Has mocking a DM's upcoming bad guys ever been a good idea?

[Starfox]

Think of it more as pep talk among the players than as an attempt to put you down. Especially that "Bring 'em on!" comment is actually a good sign; your players are enjoying challenges rather than shrinking from them.

Then again, this MIGHT be a sign that the challenges you've been using are too light. A competitive group can most certainly enjoy a tough challenge.

 

[vagabundo]

It is a sign of a good game, sounds like your players are involved and enjoy the sessions.

I wouldn't change anything, as long as the players/characters are challenged. They are playing their characters appropriately: DND heroes are very gungho, it is the only way they get more powerful.

 

[NewJeffCT]

The tone makes a big difference on whether it was an actual challenge or if it was just the player's nervous "i'm brave on the outside but scared on the inside" type thing.

The fact that one person commented on the pitfiend's hp is the biggest worry to me, too much meta thinking will remove any fear.
At the very least, I'd make an off-hand comment "just a general note that not all monsters are exactly as they are in the MM, some might have some tweaking." it can be a bluff on your part (or it could be true) but at the very least removes some of the assumptions that the players are finding sfatey and comfort in.

Well, they've been running into monsters/opponents lately that are definitely more powerful than the standard MM listing - they had a dragon turtle attack them at sea, and I pumped it up several hit dice and also recalculated its hit points so it was closer to 200 hit points instead of the MM standard of 138.

 

[NewJeffCT]

I've said "bring it on" before not out of fear or any type of mocking... It's just part of the fun of the game. Trying to survive.

Maybe they just assume that you're trying to run a fun game, and not just trying to outright kill them for no real reason other then just cuz.

I think it's mostly that - especially since the woman making the "bring it on" comment was just taken down from 54 hit points to -3 in one hit a session or two earlier. They had not run into too many bad guys with a special agenda, so she was kind of shocked when the evil duskblade appeared behind her cleric and targeted her specifically. (the expression on her face was priceless, since she was the only PC who had never been down to 0 or below in hit points...)

 

[NewJeffCT]

I'll see that and raise you one. In the last 3.5 campaign I played the DM was running the Eberron AP, and asked me to rebuild most of the named enemies. I did. Particular fun was had with the warforged, I thought the standard humanoid model was a little limited so I dug up my old copy of Savage Species and included a winged warforged and a light-warhorse-tauric warforged. I had to use all my restrain to prevent myself adding a double-spark guardian-symbiotic warforged (mmm... aircraft carrier). My character was nearly killed multiple times by some of these.

Well, I'm in the process of rebuilding the evil duskblade in game - or adding a level or three for the next encounter. They encountered her twice earlier in the campaign when she was at 6th level and the party was 4/5. She managed to escape the first time, and was rescued the second time. Many sessions later when the party was level 9, I brought her back at level 12 and I think she went through 300 hit points of hits because she kept arcane channeling Vampiric Touch and was "healed" once by the evil cleric she was with to gain the lost hit points back.

 

[evilgenius8000]

You might also make the evil duskblade a lich so she's even harder to put down for good

 

[Herschel]

I'll see that and raise you one. In the last 3.5 campaign I played the DM was running the Eberron AP, and asked me to rebuild most of the named enemies. I did. Particular fun was had with the warforged, I thought the standard humanoid model was a little limited so I dug up my old copy of Savage Species and included a winged warforged and a light-warhorse-tauric warforged. I had to use all my restrain to prevent myself adding a double-spark guardian-symbiotic warforged (mmm... aircraft carrier). My character was nearly killed multiple times by some of these.

Oooooooooo.......

 

[dmccoy1693]

Hey, some players are brave (or are fools)

 

[NewJeffCT]

You might also make the evil duskblade a lich so she's even harder to put down for good

There is already a coming encounter with a lich that has a connection to the party. But, this will take them by surprise. Bwuah hah hah hah hah (evil DM laugh...)

Good idea, though. I may give this evil duskblade some levels in Blackguard, but once she hits level 13 as a duskblade, she can arcane channel a full attack, so that one Vampiric Touch she got at level 12 can become three.

(I'm using the Champion of Eilistraee mini for the duskblade. I saw the miniature and said it was too cool not to use.)