How Do you stop players from making suicidal decsions?

[TiQuinn]

I'll tell you what though.....it sounds like it'll be a pretty fun last hurrah if that's what goes down!

 

[Furn_Darkside]

PCs are notoriously difficult to capture. Lots of them prefer death and rolling a new character to being a hostage, in my experience.

That is where subdual damage and hold-like spells come into play- they don't have much choice.

Heh, from my experience, they are more concerned about losing magic items then dying.

FD

 

[National Acrobat]

From what I understand they are going to fight to the death. The Elves in the party will be put to death immediately if captured. No ifs, buts and arguements. The party elves and the drow have indicated in their parlays several times over that if either one captures each other, they are dead on capture. The two rogues don't know what fight to the death means and they will run I am sure at the first moment. The Cleric of Heironious is against this vehemenently. Mainly because he knows the spellcasters aren't prepared for this and he believes that the drow will charm the Half Orc Ranger/Fighter/Foe Hunter and the Half Ogre Barbarian/Fighter/Ranger and turn them on the party. It's gonna be ugly. The party has a "no surrender" policy.

 

[TiQuinn]

PCs are notoriously difficult to capture. Lots of them prefer death and rolling a new character to being a hostage, in my experience.

True, PC's tend to treat every fight like it's Custer's Last Stand. But if the PC's are open to roleplaying this, it's an option. Heck, it's a FUN option! A great way to get into the Vault of the Drow. As a player, I'd look at this with some excitement. As a DM, I'd eventually give the PC's an opportunity to escape as well.

 

[justa goblin]

Well if you don't want to do a TPK you could have the drow drop the party, but not kill, and take a character or two prisoner. I don't know about the flavor of your campaign but I would have the drow mailing pieces of the prisoners back to the party for years.
Otherwise just roll the dice on the table and let the party watch themselves get killed.

 

[Furn_Darkside]

The party has a "no surrender" policy.

Oh well, you have your answer.

Maybe they won't make such characters in the future.

FD

 

[TiQuinn]

From what I understand they are going to fight to the death. The Elves in the party will be put to death immediately if captured. No ifs, buts and arguements. The party elves and the drow have indicated in their parlays several times over that if either one captures each other, they are dead on capture. The two rogues don't know what fight to the death means and they will run I am sure at the first moment. The Cleric of Heironious is against this vehemenently. Mainly because he knows the spellcasters aren't prepared for this and he believes that the drow will charm the Half Orc Ranger/Fighter/Foe Hunter and the Half Ogre Barbarian/Fighter/Ranger and turn them on the party. It's gonna be ugly. The party has a "no surrender" policy.

Hmmm...the Cleric is going to enter the fray, knowing the party is unprepared? Is there anyway he can counter the drow's charms? I don't know how the player is RPing his character, but would the Cleric follow a clearly suicidal mission? Perhaps that's your answer...a DM hint to the player of the Cleric that if he doesn't do something to talk the others out of this, they are all done for.

Also, if the rogues run away, at least someone lives to fight another day....and bring a cleric who can cast Raise Dead along with them!

 

[Dreaddisease]

Imagine that every battle you are in has the potential of killing you. You are just thankful you made it this far. Maybe later on the characters would get tired of living on the razors edge and retire but most heroes are very much suicidal. Riding headlong into battle and relying on their skill. PCs are heroes and do heroic things (whether good or evil). I agree that this seems like a suicidal mission. But a lot of campaigns are suicidal missions to start off with.

If this battle helps them resolve problems that stand between them and success, or the goals they seek then they should consider it.

David slew Goliath because he stood in the way of his people. Suicidal, yet heroic. Germainians faught against masive Roman armies to defend their lands and their way of life and lost. Heroic still. History is littered with events that are suicidal. And when you look back it was the roll of the dice (or maybe divine intervention) that delivered the outcome.

 

[J'quan]

Are the clerics willing to make such gross violations of their word, given their alignments and dieties? Have they considered the ramifications, both in the current, and afterlife, should they fail?

It might be worth dropping a hint or two just as the groups are about to meet, about the magic dripping off the drow. Unless, of course, the drow are now bent on wiping out these annoyances. In which case, they've deserved it. They made an agreement with the drow, and are now backing out because "they're tired of making deals."

You might want to have the drow make a strong show of arms for a round or two, and then leave. Maybe concentrate on a PC for a round, drop him, and issue a warning to the rest of the party, as they plane shift or mass teleport or something out of there. Use the escape as a further show of power - using a high level spell.

 

[National Acrobat]

The Cleric of Heironious has argued 'til blue in the face with them and I don't think he is going to do much more than heal them when they come crawling back. He has already mentioned that he isn't wading into the fray, so they won't get his support in the melee. He is trying to convince them of their folly but it isn't working.