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Message: <blockquote data-quote="UltimaGabe" data-source="post: 5179837" data-attributes="member: 16019">In a game session I'm going to be running soon, I plan on having a so-far-unseen NPC show up, steal a powerful artifact the players have, and also subdue and kidnap a PC or two (as well as two NPCs that are with them). I've been planning on this happening for a while, and it's fully within the story (and I've consulted the soon-to-be-kidnapped PCs beforehand to make sure it's okay with them).My only question is, what's the best way to do it, in your opinion?I plan on having the PCs get ambushed while traveling by a very well-informed NPC (think a very powerful Diviner) who knows exactly what to do and the best way to do it. It's very likely that I can have the NPC and his group of cronies show up while the PCs are sleeping, since so far none of them seem to be very concerned about setting up magical protections and keeping close watch or anything.I could very easily just say, "So, you wake up the next morning. Your McGuffin is gone, as well as PC 1 and NPCs 1 and 2," but I'd rather not have it be a complete hand-wave. If possible, I'd like for a battle to take place, so that the players at least feel like they had a part in it.But then what do I do? Do I just throw a whole bunch of super-powerful NPCs at them that there's no chance they could beat? Or do I throw one super-duper-powerful NPC and a bunch of minions at them? Something about that just sounds like it would seem way too DM-ex-machina to my players. Are there any monsters that have an easily-spammable stun or daze attack that I could throw at them (appropriately levelled, of course) to incapacitate them through rules and mechanics rather than DM handwave?In my experience, it's very difficult to take down a D&D group without specifically setting out to do so (that is, without specifically sending enemies that are far too powerful against them). Does anyone out there have any advice?</blockquote>

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