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How do you scare your PCs?
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<blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 2259376" data-attributes="member: 3192"><p>Lots of things have scared me as a player, but I don't think I have ever seen an out and out SCREAM without the GM sneaking up behind a player. In game I think tension is the best barometer for how scared the players are. If they are brainstorming like crazy just to find a way for their PC's live, you've managed to scare them. </p><p> </p><p>I agree that atmosphere lends a lot to the situation. Typical D&D doesn't really have that feel of horror. But saying that, Olgar our DM did run us through Ravenloft I6 on Halloween as a one-shot. He went all out adding to the fear factor and really improved the game. </p><p> </p><p>I would think any combat should be scary, otherwise it's sort of a mop-up you could gloss over. For scaring PC's I believe "Fear of the Unknown" works best, so I prefer plenty of monsters the players have never heard of. An overpowering monster with a weakness you don't know seems pretty staple of D&D. My favorite is using a monster that is less powerful than the PC's, but far more intelligent. That way you can use all your dirtiest tricks, but still give the PC's a chance win.</p><p> </p><p>For example - (this uses intelligence and fear of the unknown):</p><p>A "Blue" goblin psion is tired of the PC's attacking and convinces his strike team to use an unorthodox tactic against their formidible enemy. Each is shaved, slicked in grease, and has squid tentacles strapped to their chin. When the PC's are in a dead-end room, the psion arcane locks the door, creates magical darkness within, and sends mental messages to the PC's about how hungry it is. The goblin strike team wades in sans weapons to grapple their foes and tie them up. (a la midget mindflayers) Throw a few well placed hold persons in and you have a party. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile :)" data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></p><p> </p><p>Yeah, absolute darkness where you remove the gameboard is always a fun one.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="howandwhy99, post: 2259376, member: 3192"] Lots of things have scared me as a player, but I don't think I have ever seen an out and out SCREAM without the GM sneaking up behind a player. In game I think tension is the best barometer for how scared the players are. If they are brainstorming like crazy just to find a way for their PC's live, you've managed to scare them. I agree that atmosphere lends a lot to the situation. Typical D&D doesn't really have that feel of horror. But saying that, Olgar our DM did run us through Ravenloft I6 on Halloween as a one-shot. He went all out adding to the fear factor and really improved the game. I would think any combat should be scary, otherwise it's sort of a mop-up you could gloss over. For scaring PC's I believe "Fear of the Unknown" works best, so I prefer plenty of monsters the players have never heard of. An overpowering monster with a weakness you don't know seems pretty staple of D&D. My favorite is using a monster that is less powerful than the PC's, but far more intelligent. That way you can use all your dirtiest tricks, but still give the PC's a chance win. For example - (this uses intelligence and fear of the unknown): A "Blue" goblin psion is tired of the PC's attacking and convinces his strike team to use an unorthodox tactic against their formidible enemy. Each is shaved, slicked in grease, and has squid tentacles strapped to their chin. When the PC's are in a dead-end room, the psion arcane locks the door, creates magical darkness within, and sends mental messages to the PC's about how hungry it is. The goblin strike team wades in sans weapons to grapple their foes and tie them up. (a la midget mindflayers) Throw a few well placed hold persons in and you have a party. :) Yeah, absolute darkness where you remove the gameboard is always a fun one. [/QUOTE]
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