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ShortQuests -- individual adventure modules! An all-new collection of digest-sized D&D adventures designed to plug in to your game.

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Message: <blockquote data-quote="aco175" data-source="post: 9883758" data-attributes="member: 27385">I would think about somehow telling the players that today is not the same as the other days in that there will be several encounters instead of just one big one.  Maybe the PCs are given the information, but the NPC says that there are several other layers of defense to fight through before you get to the big guy.  This at least lets the players know that you are not trying to play gotcha all of a sudden in game style.  A ruler of a kingdom being threatened would try to bluff and secretly take out the threat like others mentioned.  They would also not be afraid to send the army to attack the PCs lands and split their attention like some sort of Sun Tzu stuff.  Bad guys might take family members to force the PCs or (friendly NPCs) to do things to hurt the PCs.  This also makes the players make decisions about the henchman who is now betraying them.  Which can lead to clues about how to strike back or to make a double agent now rather than just kill them.I also found that I give out too many small things like potions and such that everyone forgets about.  I now do not worry about what numbers I throw at PCs at this level.  I will not try to tailor the threats to the party and have only one fighter type and two caster types since the party only has this and now just throw 10 low level clerics that can cast hold person or 100 soldiers that might get wiped with a fireball or a teleporting blink dogs that are demon possessed to gain surprise.  The players will react and the sheet has something they will use.</blockquote>

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