ideas needed

[NewbyDM]

little problems to run my game.

Im kinda new to DM-ing and i run into a couple of problems.

maybe its because i always played that way, but my players are like savages.... they attack everything that doesn't smile. Even when someone is clearly stronger, they still don't get a feeling that they shouldn't attack the NPC. I often think about it and don't know who is more civilized, the barbarian orcs or them...

But to the point, i have the idea for an adventure, to let them realize, that talk would maybe be a better choice then attack. I have prepared a encounter with a couple of evil elves, who are attacked by a couple of ocrs/humans (mercanaries who are hired to kill the human hating elves).... and my plan is to let them think that the humans/orc are evil (not a big problem i guess) and the elves are good and in the end they realize that not all is what it seems....

maybe do you have better ideas.... because you encountered the problem more then once (and i did) all the ideas are welcome..

R.

 

[CrazyMage]

Let them kill the guy who was going to give them a really nice paying job. Make the guy an agent of the king (or whatever) and when they show up for the job but the agent does not (for he was to bring back the hirees)--heap o' trouble. No job and money; arrested/executed/on the run from the law.

One way to shake them up.

 

[Chimera]

Here's the way you handle this

Who says that Good people are always nice and friendly? What happens when they kill the wrong group of people just because one of them was feeling surly that day?

Throw in some minor but well respected noble that the PCs are not familiar with, a bunch of his bodyguards and good clerics. All "incognito" with holy symbols and such hidden. The Baron has had a very hard day, his back hurts from riding that cantankerous horse, and he's in a foul mood. He doesn't like the way the PCs smell, or are looking at him, or whatever.

If they kill him and his entourage, they're now Outlaw, wanted for the murder of a respected noble and a lot of good people. Hunted by Paladins and Knights alike. They're considered "evil".

Heck, for that matter, normal peasants can be cranky too. Just because you've got a longbow across your back doesn't necessarily mean that everyone will stay out of your way. If there is any LAW to protect them, people will take more liberties.

 

[glaucon]

Greetings,

Has your party ever been arrested? Perhaps the local gentry sends out some soldiers to detain these unruly characters...
Have they ever been dangerously challenged? You say they wantonly attack; when they do this, do they usually defeat their enemies? If so, there's your problem right there. They need to learn to be cautious, to be afraid. So, next time, kick their asses. set up a 'random' encounter, say, they happen upon 3 orcs who've just killed a travelling merchant. Unbeknownst to the party (who, no doubt, charge in), these orcs are favored by a sorcerous chieftan. Maximize the orcs, lots of feats, full hit points, magic items, weapons, etc. Most importantly: cheat on your dice rolls! Control the combat, ensure that the PC's learn to fear, bring at least 2 party members close to death.... watch them run..

 

[NewbyDM]

they are surely challenged, they almost always look death in the eyes... (also becuz their die rolls suck )
But is just frustrating that they never get the graps at that they are living beings... ok, try your luck sometimes... but they just never know when to stop or retreat!!!

Tomorrow i'll hope to teach them to think before attacking...

the baron ideas is a little less exotic as the idea i had, i think i'll use that...

tomorrow i'll mssg how it went

thanx for the ideas

R.

 

[Chiaroscuro]

there are some good ideas up there. but whatever you choose to do, i suggest making the challenge that you pit against them strong enough to actually defeat them.
i suggest a character or group of characters who will fight your pcs and put them down but not kill them. maybe they're chased off before they can finish off the party, or maybe they only stay to ransack the party's belongings, or maybe they're just interested in teaching the party a lesson, etc. etc.
let a few members of the party get brought down to negatives but not dead. fudge the rolls if you have to. just so the players perceive a genuine threat to their characters...
then perhaps they won't be so eager to take down anyone they see...

 

[hobbes]

NewbyDM,

One of the big rules in DM'ing is this: don't be afraid to kill characters. So long as they feel like they can fight their way through anything no matter what, they will never explore any other options.

This doesn't mean that you need to set out to slaughter everyone, but until they learn that there are better ways to solve things than the sword, they will never try anything else.

Another idea is to put them in a situation where they can't fight their way out. Some examples of this would be putting them in a situation where a) their weapons have no effect, b) their weapons are taken away c) there is nothing to fight with weapons (say in a town where they have to negotiate with people in a position of power because they are up against an entire army), etc.

When my players get into 'hack & slash' mode like that, I try to remind them that it can be to their best advantage to align themselves *with* some NPC's rather than just trying to wipe 'em all out.

Of course, killing a character or two off tends to humble them pretty quick too...

 

[NewbyDM]

My story

it was a normal day as before, 2 elfs run through the camp and asked them for help because they were followed by horsemen. When the horsemen entered the clearing.... u can guess it, they shot first, before anyone could say something.... (atleast 1 character did doubt the action and began to ask himself who te good guys were... the "knights" or the dagger armed, black cloaked elfs.... stereo types, but they are kinda blind for such things

Anyway, they halforc, started shooting and decided to shoot, even when those knights came charging across the clearing....
That was his end (R.I.P.).
After several hints from my side, i encouraged them to explore the option of surrender...

Now they are banished from their homelands...(im a nice DM, after killing the kings son, i didn't even kill them).

But after the "tragic" death of the halforc, the party went on

at the end it was a very nice campainday today!

i had a nice grasp at their emotions... now they atlast felt how adventuring could be (boring.... long long days...)
normally we only play like 4 hours, today we played 7 hours.... And everyone started yawning and getting tired, getting irritated (that was the plan) that it didn't go the way the wanted it to go,
but in the end, everyone was very excited!!! even after a long day of waiting

R

 

[ThomasBJJ]

check out the D&D adventure "The Standing Stone" it will help you with this idea.

 

[Nopau]

Dropping like flies

Once we had a situation where we were trapped in a town and people started drop like flies from a mysterious death, nothing to kill, but we had a hard time trying to find out the cause.

Interesting enough it was a curse, and we couldn't fight the curse but needed more infomation to try and stop the curse before we died.

Ravenloft has good information on Curses.

Nopau