Mexican Stand-off: How To?

[Janx]

I would think the mexican stand-off would work best when the PCs get their first, and the other parties arrive just after, or if all 3 approach at the same time.

On an open field (your crater), this may be a harder thing to do. If the area had LOS blockages, the bad guys could say something witty as they come around the corner, thereby keeping the game in RP mode, rather than combat mode.

It's further complicated becasue you have a PC party, making it just as likely the PCs will attack both bad guys simultaneously (after all, they've got multiple attacks in the round).

You might make the macguffin react to violence, giving the PCs a very finite time to get the job done and extricate it, once they start fighting. Make sure they know this ahead of time (and all the bad guys know this too). This will make them all edgy, and wary to start the combat. But when it starts, expect no-holds barred.

Janx

 

[LostSoul]

And, of course, there's always the chance the PCs will completely screw with my plans, by, like, charging as soon as the guy shows up, or making fart jokes. But hey, I've managed to run with it before.

Do you use action points? Have one of the NPCs spend one in order to make a monologue.

 

[RangerWickett]

I'd like more suggestions if possible. I anticipate this scene to occur soon in my game, perhaps this weekend.


I'm gettin' all tingly.

 

[DanMcS]

What if a side effect of the flares grants some sort of Sanctuary effect to everyone? +10 to saves and AC, for example, that vanishes when you attack.

Whoever attacks first has to overcome that protection. Whoever attacks second doesn't.

Make it disappear slowly. Like, everybody starts off with a +10 bonus to AC, saves, and DR 10. It diminishes by 1 each round/(whenever you say so). They standoff, because the first attack will have to overcome the penalty, but there's an escalating temptation to think, "ok, it's down to +6, I can go now, try to overcome that, and have a full round of attacks on the bad guys, or I can wait 1 more round and it will be even easier. But they might go first..."

 

[Michael Silverbane]

I don't know if you could jam it into D&D or not, but in Spycraft 2.0 there is a Stand Off action, which is for simulating just this sort of thing... Maybe you could take a look at that to see if it'll help you out at all?

Later
silver

 

[Whimsical]

Simply consider that there are certain "scenes" from other sources that don't work in D&D, and come up with interesting new and fresh scenes that are based on how D&D work.

 

[RangerWickett]

Simply consider that there are certain "scenes" from other sources that don't work in D&D, and come up with interesting new and fresh scenes that are based on how D&D work.

Ah, but I'm playing d20 Modern.

I did consider that the rules don't handle it well, but I'd rather say 'screw the rules,' and create a memorable scene.

 

[Whimsical]

For example, there's an encounter in the Arcana Unearthed adventure Siege on Ebonring Keep where they come across a battle with two fronts. Two wagons carrying two farming families have been attacked, first by bandits and then by rhodin raiders. All three groups have suffered casualties and the farmers would be overcome if the bandits and raiders weren't attacking each other. They are all behind some cover and shooting each other with ranged attacks. There's a good chance that the PCs will encounter this without any of them noticing them, which gives them some time to think about what they want to do.

If they take on both sides at the same time or join the farmers, it will be a difficult or overwhelming challenge since the bandits and raiders will stop attacking each other to attack the PCs.

If the PCs join one side, they will warily accept the assistance of their "allies" and focus their attacks on the other side.

So much more interesting than your typical "It's trying to kill me, so I must kill it first" scenario.

 

[Umbran]

Any suggestions?

A Mexican Standoff occurs when all parties involved freeze for a moment and stop to consider their next action, and consider the possibility of their own annihilation.

You can't control that, whatever the system. You can't force the PCs to stop and think. If just one of them decides to damn the torpedoes, and go full speed ahead, then your standoff fails.

You can go ahead and have the NPCs stop. And you can even have friendly or intimidating NPCs encourage the PCs to stop. But in the end, whether or not they do so is their own choice. As usual, PCs don't follow scripts very well.

 

[brocktoon]

here is what I came up with:

One character chooses to
initiate the Mexican Standoff by foregoing
his action for the round and being in visual
range of any other character he wishes to
engage.
The initiating character makes an Intimidate
check. Each opposed character makes a Will
save. Failure means they may act normally.
If they make the save, they are engaged in
the Mexican Standoff.
Engaged characters leave initiative (but
if there are unengaged characters, the
engaged characters are still targets, although
they get an initial +2 Too-Cool Bonus to
Defense which increases +2 each round they
are engaged in the Standoff.) During the
Standoff, characters may communicate, load
their weapons, and prepare for the end of the
Standoff, but they may not do anything that
gives them an advantage over their foes.
Once engaged, characters make Will saves
every round with the DC starting at 10 and
increasing by 2 each round. Every round
that a character makes their save they add
a +2 Cool Bonus to their Cool Pool. Any
character may willingly leave the Standoff
at any time. Once one character voluntarily
leaves the Standoff, any character still
engaged may either remain engaged,
continuing to add to their Cool Pool, but is
unable to do anything else other than move,
or they may disengage as well, gaining an
additional +2 Cool Bonus for not flinching
first!
The character who initiated the disengage
gets an additional +6 Getting the Drop
Bonus to initiative.
A character who fails their Will save leaves
the Standoff and opens fire and they add
their Cool Bonus to initiative.
If a character makes a successful Will save,
they then have the option of disengaging
voluntarily if any other character also
disengaged, and they gain their Cool Bonus
to all attack and damage rolls for the first
round.