Looking to Scare the $#!+ Out of My Players

[Warden]

I've tried some of the old tried and true methods of instilling a mood of fear (turning off the lights, playing spooky music, etc.) but it just doesn't feel as if their hearts are really beating. It might seem moot, but I want the players' palms to sweat.

I have them located in a dark castle with full descriptions and a pervailing tone to appear haunted and mysterious. I even took a sound effect of a fetal heart monitor, slowed it down to 25% speed and played it in reverse to create an eerie throbbing noise as they walked the halls...but it just made them say "Cool."

Any other suggestions on what I could try?

 

[BiggusGeekus]

What I did for horror in my d20 Modern game was to alter the description of the spells being cast. So instead of a normal slow spell, I described it as the asphsalt reaching up and dragging the PCs back.

I also played "Dance of the Sugarplum Faries" whenever a "lieutennant" of the boss would show up.

Finally, when the PCs were in a warehouse. I had an invisble bad guy use slight of hand to put a note in a PCs pocket. The note read:

How does it feel to be in a room with an invisible guy with a knife?

Signed,

An inivislbe guy with a knife


... that worked pretty well.

 

[MonkeyDragon]

When choosing music, go for something that emulates the rythm of a beating heart. It makes things more visceral and driving. Then if the beat speeds up later, it adds to the urgency.

Take away their sense of control. Have things happening around them that they don't have the ability to predict or prevent. Include things that aren't part of the rules, or describe things in a new way. The unknown is scary.

To add to general stress, include puzzles or story elements that have a time limit. Knowing I only have a few minutes to solve something always gets my heart beating faster.

 

[Hjorimir]

In dungeons I play by candlelight. This adds a nice spooky feel.

 

[William_2]

I’ve posted this same argument before, and recently, so it feels kind of lame even to me. However, I really believe it, so:
For me, the foundation that allows all other methods of creating fear to work in an RPG is one of verisimilitude. Tell the players out of game that, whatever your normal practice, they are now playing a game where opponents of all power levels are placed where you feel they belong in the world, with no regard for the level/other power measure of the characters.
With that base, the techniques you mention, along with others, should work fine. With the safety net of conventional RPGing, that is “if I’ve encountered it, that must mean I can kill it” all or mostly in use, the characters may be frightened, but the players will have more difficulty throwing themselves into it.

I’m sure it can be argued that really good role-players can work with the net, and still act frightened, or even feel a bit frightened. I think for a lot of us, the net needs to come out, though. Without it, it is easier to feel anxious, and the DM can work with that to get some fear going.

Best of luck! I think it is tough to do. The group has to go along with it, for one thing. Make sure you get everyone to agree to suspend all out-of-game talk and keep it quiet during the session, I suggest. If every horror-drenched tableau is broken up by screams from the kitchen about “Where’s the Mountain Dew?!”, I think it is an uphill climb to create fear.

 

[XCorvis]

To make the players worried, you have to make them fear for their characters. They're not going to be "scared" but they will be worried and nervous. My hat is off to any DM that has actually scared his players - you have to put a lot of work into atmosphere, mood and just the right events - plus, you need players who really get into it. The right combo doesn't happen that often.

I'll expand a little on what BiggusGeekus said.

What I've found, as a DM and as a player, is that the thing that makes players the most nervous is when they can't look it up. They have no idea what it is, what rule book it's in, or what it's actually doing. When the earth rises up out of the ground to surround a player, they don't know if it's an earth elemental, bigby's grasping hand, a shambling mound made of dirt, or what. And if they don't know how to deal with it, they get nervous.

Also, you can use theme music. If you use it before the fight, you can increase the dramatic tension. They know a baddie is coming and they start to get worked up (don't let them metagame it and start prepping before their characters know). Then, once in a great while, use the theme music when you're not actually using the appropriate character. They'll get all worked up (yay, Pavlov!) but then you can twist it on them - nothing happens, or perhaps they run into an ally (or is he?)

 

[devilish]

I second the "can't look it up"/unknown.
When I was playing, we took the adventure off-track and investigate a
barrow that was supposed to be flavor-text. The DM created something
on the fly that was one of the most memorable play experiences.
We were at the end of a 100' long corridor trying to get a secret door open; at the
other end of the corridor, black-scarabs (ala the Mummy) started to drip out of the ceiling and then pour forth like a wave down the corridor. "What the !@$ are those?" cried the
ranger. "Get the #%# door open, thief!!!" I yelled. We were completely panicked.
Add to that the malicious, wandering ghosts and we were just begging to get
the hell out of there...

 

[Black Omega]

The unknown is a great way to make people nervous, I agree completely. It's even better when they think they know what's going on and you turn it around.

In my Rokugan game, the PCs were ready to let one group they didn't like fight a monk they knew was a badass, then sweep in and try to finish off the monk. When the monk started glowing with a hellish aura, lifted his hand and a infernal symbol appears above him and the bad guys fell dead around him they decided they didn't need to fight him that badly. As was said:

"Do we charge him now?"

"No way, did you see that? Monks don't do that!"

 

[Crothian]

Go for shock value. During a tense part of the game have a friend sneak up and knock loudly on the door

 

[VirgilCaine]

http://www.sjgames.com/gurps/Roleplayer/Roleplayer17/ScaringPlayers.html

This might help.