How do you get your PCs to run away?

[Viashimo]

Sometimes my players metagame and figure out whether something is just too difficult for the party, but most of them don't make their characters act stupid so they run when it's the right time. If one or two of them can't fight a fight, they back off and let others have at it. I was playing a game where there was nearly a TPK, nearly in that almost everyone was dead - but nobody ended up dieing, against a small squad of demons and invisible stalkers or some such nasty things. When they start dropping - they start running. I have found that they'll figure it out on their own.

 

[TheAuldGrump]

Though my current group seems to have no problem running away - in OGL Steampunk they know how fragile they can be.

The Auld Grump

 

[Angcuru]

A big sign that reads "Worth Negative Experience points" tends to work nicely.

 

[Psion]

Y'know, as much disdain as the level drain mechanic gets, it does really connect to players. Things that (semi-)permanently muck with their characters can really get some players to bolt.

 

[francisca]

Cackling maniacally works for me.

 

[Alhazred]

Hah, I often have problems getting my PCs to stick around!

 

[D-rock]

I have used the sacrifical lamb approach. Thats when a NPC that is about equal to the PC runs up to the bad guy and gets ripped apart.

Sometimes I will let them make a knowledge check. For example, if thay up aginst a undead monster I will let the cleric use a knowledge religion check to see how powerfull it is. Other knowledge skills can be used in the same way.

I will also use a awesome display of power if their opponent can make some highly visable effect. In one of my games a high level sorceress and her minions raze a town with the PC in it. To display her power I had her meteor storm a couple of houses for the express purpose of discouraging them from engaging her.

Once, when all else failed, I just flat out told them that they could not handle it.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Kill them. Send in something that is more powerful than them, but give them the chance to run. Give them two chances. Make them obvious. If they don't take them, kill them. If they complain, tell them they had two obvious opportunities to run.

EDIT: I recently sent the group against an owb-bear advanced to Huge size. They were 6th level and the thing had something like a +35 grapple check and tons of hit point. The PCs had no access to fly, but they did have horses that moved much faster than the beast. When they got off and prepared to fight, I just sighed and told them to roll initiative. Somehow they survived... well... most of them anyway, but now they know.

 

[gizmo33]

I was wondering how you actually get PCs to run from an encounter that is obviously too tough for them?

If the encounter is *obviously* too tough for them then why wouldn't they run? I don't know why this problem doesn't solve itself, except that I guess the DM doesn't like TPKs, in which case I have a good idea why the players don't run in the first place. Players usually have a pretty good instinct about a DMs limitations.

Do they need special training?

Usually it depends on what type of DM the players are used to playing with. If you're going to change your style, I guess you need to let the players know.
If you were yelling at them last week that the game was moving too slowly when they checked for traps every five feet, and this week you want to take them through the Tomb of Horrors, you have a problem.

 

[LeapingShark]

Roleplaying is fun because people can portray brazen heroes capable of amazing feats of daring-do. Players do not want to roleplay yellow-bellied cowards. They are going to stand in the face of danger and spit at it, even if looks powerful and deadly. That's why parties don't run.