelers better be prepared for trouble -- this is where adventurers are needed a lot. The bulette was encountered in the wild lands.
I don't have dragons and unique monsters on the random chart. The average EL of a random wilderness encounter (in the plains area, where the adventurers currently are traveling) is around 6.
The bulette is one of the most dangerous creatures on the random chart. The PCs know that harpies, animals and dire animals, cockatrices, and ankhegs are on the chart, too. But there are also giant owls, pegasus', and unicorns roaming the wilderness.
A group traveling in the wilderness either needs to be fairly strong (~6th level or higher), or able to conceal their presence from the less friendly critters stalking the land.
My main concern with this wasn't the random aspect, really. I tell the Players at the beginning of a campaign, the world exists as it does whether the PCs are 1st level or 20th level. The world does not scale with the PCs' levels.
If a 1st level group goes out into the wild lands, they either better work to avoid encounters, or go in very large numbers. If they are 20th level, they will have very little trouble with the monsters about.
Especially at the low-middle levels, the PCs need to realize random encounters are not created specially for them. They must know when to run and avoid an encounter. This is where my concern came from. The PCs determined that the bulette was an encounter they should try to avoid, and they worked to do so. But it kept coming. And I was worried, after the fact, that perhaps I forced the encounter on them, and possibly "taught" them that they *can't* avoid encounters.
Fortunately, for my conscience, the replies here have supported my play of the bulette. It seems the PCs just chose an ineffective way to avoid the encounter -- feeding the monster and rewarding its perseverance.
They have played smart in most of their wilderness encounters -- going out and meeting the threat away from the caravan. They even hired guards to stay close on the wagons specifically so they could be mobile around the caravan.
Quasqueton
I don't have dragons and unique monsters on the random chart. The average EL of a random wilderness encounter (in the plains area, where the adventurers currently are traveling) is around 6.
The bulette is one of the most dangerous creatures on the random chart. The PCs know that harpies, animals and dire animals, cockatrices, and ankhegs are on the chart, too. But there are also giant owls, pegasus', and unicorns roaming the wilderness.
A group traveling in the wilderness either needs to be fairly strong (~6th level or higher), or able to conceal their presence from the less friendly critters stalking the land.
My main concern with this wasn't the random aspect, really. I tell the Players at the beginning of a campaign, the world exists as it does whether the PCs are 1st level or 20th level. The world does not scale with the PCs' levels.
If a 1st level group goes out into the wild lands, they either better work to avoid encounters, or go in very large numbers. If they are 20th level, they will have very little trouble with the monsters about.
Especially at the low-middle levels, the PCs need to realize random encounters are not created specially for them. They must know when to run and avoid an encounter. This is where my concern came from. The PCs determined that the bulette was an encounter they should try to avoid, and they worked to do so. But it kept coming. And I was worried, after the fact, that perhaps I forced the encounter on them, and possibly "taught" them that they *can't* avoid encounters.
Fortunately, for my conscience, the replies here have supported my play of the bulette. It seems the PCs just chose an ineffective way to avoid the encounter -- feeding the monster and rewarding its perseverance.
They have played smart in most of their wilderness encounters -- going out and meeting the threat away from the caravan. They even hired guards to stay close on the wagons specifically so they could be mobile around the caravan.
Quasqueton
Kahuna Burger
First Post
Quasqueton said:
Not for the purposes of being argumentative, but to give you a full picture, I would have been very annoyed if I was a player of yours. Being a relentless hunter is one thing, but I would apply that attitude to a single spotted meal. Having eaten an entire horse, been wounded slowing its speed and then doing a forced march to catch up? Thats extreme. Unless you had determined ahead of time that it would always attack with its burrowing, or made the spot check for it, that part was a bit cheap too...
The relentless predatory part was sated when it got its horse, IMO. I would have played it as resting up enough to be able to move normally again and then maybe going after the party, if the area was so scarecly traveled that made sense.
And I wouldn't assume anything by your players not complaining. I never complained at the much more obviously cheesy things my DMs did until (scarey voice) the very end
Kahuna burger
silentspace
First Post
Well, the interesting thing to me was the Druid using the horse as bait.
Now, this is open to a lot of different interpretations as to how Druids are supposed to act, but I would say using innocent beasts as bait or as a trap is not acceptable Druid behavior. On the other hand, feeding horses to bulettes might be acceptable Druid behavior, although I'm not sure why a Druid would do that.
Either way, it sounds like the Druid has ceased to revere nature, and has either become an Ex-Druid, or is on his way to becoming one. That's just my take, anyway.
Now, this is open to a lot of different interpretations as to how Druids are supposed to act, but I would say using innocent beasts as bait or as a trap is not acceptable Druid behavior. On the other hand, feeding horses to bulettes might be acceptable Druid behavior, although I'm not sure why a Druid would do that.
Either way, it sounds like the Druid has ceased to revere nature, and has either become an Ex-Druid, or is on his way to becoming one. That's just my take, anyway.
