How often does your party fail?
- Thread starter KrazyHades
- Start date
A number of times, though the GM might disagree. We have tried a number of times to get through adventures in one go, but had to retreat for supplies, or to just get healed up, or recover spells.
Sometimes GMs over estimate what the Players and PCs can do and then sometimes the Players just roll really bad, and screw up (which is more our cup of tea; we screw up a lot).
Sometimes GMs over estimate what the Players and PCs can do and then sometimes the Players just roll really bad, and screw up (which is more our cup of tea; we screw up a lot).
Voadam
Legend
Sometimes.
Sunless Citadel, TPK.
Banewarrens, lots of bad things got out that we are still chasing down something like 9 levels later.
Vampire the Masquerade this happened a lot. Finding out about an evil Methuselah tomb. Going to hunt him down, he drinks us and recovers his powers instead. Go to hunt down another evil Methuselah awakening from her tomb, end up releasing a major demon on the world instead. Go to wake Antedeluvian Gangrel, wake up 4th gen Baal who finds and diablerizes Gangrel instead becoming a demonic Antedeluvian and strengthening his progeny.
Sunless Citadel, TPK.
Banewarrens, lots of bad things got out that we are still chasing down something like 9 levels later.
Vampire the Masquerade this happened a lot. Finding out about an evil Methuselah tomb. Going to hunt him down, he drinks us and recovers his powers instead. Go to hunt down another evil Methuselah awakening from her tomb, end up releasing a major demon on the world instead. Go to wake Antedeluvian Gangrel, wake up 4th gen Baal who finds and diablerizes Gangrel instead becoming a demonic Antedeluvian and strengthening his progeny.
frankthedm
First Post
Many times.
Tends to be a Divide and be Conquerd sort of deal. They seperate, often because they failed to use tactics or forethought & someone gets horribly beat up or maybe killed. Then they use up precious time trying to heal up allowing for thier foes to proceed unchecked.
Example
Party plans to use the surprise round of combat to partial run to the foes some distance off. First person does so, then another player decideds to single move forward and draw his melee weapon instead, third person takes a full defence worried about being shot. Last characher forgot the plan was to run forward and goes for cover. Enemies dog pile the person who followed the plan. Party takes several rounds of combat to turn the tide of the fight, giving thier main foe a head start on his get away. After the fight, because they got messed up so badly, they camp. The main foe contines his plan and accomplishes it while the PCs are resting.
Tends to be a Divide and be Conquerd sort of deal. They seperate, often because they failed to use tactics or forethought & someone gets horribly beat up or maybe killed. Then they use up precious time trying to heal up allowing for thier foes to proceed unchecked.
Example
Party plans to use the surprise round of combat to partial run to the foes some distance off. First person does so, then another player decideds to single move forward and draw his melee weapon instead, third person takes a full defence worried about being shot. Last characher forgot the plan was to run forward and goes for cover. Enemies dog pile the person who followed the plan. Party takes several rounds of combat to turn the tide of the fight, giving thier main foe a head start on his get away. After the fight, because they got messed up so badly, they camp. The main foe contines his plan and accomplishes it while the PCs are resting.
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BlackMoria
First Post
After reading this thread so far, I guess my group is remarkable in that they rarely fail. In fact, I can only recall two 'failures' in multiple campaigns in 30+ years.
It usually doesn't go smoothly but at the end of the day, they have met the objectives and usually without drawing the ire of the authorities, their employer, and every power group and organization within 100 miles.
I attribute it to my players being very goal oriented and well, outright paranoid.
They are so paranoid that they have expectations of betrayal from almost everyone, including their employer, so they always take pains to find out as much as possible about their associates as they can.
This actually happened in one campaign start that happened after another campaign ended with various 'allies' attempting to screw the party over.
Merchant: "I want to hire your group to deal with a problem that I am having..."
Character A: "Provide three references who can vouch for your character and your abililty to pay. If you check out, we will consider your request. Don't contact us, we will get in touch with you as to the suitablity of your offer. Then we will tell you our terms..."
It usually doesn't go smoothly but at the end of the day, they have met the objectives and usually without drawing the ire of the authorities, their employer, and every power group and organization within 100 miles.
I attribute it to my players being very goal oriented and well, outright paranoid.
They are so paranoid that they have expectations of betrayal from almost everyone, including their employer, so they always take pains to find out as much as possible about their associates as they can.
This actually happened in one campaign start that happened after another campaign ended with various 'allies' attempting to screw the party over.
Merchant: "I want to hire your group to deal with a problem that I am having..."
Character A: "Provide three references who can vouch for your character and your abililty to pay. If you check out, we will consider your request. Don't contact us, we will get in touch with you as to the suitablity of your offer. Then we will tell you our terms..."
Kheti sa-Menik
First Post
I wouldn't say losing. My PCs accepted a job working as troubleshooters/security/law enforcement in a small mining settlement in the mountains of a desert nation. They uncovered what was preventing the caravans from reaching the nearest city and ended it. They rescued someone who turned out to be a major conman. Stopped a vampire from eating more people in town. BUT....they blew up the only drinking establishment in town, the town was overrun by a small army of tribal natives who hated the imperial government, and the miners were kidnapped by another group of tribals...cannibals..led by an evil necromancer. They got back half the captives, were forced to abandon the town and sneak the remaining population out and into the mountains to make their way back to the city.
When they got back to the city, they were detained and questioned by local authorities and accused of inciting the tribals to violence, they came out poorer than they started since most of their pay was to come from a share in the mine's profits.
So I suppose you could say they failed..the town was burned by a small army of tribals and they didn't get any money...but they saved a lot of lives.
When they got back to the city, they were detained and questioned by local authorities and accused of inciting the tribals to violence, they came out poorer than they started since most of their pay was to come from a share in the mine's profits.
So I suppose you could say they failed..the town was burned by a small army of tribals and they didn't get any money...but they saved a lot of lives.
TarionzCousin
Second Most Angelic Devil Ever
Failure = A Different Kind of Success
Something I strive toward as a DM is to have the players succeed at something even when they "fail." I try to figure out ahead of time what will happen to move the plot(s) forward if the players don't succeed.
It's not my article, but here's something interesting on the subject:
http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/encounters-a-simple-formula
Something I strive toward as a DM is to have the players succeed at something even when they "fail." I try to figure out ahead of time what will happen to move the plot(s) forward if the players don't succeed.
It's not my article, but here's something interesting on the subject:
http://www.treasuretables.org/2006/09/encounters-a-simple-formula
KrazyHades
First Post
It seems as if my group isn't the only one, though, which rarely seriously screws up in achieving their overarching goals. Maybe they lose a character or don't do an ideal job, but they still almost always succeed in the important goals.
It's also sometimes hard to make things the right CR, because I'm usually not quite sure which people will show up each day. Today, for example, EVERYBODY came (7 players + me
It's also sometimes hard to make things the right CR, because I'm usually not quite sure which people will show up each day. Today, for example, EVERYBODY came (7 players + me
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kigmatzomat
Legend
My players' in-game joke is that "failure is always an option." Matter of fact, failure is often the best jump-off point for future adventures. My game world has diverged significantly from it's origins by the players' (mis)deeds and it makes it unique.
For this reason I can't use the "living" campaign settings. Oh, I could start a game in Forgotten Realms but it would hit the point where much of the following timeline advancing products just simply don't jibe with my world. Once I start a game I break all synchronization with the published setting. Plus it saves me money.
For this reason I can't use the "living" campaign settings. Oh, I could start a game in Forgotten Realms but it would hit the point where much of the following timeline advancing products just simply don't jibe with my world. Once I start a game I break all synchronization with the published setting. Plus it saves me money.
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