Help me design an encounter in which there will be a TPC (Total Party Captured)

[S'mon]

edit: Fifthed. What SB & all said already is right on the nail.

My best idea in this:
"Here comes the plot device: You are all captured."
I think it is the best - possibly even only - option to make it.
Players hate their characters to be caught. They have no control over the situation, and that`s not what you want in game, it´s something you might have in real life.

But if you say the players "this is neccessary for the story", they will go along with it. They know they have no control, but they know they will get it again, and it will be fun later.

If you don´t make clear its a "capture"-situation, the characters will fight, the players will come up with cunning counter-measures, and if nobody can escape, at least one will die. Bad introduction into the adventure...

Mustrum Ridcully

This is so true - I would definitely start the session with the PCs already captured, and just recount how in flashback. I also recommend giving them some action points or other metagame-reward as compensation for screwing them over in the interests of the story. I always strongly recommend against playing out any scene that has a predetermined outcome, it smacks of extreme railroading and will result in unhappy players and/or dead PCs.

 

[Whisper72]

The idea of a metagame statement by the DM as part of the fight is no fun IMHO, as the PC's will feel like rolling anymore dice is pointless.

Just use the following, it begins at a new session I understand from your description, so simply say the following:

"You all wake up in this 10x20 foot bare cell, and the last you remember is an explosion outside your hotelroom and gas canisters flying in...."

You simply assume that the PC's all failed their saves / the gas was very fast acting whatever...

 

[simmo]

Sixthed. I have been witness to several character deaths and near TPKs because players would rather fight to the death than have their characters captured. The suggestions made so far are probably the best way of dealing with it. As soon as the players realise that they are not in control and that they will be captured regardless of what happens - it can turn ugly. So it's best to point out that getting captured is important to the story.

 

[StalkingBlue]

...
This puts the sense of power back on the PC's side of things - they have to put up a convincing fight, but not so convincing that the capture doesn't work. The ball's in their court, and they want the capture to succeed. (And, for added fun: Rather than bulking up the enemy team, tone them down and watch the players freak out as they realise they have to find a convincing way to loose to the equivelent of a half-dozen goblins they could take in their sleep...)

Eminently cool. I'd love to play in that as a player! Of course if the enemy team were just too unconvincing, my PC might argue in favour of taking them down anyway and waiting for their big brothers to turn up ...

 

[Inconsequenti-AL]

If you wish to play through the fight... then get the players involved: Tell them that you have a cool plot that needs them captured. Have them help plan the bad guys tactics... Possibly even give them a bad guy character sheet and have them take out their own characters? This has the side effect of giving them an 'in depth preview' of some of the minor villans for the series? Also gives them more character when the PCs meet them later.

Could be an interesting diversion if you've got the sort of players who'd enjoy this? Certain groups would find the game killed from seeing 'behind the DM screen' like that, others might really enjoy it!

Or I'd jump on the 'you wake up captured' bandwagon...

 

[random user]

I agree with those agreeing above.

But I will add that if you are dead-set on having them roll it out, this is what I would do (unfortunately I don't play d20 modern so I can't give you specifics).

1. plan an encounter in which the players can escape if they are very smart. Don't make it so esoteric that it's impossible, but make it reasonably hard. It should be an encounter they can't win, and you should probably give them some hints that it's unwinnable.

2. If they escape, then have a backup plan. But don't be heavy handed. You'll have to come up with another scenario where their capture is probable. But if they get out of that too, maybe it's best off if you alter your plans instead of trying to capture the party yet again.

Here's a probably lame example (since I don't play d20 modern, I'm using something which may be totally wrong, and I apologize in advance).

They are in the holiday inn. Have a sign that says "Toga party tonight at 8:00." Don't point it out to them but rather say "As you look around you see a sign with events on it." If they ask, then tell them there is a toga party. Give them a second chance. As they get to their room say something like "In a heap on top of the TV are a bunch of papers. They seem to be coupons, ads, etc." Again, if they ask, point out that one of them says there is a toga party. Get them to be at a restaurant on the ground floor some time around there. They get a tip off that someone powerful is after them, is looking for people of their general description (include their equipment in the profile, or if they don't have equipment that makes them stand out have the tip off be that they don't know exactly what the party looks like but is just looking for 4 "hero types") and let them know their only path where they are pretty sure they can get to undetected is through one of the hallways with rooms.

As you describe the hallway say, "The hallway is completely deserted and all the doors to the rooms are closed. About 2/3 of the way down the hall, there is a maid stocking her cleaning cart. It's filled with tissue, lotion, bedsheets, towels, soap, etc. At the sight of you and your gear she faints. There is an exit at the far end of the hall." If there are only males in the party, make the maid a male. (Again, my lack of knowledge of this game shows. If the party doesn't have gear that makes them scary you will have to have something else. Perhaps the maid runs off but in the storage closest there is another uniform in the closet.)

If they try to go out that door, have that door be covered. Rule that the on the first round the party has total cover from the door (does that work in this game?) and without rolling say that "You hear at least 5 or 6 shots hit the door as you poke your head out" Hopefully they will be smart enough to realize that they aren't getting out alive that way (I have no idea how durable 4th level characters are, and if there is a way to make sure they know and will die if they go out that door.)

As they close the door, say something like "You're pretty sure you're running out of time, what do you want to do?" 5 seconds later say, "At the far end of the hall you see a group of 5 in togas emerge from a room and head out."

Now, the way out of this is this: if the party is smart they will strip down. They can use the bedsheets from the cart to dress in togas. One of the members can strip the maid and take her (his) uniform. Stow all their equipment in the recesses of the cart. Then just walk as normally. The people in togas can wander around unmolested. The person in the maid uniform can get to the back, where all the equipment can be transferred to a garbage bag, and the equipment can get gotten out that way as the maid takes out the trash.

If they don't figure out a way out in 30 seconds or so, then have whatever goons you have come in and subdue them. Chances are decent that your players are going to be stressing and won't come upon the right solution in time. But if they complain, afterwards you can tell them all the clues you gave them and tell them that they had a decent chance to escape if they had put together all the clues (sign, flyer, maid uniform, cart, group of people in togas going to the party).

If they do escape, congratulate them on thinking well under pressure, and give them xp for it. Go to your backup plan. If that fails too, well, then it's either time to come clean and tell them you need them captured, or scrap your plans and go do something else.

Again, I don't know this game and genre at all, so if this doesn't work, well, maybe at least you can get some ideas out of it.

Good luck!

 

[Mystery Man]

I read this:

Edit: Something I forgot to add originally; I know that capturing PC's is tricky. Doing it wrong can cause grief for the player (read: no one likes a captured character). This is why I'm asking for help; so I can get advice on how to do it properly.

Stuff that's worked for me in the past are things that can pop in and out of the ehtereal plane. At level 4 your players can't go after and save another character that isnt in the same plane as they are .

They're chasing after some plot device and enter a maze with moving walls that attack and deal subdual and/or followed by or just using monsters with paralyzing attacks. They're conscious and can watch everything that happens to them. Hopefully if this is the case they're with it enough in the game to realize paying attention to details and landmarks would be useful.

Fear attacks. They run screaming into pit traps only to be snagged by something at the bottom and grappled, tied up etc..

I would scrap the idea of asking them to go along with your plot just because.
Go over the top so high that they won't even realize that you're doing it for a purpose. As long as the story is interesting and engaging they shouldn't have a problem.

If by some chance they do escape, I like the idea of awarding extra XP.

 

[BlackMoria]

Trick 'em.

If the party is somewhat typical in that they want to avoid conflict with law enforcement (fighting it out with the cops makes them wanted criminals), then use the police to arrest them.

This should work for most groups because the party's reasoning will be:

1. The police have come to arrest them, not kill them which means the party should try to seek a non-lethal response or allow the arrest.

2. That the party will post bail. (The perception that being arrested is more an inconvience than a threat)

3. Killing cops is bad form because not only do you have the BBEG and his minions to contend with, you have law enforcement after you - never a good thing.

If the party goes along with being arrested, 'cause they can make bail or whatever, now come the treachery. Once in proper restraints, the 'cops' show themselves as being a) minions of the BBEG or b) these particular cops have been 'bought off' and the cops turn them over to the BBEG's minions.

Its clean, its elegant, and it lacks the danger of the 'takedown' scenarios above, namely, the party fighting to the death. It's not high drama but high drama scenarios mean a body count.

Of course, the above only works if the PCs are not on the bad side of the law already. If they are wanted by the cops on multiple counts of homicide due to past deeds, then the party will likely fight than submit to arrest.


Who says that evil has the kick the door in and strafe the room. Evil can say "Police!....Search Warrant!. Open the door!" and march 'em off in cuffs.