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How do you surprise your players?
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<blockquote data-quote="Oofta" data-source="post: 7419114" data-attributes="member: 6801845"><p>When I want to surprise the players with some story element I think about a few things.</p><p></p><p>What is the goal? Does it make sense? Did I drop appropriate hints to give them that reaction of "OMG! That's why..."? Most important, does it add to the story we (I and my players) are telling? The thing I want to avoid is the "shocking twist" that makes absolutely no sense. I can always say that all of the locals in the group's home base were really demons in disguise all along which may be surprising but probably wouldn't add anything of value.</p><p></p><p>So let's start with a simple environmental surprise, the floor collapsing. I'd probably be describing the building they're entering as old and in ill repair. The floors show obvious signs of rot and water damage, creaking menacingly under their feet. This way if the group doesn't take precautions such as staying on the edge of rooms, spreading out a bit, etc I can usually get a "I knew this was going to happen" response. The situation was presented, the group anticipated the result and either did not take precautions or not enough. At other times that sense of dread, the sound of the ice cracking ominously under their feet, the fear of impending plunge into cold dark icy water is a goal unto itself. Sometimes the ice breaks.</p><p></p><p>Then there are unexpected encounters. The tavern that is unusually quiet, food set on the tables but no one eating (or only pretending to eat) everyone staring at the group hungrily while someone slips out the back door. Setting a mood for the commoners to be vampire spawn waiting for their master to join them before they attack. So there's a chance for perception checks to notice the guy leaving, investigation checks to notice that the bread is old and dry, the cups empty, etc. Or it can be as simple as walking through the forest and all the birds stop singing as people notice that it's quiet. Too quiet.</p><p></p><p>When it comes to NPCs, I try to drop hints that something isn't quite what it seems. The quest-giver that only ever sent them after one of two factions, that subtly (or not so subtly) discouraged going against both factions telling them that The Blinded Eye cult was simply too powerful. Or when the group did go up against the Blinded Eye, they were ambushed. The noble that they saw in an unexpected place or that had muck on his shoes after the mysterious villain had run away through the stables.</p><p></p><p>But the NPC surprises don't have to be all bad. Sometimes an NPC can be an unexpectedly powerful ally. The bartender that is really a high level wizard which explains the occasional frozen bad guy corpse, or the time the group was awoken by a chattering squirrel in the middle of the night just before they were ambushed. Sometimes the NPC assassin has conflicting agendas and may let the PC live to see another day for her own reasons that aren't apparent at the time. </p><p></p><p>Depending on the player, I may also set up a deep dark PC secret. Nothing like the BBEG showing up saying "hello son" to Bob the party mage.</p><p></p><p>Last but not least, sometimes the NPC is simply an NPC that I realize retroactively could have been something they didn't appear to be. Maybe initially the princess really had been kidnapped but for some unplanned reason the group was suspicious of the circumstances. While for that story arc the princess really was a princess, I change my mind later and decide later that the dragon was working for her. Sometimes I just realize I set up an encounter that the PC(s) didn't have a chance to win so I have to give them an "out" (although other times the PCs just lose of course).</p><p></p><p>It also depends on the game. If I want some political intrigue and paranoia I'm far more likely to set up twists and turns. A dungeon crawl campaign? The surprises are probably limited to environmental hazards and traps.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Oofta, post: 7419114, member: 6801845"] When I want to surprise the players with some story element I think about a few things. What is the goal? Does it make sense? Did I drop appropriate hints to give them that reaction of "OMG! That's why..."? Most important, does it add to the story we (I and my players) are telling? The thing I want to avoid is the "shocking twist" that makes absolutely no sense. I can always say that all of the locals in the group's home base were really demons in disguise all along which may be surprising but probably wouldn't add anything of value. So let's start with a simple environmental surprise, the floor collapsing. I'd probably be describing the building they're entering as old and in ill repair. The floors show obvious signs of rot and water damage, creaking menacingly under their feet. This way if the group doesn't take precautions such as staying on the edge of rooms, spreading out a bit, etc I can usually get a "I knew this was going to happen" response. The situation was presented, the group anticipated the result and either did not take precautions or not enough. At other times that sense of dread, the sound of the ice cracking ominously under their feet, the fear of impending plunge into cold dark icy water is a goal unto itself. Sometimes the ice breaks. Then there are unexpected encounters. The tavern that is unusually quiet, food set on the tables but no one eating (or only pretending to eat) everyone staring at the group hungrily while someone slips out the back door. Setting a mood for the commoners to be vampire spawn waiting for their master to join them before they attack. So there's a chance for perception checks to notice the guy leaving, investigation checks to notice that the bread is old and dry, the cups empty, etc. Or it can be as simple as walking through the forest and all the birds stop singing as people notice that it's quiet. Too quiet. When it comes to NPCs, I try to drop hints that something isn't quite what it seems. The quest-giver that only ever sent them after one of two factions, that subtly (or not so subtly) discouraged going against both factions telling them that The Blinded Eye cult was simply too powerful. Or when the group did go up against the Blinded Eye, they were ambushed. The noble that they saw in an unexpected place or that had muck on his shoes after the mysterious villain had run away through the stables. But the NPC surprises don't have to be all bad. Sometimes an NPC can be an unexpectedly powerful ally. The bartender that is really a high level wizard which explains the occasional frozen bad guy corpse, or the time the group was awoken by a chattering squirrel in the middle of the night just before they were ambushed. Sometimes the NPC assassin has conflicting agendas and may let the PC live to see another day for her own reasons that aren't apparent at the time. Depending on the player, I may also set up a deep dark PC secret. Nothing like the BBEG showing up saying "hello son" to Bob the party mage. Last but not least, sometimes the NPC is simply an NPC that I realize retroactively could have been something they didn't appear to be. Maybe initially the princess really had been kidnapped but for some unplanned reason the group was suspicious of the circumstances. While for that story arc the princess really was a princess, I change my mind later and decide later that the dragon was working for her. Sometimes I just realize I set up an encounter that the PC(s) didn't have a chance to win so I have to give them an "out" (although other times the PCs just lose of course). It also depends on the game. If I want some political intrigue and paranoia I'm far more likely to set up twists and turns. A dungeon crawl campaign? The surprises are probably limited to environmental hazards and traps. [/QUOTE]
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